Hi gang,

I might as well get a thread started on my layout - It's pretty much a mirrored version of the tried and tested Palmetto spur.

Instead of making the staging track a castte, I choose to make it part of the layout, and as such the total size ends up @ 10ft x 17".

The track is ME C70, with C55 used for flangeways in paved track sections.

PICTURES!
Overview:

Some switchwork:

first roadwork:

Working with spackle....

Welcome to Big Blue!

Nothing wrong with a Palmetto spur layout. :-) And why are you banging your head when using spackle? Yes it is a bit labour intensive, but does create a nice road surface in the end.

Koos

Spackle's my favorite road material, especially the way it takes paint and to create potholes. It looks like it will be a great layout. I never understood why Lance Mindheim didn't scenic the extension. If you have two 45 degree inclines on both sides of the track, your train doesn't demonstrate the theory of gravity.

Mike Kieran Wrote:Spackle's my favorite road material, especially the way it takes paint and to create potholes. It looks like it will be a great layout. I never understood why Lance Mindheim didn't scenic the extension. If you have two 45 degree inclines on both sides of the track, your train doesn't demonstrate the theory of gravity.

I also like spackle for roads..

If I was to redo Slate Creek( its about 30% complete-operating stage) I would add a foam insulation so,I could have some elevation like over a drainage ditch or small creek..I would probably use a large corrugated metal pipe.

Hi Gumpoleon and welcome to Big Blue

I'm a fan of 'the Spur' and like many others I received the book as a Christmas present from my daughter a couple of years ago.

I have a penchant for small layouts, and the simpler, the better for me. I especially like the uncluttered look.

I like your choice of track too. ME track is a good looking product but my purchases (code 70 #6s) all had problems with the crossing area ie the cast insert was proud of the wing rails causing a wobble to some of the stock - especially box cars - as it traversed the crossing. It's a small foible of mine, granted, and some are quite happy to live with it. However, if your switches are also problematic and you do wish to address it, it looks like now is the best time to do it before you start dressing the track. What I did was draw a small Swiss file over the area affected, a couple of go's at a time, and then test for smooth running. If not repeat until smoothness is assured; in this way, only tiny amounts are removed each time which will save unnecessary heartache

I trust you don't mind my interference, Gumpoleon, and I look forward to watching your layout develop.

jonte

Hi gang,

I painted the ground a 'dark brown'

It doesen't look all that Brown to me...

Box car red? Dirt has different colors depending on what it in the soil. Maybe it was formerly a farm at one time that used GERN fertilizer. Once you put on ground cover, it won't be so bad as you think.

Mike Kieran Wrote:Box car red? Dirt has different colors depending on what it in the soil. Maybe it was formerly a farm at one time that used GERN fertilizer. Once you put on ground cover, it won't be so bad as you think.

It's just that i specifically ordered a dark brown paint...

If you had other projects for the paint, that's different then.

It's a little red to my eyes, here in the Southwest of the UK (in Devon , see here: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=devon+red+soil&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=IujkU_7AGISDO_36gcAO&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1627&bih=855">https://www.google.com/search?q=devon+r ... 27&bih=855</a><!-- m -->), you can find quite a lot of red soil, but I think for a Florida theme (since you're replicating Palmetto to an extend) , you need something lighter, I'd lean towards a darker sand tone… Have a look here: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myakka_(soil">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myakka_(soil</a><!-- m -->) or here: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Myakka+soil&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=WenkU_qMFIb3OsS9gZgI&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1627&bih=855">https://www.google.com/search?q=Myakka+ ... 27&bih=855</a><!-- m -->

Obviously, you can just follow the Palmetto design, but set the locale somewhere else.

Koos

Believe it or not, there's all sorts of soil in Florida including red clay soil (big deposits around Orlando). Red clay was used as pigment (box car red) as well as for baseball infield dirt so that the ball has a steady bounce and no dust stirs up when a breeze blows across the field.

Palmetto also doesn't have to be exclusively in Florida. They're around the entire southeast United States.

Mike Kieran Wrote:Box car red? Dirt has different colors depending on what it in the soil. Maybe it was formerly a farm at one time that used GERN fertilizer. Once you put on ground cover, it won't be so bad as you think.

Mike,I holidayed in North Carolina back in the mid 80s and one thing that I still remember (beyond the Atlantic & Western RR)was the red soil..

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.unc.edu/courses/2009spring/geog/262/001/biosphere/casw_201.jpg">http://www.unc.edu/courses/2009spring/g ... sw_201.jpg</a><!-- m -->


Gumpoleon's photo brings back a lot of memories.

Anyway, I looking forward in seeing this layout come to life.

Gumpoleon Wrote:Hi gang,
I painted the ground a 'dark brown'
It doesen't look all that Brown to me...

There's still time to re-paint, if you want to, but there certainly are enough places around this world where red soil can be readily found. As always........"Your Choice".

Oh, Then again, all you would need is a good story to explain the "color".

Thanks for the encouragement Guys

I cross my fingers and hope groundcover will make the color irrellevant.

Speaking of colour, I painted the road surface...

Gumpoleon Wrote:.... groundcover will make the color irrelevant.....

That was my first thought. Don't worry. The possible multi layers of ground cover will end up with a very different overall impression.