Great work.

Working on the middle level around the center platform.  I started cutting/placing the 1/2" foam on the 5/8" plywood, but I have decided to go ahead and install the 1/8" masonite backdrops and laminate panel for the three coved corners on each level around the center platform before installing/gluing the 1/2" foam.

Quote from: nycjeff on February 28, 2025, 08:36:46 PMHello Doug, I had trouble locating 1/2 homosote down here in Arizona until I realized that Home Depot here in the Phoenix area stocked it, but called it sound deadening board.

Neither Home Depot nor Lowes stock it or provide a mechanism for you to order it.  84 Lumber said they could order it if I ordered 60 sheets.

Quote from: ACL1504 on February 28, 2025, 12:22:27 PM

Quote from: Onewolf on February 28, 2025, 10:07:56 AMOne issue I have encountered is acquiring 4x8 sheets of 1/2" Homasote.  None of the local building supply places stock it, but they can order it.  One place will order 48 sheet 'packs' and the other place will order 60 sheet packs.  Mmmm, no thanks.

I have found that Menards up near Lexington KY stocks it and has it in stock, but it's a 3 hour drive each way.

Doug,

Sounds like a nice little road trip. Didn't you make one for the carpet tiles?

Tom

Yes, probably this coming weekend.

One issue I have encountered is acquiring 4x8 sheets of 1/2" Homasote.  None of the local building supply places stock it, but they can order it.  One place will order 48 sheet 'packs' and the other place will order 60 sheet packs.  Mmmm, no thanks.

I have found that Menards up near Lexington KY stocks it and has it in stock, but it's a 3 hour drive each way.

Quote from: ACL1504 on February 27, 2025, 06:19:33 PMDoug,

This is fantastic and looks much bigger than the Sanford layout.

Keep up the great work and we all look forward to the next update, real work load permitting.

As Rick said, it does get more impressive with each update.

Tom

The layout room down in Sanford was around 920 sq ft.  The basement layout space is around 1250 sq ft, so yes it is a little bit larger. Given the extra space I was hoping to get away with a 2 level layout design, but I just couldn't come up with a design that I preferred over the 3 level mushroom.

I have been in release crunch mode with real work for the last couple of weeks so I haven't spent as much time as I would like working on the layout. I did finally have a couple of nice days weather wise that allowed me to apply Ospho to the middle level steel support brackets and to spray paint them flat black. I installed them this afternoon. Next I will cut/place 5/8" plywood on the brackets and then 1/2" rigid foam on top of the plywood.

Installing the 5/8" plywood around the lower level.

After installing the middle level benchwork I will install 1/2" rigid foam over the 5/8" plywood. On the previous layout I used 1/2" Homasote, but I found I had to spend a lot of time patching/smoothing the homasote. That won't be a problem with the foam, but the foam is susceptible to dents/dings when stuff is dropped on it. (And elbows as well).









After I install the purple 1/2" foam I will paint it in order to cover up the purpleness.  Gray for yard/service areas and dark brown for industrial areas.



In my spare time I have been adding sound decoders to some of my locomotives, like this Athearn Veranda Gas Turbine.  My layout will be modeling 1957 so both Gen1 slab side and Gen2 Veranda Gas Turbines are plausible.  Gen3 "Big Blow" turbines were not delivered until 1958 so I don't need to buy any of those expensive Scale Trains Big Blow Turbines. 

I have been slowed down by real work (we are in release crunch mode) and getting the middle level brackets prepped for installation. First I was delayed because I was waiting for Ospho (can't find it local) and for new drill bits (I needed to drill a bunch of holes in the steel brackets.  I have now fabricated all 23 steel brackets, but now the weather has not cooperated for a couple weeks to apply the Ospho and to spray paint the brackets.

I did install the 5/8" plywood around the lower level where the main division yard and passenger terminal/station/service will be located.  And around the lower level center platform which will be mostly industrial facilities.

I found that I have to use the chop saw outside or it will set off the smoke alarm in the basement.



