scott Posted March 14, 2009 Author Share Posted March 14, 2009 The benchwork is in! Thanks almost entirely to my friend Stewart, whose skills, experience, and tools made this possible, the tables are built, and just waiting for the foam top. (Please pardon our old and non-Better-Housekeeping basement; I feel lucky to even *have* a basement....). [smg id=274] Link to comment
Bernard Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 The bench work went up real fast! Is the hole in the middle for access? I really like working with foam, it will make carving out rivers, lakes, etc. is a breeze. Are you going to use 1" or 2" foam board? Your basement is fine, so many modelers would give anything for that space. Looking forward to the next photos of the layout! Link to comment
scott Posted March 15, 2009 Author Share Posted March 15, 2009 Yeah, that was pretty quick--I hate to think how long it would have taken me alone..... The hole is for access, either to derailments or landscaping projects. I can reach the far side, but the kid can't, and it would be hard to work over there. We just got a bunch of 2" foam today, so that should be going on next. Link to comment
Guest ___ Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Awesome the new version of XtrakCAD is out and in a new open platform OS for the non-eletrically powered computer too. Link to comment
scott Posted March 15, 2009 Author Share Posted March 15, 2009 Sunday update--the 2-inch foam is glued onto the table, and the track is ordered. Ordering was difficult, since it triggered some "suspicion online transaction" thing with Visa and our card was locked up completely. Eventually I got it straight and the order went through. ::) Don't know how much we'll get done during the week, but I'm sure the kid will want to get at least one line going right away... Link to comment
Bernard Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 That will be very easy to get a line running with Unitrack. Are you planing on making this a permanent layout once you get all the track? Link to comment
scott Posted March 16, 2009 Author Share Posted March 16, 2009 Assuming there aren't any problems with the track plan, it should be there for the long term. We're planning on landscaping it pretty thoroughly as time allows. I'm wondering what might work to hold the track in place once it's all tested. Link to comment
CaptOblivious Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 Assuming there aren't any problems with the track plan, it should be there for the long term. We're planning on landscaping it pretty thoroughly as time allows. I'm wondering what might work to hold the track in place once it's all tested. I'm a big fan of lo-temp hot glue. Can be messy, but it cleans up pretty well, and doesn't melt track or foam. Link to comment
scott Posted March 19, 2009 Author Share Posted March 19, 2009 Thanks! Mid-week update: supposedly the track will arrive by UPS today. I'm hoping that I can get enough other stuff done quickly that I'll be able to at least lay the track out this weekend. Here's the Japanese-equipment list so far, all lucky deals from eBay: * Kato 7-car 500-series Shinkansen (might save this up for the kid's birthday) * Microace "Akagaeru" 2-car EMU * Tomix 115-2000 3-car EMU I was just about to cave in and buy a Haruka 281 EMU (though I wasn't thrilled about the price) when I found a bunch of surprisingly cheap Fleischmann, Trix, and Lima stuff to make up a nice DB passenger express. However, this has killed any further train purchases. And of course we'll have the Amtrak stuff the kid wanted, so it'll be a multinational layout. Oh, and we have a Kato 14617 "works tram" on the way, but I think that's a model of a European prototype. http://www.nscaledivision.com/images/Kato%20Images/KATO_Tram_Arbeit.jpg Link to comment
CaptOblivious Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Thanks! Mid-week update: supposedly the track will arrive by UPS today. I'm hoping that I can get enough other stuff done quickly that I'll be able to at least lay the track out this weekend. Excellent news. Oh, and we have a Kato 14617 "works tram" on the way, but I think that's a model of a European prototype. http://www.nscaledivision.com/images/Kato%20Images/KATO_Tram_Arbeit.jpg With a name like Arbeitswagen, I think we can securely call this a German prototype ;) Link to comment
Bernard Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 You're really starting to build up your roster. I love getting those UPS packages and I rush to get trains on the tracks. How did working with the foam come out? Link to comment
scott Posted March 19, 2009 Author Share Posted March 19, 2009 With a name like Arbeitswagen, I think we can securely call this a German prototype ;) Well, true, but at first I wasn't sure if that was the model name, or just a German description. At least, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it. You're really starting to build up your roster. I love getting those UPS packages and I rush to get trains on the tracks. How did working with the foam come out? The foam went down fine--I was worried at first that it wasn't going to stick, but I just put some heavy boxes on the difficult parts, and now it's all fine. I started off using Liquid Nails (new band name?), but ran out of that and finished off with some Adhesive Vinyl Caulk that we had left over. Both seem to do fine. Now I need to find a glue that will hold foam to foam, since some of the scraps are going to form risers for some elevated sections of track. Link to comment
