Introducing The PistonBroke Line
#1
Hi fellas,
Thought I would give an insight how my layout came into being, as well as maybe introduce myself to those of you who may not have been able to avoid me in the past.
Some of this has been posted on another forum awhile back in a slightly different way.....But....
If you can bear with me over the next little while, I will endeavour to chronicle all the fun and mistakes P[: from beginning to the present of the making of "The Pistonbroke RR"

OK. From the beginning............A few years back...

O.B. Jack was a complete novice at this techno internet stuff, and had no idea about making train stuff. Nope
and I still am, ..but .. having a fat time of it now.

So back to the beginning......... Many moons ago , I had a triang train set as a kid and loved it. so when the little anklebiters (grandchildren) came along "The War Office" and I decided to get a train set for them to play with when visiting.

That was the beginning of the end.

We first tried to see how much space would be needed for this train set. Check out the 1 ft squares drawn in chalk on the floor, Ahhh we were going to be soooo professional about all this!!!
[Image: 100_0380.jpg]

We did set it up once but it was never going to work . Hard concrete floor. Sad
People tripping over it :'(
Having to pull it up all the time then relay it :Smile

"So lets make a little table to put it on dear " whispered The War Office
"Cool" said Jack. "I can probably manage that"
"But first " says She " We need to polish the floor if we are going to put something permanent in here"
"Dang" says I "But OK lets do it"

Big Mistake

Here is the Real Estate
[Image: 100_0381.jpg]

Here is the machine The orange thing ...not the driver
[Image: 100_0385.jpg]

Here is the aftermath
[Image: 100_0384.jpg]

and here is more. Note, even The Dog checked out the damage
[Image: 100_0388.jpg]

And more
[Image: 100_0390.jpg]

So the cleanup started ........ and 3 days later we had
[Image: 100_0391.jpg]

Then this is it. Reclaimed for the right of way
[Image: 100_0392.jpg]

and looking the other way
[Image: 100_0393.jpg]

So there we were, some 3yrs ago setting out into the unknown world of model RR
Initially we were going to put the settrack onto a table, plug it in and away we go. But that would be to simple would'nt it?
So with great trepidation and a fear of the unknown we looked on the internet to find a trackplan.

Big mistake # 2
Because we found a whole new world of little trees and engines and houses and cars and flex track and scenery and on and on we could go, but mainly wonderful helpful people (who are probably not so little) Tongue
Now we had to make some hard decisions. ??? How big? How high? How Much? How to do it? Will we? Wont we?
What the heck. So like a Bull in a china shop we charged in boots and all.

So ends chapter one. Popcornbeer
If you can be bothered to tune in sometime in the near future, you can follow the trials and tribulations of this never ending saga

Cheers Jack
LIFE....
..... Abandon the search for truth
Look for a good fantasy
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#2
Hi ya Bob! Welcome to Big Blue. That is one sweet layout room! I can see it now, Ops session, Brews and BBQ! Nice. Looking forward to seeing some more of what you did with that space.

P.S. Too bad about dust. Better your place then mine! 790_smiley_picking_a_fight

Icon_lol
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#3
Jack,

Welcome! Similar stories can be had everywhere - so you're not alone in this. But I second tetters' comment on your room - very nice! Especially in northern/snowy climates, we tend to think of dark, windowless basements as the home of layouts. Not so yours! Great space!

Good luck. Looking forward to the next installment...

Andrew
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#4
hey Jack, welcome to the Big Blue Misngth Welcome

Just read your story, man that was a MESS!! LOL How in the heck did you manage to create such a huge mess, and then manage to clean that all up? LOL

But the room looks great, and i wish i had that room to model in!! I enjoyed chapter 1 and there wasnt even any trains yet lol, im really looking forward to chapters 2-..... Misngth 2285_
Josh Mader