Support brackets cut into 24" sections.



With the front bottom corners cut off (to avoid lobomotizing anyone who peers under the middle level)





Applying Ospho (which subsequently got rain blown on and will be redone.



I installed 1/4" Luan plywood around the bottom of these walls. Next I will sand/caulk and then paint to match the room walls.

Afternoon all,

I made a trip up to Home Despot in Lenior City for supplies (12 more sheets of 1/2" foamular, 4 gallons of paint, a case of Liquid Nails Project, etc etc). And then I had a couple hours of real work.  Eventually I was able to work on the middle level steel brackets that will mount around the center platform.  I finished drilling holes, grinding smooth edges, and then I brushed a coat of Ospho on them.  Ospho turns iron oxide (rust) into iron phosphate which is an inert hard substance that can be painted.  Next step is to spray paint them flat black and then mount them.

Adventure Kitty enjoys climbing all over the layout. To her it's like a giant cat tree.

Mornin' all.

I have ripped about 400 of my Blu Rays and DVDs that take up about 9TB of space.  Last summer I bought an Asustor AS5404T NAS box with four WD Red Pro 8TB drives I configured in a RAID5 configuration which provides around 22TB of network storage. Would have to lose 2 drives to lose data.

Still drilling holes in my angle iron brackets.  Each one has 3 mount holes, 2 holes for track power bus lines and layout lighting LED strip power bus lines.  And 1 hole to hold the 5/8 plywood to the bracket.

Hope you all have a great day!

Doug

Mornin' all,

I have been very busy with real work.

I am starting to work on the steel brackets I use to support the middle level around the center platform.  I have been waiting for an order of drill bits. My previous drill bit(s) gave out on the first of the 23 brackets so I was stuck waiting. 

I am looking for another 1 or 2 Atlas Classic RSD-4/5 in Utah Railway livery. Utah Railway is the secondary railroad on my Ogden & Cache Valley layout. I have 2 of them currently (301, 302) but Atlas made a 300 and an unnumbered model. I have an auto Ebay search for Utah Railway and about a month ago it popped up with a print/art of Utah Railway RSDs running a coal load.  So I bought it and got it framed.  Picked up the framed print yesterday.  It works well with my prior Union Pacific print in the model workshop.

Unfortunately there is a lot of reflection on the glass because of the very bright shop lights I have in the model workshop.

Good morning,

34 here currently. Forecast high of 60 today.

Real work has been very busy this week.

Haven't done much work on the new layout this week. I am waiting for some 2"x2"x6ft steel angle iron to fabricate into middle level benchwork support brackets.

Yesterday I did install a basic NCE DASR decoder in an Atlas Classic Alco RSD-4/5 (Utah Railway).  I now have 2 (301, 302) of the Atlas Classic RSD-4/5 Utah Railway locomotives and I am looking for 1 or 2 more (300, unnumbered).

Hope you guys have a great day!

Doug

Good kitty, keeping my jackets warm.

Mornin' all,

It's an ugly gray wet day here.  Busy with real work.

I bought a new mixer. It looks good in the kitchen. 

Ok, it's a cheap drill press from Harbor Freight.  I have about 200 holes to drill through steel components  as I start working on the middle level benchwork supports.

Doug

I installed the 1/4" Luan plywood to the upper level screen walls. I will use a hand sander to give them a very light sanding to knock off any sawing residue, caulk the seams/screw holes, and then paint them the room wall color.

The center platform 'room' is effectively 20ft x 17ft.

The next step will be to start on the middle level benchwork. I will fabricate 2x2 angle iron into 24" support beams for use around the center platform stud walls and I will make small 5" shelf track supports and use 16" Closetmaid like shelf brackets to support the benchwork around the outside walls.






Looking up into the center platform



The inside of the screen walls will have 1/8" masonite installed and then have the backdrop applied to the masonite.





Eventually I will build a backdrop across the top of the upper return loop (and helix) which will screen the view from the center platform.