The "new" JJJ&E In N Scale

[Powersteamguy1790]

I started to build the bench work  for the "new" JJJ&E in February 2009. Before I moved into the house, a friend of mine helped me build the bench work for the "new' JJJ&E in the garage of the new house. We built nine separate modules that we pre-painted all the wood with a flat black finish.

Each 50"x50" turnaround areas were separate modules. We built two modules 30" inches wide for each side of the layout. On all the modules, I used extra sturdy legs on each module to support the bench work.

On the 12' side of the room, we built three modules 30 inches wide. when the train room was finished, we assembled the nine pre-painted modules in the room. This was the easy way to assemble the bench work. It was like putting a puzzle together. When all nine sections were assembled, I used a 3/4 inch plywood base to support four one inch sections of pink foam. Each individual piece of pink foam was glued in place with Liquid Nails that is compatible with foam. Bricks were place on the foam to keep constant weight on the foam sections. 

For the backdrop I used Vinyl Roof Flashing 24 inches wide. The Vinyl Roof Flashing comes in 50' rolls and can be purchased at Home Depot or Lowe's. I cemented the Vinyl Roof Flashing to the walls above the bench work with a Formica cement. The beauty of the Vinyl Roof Flashing is that there are no seams in the backdrop. The Vinyl Roof Flashing can also be rolled into the corners of the room. You will see this in the photo's below. I used a wood molding above the Flashing which will be painted the color of the walls. I had Lowe's mix me a blue color for the sky background. I'm not good at making clouds so clouds aren't present on the backdrop. I will use numerous backdrop buildings along the full 18 foot length of the Turntable area/Switching Yard. Backdrop buildings will also be used along the San Marino side of the layout on the far right. The windows on the Mysterious Middle Part Of the "new" JJJ&E will be covered with two 2'x4' Styrofoam boards that will be removable to get access to the windows.

On the 12' middle part of the "new" JJJ&E which I call the Mysterious Part of the "new" JJJ&E I decided to used commercial printed backdrop buildings showing an industrial area before the town of San Marino.

After cementing the Vinyl Roof Flashing to the walls above the train room, we started to staple in place bendable 1/4 inch fascia in the 50 inch turnaround areas and against the other modules. This fascia was sanded smooth and any defects in the wood fascia were filled in. The fascia will be painted at a later date, after all repairs to the fascia were completely dry. I left the lip of  the fascia 5/8" above the foam in order to prevent any disastrous accidents due to any derailments. I will hide that 5/8 inch lip with some scenic effects. I've done this before on other layouts of all major scales.

The left side of the bench work is 18' long. The middle part of the bench work under the windows is 12' long. The right side of the bench work is approximately 16' long. The two turnaround areas are 50'x50". The depth of the bench work is 30". All areas of the bench work are very accessible.

As you can see, I left plenty of room in the center isle to move about. Narrow isles don't work in train rooms. I have three comfortable swivel chairs in the room for siting and observing the layout.

[Powersteamguy1790]

When I moved into my new home at the end of February 2009, the bench work was already started. The bench work was designed in nine separate pieces that were joined together when placed in the new train room. I used 1x4s" and 2x6s" to create each separate frame. Each part of the bench work was sprayed a flat black color before it was placed in the train room. I found out this was the easiest way to assemble around the room bench work in a finished train room. I used a 3/4" plywood top for the entire bench work. I used four pieces of one inch pink foam on top of the plywood top. That was all that was available in the North Texas area. I used Liquid Nails to cement each piece of foam first to the plywood top and then to each piece of foam. I then placed bricks on top of the foam for about one week to make sure the pink foam was properly cemented to the plywood base. This bench work is very stable and can easily support heavy weight.

The height of the completed bench work is 52 inches, which is an ideal viewing height for my railroad. I am 6' 2" tall.

I used a special 1/4 inch bendable wood fascia. 18 inches wide.  The fascia was raised about 5/8 inch above the foam to protect trains from falling over the edge of the bench work.The fascia was then power stapled to the bench work frame. Any holes were filled with a wood putty. This type of fascia worked out well in the two 50x50" turnaround areas on each side of the layout. The fascia was initially painted a flat black color. For the final color I used a satin black finish.

When the bench work was completed, I bought a roll of Vinyl Roof Flashing at Home Depot for the backdrop. A 50 foot by 24 inch roll of the Vinyl Roof Flashing was just enough for the entire layout. Vinyl Roof Flashing comes in different widths. The 24 inch width was ideal for The "new" JJJ&E. The Vinyl Roof Flashing was cemented to the walls behind the bench work with a special Formica cement. It didn't take long for the Formica cement to set up. I then used a wood molding to finish the backdrop like a picture frame. The wood molding will be painted the color of the train room, a nice taupe color.  I had Home Depot mix me a special sky blue color for the backdrop. The Vinyl Roof Flashing takes paint easily. Two coats of paint completely covered the backdrop.

