3rd layout started.

[Caleb Austin]

Here's a brief history of my three layouts:

This is layout #1. I built it when I was 11 and messed around with it until I was 13.
It was a modern day NS layout based in Virginia. The bad things about it were the c80 track, poorly laid flextrack and not great scenery.


By atsflamy at 2008-02-28
bad pic


By atsflamy at 2008-02-28
I did drag the layout outside for some pics before I killed it.


This is Layout #2. A trip to New mexico turned me into a complete ATSF fan so when I got home I tossed the old layout and began a small 1 x 6 ft layout. Sick of my clunky c80 track I switched to c55 and then c40. I got a little scenery in when I realized that it had been to long since I had ran a train, so after much thought I have started layout #3. I still have #2 though, stashed down in the basement.


By atsflamy at 2008-02-28
an overall shot of #2.


By atsflamy at 2008-02-28
A train climbs glorieta pass

[Caleb Austin]

more #2.


By atsflamy at 2008-02-28
crossing gallisteo creak.


By atsflamy at 2008-02-28
first scenery.



Layout #3. A backdrop will divide the New mexico half(At right.) from the Illinois half(On the left.) The track will be c55 for the main and c40 for secondary tracks.


By atsflamy at 2008-02-28
An overall shot.


By atsflamy at 2008-02-28
This area is based off of the real Dalies NM juntion.


By atsflamy at 2008-02-28
Looking down from dalies.


By atsflamy at 2008-02-28
This area is inspired by glorieta pass in northern NM.

[Caleb Austin]

more #3.


By atsflamy at 2008-02-28
First track.


By atsflamy at 2008-02-28
Crossing the Illinois central gulf RR


By atsflamy at 2008-02-28
Rolling though Ill.

Just thought you'd like to see it. I'll post updates as I get stuff done.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

***** man!

That's AWESOME.

Although, here's a suggestion, throw some styrofoam under that track and above that door. It's what I've done and has let me really work with the scenery contours, and I think you'd do really well with it. It's easier than doing the hardshell like it looks like you did with your other layouts.

Oh man, Dave Vollmer and I are gonna have some tough competition this year for the king of the door layout throne...

[Caleb Austin]

s*** man!

That's AWESOME.

Although, here's a suggestion, throw some styrofoam under that track and above that door. It's what I've done and has let me really work with the scenery contours, and I think you'd do really well with it. It's easier than doing the hardshell like it looks like you did with your other layouts.

Oh man, Dave Vollmer and I are gonna have some tough competition this year for the king of the door layout throne...

Yeah, I've thought about doing the foam method, It's what I used for layout #1. But as my name states I'm an environmental guy and I know that I won't have this layout forever and I want something that I won't feel to guilty about throwing in the landfill. Oh yeah and my Mom cant stand the little bits of foam that I'm still finding in my room and asked me to "never use that foam again." I'm planning to lift the track up on plywood and risers for below track scenery, I'm not sure if this has been done on a hollow core door before but I'm going to try it.

[wm3798]

Don't throw out the foam!  Just keep whittling it away and re-using it.

Door kidneys could become a topic for their own forum!
Lee

[Caleb Austin]

Lee, not a bad idea but my Mom says no. I've done foam before and for this layout I want to try something new.

[chuck geiger]

Awesome work, are you following a prototypical plan for design? - I saw the Bakersfield MRR Club N scale layout last week and they went with tight plastic screen wire (They are doing Tehachapi) from Home Depot's garden department and they are working with a paper product (sold there) you wet and it forms a hardshell. NICE TRACKWORK in your gallery is that 55 with highball or arizona minerals ballast?

[Caleb Austin]

Awesome work, are you following a prototypical plan for design? - I saw the Bakersfield MRR Club N scale layout last week and they went with tight plastic screen wire (They are doing Tehachapi) from Home Depot's garden department and they are working with a paper product (sold there) you wet and it forms a hardshell. NICE TRACKWORK in your gallery is that 55 with highball or arizona minerals ballast?

I'm not following a strict proto plan, I'm just recreating the feel of New Mexico and Illinois.
 
That scenery method sounds cool but I'm planning on using glue shell, I find that it gives me a lot more control.

The ballast Arizona rock and mineral ATSF ballast, its great stuff.