Superior & Seattle Railroad Build

[S&S RR]

Nice progress John.....looking forward to seeing the touch control switch installation.

I've seen them advertised and they look like an interesting alternative to toggle switches.

I will be watching also to see how these switches work.

Jim

Jim


I will give them a full review - it will be a few weeks before I get to that project.  I want to stay focussed on completing the track work and getting the trains running again. I have one component for the system that was backordered which is expected in a couple weeks.  Thanks for stopping by the thread.

[S&S RR]

It's time for an update on the two Trestles that I'm building on my workbench.  So far I have four bents in various stages of assembly.  The first completed trestle bent has been glued in place on the baseboard.

[S&S RR]

On the track laying project I'm rounding the corner to the area where all of the different track levels come to reversing loops.  When I originally put in this area I knew it was all temporary until I finished the rest of the track work for the layout.  The rock wall was a view block so I could use the benchwork inside the loops for storage. As you can see from the backdrops I have plans to build a large town "on a hill" in this area. Can anyone guess where that idea came from.

[ACL1504]

Oh goodie, here we go. Looking good my friend.

Tom

[S&S RR]

So here goes the explanation of the plan.  After removing the rock wall this is what the area looks like.

[S&S RR]

The area in the picture is 60 inches deep and 68 inches wide (wall to the tall mountain on the right).  Inside that tall mountain is the metal supports that hold up my house (that's why the mountain goes all the way to the ceiling). The ovalix will occupy the length of this area plus about 12 inches inside the mountain on the right.


You will also see in the picture three different levels of track.  The upper level is the HOn3 line.  So in a few words the Narrow Gauge will work it's way down to the upper HO level and then become one large ovalix until it reaches the lower main level.  All this will happen underneath a large city which will start on a shelf halfway up the backdrop and continue down to the lower level of track. I will be constructing the city by placing the roads and then building structures that fit the various building spots. Over the next few weeks I will be completing drawings that I can work to for the track work and roads.  The track work will be operational in the next few weeks and the city will become a future build.

[cuse]

Awesome. Can't wait to watch this progress. The rocks (as always) are magnificent...Only layout I've seen that probably requires a 1:1 Jackhammer to make scenic adjustments 


John

[S&S RR]

Awesome. Can't wait to watch this progress. The rocks (as always) are magnificent...Only layout I've seen that probably requires a 1:1 Jackhammer to make scenic adjustments 


John

Hi John


Thanks for the kind words.  A sawzall and shopvac to catch the dust and the rock wall was gone in 5 min.  - I will be using the pieces for the modifications I need to make on the other side of the layout so the stonework will be used.  One of the pieces actually fits the hole I need to fill.


The next step will be to cut a hole in the big mountain for the ovalix. I will add the benchwork and roadways for the city to make this area look more finished until the time comes to build the structures. I really like making the ground forms first then building structures to fit.  I think it makes the whole scene more realistic. I discussed this with George Sellios when we visited and he told me that he designed and developed the town of Franklin that way.

[rpdylan]

Wow, what a project! Looking forward to seeing the progress photos!

[S&S RR]

Wow, what a project! Looking forward to seeing the progress photos!

Hi Bob


Thanks for stopping by the thread. Yes - it is a huge project but it keeps me out of trouble.  I will be posting pictures as things progress.

[S&S RR]

I'm spending some time in the evenings working on designs for future layout projects.  One of the the towns on the S&S RR is going to be the town of Sellios. The main street will  be made up of all FSM kits and kit parts (I don't always follow directions well).  So I thought I would ask a question of those that follow this thread.  What FSM kits "have to be there" on the main street of a town called Sellios?

[ak-milw]

I hope it is going to be a very BIG town. The list could go on forever.

[S&S RR]

I hope it is going to be a very BIG town. The list could go on forever.

Yes,  the list is very long - I think George has produced 71 kits. This town is a mountain town in the 1949 time frame.

[S&S RR]

There doesn't seem to be a lot of interest on the forum with the design aspect of building a layout. At least by the amount of discussion my question generated.  I find it to be one of the things I enjoy the most.  For this new area I have decided to make a clay mockup of the area to get a feel for how the track work, the roadways, and the landforms will look.  Making a three dimensional model out of clay is a great way for me to visualize it.  The clay mockup  will help me decide which kits will work in the spaces and if they will need to be modified.  I suspect there will be a lot of kit bashing and scratch building done when I get to this new city.  The design work is for me is about 5 years ahead of what I'm currently building with the structures, but I have to plan for it with the track work now. So, it's back to work on the layout - I will post a picture from time to time of my progress.

[GPdemayo]

John, don't get discouraged by the lack of feedback to your thread. There are some of us out here who are very interested in the design process, but don't have the time to engage in a discussion on the forum. I barely have enough time keeping current with all the posts as it is.

Layout design and building the structures are my favorite areas of the hobby. I must have 20 or 25 versions of what I would like for a layout, from the bare minimum design to one which has no limits to the amount of space it requires. The space for the reproduction of post WWII St. Louis Union Station is about 18' x 24' and about the same for Grand Central Station in New York.

As to your plan for a town for all the FSM kits, the big challenge I see is the need for so many sidings for all the kits that require them. I would think that might be the biggest problem you will face, especially all those coal companies, which are pretty big space hogs.

Please keep adding the design process into your thread so we can see what you are planning.