Maders Trains
Offering everyday low prices for the Model Railroad World
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#5
Welcome aboard, Jack. Don't feel too bad. The DIY network has a series on professional contractors coming in to rescue homeowners who get in over their heads trying to do home improvements. At least you got your taken care of and the room looks great. I can't wait for chapter 2. When do we see some trains?
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#6
Thanks for the comments guys, And to answer a few questions,
Russ Bellinis Wrote:Welcome aboard, Jack. Don't feel too bad. The DIY network has a series on professional contractors coming in to rescue homeowners who get in over their heads trying to do home improvements. At least you got your taken care of and the room looks great. I can't wait for chapter 2. When do we see some trains?
Ummmm If you have the DIY phone # Russ..... I sure need it at times,
and Trains? ...is that what this is about? oh yes, I seem to remember it took a while.

tetters Wrote:Hi ya Bob! Welcome to Big Blue. That is one sweet layout room! I can see it now, Ops session, Brews and BBQ! Nice. Looking forward to seeing some more of what you did with that space.
P.S. Too bad about dust. Better your place then mine! 790_smiley_picking_a_fight
Icon_lol
I like your thinking Tetters, the Brews and BBQs happened while we were waiting for "The War Office" to clean away the mess.. so dust problem solved also Josh. Goldth

MasonJar Wrote:Jack,
Welcome! Similar stories can be had everywhere - so you're not alone in this. But I second tetters' comment on your room - very nice! Especially in northern/snowy climates, we tend to think of dark, windowless basements as the home of layouts. Not so yours! Great space!
Andrew
Andrew that great space/realestate, like all things matrimonial, always comes at a price,
from memory:
Two "I love you"s
Three lawn mowing sessions
A car wash
A "fix my cupboard latch" and two cups of tea in bed ( I got the two cups of tea down to one her birthday and the other on our anniversary, just got to remember now) Eek


Once again thanks for your encouraging words, you have just take it upon yourselves to shoulder the responsibility for the posting of the next installment of this Never Ending Story.



OK... from the start you must realise that my computing Skills were ( are) nearly non existent: and as far as modelling or knowing anything about trains went (goes) absolutely Zilch. Zero Nada. Nothing. Wallbang
My apologies in advance to those who have a great knowledge of either, for you must be cringing now wondering what lies before you.
Anyway back to the trains ....... Cheers

We went online to find out a bit of Info, and discovered all these forums with people talking (with photos ) about model RR that they had built or seen and it started to fascinate me. Thumbsup

So Maybe we needed a track plan to follow, Which led me to the Layout Party forum and disisme (am I allowed to say that) and between us we devised a trackplan that was functional and easy to follow.
It was all Good. Cheers

and the first Plan was something like this
[Image: 34166a08.jpg]

and that looked OK 'cause all we wanted was a train that went round and round, was off the ground, and a walkthrough table design that my ol' bones didn't have to bend over to get into the middle of. Goldth

Yeah Right. .. All the Best Laid Plans Of Mice And Men........... 35
I had learned to use xtrackcad a weee bit, A little knowledge is a bad thing right?

Right

You guessed it, this is what I did to that sensible and functional plan that we had worked out... it had now become.....

"Spaghetti Bowl Central"
[Image: 069f6f54.jpg]

Which took away the open entry and made a duckunder. Probably in time to come.....
Mistake # 3
but with the high value of Real Estate around here you steal every bit you can. and it meant that we could have a couple of lines operational at once with the radii not to tight. train

I decided that 4'6'' was to be the height of the table. Scientifically it was 'cause I was the Boss and it was a good height for me.
And the anklebiters could stand on a chair to see, but not reach it easily until they grew a bit. 2285_

Now for some timber for this big construction,
Having just built a house not so long ago, and me one of those people who will not throw anything away in case it comes in handy one day, I found some leftover timber which I convinced myself was exactly what was needed.
"Just the right size" I told the War Office
"See I knew it would come in handy" I said
I wont tell you what her reply was. I think she just kept walking. [Image: lala.gif]

So for all the WOODPHILES among you here is a closeup photo of some wood that was used. And for the Technophiles the wood was 3"by 11/2"dressed timber. Or close enough. :?

