# Building the Perryville Central



## jargonlet

I recently sold my old layout that was close to completion. I had been wanting to start something a little bigger and a little more suited to my needs. I will be posting here as I get work done to the layout.


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## golfermd

Looking forward to following your progress.

Dan


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## jargonlet

I finally got some time to get more work done on the layout and also have a little time to update this thread. I am modeling the Pennsylvania Railroad in the late 1950's. I am going to try and model around the New Castle area. I am not modeling a specific town but my small town will be called Perryville. Here is a little info on the layout:

Dimensions: 3.5' x 6'
Track: Atlas Code 55
Switch Machines: Bullfrog
DCC: NCE Powercab


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## jargonlet




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## jargonlet




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## jargonlet

I finished my coaling tower last night. I still need to weather it and do some minor touch up but the structure is complete. It has an LED in the tower and a couple in the loading area and also 3 with shades, one above each door.


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## jargonlet

I did some more track work tonight on the main lines. I have a couple of sidings to lay track on and still need to do part of the yard. I finished up my bullfrogs last night too. Once I get those installed I can start on scenery. I may also get to work on the base of the tunnel. I have most of the foam cut but still have one section left.


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## trains galore

Very nice!
Is that a trumpet I see in the background?
I play drums:laugh:


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## Dirtytom

Is the coal plant a kit? Is so, what brand? Great job building it.

DT


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## red56turbo

The layout's looking great! Man, really gets me wanting to get started on my layout. Prolly gonna be on hold till fall though............

Thanks for sharing the pics and look forward to more. :smilie_daumenpos:


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## jargonlet

That is a trumpet. It's setting on two tenor sax cases.

The coaling tower is a kit. I think they've changed the names over the years on it. Currently it's called the Walthers Concrete Coaling Tower. It's not an easy kit. There's literally a couple hundred pieces. For each of the coal shutes, you have to assemble the coal shute which is a few pieces and not too bad. You have to assemble some pulleys for each. They're made up of two halves. So for each of the 6 shutes you have anywhere from 5 to 7 parts and if I remember right there are no spares. You then have to run the rope rigging through the pulleys glue or tie in places and where it's really awkward.


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## doorman29

Looking great!


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## jargonlet

After several days of casting rocks, I was able to get working on the river. Some of the Hyrdocal is drying and then I need to sand the river bed a little and then it will be time to start painting.


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## Fire21

Looking good. I like what you've done!


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## jargonlet

I have not done the river bed yet as I am planning on going out and hopefully finding some real things to use in the river. I got it painted tonight. I will be adding some ground cover and bushes. Here's the results from tonight:


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## jargonlet




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## Dirtytom

You have a real river, I did a small creek. What are you using for table top? I used Homasote and it is very hard to cut to trim?

T


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## jargonlet

I used 1/4" plywood with 3" of foam on top. I made my cut in the foam to make the river.


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## Dirtytom

I see you use cork roadbed. Can you lay track rite on the foam? Homasote is just too hard to work with but I did not use roadbed and do not want to star now.

Your help appreciated.

DT


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## jargonlet

I have never layer track directly on foam. I wanted the track to up on the roadbed so that it would look like it is built up. I have heard if you put track directly on foam that the foam amplifies the noise from the train.


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## cole226

layout looks good and nice job on coaling tower.
your right, the foam will resonate track sound.


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## jargonlet

It's been awhile since I have had time to update this. I have been doing a lot of under the table work. I finally have all of the main bullfrogs installed and functioning properly and have almost all of the track layed. I will lay the final siding and the end of the yard/engine servicing area soon. Both mainlines are up and running flawlessly. I also weathered the bridge and added some ground cover to the river banks. I need to figure out how deep to make the water in the river and also what I want the bottom of it to look like.


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## jargonlet




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## jargonlet




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## jargonlet




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## jargonlet

Between work and going out of town I haven't had time to do much work on the layout lately. I have also been putting time into a pair of wagontop caboose kits and the Hudson Gas Station kit. The Hudson Station will go on the little plot of land across the river.


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## jargonlet

Didn't have time to paint the wall tonight. 



I have decided to go with the brown balast as I am modeling the PRR.


