06-19-2011, 02:12 PM
torikoos Wrote:Hi Jonte,
just curious, did you find a workable solution for your backdrop? Or have you been busy laying track?
All the best, Koos
Hi Koos and thanks for your interest.
Apologies for the late reply but had a busy weekend - although not busy laying track :cry:
To answer your question, in between non railway related demands on my time, I've been quite busy with the backscene which is over two thirds complete, thankfully - if indeed any stage of construction can be measured
Frankly, I'm relieved that there's now light at the end of the tunnel, as the backscene has been the most difficult part of the construction so far. Although I had a fair idea of what I wanted, like everything else in this project, I've been pretty much making it up as I go along. The problems, as you're aware Koos, are two fold: primarily it has to be portable - like the rest of the layout - and secondly, seamless. Regrettably, I'm not much of an engineer, so I have to admit that I've failed in relation to the second prerequisite although I've managed to keep it to just one join - down the middle! - which I'm hoping shouldn't be too noticeable provided I make a half decent job of the modelling !! Otherwise, it will be fully portable, both pieces being joined - as usual - by hinges, the bolts having been replaced with home made pins. Also, there are no right angled corners, although achieving this has proved a bit of a headache. The frame is of ply reinforced with a planed 2" x 3/4" softwood crosspiece, the fascia being of 2mm card - cut from 4' x 3' sheets (approx). Corner formers of ply, have been shaped to the required radius so that the flexible, but vulnerable card, will be supported on all edges (easier to show than describe and I'll try and post some photos of my progress over the next couple of days after I've made a little more progress, so to speak). An added challenge concerns the curved bases of the corner pieces of the backscene which will, first, have fixing points marked and drilled in order to fix it to the baseboard, before marking for cutting to make the backscene removable - If I've lost you here, I apologise, but it's difficult to explain. In fact, it only occurred to after I'd got this far
- told you I'm making it up as I go along.Finally, the frame will be painted to match the rest of the layout and the fascia painted a pale blue colour to act as a cloudless 'sky'. I say finally: although the frame side pieces have been prepared, holes in the card fascia which will serve as entry/exit points for trains, won't be cut until I've finalised where the track will actually go. This is why the old adage, " which came first, the chicken or the egg" is so difficult to answer (the backscene came first I suppose, but won't be finished until the track is layed - nothing's ever straightforward 
With regard to track: I received several lenghts from The Sidings, Tamworth, Devon during the week, so track laying can begin in earnest some time during the coming week. However - yes another one!! - I will need to know roughly where to site my buildings in order to determine where to place my crossings and also what size the road widths will be as I need to scratchbuild the crossings from PCB, scrap rail and filed down rail to form the guide rail so prominent in the area I intend to site my work of fiction!! And of course, I won't be able to finish laying the track and thereby run some trains until the crossings are layed; plus, I've also got to finalise which buildings I intend to model from the real life district (think I've identified three so far) so perhaps there's still some way to go before track laying is finished.
Railway modelling, hey?
Perhaps I need an easier hobby
Best wishes,
Jonte
PS..........I've also ordered my new 'pulse' DC controller - I also forgot to mention that I still need to detail, decal, paint and weather my switcher - will this site still be running in ten years' time
