HOn3 Rio Grande Southern First District 1938-1945

[Dave V]

the wonderful thing about the railroad is
it looks more like you built it and then built the house around it
rather you had a room and made a railroad to fit in it
the blend is like a golden rule that nails it!


sincerely
Gary

Thanks!  That’s exactly what I was after.  It shares an entertaining space so it needed to look like it was always meant to be a part of the basement.  In this photo the bar—which has seen quite a bit of use among friends, family, and colleagues—is over my left shoulder.  Tonight we’re hosting our street’s monthly “happy hour” down here in the ‘Skeller.

[DKS]

It really is a stunner in every respect. I especially like the "branding" on the stools, etc.

[CRL]

I want to thank you for this entire thread and the details you’ve included along the way. I’m in the planning stages of a layout and your information has provided answers to many questions I was struggling with from benchwork to your thought process in approaching your track plan development.

Thanks again.

[Dave V]

I want to thank you for this entire thread and the details you’ve included along the way. I’m in the planning stages of a layout and your information has provided answers to many questions I was struggling with from benchwork to your thought process in approaching your track plan development.

Thanks again.

You're welcome!  This layout is the result of a lifetime of mistakes and shortcuts I was determined not to repeat.  By my count this is the eighth model railroad I've built, and the seventh that's made it to the scenery stage.  Along the way I probably learned more "don't ever do this again" lessons than "do this again" lessons, but that's part of the joy of starting anew.  But no model railroad escapes the curse of compromise, and this incarnation of the RGS is no more immune. 

[wazzou]

Very nice @Dave V
I admire the pace in which you've worked to get this far and yet maintain such a high quality.
I was curious if you planned to have any sort of valance that would help eliminate the hot spots on your great sky?

[Dave V]

Very nice @Dave V
I admire the pace in which you've worked to get this far and yet maintain such a high quality.
I was curious if you planned to have any sort of valance that would help eliminate the hot spots on your great sky?

Nope.  Photos tend to emphasize them more than they are apparent in real life.  The reality is by having 9 foot ceilings and no valence, it really feels like the sky extends completely over your head when you're standing there.

I'm very happy with the lighting as-is.

[Dave V]

Here's the April 2019 layout update video:

[DKS]

Really, it's your work on this layout that's helped nudge me toward the Black River & Western. It's about the same size, and you've cherry-picked great scenes to incorporate into a cohesive whole, despite representing a tiny fraction of the railroad. Many great lessons to be learned here.

[Dave V]

Really, it's your work on this layout that's helped nudge me toward the Black River & Western. It's about the same size, and you've cherry-picked great scenes to incorporate into a cohesive whole, despite representing a tiny fraction of the railroad. Many great lessons to be learned here.

Wow, I'm honored!  I'm accustomed to taking inspiration from DKS, not vice versa.

[DKS]

Another thing that occurred to me is that you have a very unique advantage over most other home layout builders: you can take in the entire layout in one view:



Most of us can only see it from within the confines of the layout itself, and can't enjoy such a perspective. It really puts the layout in a different--and flattering--light.

[CRL]

I’m amazed he was able to keep the carpet so clean.

[Dave V]

I’m amazed he was able to keep the carpet so clean.

They have this cool thing nowadays called a “drop cloth.”   

[CRL]

They have this cool thing nowadays called a “drop cloth.”   

I have the innate ability to defeat any drop cloth in existence. It’s actually quite amazing to see in action, it like a wormhole appears at a quantum level and transports paint through a brand new drop cloth (no holes) onto the most vulnerable  surface I’m trying to protect. So my first defense in train room will be no carpet and one of those epoxy garage floor paints, which if things go as they usually do, will end up on the ceiling. 

Such is the albatross around my neck.

[OldEastRR]

That's a good looking, right size kind of layout right there. 
Lee

Right size for HO? Or for N?

[Hawghead]

Dave,

I have been following your progress on Youtube and then I stumbled on to this site.  Great layout, can't wait to see the rest.

Scott