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## Big Ed

3" foam? 2 sheets at 1 1/2" each? I thought they looked more like 2 sheets of 2" foam.

The coaling station looks great, I know you must have used some choice words in it's assembly.  
Don't forget to dump some coal on the ground around it.

The river cut looks great too.
Your nailing the rock ledges just right. Looks nice. :thumbsup: 

You state that you wonder how deep to make the river, are you going to be pouring it in? How about pouring just enough to cover the bottom ledge? Add some old trees trunks? A half of an old car sticking out from the mud underneath the water?

Looking good. :smilie_daumenpos:


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## golfermd

Everything looks good. :appl::appl:


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## Conductorjoe

Been busy.....Finally got a chance to see this. Looks good :thumbsup:


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## jargonlet

Thanks for the comments guys. I am using 1 1/2" foam. So yes, 3" under the track. I think that I am going to poor the river pretty shallow. The rusty car sticking out of the mud is a good idea. The coaling tower was a bear of a kit. Tough build but worth it in the end. It will be a while before I can get anymore progress done. I have a busy couple weeks coming up and I don't see any chance to get any progress made. 

Anyway, a quick update on progress. I got some work done where the gas station will go. I also got the rocks painted beside the engine yard. I will use some greenery to cover up any seems and flaws in the plaster used to keep them in place. I have the wood cut to go around the elevated area but probably won't to that for a couple of weeks.


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## Greg903

Looks like a lot of progress in a short time. Wish I would've seen this before I laid my track. Really like how you dug out all the foam and recessed the track and made the rock walls and all.


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## jargonlet




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## jargonlet




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## gunrunnerjohn

You're doing some real nice looking work there, keep it up! :thumbsup:


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## jargonlet

Finally got some more work done. I am currently finishing up the kits and wiring the LEDs Then it's time to plant them and ballast the yard.


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## jargonlet




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## jargonlet




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## jargonlet




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## powersteamguy1790

Looking good Jargonlet.:thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## jargonlet

I've been busy and finally had some time to get some work done. I got the Hudson gas station in its permanent possition. I got started redoing some of the track work to add an extra siding so that I can add the coal trestle that I scratch built.


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## jargonlet




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## Magic

Very nice, I have a perfect spot for two small trestles just haven't mustered up the courage to try building them yet. 

Magic


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## DonR

Magic

The thought of making identical trestles is daunting. But one of
our members posted a how to, tho I haven't found it lately.

I used his idea to make my sand and gravel unloading trestle. It is
quite easy and makes for nice relaxing times.

Basically, you glue small piece of balsa to a backing so that
the actual trestle pieces are held by them in the angles you
want. When fully assembled, apply glue and let set. Remove
the trestle and insert the next trestle pieces. A real
assembly line in action.

Don


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## jargonlet

When I built mine I did it the harder way. Instead of making a template which would have made it easier, I made one and used it to space the legs on the other ones. Since I was going to cover mine with wood, they didn't have to be perfect. However, I should have glued the wood covering on before I glued them to the top of the trestle.


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## Greg903

Super nice layout so far. Your rocks look fantastic. Trestles do too.


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## jargonlet

I have a troop car on the way that will get converted to a storage unit of sorts and place somewhere off the tracks in the engine service facility. I also have the Alto Tower kit coming that will replace the current tower. It will get moved to the other side of the layout.


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## cosmos2002

Man that is one nice project. The detail is superb. Love the rock faces. Unfortunately I could not use those type of rocks on my european layout so I had to do with the alpine gray type of rock, but great. Love it.:appl::appl:


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## jargonlet

It has been way too long since I updated this. These are not the most up to date and I will get new ones in the next couple of days. 





[URL=http://s201.photobucket.com/user/guitarded84/media/Train%20stuff/Perryville/047.jpg.html]


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## jargonlet




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## jargonlet

I had to dig down a little for the coal company as I did not have enough space for a proper grade.


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## jargonlet

I had been throwing around the issue of either adding a crossing or a bridge to allow people to get to the industries in the middle of my layout. I finally came to the conclusion that a bridge would make a good use of space in the corner in between the river and the engine yard.


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## jargonlet




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## DonR

Sure is looking good.

Don


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## jargonlet

Here are some updated pictures taken tonight.