[Image: 53f1e981.jpg]

AND
[Image: 100_0867.jpg]


And so the construction began. 790_smiley_picking_a_fight
With the father of some of the anklebiters arriving to break my drillbits we got under way

[Image: bench3.jpg]


[Image: 100_0402.jpg]

We made squares which were then bolted together
Notice some of the highly specialized construction material is painted which goes to show we waste not want not!!! (or maybe they were offcuts stolen from the house builder)

[Image: bench2.jpg]

So in the middle of all this mess, I'm sorry but I'll have to leave you for now.
the grey matter has just turned to cotton wool trying to put this together.

But be afraid ... Be very afraid....... I could be back with the next part of the story Veeeery Soooon.

Happy Modelling
Jack[Image: icon_blahblah.gif]
LIFE....
..... Abandon the search for truth
Look for a good fantasy
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#7
Jack I see a couple of possible problems that can probably be fixed while it is still in the bench work under construction stage. If you track is more than about 24 inches from the front edge and you can't access it from the other side, you won't be able to reach it if a train derails at the back, and you know how Mr Murphy's law works.
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#8
Hiya Jack , nice to see you made it over, great looking plan, don't be shy with the pics.
Lynn

New Adventure <!-- l --><a class="postlink-local" href="http://bigbluetrains.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=9245">viewtopic.php?f=46&t=9245</a><!-- l -->

Great White North
Ontario,Canada
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#9
Thanks Lynn, nice to be here and to see a few old faces, and hopefully meet a few new ones in time.

Russ Bellinis Wrote:Jack I see a couple of possible problems that can probably be fixed while it is still in the bench work under construction stage. If you track is more than about 24 inches from the front edge and you can't access it from the other side, you won't be able to reach it if a train derails at the back, and you know how Mr Murphy's law works.
Hey ya Russ, That Murphy fella sits on my shoulder day and night causing untold havoc, Wallbang so I appreciate your concern and the time you obviously took to read the post.
The problem is that the layout was constructed a year or so ago (wow sorry, nearly three yrs ago)so there is no going back, however there is only one side... that is the left side in the plan...that I cannot access from either side of the benchwork, ie: it is against a wall, so no real dramas....yet.
Thank you gentlemen for your encouragement, once again you have spurred me on to try to add another chapter to this
shaggy dog story of a newbys' journey of discovery into the world of model trains .
:hey:

So here's an update on the making of the "Pistonbroke" Line which came from the home of the "Great Drill Bit Breaker" (Son in-Law)

Well eventually we got the benchwork done and bolted together
[Image: bench5.jpg]

And we screwed 1/2" chipboard on top as the baseboard (it looks like I had to sleep down thereto watch over the project)
[Image: bench6.jpg]
And
[Image: 100_0403.jpg]
And
[Image: 100_0424.jpg]

And

[Image: 100_0423.jpg]


Notice We have some track layed down already . train Could'nt wait to see the trains going round. At this stage we were DC and it was probably the set track from the original train set that is on the Deck. But hey the anklebiters 2285_ were going home soon and we DID have a train running on a bench for them. Misngth

Then it was... to foam or not to foam.... Icon_lol I could not source any Pink foam easily but I thought I needed to have a bit of a cushion underneath so I could shape some ground contours .. ....at least a little bit

( Hey what do I know) But I found some 1" fairly solid core foam.and that went onto our baseboard with some white glue.

stuck on with White Glue
[Image: 100_0452.jpg]
And
[Image: 100_0453.jpg]
And
Rivetting stuff eh? :oops:
[Image: 100_0454.jpg]

We were still using the old track plan and as yet had not joined up the bench to increase the hurt on Jacks Bones with the ensuing Duckunder.
[Image: 100_0447.jpg]

But it did'nt take long before the new trackplan came into being. Tongue and so when The war Office wasn't home The Real Estate Grab was on, the gap was closed, and ....voila ... A B***y duckunder Nope was created.(plus the bench was extended a weeeeee bit) but dont tell the War Office Misngth

I printed the plan out at a 1:1 from xtrackcad and pinned it out onto the table
[Image: 100_0463.jpg]
and
[Image: 100_0464.jpg]

and
[Image: 100_0465.jpg]

So we were all set now to lay some track. But what track? what frog? electrofrog? insulfrog? DC ? DCC?
Anyway If you have lasted this long maybe you will tune in next week to find out more about this oneman Journey into the unknown.

