All change.... new start

[torikoos]

Looking good Robin, I must say that these details are pretty small, not sure I would use them on a layout, but perhaps on a module board they get noticed quicker.

Koos

[Tyson Rayles]

Looking good!

[postman]

Hello!
Nice layout.
Any update?

Best regards!

[22tango]

Yes, please post updates if you have any. I admire your work - very well done!

I would have avoided gluing anything on top of a 1:1 paper track plan, but if works for you, great!

[jerseycentraluk]

Layout update from February / March

The plan has been reconfigured slightly to accommodate a service road and grade crossing, so much a part of this type of industrial setting. The previous LPG unloading point has been replaced by a small spur for unloading cement.


As it is on a curve I thought that 2 or 3 small covered hoppers would look better than one long tank car. Also there is no need to build any unloading facilities for this traffic (always a concern when it is so close to the edge), just simply drive a trailer alongside to load the cement.



The staging area has been completed. I used a Peco code 75 Asymmetric 3-way point to feed the 3 track staging yard. The yard shelf has to be removable as previously explained, the room is our guest bedroom. Short sections of track are used to bridge the gaps between the three tracks and the turnout using sliding rail joiners. These bridge tracks also carry power to the staging. I used Caboose Industries ground throws with integral electrical switching to switch the points and to power the complicated frog arrangement on this turnout. To help identify which track is set, I have used LED’s wired to the ends of the track and set into the end plate to provide a visual reminder.



Taking on board advice from friends and from forum members on here I decided to only detail the trackwork that is close to the viewer.

I used Proto87 detail parts for this. I didn’t like the appearance of the etched frog detailing parts on the trial turnout (below left), so instead I used the more pronounced detail on the plastic sprue which I like better (whether it looks prototypical or not?)



It was also necessary to grasp the nettle and attempt to splice together two of the wonderful Fast-Tracks turnouts and a crossing to make the trackwork for the spurs to the scrap metal loading and the, as yet, un-named ‘manufacturing’ business along the wall.

This worked well and the resulting trackwork has been detailed and painted ready for laying in position. I have added some extra detail to the frogs of the diamond crossing. This has not followed any specific prototype photos but more a general feeling for the large amounts of bolts and nuts and reinforcing castings that seem to be a part of many of these sorts of crossings.



All the rest of the turnouts close to the viewer have been detailed also and painted. The only thing left to do now is to splice together two crossings and three turnouts to make the complicated trackwork where the route to the peninsula crosses the two tracks to the distribution warehouse. This has been more complex and I have made a start, but it has involved not just cutting to size but unsoldering track from painted copperclad ties and then replacing wooden ties with copperclad in some areas. Work is progressing but it has involved a lot of head scratching. Thankfully once it is done I will be able to move on to lifting the temporary trackwork and replacing it with the higher standard track and turnouts.

[postman]

Great!
What length is the staging area?

[jerseycentraluk]

Glad you like it so far. The removable staging shelf is 86". That is long enough for 8-9 car trains to run in and out of the layout. As you can see we haven't had any guests for a little while and modelling activities have overflowed from the layout room somewhat..!!

[Kev1340]

Nice track plan you have Robin, and you are making great progress. I like the use of the spare room for staging, three tracks that length should be ample.

Cheers,

Kev

[22tango]

I think I'll borrow your "entry to scrapyard" idea. Great way to add an industry without having to model the industry. Plus you can change the "industry " whenever you want just by spotting different cars there.

[jerseycentraluk]

Yes, its ideal when you don't want to model the whole industry. Here is the inspiration from the prototype.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=rxppwg4t5n1w&lvl=18.93&dir=267.17&eo=0&sty=x~lat~47.537974~lon~-122.324861~alt~-15.0023~z~30~h~-51~p~4.2~pid~5082&app=5082&FORM=LMLTCC">http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=rxppwg ... ORM=LMLTCC</a><!-- m -->

Its hard to work out if they come in empty or come in loaded? But either way, loads can be added and removed from the model gondolas before the start of the next session.

[fast car]

Robin,

Very nice well thought out plan. I really like to see peninsulas in shelf layouts since they offer numerous operational possibilities. Looking forward to additional photos.

Larry

[jerseycentraluk]

Layout update April / May

It’s that time again, to update you on the progress with the layout.

All the turnouts have been completed ready for track laying. Once all the details were added they were ready for painting. I used masking tape as a base for the turnouts and then gave them a spray coat of grey primer. Once that had dried I used a wash of thinned Burnt Umber oil paint to ‘stain’ the ties.

After a quick rub with the track rubber to remove the paint from the rail surface it was time to mask of the painted ties so that the rails could be spray painted. This was a tedious process, particularly around the frogs, involving lots of little ‘pointy’ pieces of masking tape.



When everything was stuck down the turnouts were sprayed with a rail brown.



The completed turnouts were dried using a hairdryer before the masking tape was peeled off to reveal the completed painted turnout. I find that's always a pleasing moment.



The bottom layer of masking was taken off.



Then the tops of the rails were cleaned again to complete the process.



This process was repeated for all the rest of the turnouts.



The double crossing complex has been completed and track laying has started. The routes from staging to the peninsula and the logistics industry have been laid and wired.



Here is a YouTube video link showing the latest to the loco fleet, UPY GP15, traversing the new trackwork.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://youtu.be/N2-_kQm8Xe0">http://youtu.be/N2-_kQm8Xe0</a><!-- m -->

Work is continuing on at a pace to complete the rest of the track laying and getting the point control installed as well.

[jerseycentraluk]

I realise it’s over a year since I posted anything on this thread. The layout is slowly progressing as I hope the photos show.



I have completed the PCC Logistics warehouse. The building is based on the prototype in Seattle <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@47.5743874,-122.3331057,3a,75y,354.43h,76.18t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sfVEJFs5DaZGuLOuZCQIVlQ!2e0?hl=en">https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@47.57438 ... !2e0?hl=en</a><!-- m --> . I didn’t have space to model the full building so rather than model the plain front I decided to model the entrance side instead. It is reversed so that the entrance is not next to the ramp.







The building is about 3 feet long. I had to reinforce the long wall with a piece of aluminium angle. Sides are made from Evergreen metal siding sheet. The roof was made from lots of Pikestuff roof panels glued to a sub-roof beneath (..just don’t ask how many kits I needed...!!).



The protective barriers are free-lanced as I couldn’t get a good photo of what was really there.

More to follow soon

[Ralph]

Wow!!!! Great update! You're layout is shaping beautifully! I'm impressed by the faithful rendering of PCC Logistics!

[Twist]

Hi there,
great looking layout.fantastic trackwork.
The building is also a great piece of scratchbuilding.
Keep the progress coming,

Cheers,Chris