The Empire

[Zephyrus52246]

Thanks, guys. Classic Burlington scenes on the pocket calendars, Bob.  Dave I don't have the loupes.  Out to about 8 inches, I can see better without the glasses.  There's a pair of clear non prescription safety glasses in one of the pics that I use if I'm doing stuff up close.  Unfortunately, with them on I can't see anything further out than a foot.    I have the Optivisor as well, though it doesn't work  well with my depth perception.  Today I finished wiring the "south" (near)  rail of each pair.  The "north" (far) rail will be on switches, so I don't have 13 sound locomotives come on at once when the power is turned on.  I doubt my 5 amp booster could handle it.  Now I just need to make a box for the switches and solder them and wire them to the rails.  It won't be a fancy box either, like I saw in one of Tom's recent pics.  After wiring, I tested all the tracks by using the small wire to bridge the gaps.  One of the tracks had no power.  When I soldered it, the wire moved, so I thought it was soldered, when it really wasn't.    I have since fixed it.

Jeff

[deemery]

I have the same depth perception problem with my OptiVisor.  For modeling, I have 'special cheap glasses.'  I'm very near-sighted.  The modeling glasses are cheapo bifocals in cheapo (Wal Mart) frames.  The top of the bifocals is my reading prescription, the bottom is 'reading + 1.50'.  With the top, I have good vision from about 15"-25", from the bottom I get about 10" - 20".  To see closer up, I take my glasses off and can focus down to about 4".  But with these on, I literally can't see past the end of my arm.  I have glasses case glued to my drafting table light over the work bench, and that's where they live. When I have the modeling glasse on, my regular glasses go into that case, so I always know where they are.  And the modeling glasses are on a 'granny strap' so they can hang on my chest when I put the regular glasses on temporarily (e.g. when I'm looking for something on a shelf in the train room.)


dave

[Zephyrus52246]

I needed a shelf for the switches for the yard to sit on.  I also needed to make sure it was wide enough to hold my favorite beverage containers.

Jeff

[deemery]

I needed a shelf for the switches for the yard to sit on.  I also needed to make sure it was wide enough to hold my favorite beverage containers.

Jeff

Cool!  We often forget to design shelves and cupholders in place for the operations crew or the gandy dancers to use.


dave

[ACL1504]

Jeff,

Nice shelf and great looking yard area.

Tom

[cuse]

Looks great Jeff. That's a lot of trackage. 


John

[Zephyrus52246]

Thanks Dave, Tom and John.  I now have a (Emperor's voice) fully armed and operational battle station... I mean staging yard.  Everything works!  There's 13 staging tracks, so I split the switches six apiece and put #7 in the center, I'll have a little person next to track 7 so it'll be easier to identify them.  I hope.  The only problem now is deciding what of the 999,999 other projects to do next. 


Jeff

[deemery]

Darth Vadar weighs in on track planning...


dave

[Zephyrus52246]

I really need to watch the new Star Wars movie again.    I've admired Mr. Langford's under layout storage pitures, so I wanted to emulate them. Last Saturday our local Menard's  (Think the Wal Mart version of Lowe's or Home Depot) had shelving on sale.  I had the perfect spot for some, so I built those and a base (2x12 and 3/4 in plywood) for an Ikea cabinet.  I got this idea from a layout tour in Portland, Oregon.  I really liked the look of the cabinets (the silver ones in the first two pictures).  Unfortunately, the Ikea in Chicago doesn't carry the industrial looking ones, but I got the white equivalent.  Now to get all the rolling stock out of the boxes they've been in for years, tune them up and use them.  And build the many that are unbuilt.   


Jeff

[ACL1504]

Dr. Jeff,

Wow, great job on the staging and the under the layout storage.


Tom

[S&S RR]

Jeff


Great idea with the under layout storage.  I can't seem to find enough places for it - I fill it as fast as I build it .

[Zephyrus52246]

Well, I'm starting to try scenery, as I mentioned in the "carving foam" thread.  I've been hacking at this for a week or so.  Made some rock castings which are now in place as well.  I'm still not sure if I'm going to use Sculptamold or "ground goop".  I have some vermiculite coming for the ground goop, but have some sculptamold and will mix that up and try it around the rock castings later.  First the lawn needs mowing.


Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

I've covered the right side of the hill (ending at the left of the rock castings) with sculptamold.  The left was done with "ground goop".  The classic recipe for ground goop is a cup each of celluclay, vermiculite and latex paint, and a half a cup of white glue.  It's like spreading peanut butter, but fills in large holes/gaps well. 


Jeff

[Janbouli]

i'm watching Jeff , want to see how those hills turn out.

After you install those Ikea drawers can you still get under the layout?

[Zephyrus52246]

I'm interested to see how they turn out, too, Jan.    The drawers don't really block any wiring, but they're able to be pushed around, they're on a pretty heavy base and not attached to the layout nor the wall.  I'm working on the landforms for the other side of the bridge.  I added the interchange track with the Illinois Central (which will be represented by a track under the bridge).  Unfortunately, this leads to the next problem.  It's time to start painting the track.  I'll need to do this piece before I add the landforms.  I'm really not keen on hand painting ALL the track on the Empire, but I don't think I'll get the airbrush out for this short piece, either.   I've also got to remove the bridge so I don't damage it while doing the landforms here, but it's tough to take the mainline off duty. 

Jeff