Its yours! Do it your way
cheers
Jack
LIFE....
..... Abandon the search for truth
Look for a good fantasy
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#10
That looks like a really cool track plan and a great narrative to chronicle its birth and growings-up.... Goldth
I like what I've seen so far...So don't keep us all waiting too long for the next installment..!!
Gus (LC&P).
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#11
YES!!! Looking good!!! Looking verrrry good!!! Can't wait for the next chapter to be written!!
BTW, I love that clock hanging on the wall! Thumbsup
I only know what I know, and I don't understand very much of it, either.
Member: AEA, American Legion, Lions Club International
Motto: "Essayons"
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#12
What I great story this is and will be!!! Thanks, I really enjoyed following along and I'm looking forward to the next installment. Big Grin Big Grin

cheers
Val
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#13
More!....More!....More!
What do those numbers mean on the track plan?
Torrington, Ct.
NARA Member #87
I went to my Happy Place, but it was closed for renovations.
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#14
OBJack Wrote:
Russ Bellinis Wrote:Jack I see a couple of possible problems that can probably be fixed while it is still in the bench work under construction stage. If you track is more than about 24 inches from the front edge and you can't access it from the other side, you won't be able to reach it if a train derails at the back, and you know how Mr Murphy's law works.
Hey ya Russ, That Murphy fella sits on my shoulder day and night causing untold havoc, Wallbang so I appreciate your concern and the time you obviously took to read the post.
The problem is that the layout was constructed a year or so ago (wow sorry, nearly three yrs ago)so there is no going back, however there is only one side... that is the left side in the plan...that I cannot access from either side of the benchwork, ie: it is against a wall, so no real dramas....yet.
Thank you gentlemen for your encouragement, once again you have spurred me on to try to add another chapter to this
shaggy dog story of a newbys' journey of discovery into the world of model trains .
:hey:


Micro-Mark has an item that might help you to reach hard to reach areas on the layout. I was trying to link to the item on their web site, but I can't find it there, and attempts at using their search function were useless. They offer a step ladder that is a bit hard to describe, it is designed to cantilever over the top of a layout so that you can reach down to the back of the layout. Our house is in disarray with construction, so I can't find my current catalog to get a part number to use to post a link with.
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#15
Thank you gentlemen, I will try to post as soon as time permits.

I entered this Train hobby stuff by default a couple of years ago really , and as you can see I have a lot to learn, so what is going out into cyberspace at the moment is what I did with no knowledge at all that this type of world actually existed...
So flying blind I was .....and still am.... But what a ride it is turning out to be. Big Grin

Eightyeight those numbers on the trackplan are end of track elevations from memory, but I did not follow them as I think they were entered when I was fooling with the programme (I see we have an American spellcheck aboard) Xtrackcad.

Russ Bellinis Wrote:Micro-Mark has an item that might help you to reach hard to reach areas on the layout. I was trying to link to the item on their web site, but I can't find it there, and attempts at using their search function were useless. They offer a step ladder that is a bit hard to describe, it is designed to cantilever over the top of a layout so that you can reach down to the back of the layout. Our house is in disarray with construction, so I can't find my current catalog to get a part number to use to post a link with.

Yes Russ, I do believe I know of what you speak, to date I seem to find a way to manage to reach all trouble when it occurs.
Even if it means I have to duck under the bench and walk around to the problem. I often find myself working the layout from outside anyway, but Murphy dictates that wherever you are the problem will be elsewhere. Right? 35

Being from the Antipodes our resources are somewhat limited to what 3 or 4 LHS want to stock, and my closest would be about 500kms away.
Thank goodness for the internet, 2285_ although at this time our Aus dollar is only buying about 65 US cents, so no joy on that front at the moment.

Typing with one finger and trying to correct mistakes is a slow and laborious process for this illiterate but....
should be back in a day or so with the next bit of the PistonBroke line saga.

can't have a post without a photo
Just trying different placements for a proposed town
[Image: img_0098.jpg]

Jack Cheers
LIFE....
..... Abandon the search for truth
Look for a good fantasy
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