LMRA Newsletter
Lubbock Model Railroad Association
Staying on Track - May 2005
Meetings are at the Highland Baptist Activity Center, Quaker Ave. and 34th St. - first Monday of each month at 7:30pm.
April 4 and May 2: Curly will show a video on running steam
Other events coming this year:
April 15-17: Setup at Arts Festival
May 6-7 and Nov. 4-5: Playdays at the Activity Center
Undecided: Home layout tour
Mailing list: groups.yahoo.com/group/LMRA
Web page: railserve.com/lmra
Better Scenery Through Chemistry (reprint from Oct. 99)
A couple of the best clinics I attended at the Narrow Gauge Convention were by Joel Bragdon. He showed how to make the Geodesic Foam scenery; cast rocks, structures, cars, and people; and use the new self-adhesive weathering powder. I bought both the casting and scenery videos and have been testing the materials.
I really like the cast rocks, because they can be shaped to fit the scenery, cut and torn to fit, and have thin edges that blend into surrounding rock. You can also cast rockwork in huge molds. I never have mastered the skills to make great looking plaster rocks blend together and conform to the contours, so I think these will be what I will be using in the future.
The geodesic foam scenery is light-weight and flexible. It's especially suitable for large layouts and modules. There are several rules to follow, I have learned from my testing. Learn all the steps and follow them exactly. Timing and measurement are important. Have all tools handy. And most important, test and master the skills off the layout first.
The weathering powder comes in 12 colors and doesn't need a spray to make it stick. Use it very sparingly. You can always add more, but don't expect to be able to remove too much. It is extremely finely ground and leaves a dead flat finish. It can be used for weathering structures, rolling stock, and rockwork.
Joel said they will come out with a new method of making water very soon. Bragdon Enterprises has a website at www.bragdonent.com.
One of the Yahoo groups I am on is Layout Construction. groups.yahoo.com/group/LayoutConstruction Here are a few messages from it:
Starting Small?
I am new to the hobby and group. I had my first taste 15yrs ago as 20yo in Parker, AZ. A guy was building a layout in his garage and only had the framework done but it covered the entire garage from floor to ceiling. I was hooked from there but haven't done anything about it mostly because of funds and I didn't want to do it wrong. Now intro is over:
Is it best to start with a 4'x8' layout to get the feel? My thinking is to start with that but have spurs deadend at the edge so I can expand in the future.
Thanks for your time.
Troy Sawyer - Ephraim, UT
A 4x8 is a good place to learn benchwork construction, track laying, scenery, structure construction, rolling stock construction/maintenence, motive power tuning, wiring, DCC (optional), etc.
Don't be too concerened about incorporating a 4x8 into a later layout. As you work on the first layout you're quite likely to discover things about your track plan that don't please you. As well as discovering your tastes (era, locale, proto/freelance, op style/or lack thereof) changing.
The major investment in a 4x8 is likely to be loco(s), rolling stock, structures, turnouts, (possibly switch machines), DCC system, trees and other details. This stuff is largely reusable on a larger layout.
If it turns out your 4x8 will incorporate nicely into a larger layout that's fine. If it doesn't you are likely to get good re-use out of the "stuff"[tm] on it.
So I'd say go for the 4x8 layout and don't fret yerself overmuch about the future. There's no law that says you have to have the perfect roadmap to railroad nirvana when you start (or you're a terrible person).
Your might even discover that superdetailing your 4x8 really winds your clock...
CHeers, - Charlie Comstock
ps. There's no such thing as a "lifetime" layout. Only the layout(s) you are currently working/playing with!
There's nothing wrong with a 4x8 if that's what you want to start with, but a shelf layout might be easier to incorporate into a future layout. In fact, do a little research on the "domino" concept. And a shelf can look a lot more realistic than a train chasing its tail around a 4x8.
- Larry Blanchard
But isn't it difficult to do a loop on a shelf layout? Out and backs, point to points, yes. But for someone that wants the train to run by itself, with the option for "operations", isn't that difficult on a shelf? - Mike W
OK, I must have missed the OP asking for continuous running capabilities. Of course, as you say, that's difficult on a shelf. Darn near impossible unless you go to a traction layout.
But he could hone his benchwork/tracklaying/scenery skills on a shelf, practice switching, and eventually hook scenes together for continuous running if desired.
The layout I'm working on now is an 11' shelf. It'll wind up back to back with another connected by unscenicked track for continuous running.
- Larry Blanchard
I like the basic 4x8 (or maybe a little smaller as I model in N-ice scale) as a starting point. Mine is currently an island but has sidings designed to be extensions in the future when I want to expand to the walls. The loop is currently used more to break in new engines more than anything else and will be kept intack then the layout is extended to the walls. When that times comes, the continueous connection will be hidden as much as possible, and the ends of it will be treated operationally as two isolated sidings. - Wayne - Orlando FL (for now...)
Personally, as a "veteran" modeler (25+ years), if I had to do something in "limited space", I'd go around the walls of the room. Island-type layouts are inherently space-hogs... and the problem gets bigger and bigger as the room shrinks.
Let's say the area was a small 8x10 bedroom.
A 4x8 layout would have a VERY tight, 2-foot aisleway on three sides (with one "end" butted against a wall), and would net 32 square feet of layout, with a maximum loop of maybe 18-to-20 feet. Because of the narrow aisleway, the spaces around and under the layout become essentially unusable, because there is no room to bend over and get to shelving, etc.
Alternately, think of building a narrow (18") shelf around the perimeter. The square-footage of this layout is considerably bigger (45 sq ft), the maximum loop of track is nearly twice as large. But the BIG difference is that the entire center of the room (5x7) becomes a nice wide-open aisleway. Easy access is available for storage, workbenches, etc under the layout. And, if you build it tall enough (say, in the 5-foot ballpark), the duckunder at the door can be built in the same "permanent" fashion, without any tricky gates, liftouts, etc.
Yes... it will be more involved that a 4x8 to construct. Yes, it will probably cost a bit more. But IMHO it will have a far greater chance of being around for a long time.
- Den