scott Posted March 20, 2009 Author Share Posted March 20, 2009 [click to embiggen] And there's a small Flickr set showing some pictures so far; I'll add more as it goes along. Link to comment
CaptOblivious Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 :o whee!!! Looks like so much fun. Link to comment
scott Posted March 20, 2009 Author Share Posted March 20, 2009 Just counting the hours to finish work and finish the bedroom painting so I can get started.... Link to comment
Bernard Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Now I know why the hole is there! ;D It looks like your son is having the time of his life. The best Adhesive I used for foam is PL-300. It looks like the Liquid Nails tube but a light blue. It's meant for attaching insulation foam (and I should mention that there is a "Liquid Nails for Foam Projects" too.) I've used both, here is my comparison: PL-300 comes out of the tube a purplish cream, it has an strong odor but adheres better and quicker than Liquid Nails. Liquid Nails for Foam Projects, comes out white, there is no odor, but takes quite awhile to set. So in that way you can easily reposition a piece of foam later if you want. Do you have to go to work and then paint the bedroom? Don't they know you just got all your track? ;D I don't know how you can control yourself from diving in there and starting your layout!! This is the exciting part. ;) Link to comment
scott Posted March 20, 2009 Author Share Posted March 20, 2009 Do you have to go to work and then paint the bedroom? Don't they know you just got all your track? ;D ;D Somehow, nobody else seems to have their priorities straight. I don't know how you can control yourself from diving in there and starting your layout!! This is the exciting part. ;) It's a struggle, believe me..... Link to comment
scott Posted March 23, 2009 Author Share Posted March 23, 2009 Despite the fact that it was a beautiful spring weekend, I managed to get all the track down -- just need a few more pieces (DC extension cords and two viaduct track pieces): [smg id=270] Link to comment
Bernard Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Wow and Double Wow! You're really got off to a great start! Have you run any of the trains on the layout yet and is everything working alright? Link to comment
Claude_Dreyfus Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 8) That does look promising...I'm sure it will be a lot of fun to play with ;D Link to comment
Guest ___ Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 I just realized, eh has a source of running water and doesn't need WS water with that big ole tank right there. It's the world's largest water tower :) Link to comment
scott Posted March 23, 2009 Author Share Posted March 23, 2009 Wow and Double Wow! You're really got off to a great start! Have you run any of the trains on the layout yet and is everything working alright? We just now had our first test session (and thus dinner is late....). The first test mule was the Kato "arbeitwagen," which is very cute, but was reluctant to move--at first it wouldn't move on any of the three tracks, and I thought we had a serious wiring problem. But the little tram gradually loosened up a bit; not quite there yet, though. Perhaps some oil? Next I gave my son the E60 Amtrak set that I was saving up for him, and he was really excited about it. The E60 was less excited about running, though, and seems to be having some trouble getting going. But at least we know the track and controllers are connected OK. We even tried my old ATSF diesel, which I don't want to use and was sort of hoping was broken, but it ground its way along. Finally we got out my Tomix 115 interurban, and guess what? Smooth running very first try. :) But at least one of the controllers is working very strangely in "momentum" mode--if I turn the throttle down to zero, the train keeps running, rather than coming to a smooth stop. Weird; I may have to return that one. So anyway, it looks like the track wiring is fine, and now I just need to figure out how to loosen up some reluctant engines so they'll pull smoothly. Not a bad start.... Link to comment
scott Posted March 23, 2009 Author Share Posted March 23, 2009 I just realized, eh has a source of running water and doesn't need WS water with that big ole tank right there. It's the world's largest water tower :) Yeah, in N-scale, that's enough for Tokyo. Serious Godzilla-bait. Link to comment
Bernard Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Pilot - Just as a test, try switching the transformer that is defective onto another track and see how it responds. Link to comment
scott Posted March 24, 2009 Author Share Posted March 24, 2009 OK--thanks. I'll give that a try; tonight, time permitting. Link to comment
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