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## jargonlet

I got the walls and rocks done tonight. I guess I took the picture of the wall before I finished it as it does not actually stick out on the side of the portal as it does in the picture.


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## Magic

The old layout is shaping up really nice. Looking good.
Like the idea of the road bridge and also the old warehouse in the first set of pics and also the little sheds in the last pic.

Magic


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## jargonlet

Thanks, there's also a sandbin that goes in between the buildings and the brick wall.


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## Overkast

Really great and inspiring work, jargonlet. For weathering, I assume you use an airbrush? If so what model?


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## jargonlet

I have a couple of airbrushes. I have used them in the past but have not used them for weathering. That's something I need to learn. I eventually would like to weather all of my rolling stock and especially my steam locos. All of my weathering is done using Stoney Mountain Classic Castings weathering powders. I bought the 18 color pack off of eBay a couple of years ago and have been very happy with the quality you can achieve with them.


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## jargonlet

As always, I have lots of projects going on so layout progress tends to be slow at times. I have been doing work on my rolling stock lately as well as other projects. I started working on getting the fascia cut and to shape which required finalizing my mountain and small hill. This also meant that I could poor the river finally. What should have taken a couple of nights tops ended up taking the better part of two weeks. I have the rest of the fascia cut and I plan on installing it tomorrow evening. I just have to clean up the caulking around the small end of the river.


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## jargonlet




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## jargonlet

This is the first in a very long time the entire layout has been free of junk with the acception of the top of the mountain. Seemed like a good time for some fresh pictures of the progress.


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## jargonlet

Sitting in front of the layout at or close to track level, the big building does some great forced perspective.


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## Fire21

You've gotten a lot of work done. Looking good. I like the fishermen. Nice river gorge too.


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## jargonlet

I've been working a lot on trains lately. However, a lot has not been done to this layout and the work that has been done doesn't look like a lot but as we all know what doesn't look like a lot usually is. In the last few months I've been working a lot of smaller projects. A small portion have been the Alto Tower kit, a couple of Athearn 30k tank car kits and a handful of GHQ PRR L1s kits. I have also started a small layout to take to shows that due to its' size and simplicity should be a fairly easy build. I do plan to take The Perryville Central to shows but travel will be limited for it due to transportaion problems. The other layout I'm working on is based on the Interstate RR. I have been building a N&W wooden caboose for the Interstate and also am assembling a small fleet of Interstate hoppers that I am painting and decalling.

I took some pictures last weekend to show some friends. They ended up coming over to see it in person. This was the first showing of the layout to anyone other than family since shortly after the mainlines were completed. The layout is usually a mess and taking pictures always forces me to tidy the layout up. Here are the pictures.


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## jargonlet




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## jargonlet

I have been working a lot with forced perspective on this layout. Having the bigger warehouse in front of the creamery really makes it look off in the distance. The auto bridge in the corner of the layout gives the illusion of a change in elevation. The foam against and near the tunnel will become dirt/grassy area. I also like having the trains go through that area and barely peak up above the top however I am doubtful that you will be able to see the tops once the trees, bushes and grass etc is on there.


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## Fire21

I like your layout and what you're building. But I am most impressed with your weathering techniques. Your buildings look like they've been there a long time...they're marked and dirty and rusty in all the right places. You're doing a great job. I think your small portable layout will be a big hit at whatever shows you display it! :appl:


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## jargonlet

Thanks Fire21. I've looked at a lot of pictures but I mainly look at structures in the real world for my weathering. I use Stoney Mountain Classics weathering powders and at some point am going to start using an airbrush. For some reason if you spray the structures with isopropal alcohol, it makes the weathering kind of run or fade in some. I discovered this by chance when ballasting the part of the yard. It's almost like it works like rain to wash things downward. Picture three on post #47 is a good example.


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## Big Ed

Are you sure that you have enough coal cars? 

Man the water is clear!:smilie_daumenpos:
You going to paint it blue? 


It looks like your planning for expansion over here?











Looking good. :smokin::thumbsup:


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## jargonlet

big ed said:


> Are you sure that you have enough coal cars?


