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| Posted: Sun Nov 12th, 2017 10:42 pm |
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1st Post |
Daniel Beresford
Registered
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Good evening everyone,
After selling my last HO scale exhibition layout, I've had nothing to take to shows. Myself and my second operator, Ford, have been knocking around the idea of making an O scale layout for a long while now, and decided that it was the right time to get the project off the ground.
We decided early on that we wanted to make an urban industrial switching layout, and that it would have lighting, signals, ambient sounds, and animations. The track would all be hand built, and we have started looking into dead-rail as opposed to DCC, though if this doesn't pan out it can easily be wired for DCC if needed.
The maximum size for the layout would be 16', as this would be about the maximum size we could transport to shows between us.
After looking at many suitable track plans, a modified version of Jack "Shortliner" Trollope's Box Street Yard was chosen, and construction of the layout began.
It's been a long while coming, but we've finally gotten to a stage where there's something to show!
The benchwork/baseboards for the scenic section are done - three 4'x2' boards - with the final board being a traverser table which may also end up being fully scenic eventually.
The track plan has been mapped out full size on the boards, and dimensions/footprints for the structures have been worked out too. I've cut out the roadbed - 5mm foamboard topped with 4mm cork - and I've been ferociously cutting ties from coffee stirrers ready to start laying the track.
The design of the structures is such that the layout will be viewed from all sides - so no backscene required. This means that thought has had to be given to ensure the illusion of realism isn't broken by viewing angles which would allow the sector plate to be seen, or the traverser table. Fingers crossed this will all work when it's built! :D
For now, here are the photographs of the baseboards showing the plan, with a few pieces of rolling stock to give an idea of scale.
The traverser table will go on the left end of the layout as seen in the photos, which will allow us to add 4'x2' extensions to the layout in the future, should the ability to transport them become available to us.
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-Dan
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| Posted: Tue Nov 28th, 2017 03:43 am |
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2nd Post |
| Posted: Tue Nov 28th, 2017 06:20 pm |
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3rd Post |
| Posted: Tue Nov 28th, 2017 07:04 pm |
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4th Post |
Daniel Beresford
Registered
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Thanks Si!
Hopefully I can get some more done on it later this week. 
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-Dan
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| Posted: Tue Nov 28th, 2017 09:43 pm |
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5th Post |
Salada
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| Joined: | Mon Nov 4th, 2013 |
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| Posts: | 1193 |
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Nice trackwork Dan.
Any particular reason for using 5mm foamboard underneath the cork ? I'd thought of doing similar but I was concerned about the foamboard getting crushed after a few weeks ops and "accidents". I made up up a small section of track to try it out but was surprised to find the noise level was higher with the foamboard - maybe my particular style of track laying. Or maybe Starbucks ties are louder than AnyOtherBurger's ??
I see you are using the "moveable sleeper/tie" method of operating stretcher bar. I've tried various other methods in 43.5:1 Brit O gauge but none look totally right. I'm currently working in 48:1 On30 "Bachmann" gauge (31.2") and the moveable tie seems to be the only strong operating stretcher bar. Have you any other ideas ?
Regards, Michael
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| Posted: Tue Nov 28th, 2017 11:54 pm |
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6th Post |
Daniel Beresford
Registered
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Hi Michael,
Purely to boost the height of the trackwork so we can get a sector plate on the layout at one end without having to cut a hole in the baseboard.
I've always used a movable tie to operate the points. Even then, especially in HO scale, it can fail due to the break in the copper strip to prevent shorts.
If you figure something out, please let me know! :D
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-Dan
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| Posted: Wed Nov 29th, 2017 08:42 pm |
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7th Post |
Salada
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| Joined: | Mon Nov 4th, 2013 |
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| Posts: | 1193 |
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Thanks Dan, 5mm foamboard explained & understood. I've had various novel ideas for switch stretcher bars but 'moveable tie' tends to win on speed & simplicity. Still experimenting.
Regards, Michael
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| Posted: Sat Dec 9th, 2017 03:55 pm |
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| Posted: Wed Dec 13th, 2017 03:02 am |
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| Posted: Fri Dec 15th, 2017 06:53 pm |
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10th Post |
Herb Kephart
Moderator
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Late to ask this question, but why didn't you use the PCB ties INSTEAD of a regular tie, rather than between the regular ones?
Herb
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Fix it again, Mr Gates--it still works!"
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