Planning a layout for my son

[Blazeman]

Very chilly in the east. I'm envious of your son being able to be outside running trains in tee shirt and shorts. In July, you won't want to be outside, but for now, temps like that would feel good here.

[Dave V]

Been very hot and humid down here these past few days.  The warmth is wonderful, but the humidity is not without challenge.  It means paint and glue take quite a bit longer to dry.

[Dave V]

Jacob and I finished up all the wiring this afternoon.  Since he's 8, I did all the soldering, and so I wanted to do something next that he could really help with.  So I grabbed some Woodland Scenics gray blend ballast (which is what I use on the Juniata Division), and mixed in a little WS cinder.  The result was pretty darn close to the Kato Unitrack ballast but at the much reduced cost of free (Lee-Weldon-approved).  Here Jacob is ballasting between the mains.



I built a little shelf for the dual cabs.  Two cabs and four center-off DPDTs complete the block wiring.  We also started roughing in the land forms with scrap blue foam.



The innermost track represents a weedy siding we often watched CSX 6-axle power wobble over while we lived in Apex:



More of the ballast results.  Note that the Williams Street overpass is not built yet...!

[wm3798]

Ah, yes.  Free makes even Unitrack palatable!  Looks like the lad is having a blast.

I trust there is an archive being assembled for the purpose of a "look how easy N scale can be" article at some point? 

Lee

[Dave V]

@Lee, yes, it's crossed my mind...  which is why I didn't upload the shot that had my Yuengling in the picture!

[Dave V]

The whole family helped slap Sculptamold on the Styrofoam landforms...



Then Jacob and I painted the hills and went to town with Woodland Scenics ground foam and flocking.  The wind was blowing so half the foam never made it to the layout.  Here it is drying in the sun.





The inside-most track is a passing siding (hence the weeds).



The Unitrack on this layout isn't bothering me.  Honestly, it doesn't look too bad when you ballast and weed around it.  It looks awful in close-up photos, but from normal viewing distance the anal-retentive German in me likes how neat it looks.  That, and at 8 years old, Jacob could lay his own track without fear of alignment or electrical problems.

[rswinnerton]

Looks great Dave! I can still remember my first two layouts when I was a kid and that little Unitrack loop will be something your son will remember forever too.

Great work!
Russ

[Dave V]

More progress has been made, primarily with scenery, but also with structures.  These pics were taken with my new iPhone 4.









Next to Apex station and behind the firehouse, a caboose sits on a display track.  Here a Conrail caboose subs for the prototype Seaboard caboose:



I've started freelancing some industries for the layout.  This is my version of "Stock Building Supply" off the old Durham and Southern line.  Another building will share this facility:





Two must-haves for even a loosely-based version of Apex...  The Fire Station and La Rancherita, Jacob's favorite Mexican restaurant:



Trains cross Center Street (SR1010) in Apex:

[DKS]

Your son is going to wind up with a layout that's nicer than what a number of "serious" modelers have done.

[Dave V]

Your son is going to wind up with a layout that's nicer than what a number of "serious" modelers have done.

I would have it no other way... ;D

[Bob Bufkin]

I like how you snuck in a caboose on a modern layout.

[DKS]

I would have it no other way... ;D

And you wonder why so many of us admire you.

[wm3798]

I eagerly await the day that Jacob looks at the c55 conversion on the Juniata Division, and asks you why his track looks so chunky! ;D

[Dave V]

I like how you snuck in a caboose on a modern layout.

Bob,

That's just a stand-in for the real one in Apex:

[davidgray1974]

Wow thats a sharp looking railroad you've got there.  Its so nice when a father and son can work together on such a great project.  He'll remember this for years to come.  Great job!!