I am currently working on a couple of coal trains. I am working on a B&O and Pennsylvania. Currently I have 18 B&O w2b hoppers and 7 n class hoppers. I have 19 Pennsylvania H21A hoppers, 5 GLa hoppers and a couple of MTL hoppers that will do for other classes. I am working on painting and decalling a Interstate fleet. I will have close to 30 when I am done. I also have a lot of transition era hoppers that aren't PRR or B&O not to mention quite a few for the modern era. I currently have 122 hoppers on the roster between both transition and modern era. A couple times a year I get to run on a layout that I can fit over 100 cars on each of the three mainlines. So I am still acquiring hoppers. Some time in the future, probably years from now, I plan on building a massive layout and I will need a lot more hoppers than I have now. So yes and no. For this layout I have more than I need.



big ed said:


> Man the water is clear!:smilie_daumenpos:
> You going to paint it blue?


It is rather clear. I did tint it a bit but not a ton. It seems to look a little darker in person but not a whole lot. The look I was going for was a river during the summer, when the water is low and isn't moving much or any at all. I don't have any intentions changing anything on the river itself. 



big ed said:


> It looks like your planning for expansion over here?


I am currently not planning any expansion. That track is there more for looks and it's also wired up as my dcc programming track. There wasn't a good place for another connection for another layout. I guess I could have made another outlet through the tunnel.


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## tbar

Your layout is looking really Good. I want to thank you I was kinda not knowing what to do with my Warren trussel bridge that is about as high as yours. After seeing yours I think I got a plan.


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## jargonlet

tbar said:


> Your layout is looking really Good. I want to thank you I was kinda not knowing what to do with my Warren trussel bridge that is about as high as yours. After seeing yours I think I got a plan.


Good deal, happy I could help.


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## jargonlet

It's been a while since I posted. I didn't get much work done between June and August. I was too busy with work. I did get to do a lot of planning during that time though. Since then I really have gotten much work done on the layout because I got into building and working on rolling stock. I started working on scenery on and around the mountain and started working on the corner. I haven't had time to get pictures yet but here's a couple in the meantime. There's something about that Conrail Blue...


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## jargonlet

I need to string the wire on the fence along the side of the hill but the fence posts are all cut and ready for the wire. I've put three cows on the hill but have two dozen more and a dozen sheep left. Somehow a single pig snuck into the bag of sheep so I may use it too.


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## jargonlet




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## jargonlet

I got most of the ground cover laid on the mountain and the mounds leading into the tunnel. I only have a few trees and I plan to cover both of the with trees so I guess I better start making tress. I'm still not sure what I plan to do with the top of the mountain but at least it's mostly green.


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## Magic

Looking pretty nice. That fence line is a nice touch. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
the mountain is shaping up very good as well, a few trees will do wonders.

I would expect that lone pig would go good with a couple of fried eggs. :smilie_daumenpos: :smilie_daumenpos:

Magic


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## Fire21

That's VERY nice, you've done a really good job. Thanks for showing it to us.


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## jargonlet

Magic said:


> I would expect that lone pig would go good with a couple of fried eggs. :smilie_daumenpos: :smilie_daumenpos:
> 
> Magic


Fried eggs, now I need some chickens for that. This sounds like a slippery slope to being a full blown farmer...


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## jargonlet

Thanks for the complement Fire, I am happy with the way it's shaping up.

I didn't think I would have time to get anything done tonight. Between our company visiting this week being out of the house tonight and getting out of work at a decent time I was able get all of my cows in place and also get a big chunk of work done on one of my PRR R50b kits. Oh the joy of hand bending grab irons... Anyway, back to the cows. I have 26 cows on the hill but I still have the dozen sheep and one pig. Do you all think I have enough livestock on the hill? If not I guess I should put all of the sheep in a little herd. From what I recall from the little I have been around livestock, sheep like to stay in a little herd.


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## jargonlet




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## jargonlet




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## Catweasel

Hi there mate. Cows in a herd, shee in a flock. Nice layout though.


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## jargonlet

I haven't updated in quite a while. I've been busy building in z scale. I haven't made much progress lately but here is what I've done.


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## jargonlet




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## jargonlet

Like I said in my recent posts in my z scale layout thread I have not got much work done on the layouts. I've been busy and spending a lot of time finishing up all of my uncompleted non layout projects. Here are some pictures with what I have done on the layout.


