Cypress Creek Railroad

[SteveCuster]

Hello everyone. I wanted to start a thread to document my layout progress. I haven't taken real chronological photos of the work but I'll show what I have done and
try to start a trend of documenting the work I'm doing.

The room is about 18"x 24". I started working on the room about 3 years ago, I think I have a little more than 2 years on the actual layout. This is my first real attempt at building a layout, I've mostly done dioramas in the past.

My goal was to have a simple trackplan with a continuous loop. I added as many sidings as I could mostly so I can build and install all my favorite kits.


I created my trackplan by putting plywood on the benchwork and working out the sidings with blue tape. I tried to get measurements for any of the kits I had or planned on getting so I can work them in beforehand.


This was the room before I started any construction. It occupies the front half of my basement, the rear half has too many pipes to drywall the ceiling. I made the rear section my workshop.


I added a closet to house the water softener. I drywalled the ceiling and I installed many outlets in the ceiling, all my lighting is wired to plugs for ease of replacement down the road. The floor is Rust-Oleum Epoxy garage paint. I don't recall the technical term for this style of benchwork but I chose it because it was easy to assemble and install without any help.


The benchwork are basically 3 rectangles bolted together. I lifted them in place using a 2x4 cleat on the wall.




The first kit I built since returning to the hobby was FSM Fox Run Milling you can see in the background. The second kit was The Shipyard from SierraWest, I combined it with Foss Landing, also from SierraWest.








The latest diorama I built was O'Neills Fabrication/Quincy Salvage from SierraWest. This is the area I plan to install it, I won't install any of the front dioramas permanently till I complete the rear section.


The kit to the left is FSM Emporium Seafood. The pile driver is the old FSM original kit, I removed the "house" from it and scratchbuilt a corrugated metal roof covering similar to the new FSM Jewel Series Kit.






I recently finished this mountain. I used cardboard strips and Woodland Scenics plaster wrap for the shell. Most of the trees are SuperTrees from Scenic Express. The bridge is from Micro-Engineering.


The first structure permanently placed was Fox Run. I used Envirotex to make the little pond to the left.


My plan for the area to the right of Fox Run will be a densely populated town. I'm going to try to place as many structures as I can in this area.

I'm currently building some shallow background structures for the area behind the tracks up against the wall. I'll post an update as soon as I complete my first one.

Thanks for checking in.

-Steve

-Steve

[ACL1504]

Steve,

Wow, beautiful work and structures. The basement really finished off very well.  Great job all the way and I look forward to more of your work on the layout.

A plus!

Tom

[Janbouli]

What a great start to your layout, look forward to more of it.

[PRR Modeler]

Great work on the layout.  I look forward to seeing your progress.

[carl b]

Very nice work Steve. I applaud your pledge to keep your plan simple, and your track-to-scenery ratio in balance.

[sdrees]

Hey Steve,

Your bench work looks great and the scenery done to date looks very nice.  It is always good to have a place to put you models and dioramas as I have found out with my layout.  I will be following along.

[tct855]

Steve,
          Wow, this build is coming along very nicely indeed!  I can see the overall view of the layout as you install those great looking structures.  keep up the awesome work, the glue sniffing is paying off!  Thanx Thom...

[deemery]

I'm so jealous!  I'm still at the "unfinished basement" stage.


dave

[EricQuebec]

Simply amazing
Eric Quebec city

[jimmillho]

Fantastic Steve.  I will be watching all your updates.

A simple plan is great.

Jim

[nextceo]

Pictures look great. Thanks for sharing with us...


Alan

[Mark Dalrymple]

Looking fantastic. Steve!

Looking forward to your continued progress.

Cheers, Mark.

[tom.boyd.125]

Steve,
Great job ! Did you treat the cement block walls with anything prior to the studs and drywall ? Nice layout room and neat structures too. 
Tommy

[Zephyrus52246]

Wow.  Your layout looks wonderful so far.  Keep up the good work!


Jeff

[fsmcollector67]

Steve,
Your layout is going to look amazing when done. I would say it would rival The Franklin & South....Great work...
Loren...