14-August-06

Well..., It's been awhile again. I did start working on some passenger cars back in September but that is pretty much all I got done. About a week ago I got started again on the layout. I started with working on the first structure I am following a article I believe from a RMC mag. for a Del Monte Canning Factory, not sure that it will be a canning factory right now. I have also, after installing some underthe track magnets, have decided that I do not like them, since some/most of my car have a steel plates in them for weight and the car tend to pull toward the magnets and cause false uncoupling, so out they came. Well that it for now, check out the photo's for my progress so far on the new structure.

14-August-06

I'm Back..It's been 3 months since my last update. Last part of May we where on Vacation up in Seattle visiting my daughter. June and July where mainly devoted to my Cadd Service business. I did squeeze and hour here and there in June mainly due to North Texas Heat. The heat and lack of rain play havoc on my layout it seems that one side of the layout has move some, now my lift bridge not aligning up, also couple of places I have track buckling. In July I added a small room A/C now I can work in comfort. The last two weeks I have been back to working on the layout. I have finished two of the control panels and 75% done with the other one. Check the photo's for progress. The first two photo are of the completed panels and third of the 75% one. You will notice an punch-down block below each panel this were I terminate the switch machines and connect to the panels, also these punch-down fold up behine the panel once I am satisfied with the wiring. The last photo's are of the Easy DCC system all components are installed now. There are four booster three for track and one for Acc. Decoders and switch machine power. The board mounted up high is for the throttle bus. I also mount the main control panel in a slide out draw. Once I complete the wiring on the last panel I am not sure what direction I will go in next.

12-May-06

OOPS.....I was updating and had an app crash and lost this page. My last backup was in Feb, so I lost my Mar/Apr updates notes everything else ok. Let's see, you can look at the photo's for Mar/Apr and if you have any question you can e-mail me use the contact link at bottom of the page. Since Apr's update I have been working on wiring the staging area control panel. The photos show a diode-matrix that going to be removed due to it does not work with the accessory decoders. The Acc Decoders need the pushbuttons to make gound and the diode's seem to block this (wish I had more electrical knownledge). So I am going back to my original panel design and will be replacing this panel front. Also I have create a couple of building mock-ups see photo's. It's going to be awhile to my next update going out of town until June.

17-Feb-06

Not a lot has been done for a while, my home base business has pickup so that has tied up my evenings (more money for the hobby). I have installed the micro switches to cut power to the approaching track to the lift bridge (will added pic's later). Tonight, I mounted switch machines and connected up track feeder to power bus for West Staging.

04-Feb-06

Golden Spike driven 02 Feb 06 for the mainline. Also I have installed the lift/swing bridge at room doorway. Now on to staging switch machines and sub-bus install, then control panels . Check out Pic's.

27-Jan-06

Added Pic's as requested...

26-Jan-06

Progress at last. Today Steam and Diesel power ran on half of the yet unnamed railroad. I have divide the layout into 3 sub-bus district's using for now one booster. divisions are each town and staging. That all for now, back to installing drops and tortoises.

20-Jan-06

Well it's been awhile since my last update. Dallas Area Train Show was last weekend, Saturday was spend at the show and visiting some home layout, Sunday was at our MRR Club it was open for visitors during the show. Not alot of visible progress. Completed the one special crossing and have installed it and it's associate trackage. I still have all industries spurs trackage to install. Still trying to determine what (if any) type of magnets to install. I have started intalling electrical drops from trackage to power buses, this will take some time. Also start preping tortoise switch machine for installation and have added terminal blocks to the EasyDCC accessory decoders for the switch machines.

04-Jan-06

Happy New Year to All. Mainline and passing siding tracks and all turnouts are in place up to either side of the room entrance. Still have all industry's trackage to install, but first I am still debating uncoupling magnet's or not. I also have to finish one diamond crossing (see Pic's for current progress) to install tracks from staging. I have also build the lift out section at room entrance. I use a section of desktop with a formica surface I cut off the builtin the desk below the layout. This area will represent an lake crossing. Planning a ballasted deck trestle bridge. I am planning on starting mounting switch machine and some track power wiring next. Also I got some foamcore board to make an mockup of one of the 4 control panels, just to see how thing are going to look.

30-Dec-05

Updated Photo's. I have laid all of the mainline cork since last update. I still have the removable section to build at the door. Last night I laid track until I ran out of the turnout's I had made. I need to make 4 more turnout's and 3 diamond crossing. I have drawn up the templates for the crossing 22.5 degree and a special curved one, this morning I need. See photo's for drawings.

27-Dec-05

Added pic's of progress.

22-Dec-05

Got other staging area in this afternoon. No pictures batteries dead in camera. Do not know if I will get any more done until after Christmas. So Merry Christmas To All and have a safe and happy weekemd.

21-Dec-05

First track's laid!!!!. Got the first staging tracks down today. First was a learn curve with the FastTrack Quick Stick on getting them attached to the turnout's. The only way to glue them is with Pilo-bond, tried Elmer and Adree Tacky Glue since these were easy to find. I had to take some time and dig thru a number of storage boxes to find the bottle of Pilobond.

Transferring the track plan from the full size print-outs was accomplished by using an dress maker pattern transfer wheel (see pic's). The Ceiling Tiles I used for the surface maded this very easy. Next the other staging area.

20-Dec-05

After a long day of christmas shopping, I had a friend wanting updated pic's so here they are check out Photo's Section. I have completed 22 of the 26 turnouts so far. Tomorrow if all things work out I am going to try to get some track laid, starting with the back staging tracks.

11-Dec-05

Well it's been a month since I last updated. first problem has arised already (sure more will follow). We had our first rain in six months and all the backdrop bowed out between the screws on 16" centers. One of my club member had originally suggested to me to use the 1/2" foam (blue stuff) so I have removed all the masonite and have replaced it with the foam. I am liking it better already. I have also completed 16 of the 26 turnouts so far. I am off work after the 16th for the rest of the year. I am hoping to get some track down during this time.

11-Nov-05

Not a lot got done this week. Apply second coat of paint to acoustic tiles. Clean up room and workbench so I will have room for fabricating turnouts. I am using the FastTrack jig. Tonight I finish cutting code 83 rail, PC ties and have filed/grounded all of the points, frogs and reliefs on the rails. Sometime this weekend I will start soldering turnouts together.

06-Nov-05

Acoustic ceiling tiles installed for layout surface would have like to have used Micore but was unable to obtain. Backdrop installed also, still need to cover screws and joints. Have painted ceiling tiles to seal will apply second tomorrow nite. Have also updated Pic's page.

03-Nov-05

Benchwork Completed, DCC bus and throttle wiring started, Website updated, Plan and Pic's posted.

15-Oct-05

Have a Plan. Started Benchwork.

Sep-05

Started reading RMC Oct 05 article by Don Spiro on his new layout and decided to follow an similar design ideas. Basically one switching area per wall. Since I am lousy at track planning I had a hard time in coming up with and plan. So I found a Plan on the internet and modified it for my use.

03-Aug-05

Started prep for utilizing 11'x11'8 rm for New Layout. Started search for an plan. Mike suggested looking thru past Great Model Railroads and MR Planning mag's. Also I used trains.com index search and google for plans.

01-Aug-05

Plans changed, $$$$ became a major factor for 11'x29'4 room. Decided to utilized Existing Office Area for Layout.

27-Apr-05

Posted first draft of new Single Deck Plan.

08-Apr-05

Posted first rough draft of Multi-Level Plan for 11'x29'4 Rm.