# my lady and I's layout



## livefreeordie (Aug 2, 2010)

As you can see its a work in progress. We are very addicted to our new hobby, we have been working on it from the time we get home till the time we go to bed. Its not as big as I would have liked, but there is always time to add on later. The Sante Fe is hers, my locomotive is in the mail. Let me know what you think, and if you have any tips, as this is our first build.


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## tankist (Jun 11, 2009)

looks like a start. :thumbsup:
read up, look around, find stuff that you like and implement them on your layout.

tips? sure.
what is underneath the foam? i would suggest a sturdier then pegboard foundation before you get to far. later if you will have to move it, without it the foam will flex to much and scenery will be flaking off. sandwich plywood for example or a frame. or is it sitting on a table?


i wish my SO would work with me on that hobby.


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## livefreeordie (Aug 2, 2010)

Its sitting on the table for now( a pool table I got years ago and have only used for storage). If I decide for this not to be its final resting place than I will mount it on plywood.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

livefreeordie said:


> Its sitting on the table for now( a pool table I got years ago and have only used for storage). If I decide for this not to be its final resting place than I will mount it on plywood.


You ought to decide before you build it.
And decide on how much space you can devote to it from the get go.

Theres never enough room for all the trains!:laugh:


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

A nice start, and kudos to your lady for doing it with you! I'd echo the comments about something rigid underneath before you go much further. Using the foam is good, but as they said, it will flex some when you lift it. No one here wants to tell you what to do or how to do it---that's a cardinal rule as well as good manners---but, we want you to succeed. The plasterwork adds weight and when you finally move it, the flexing of the foam might cause the plaster to crack. Even a sheet of 1/4" plywood beneath it would help you avoid that.

That aside, we're happy to have you both and hope to see more pics as your layout progresses!


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## livefreeordie (Aug 2, 2010)

Here is some progress we have made, painted a base coat and mounted and ballasted the track. Tomorrow I will start work on the trees. 

The Mrs. at work










The ballast



















The basis of our trees, will be getting some "fresh" foliage.


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Absolutely beautiful! I'm impressed! :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
Oh, and the layout is nice, too!


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## tkruger (Jan 18, 2009)

What did you use for the ballast?


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## livefreeordie (Aug 2, 2010)

Medium grain "ballast" sold at the local hobby store. 

ballasting definitely is a pain, but makes it look so much better.


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## livefreeordie (Aug 2, 2010)

Here are some finished trees:


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Man, you guys are tearing right along on that thing! I like the way you've matched the slope of the ground on either side of the tunnel---looks good!


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Very nice! Great looking trees!


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## dustinward03 (May 1, 2010)

i started my current layout project on 7/16th plywood, have moved it twice with no problems with plaster cracking or anything so far.

Is that the bachmann track and you just built around it?


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## livefreeordie (Aug 2, 2010)

Yeah its the bachmann track with a few extra pieces. 

Having done too much to it in the past day or two, we are really just waiting on our order from modeltrainstuff.com to get here tomorrow. 

Here are some pictures of the train in action:

















Our future plans:
set up a barn, farmhouse, crops and pastures
paint the mountain
put a retaining wall on the front of the mountain
add grass and moss


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## tankist (Jun 11, 2009)

you guys are showing some serious pace of building this.

i like the second picture, you might want to straighten it up a bit however. and consider cleaning ballast off the ties, mainlines are usually well groomed


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## livefreeordie (Aug 2, 2010)

We just layed the ballast on heavy because the plastic underneath the tracks isn't all the same color. 

Our order finally came in, and I got my locomotive


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Looks great! May I ask who makes the house?


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## livefreeordie (Aug 2, 2010)

Perma-scene by Imex made the house, we got it from model train stuff. Its actually some sort of ceramic so it has some weight to it, but its not lighted.


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## tankist (Jun 11, 2009)

looking at the picture of the cow with unpainted pores it looks like you used some foam unfriendly paint and melted it somewhat. better stick to latex ...


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Thank you. Anton, the cow has hickeys, that's all. For some reason, that's common in New Hampshire.


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## livefreeordie (Aug 2, 2010)

We put in a lot of work today, and made the local hobby place pretty happy. We are in there almost every day. It is really coming together, just placed an order for a few of the finishing details.


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

Hi live, 

I really like the farming theme... that's the real America. :thumbsup:
Your trees and the tunnel mountain are especially nice looking.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Your guys are making such quick progress on your layout ... with very nice results, I'll say!

TJ


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## livefreeordie (Aug 2, 2010)

We had to go with the farming theme as my girlfriend grew up on a 600 cow dairy farm


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## livefreeordie (Aug 2, 2010)

Here are some more pictures with animals and people added. We also moved it up out of the basement. Now we are waiting on some more accessories to come in like mailbox, pick up truck, etc.


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## tworail (Apr 13, 2006)

I love the farm! Looks way more organized than my real farm!


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

I like the way you guys made the freshly-plowed fields look like rich, dark, moist soil. Well done!

TJ


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## tworail (Apr 13, 2006)

Needs more round bales


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

livefreeordie said:


> We had to go with the farming theme as my girlfriend grew up on a 600 cow dairy farm


I'm gonna urge to to phrase that a lil differently in the future! :laugh:


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## livefreeordie (Aug 2, 2010)

tworail said:


> Needs more round bales


We are currently in the design process of a feed bunker. 

What do you farm up there in Toronto? snow?


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## dozer (Jan 2, 2010)

Awesome! I can't say it enough, Awesome!! It's great that your girl is helping you as well. My wife helps me too and I love it. she comes in and helps for a bit, then get's tired of it and say's "ok, I'm going to go work on my stuff now" LOL... I love it.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Looking good, QUICKLY!:laugh:

Being a tanker yanker I have to say, 
Get the decals out and add MILK to the tanker.:thumbsup:


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## livefreeordie (Aug 2, 2010)

big ed said:


> Looking good, QUICKLY!:laugh:
> 
> Being a tanker yanker I have to say,
> Get the decals out and add MILK to the tanker.:thumbsup:


That is just a temporary tanker, we have an undecorated one on the way that will get decals.


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## sam8940 (Nov 2, 2010)

In the beginning I thought the tunnel looked bad but now I'm surprised how good it looks!


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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)

Can't believe how quickly you have built the layout! I especially like the farming activity in the fields. Very well done to you both. :thumbsup:


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## Smokestack Lightning (Oct 31, 2010)

My son has inadvertently given me this disease :laugh:


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## Smokestack Lightning (Oct 31, 2010)

livefreeordie said:


> We are currently in the design process of a feed bunker.
> 
> What do you farm up there in Toronto? snow?


Not much farming in T.O. dude. It's a city of over 5 million people.


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