Planning new FWWR layout

[MountainMan]

Looking Good!

[fwwrmodeler]

Spent the last 3 days of my Christmas holidays multitasking. Working on a kitbash of NREX 8748 a GP11, and working on the layout. As of last night the main trackwork is complet, a few industrial spurs left to be installed and all then all trackwork will be completed. Add drops for DCC and might be abler to run some trains before the new year . All the lights were finished had one wall that was not completed make the yard area much better to see now, another project completed on the list. Wish i could stay on track and not bounce around so much, would be able to complete more things. Seems to be a problem when doing this all by myself nobody to keep me on track.

[fwwrmodeler]

Progress photos. Some of the last track being laid:





After looking at these photos, What a mess. Need to get this stuff cleaned up so I can run some trains.

[train_guy]

What Brand of DCC system ya runnin'?Just curious

[fwwrmodeler]

Don,

I am using an old Digitrax Empire Builder I bought approx 10 years ago when I worked in a shop in CA. This was before their radio control was even available. Last year had to send the DB150 back to Digitrax for repair it finally gave up, now runs like a champ. I have a bunch of UP5 located all around the layout.
Ive also accuried a couple of DS64 for automatic route control in the yard and some of the harder to get to switchs.
This is a industrial area so most of the switchs will be hand thrown to slow down operators like in the real world.
As in, Engineer will bring the train to a stop, Conductor will align the switch, then engineer will procede.

[fwwrmodeler]

Happy New Year to everybody. Have spent the New Years Weekend working on the layout. At 10:30 New Years Eve the first FWWR train ran on the layout, FINNALY . Now starting to work on the electronics for the yard, installing the last of the drops and completing the track wiring, I HATE THIS. Finally able to run some trains and fix any power problems with trackwork. Been reading Lance's new book on operations and starting to get an idea on how it is done, Boy do I have a lot of work ahead of me. Looking to use JMRI will see if this will do what i want, time will tell. That it for now will try to get some more photos soon.

[Tyson Rayles]

Congrats on your first run!

[mountaingoatgreg]

Congrats on the progress!!

I look forward to watching your layout progress. It sure is nice to see something moving around on a layout you have worked on. I am also with you on a complete dislike of troubleshooting and wiring in general, although necessary until they make scale prime movers...

Keep up the great work!!

[fwwrmodeler]

No updates lately so here we go.







The backdrop has been finished and painted. Lower valence was completed and ready to be painted. After running some trains and looking at some pictures that I had taken of the yard. Out came the peninsula and it was moved over a couple of feet to better represent the yard entrance. Here is the prototype:



Here is what was done over the weekend:



I did not pay attention when I laid this area out and was trying to get the yard as large as I could in this area. But 2 problems arose, 1st track arrangement was incorrect. 2nd after working with train size that I could use, the yard was just to big. I could not move anything from both ends easily. So out track came and the new arrangement has begun. After running to LHS and finding out no HO cork, bought the last few pieces of O scale that they had. Came home and modified it and with a little work got it relaid. Hope to get track in and wired back up this week.

[faraway]

That is promising to be a very prototypical layout with lots of free space around the tracks.

[train_guy]

Lookin' good man,looking forward to your progress What size is this room?You sure got alot of realestate,very well planned out layout,I just hope my skills will be up to par with yours.

[Tyson Rayles]

Looking good!

[fwwrmodeler]

Went to the LHS this past weekend and acquired a new FWWR engine from the second run from Athearn. Originally I thought that the graphics were incorrect. After seeing it in the shop I purchased it:



Have a lot of work to do to get it running, just another engine to finish .

[faraway]

Wayne, I have got a question after looking at that photo again. How do you access the three windows (e.g. for cleaning)?

[fwwrmodeler]

Sounds bad but I don't clean the windows in train room. Here in TX this old house gets hotter than hell. I got some black out shades from Wall-Mart and covered the windows now, it makes a huge difference in the how much cooler it gets, at least I don't sweat my ass off when working on the layout like I use to. Hope to start building structures this weekend with you ideas, thanks.