The Atlantic and Southern Build, Part 1

[Twist67]

Hi,

Tom,you made a lot of great progress on your layout. The bridge scenes are looking well thought.....
Thanks for sharing your build.

Chris

[ACL1504]

Hi,

Tom,you made a lot of great progress on your layout. The bridge scenes are looking well thought.....
Thanks for sharing your build.

Chris

Chris,

Thanks for the kind comments. The bridges have been well considered, not only for the location but for the appearance on the layout. I'm glad you are enjoying the build thread.

Tom

[donatode]

What's not to enjoy?? 

[ACL1504]

What's not to enjoy? ? 

Donato,

I'm happy you are enjoying it as well. I'll have a little more to post this  weekend.

Tom

[ACL1504]

It seems that my additions to the build thread come in bunches like bananas. I have been working but have been very lazy these past few weeks with any updates. I'll just blame it on the oppressive heat although my train room does have A/C. But it's hot ourside.

When I first started building the layout, specifically the ovalix, I thought I needed two reverse loops at the staging level. Well after the ovalix was under construction, I made the decision I didn't need the one on the south end.

However, only one problem. The space where the two turnouts were located is 3 1/4" high. I forgot to take a photo of the space with the track and turnouts in place but here it is after the track and turnouts were removed.



I wasn't concerned how I got the track out so I pretty much just cut the track and grabbed the pliers.



Continued in a few.

[ACL1504]

This is where the two turnouts were located. Oops, I see a piece of broken cut off disk.



In the photo below, you can see I have a section of flex track ready to install in the area of the old track/turnouts. Notice in the photo the lower track on the ovalix?



Well, the new track needs to be installed just below that in the dark area in the back. Yea, I know, crazy stuff here.

After a couple of hours and many bad words spoken I "got ER done"!



I did this repair about a month ago and have experienced no problems with that section of track in the bowls of the ovalix.

[ACL1504]

I have more updates but need to get motivated to upload, crop, size and transfer the photos to the forum.

Eventually I get to it.

Tom

[bruce.oberleitner]

I have more updates but need to get motivated to upload, crop, size and transfer the photos to the forum.

Eventually I get to it.

Tom

Uncle Tommy,
Just chalk this up to earning your "Procrastinator Certificate". 

BTW, I read this week that the Pepsi Corporation had record profits this quarter.  I take it that your back to drinking the "Juice" again?

[S&S RR]

I have more updates but need to get motivated to upload, crop, size and transfer the photos to the forum.

Eventually I get to it.

Tom

Tom


When your retired - the right time is when you get to it.  Your last few posts on laying track reminded me that I have some track work that needs replacing inside the mountains on my layout.  It was a mistake to try to save any of the track work from the old layout. I'm sure there will be some,  "Blue Air floating above the mountain tops", before I get it done. 


Good luck with the Doctor!

[ACL1504]

I have more updates but need to get motivated to upload, crop, size and transfer the photos to the forum.

Eventually I get to it.

Tom

Uncle Tommy,
Just chalk this up to earning your "Procrastinator Certificate". 

BTW, I read this week that the Pepsi Corporation had record profits this quarter.  I take it that your back to drinking the "Juice" again?

Cousin Brucie,

Good to see you my friend. Yes, I have been a bit of the procrastinator of late but I'm getting better, I promise. Yes, I'm back drinking the Diet Pepsi but I've cut way back. I'm drinking more water these days.


Tom

[ACL1504]

I have more updates but need to get motivated to upload, crop, size and transfer the photos to the forum.

Eventually I get to it.

Tom

Tom


When your retired - the right time is when you get to it.  Your last few posts on laying track reminded me that I have some track work that needs replacing inside the mountains on my layout.  It was a mistake to try to save any of the track work from the old layout. I'm sure there will be some,  "Blue Air floating above the mountain tops", before I get it done. 


Good luck with the Doctor!

John,

Thanks for the well wishes on the hand. I'll find out more on the 30th of this month. I'm so far behind on the posting to the layout and build threads I just need to bite the bullet and start posting.

On my old layout I was able to save all the track that wasn't ballasted. Thankfuly I didn't have but 20 ft. or so with ballast.


Tom

[ACL1504]

I know it's been awhile since I last posted but the 1:1 stuff just seems to pop up every now and then and that is to often for me.

I've finished about 95% of the track work on the second level. I want to show you how I made the bridge track/lift out for the second level. This has worked out so much better than the one I did for the staging level. I'll redo the lower/staging level one later this summer.

Greg DeMayo suggested I seal the bench work in this area of the bridge lift out with Polyurethane. I got a can from Ace Hardware. The polyurethane seals the wood and prevents the changing climate in the layout room from affecting the lift out.



Continued in a few.

[ACL1504]

I made the lift out in the same way I did for the first level. This time; however, I didn't use the brass strips for contacts.



I got a two wire jack from Radio Shack.



I soldered two wires to the female end of the jack. I drilled a hole in the 1x4 a little smaller than the jack and pushed the jack into the wood hole.

[ACL1504]

I soldered two wires to the track on the lift out and the other ends of the wire to the jack. Now I just plug in the jack when the lift out is in place.



I attached the track to the lift out but this time I overlapped the gap on the lift out. I then used a fine bladed Zacto razor saw and cut the track at the gap between the layout and the lift out.



In the next photo you can see the thin profile of the saw.



And now you can see the very thin cut in the track.



This has been a much more effecient way to wire and install the lift out. The rails are very smooth and there are no bumps when the train crosses the lift out.

I can't say this about the lower level lift out.

[gnatshop]

Glad to see that you braced it well so when that DeMayo guy comes over and leans against it!!