Coming in from the cold

[deckroid]

Here is an update on the new Train Room.

While I have a general idea of what I want my layout to look like, I have yet to set it to stone. I need to know what I have to work with, so with that in mind, I started out by heading off to that big box store whose name starts with the letter Lowes. They were out of 18 inch brackets for the rails I wanted, so I got the 14 inch ones. Before anyone chastises me, I knew I was going to use some legs for at least one side of the layout... the pics will give a better example.

While there, I also picked up 2 8 foot 1x4s. Or 1x3s, as some call them. After taking apart my layout from the garage and reusing the wood, I realized that while this layout will be a bit smaller, I wanted to keep the 1x4s as long as I could. As I was going through the many warped and wowed pieces of lumber, my 5 year old daughter stated in front of a group of employees, "Dad, there isn't a straight piece of wood in this whole place!". Which was true. Nonetheless, I grabbed the two best and high tailed it out.

Got home and did the following work.









Now that the three sides are up and screwed in place, I simply can't believe how immovable that thing is. It doesn't shimmy or shake (much). If I really horse on it, it will move but not much.

I am trying to reuse as much of the original material as I can. However, since I destroyed 60% of my blue foam when trying to remove structures and get to the L-Girders, I went over to where they are putting up the new state run Affordable Housing and found some 1 inch blue foam in the dumpster. Yes, I am not above diving for foam or 2x4s. I figure, its about 4 bucks for a 2ft x 4ft piece of that blue gold and these guys where tossing it out anyway...

The fourth side to this layout has yet to be built. I have some 2 inch foam that I hadn't gotten around to using yet and I am thinking of stacking it up and have the duck under be a high spanning bridge. It wouldn't need to be 2 feet wide that way. I am currently looking for some double tracked plans/kits for spans of about 24 - 32 inches long.

More to come. I wish I had a scanner, then I could show what plans I am doodling on paper. Maybe my camera could do the job... ?

George