Small Highway/Switching Layout

[Trucklover]

Okay so, im getting real sick of sitting here and waiting to start on my M&ET modules. Still also waiting to hear back from the 2 places i turned in resume's to for a new job...

So if i cant buy the things i need to start the M&ET modules and buy the things i need to finish the CAT Rental Moudle right now i will compromise and work on something that i can build and start building right now. Its killing me not being able to work on anything.

Anyways, so i dismantled most of my old shelf layout but i left a few sections up that i had planned on using for storage. But i had a change in plans cuz i hated seeing all the sweet buildings i had built up and just sitting there. After going to Palm Springs this past weekend for my Girlfriends Cheer Competition and seeing the UP mainline along side State Highway 10, I have decided that this would be a pretty cool scene to model. I plan to have model a section near the house that we stayed in for 2 nights in Palm Desert. I want to model Highway 10, Washington Street exit off the 10, and the double UP tracks that pass by the area. I also am adding in a small section for switching that is totally fictional lol.

This layout is 12'x4'x18" L-shaped shelf layout. HO scale of coarse and should make for some very nice picture spots. Im making my Highway 10 model 6 lanes wide (3 in each direction) which is what it is in real life. Im also adding in a 2-1/2" section that separates the 6 lanes. I noticed that it is sorta like a ditch, so i will make mine like that as well and adding in a little water here and there.

I also noticed that alot of the double UP tracks were lined with trees on both sides of the 2 tracks. the only reason i can think for this is a wind break because the run alot of double stack trains coming from the Port Of Long Beach inland.... But i thought this would be a neat thing to model so i will do that on the left side of the layout. The tracks will also be elevated a bit from the highway, as i noticed this was another thing along Highway 10, the tracks were up higher.

The overpass/ exit for Washington Street will be a bit of a challenge. In real like the exit for the street travels up and meets up to a high overpass that crosses the highway and tracks. I want to do this as well, should make for another cool detail.

Right now, the only thing i will need to get are overpass kits and some Central Valley Mainline Tie Strips, Couple Central Valley #8 turnout kits, and some Code 83 rail, which hopefully by the time im done working out all the kinks and layout of this layout ill have a job to buy the above things lol

The small switching section which is 4'x18" includes all the following Walhers Cornerstone Buildings and Backround Buildings:

2 Buds Trucking Backround Buildings bashed together to make a long building
1 Centennial Mills Backround Building
1 Armstrong Electric Motors Backround Building
1 Heritage Furniture Backround Building combined with a George Roberts Printing Building

Here is a few pics of the layout of the buildngs and the start of the right side of the Highway

















More Progress to come soon!! Also finally have a reason to do a tutorial on how to do roads with Woodland Scenics Smooth-It, so i should also have that up tomorrow

[Herc Driver]

That's pretty cool! That should make for an interesting layout.

[Spitfire]

That looks great so far Josh!!! I like the idea of a big 6 lane highway.

cheers
Val

[foulrift]

Josh-cool idea. I don't know if this will help but in an old issue of one of MR's special issues they showed a layout that had a highway overpass that spanned the layout which was not that wide and on one end the overpass made a turn and continued on a downgrade connecting to a roadway at the bottom. I'm not sure but I think the builder was Chuck Hitchcock and the overpass was on his Argentine layout.I do remember that he used the Rix Products overpasses. Hope this helps some. Bob

[cnw1961]

Josh, good idea to use the stuff you already have. I like the idea to model a highway – something you don’t see done very often. It will be very interesting to watch your progress, and, knowing you, you won’t let us wait for long …

[tetters]

This should be fun to watch.

[Trucklover]

That's pretty cool! That should make for an interesting layout.

That looks great so far Josh!!! I like the idea of a big 6 lane highway.

Thanks Herc and Val It will provide some more good places to snap some pictures off i think

[Trucklover]

Josh-cool idea. I don't know if this will help but in an old issue of one of MR's special issues they showed a layout that had a highway overpass that spanned the layout which was not that wide and on one end the overpass made a turn and continued on a downgrade connecting to a roadway at the bottom. I'm not sure but I think the builder was Chuck Hitchcock and the overpass was on his Argentine layout.I do remember that he used the Rix Products overpasses. Hope this helps some. Bob

Thanks Bob!! Ill have to try and search for that article, if you happen to come across it, please let me know

[Trucklover]

Josh, good idea to use the stuff you already have. I like the idea to model a highway – something you don’t see done very often. It will be very interesting to watch your progress, and, knowing you, you won’t let us wait for long …

This should be fun to watch.

hehehe thanks Kurt and Shane

Roads are something that dont always get modeled, and large roads/highways i dont see to much on layouts, prolly due to the fact that they take up valuable space for buildings and tracks lol. For me, there is nothing more important then the roads, tracks, and large industrial buildings LOL. I do like scenery but those 3 are what i really want to model all over my layouts

[Trucklover]

One thing i would like to point out that i will not be able to do like i thought i would be able to. I will not be able to model the highway "right of way" or "shoulder" on either side of the highway. 18" is just not wide enough for a 6 lane highway with center divider and 2 tracks lol. Kinda bummed about this but ill figure something out

[LynnB]

I agree Josh it's a good idea to use what you have already, you can always switch them out if need be.
Nice to see some fresh work come into action.

[Trucklover]

I agree Josh it's a good idea to use what you have already, you can always switch them out if need be.
Nice to see some fresh work come into action.

Thanks Lynn I just couldnt sit back and not do anything anylonger LOL

[Trucklover]

Quick little update.

I let the freshly poured white pavement dry overnight hehe

Well i woke up this morning and it still isnt quite dry. Anyways i pulled up the paving tape guild lines and smoothed out any "bubbles" or lumps in the pavement. vacuumed the area and got up all the excess that had fallen off or been scrapped up after smoothing out the first coat and then proceeded to the next section of highway to be poured with its first coat.

I also made a quick mock-up of the on-ramp to the highway. I still need to do a quick cardboard structure for the off-ramp on the other side. The bridge that crosses the highway and tracks (Washington Street) will be 5-1/2" above the highway and tracks and that provides clearance for double stacks which was the main freight i saw traveling down the 10.

I also had to curve the highway to make room for this on-ramp/off-ramp set-up for Washington Street. This resulted in the 3 lanes traveling towards the left of the layout to be shrunk down form 3 to 1 lanes to keep the center divider in there....

Here are some brief pics

[steinjr]

Quick little update.

I let the freshly poured white pavement dry overnight hehe

Well i woke up this morning and it still isnt quite dry. Anyways i pulled up the paving tape guild lines and smoothed out any "bubbles" or lumps in the pavement. vacuumed the area and got up all the excess that had fallen off or been scrapped up after smoothing out the first coat and then proceeded to the next section of highway to be poured with its first coat.

I also made a quick mock-up of the on-ramp to the highway. I still need to do a quick cardboard structure for the off-ramp on the other side. The bridge that crosses the highway and tracks (Washington Street) will be 5-1/2" above the highway and tracks and that provides clearance for double stacks which was the main freight i saw traveling down the 10.

Looking great, as usual !

Grin,
Stein

[Trucklover]

Looking back at this, it appears that the on-ramp is a bit steep, might have to re-do this lol

what do you think?