The beauty of the Vinyl Roof Flashing is that there are no seams in the backdrop. I was able to roll the Flashing into the corners of the room, so that wouldn't be any creases in each corner. This type of backdrop enhances photographic sessions when taking photo's of the layout. The cost of a 50 foot roll was approximately $60 at the time of purchase.

The windows will be covered with two pieces of removable pink foam painted with the sky blue color. That section is over eight feet across. I wanted the windows to be accessible, so removable panels were an ideal solution.

Below are photo's of the bench work painted and Vinyl Roof Flashing before and after painting.


                                  Unpainted Vinyl Roof Flashing And Wood Molding Framing The Flashing













 
    Vinyl Roof Flashing Painted And Wood Molding Framing The Vinyl Roof Flashing Painted

[Zephyrus52246]

I'd forgotten all about the vinyl flashing be available in 24 inch widths.  Doh!  I think I'll try using that on the next layout section.  I was going to use the 4 x 8 styrene sheets and cut/glue them, but this will be even easier.  Thanks!


Jeff

[gnatshop]

Great tip for backdrops!!   
I can't believe I've missed this - I'm a Home Depot junky!!

[Powersteamguy1790]

I'd forgotten all about the vinyl flashing be available in 24 inch widths.  Doh!  I think I'll try using that on the next layout section.  I was going to use the 4 x 8 styrene sheets and cut/glue them, but this will be even easier.  Thanks!


Jeff

Jeff:

24 inches is the widest width that Vinyl Roof Flashing comes in. It's amazingly easy to install.

Stay cool and run steam......

[Powersteamguy1790]

Great tip for backdrops!!   
I can't believe I've missed this - I'm a Home Depot junky!!

Thanks David....
Most folks don't know that you can use Vinyl Roof Flashing for backdrops. I saw it one day while in Home Depot. Lowe's also has the Vinyl Roof Flashing but in limited widths. The beauty of the VRF is that you can make a backdrop with no seams.

Stay cool and run steam.......

[LongHornCaddy]

So I learn more about you than I already knew!  Nice pictures Bob!

[Powersteamguy1790]

So I learn more about you than I already knew!  Nice pictures Bob!

Thanks Leo. Yes we spent over 4 1/2 years together on TWP forum before its was terminated due to Kevin's untimely passing. It was a very congenial forum with all scales represented.


Stay cool and run steam......

[Powersteamguy1790]

The turntable area and 10 holding tracks occupy part of the space in the 50" x 50" turnaround area on the Switching Yard side of the "New" JJJ&E  If you are building a comparable Roundhouse and Turntable in HO scale, You would need an area that is over twice the size of 50"x50".

I used a Walthers 130 foot  motorized turntable which was positioned in close proximity to the Walthers 24 stall Roundhouse kits. The turntable is fully synchronized with the 24 stall tracks in the Roundhouse and 10 holding tracks adjacent to the turntable. There are also two entry/exit tracks to the turntable.

When I was building the 24 stall Roundhouse, I used eight three stall kits which were put together at the same time. It took a lot of time and effort to complete the Roundhouse.I am not particularly fond of Walthers kits, but the Walthers Roundhouse 3 stall kits were the best choice for available Roundhouses in N scale that work with the Walthers 130' turntable. Many of the individual parts had to be trimmed very carefully to get a good fitting building and I spent many hours trimming these individual parts. Doing eight kits at one time was quite an endeavor. The end result however was worth the effort. The Roundhouse and turntable still have to be weathered.

I used Peco code 80/55 flex track for the 24 stall tracks inside the Roundhouse, 10 holding tracks adjacent to the turntable and two entry/exit tracks to the turntable and switching yard. The Peco code 80/55 easily mates with Unitrack using Unitrack rail joiners and was very easy to use.


















All of the holding tracks have been placed in position around the turntable. I used Peco code 80/55 flex track for the holding tracks. The Peco code 80/55 mates well with Code 80 Unitrack .

[

[bparrish]

Bob..........

Round houses are a space hog on a model railroad...........

But...

When they are filled up with steam locomotives........... that's OK

see ya
Bob

[Powersteamguy1790]

Bob..........

Round houses are a space hog on a model railroad...........

But...

When they are filled up with steam locomotives........... that's OK

see ya
Bob

Bob:

This side of the layout was well planned for a 24 stall Roundhouse/Turntable and Switching Yard. I can fill up that Roundhouse more than  five times over with steam locomotives. This side of the layout is 18 feet long. (close to 36 feet in HO scale) The 18 foot length is considered a substantial run in N scale.


Stay cool and run steam....... 

[Powersteamguy1790]

A UP "Challenger" #3977 on the bridge of the 130' turntable with the weathered 24 stall Roundhouse in the immediate background.







Stay cool and run steam.......

[GPdemayo]

Don't you just love all those steam engines? 

[Powersteamguy1790]

Don't you just love all those steam engines? 

Thanks Greg..... That's why I model steam. They all run beautifully with decoders installed in each one of them.



Stay cool and run steam........

[S&S RR]

Bob

Great looking Roundhouse! I'm enjoying the thread. We love trains and pictures here - of all scales.