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## jargonlet

For those of you who have been following along, you'll notice that I have the telephone posts installed. I wasn't really sure how to go about going over or under the bridge. I may pull them up and try to go under the bridge. I'm still not quite certain about the engine facility but will most likely send them across the front of the layout. I have put two pictures in the second of two posts. The first is an overview. The second is doctored with paint to show where the lines would go to the buildings and around the main line. Any input on how to run these prototypically would be greatly appreciated.


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## Overkast

Layout looks great jargonlet. It looks like prototypically the poles go over / above the overpass, with the height of the poles extended to achieve this:









For the tunnel, I would definitely have them go up and over the mountain where the tunnel is. I found a good pic of prototypical poles going over the mountain here:









Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


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## Fire21

Jargonlet, your layout looks just great!

I think Overcast is right in both his pictures. In a modern overpass or tunnel the power lines would most likely be underground approaching them, and would pass through in the utilities chase. But in earlier construction they would definitely go over the overpass or mountain.


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## jargonlet

Thanks for the comments and help with the telephone poles. After much experimentation and fiddling and the such I have come to the conclusion that I have enough room to send them under the bridge and of coarse, also over the tunnel. 

I have been making lots of trees for several layouts in the last few days and got some of the trees plant today. I think I counted 25 including the three I put down by the river.


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## jargonlet

Here is another picture with the telephone posts, one done up with paint to show the lines and one original. There is a break in the lines as they go under the bridge. The black line shows where the main lines are. The red shows where they are going go to the engine facility. I also have decided not to cross the river with the lines but have them come from off the layout on that side. On the far side where the creamery is, I will have the lines go that way and over the mountain but haven't worked on it lately so it's still incomplete in this aspect. I believe that the are going to have to cross over the tracks either way as there isn't enough room on the front of the layout for their placement. I guess I will have to use longer poles in places they cross. The poles have not been glued in yet and aren't permanent but I am much happier with them where they are.


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## Magic

The trees look real good, things starting to shape up.

Magic


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## VegasN

Very nice! That is all looking excellent. Love the ground cover.


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## jargonlet

Finally got some work done on the layout. I have a little work left to do on the mill before I can plant it. I finally have almost all of the layout covered in ground cover. It's finally starting to look like a layout.


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## jargonlet

I need to do some work on the placement and height of the telegraph poles since I changed buildings where the scrap yard was. I also have realized that they will need to be taller to clear the tracks.


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## VegasN

Looks beautiful! Nice work. Would love to see more of the full layout.


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## Mark VerMurlen

Very nice! It's looking great.

Mark


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## jargonlet

Thanks for kind words. I finally got the layout cleaned up and the track cleaned earlier today. I plan to make some more trees tonight. If everything goes as planned and I get in the train room to get some work done I'll make a layout update video with the trains running and post it later.


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## Overkast

Jargonlet, I thought I replied earlier but I don't see my post... so if you see a double post my bad.... but you did a really awesome job with detailing and the layout has really come a long way. Great job.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


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## jargonlet

I get asked from time to time how I make my ground cover. Here is what I use.





The first picture is various woodland scenics "dirt" ground cover and underbrush/bushes. Each batch is different. I mix them as I use them so there is some variance in the batches. Here's a couple of pictures after they are mixed.


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## jargonlet

Here is the layout update I promised.


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## VegasN

That was really cool seeing the whole layout. It really gives some fullness to the pictures.


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## Fire21

Nice video of a very nice layout. I think you've done a really good job with everything. That dirty old building at around 15 seconds sure does need a paint job!

I bet you didn't think the steam engine sounds would override your voice like they do! LOL! :laugh:


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## jargonlet

You wouldn't think they would but they did. I need to do a remake of the video because of that. I may have time this weekend.


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## Mark VerMurlen

Outstanding layout! Great video too! Gives a good overview of the whole layout.

Mark


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## jlc41

jargonlet, nice layout and video. FYI, I had a tough time hearing all that you wear saying with the loco's running their sounds. No disrespect intended.


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## Rusty

Nice layout and thanks for sharing the video.


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