# First ever layout



## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

Well started my first ever layout today. Getting everything set making sure it will fit. Don't have all the switches I need but did good so far.
The end toward cam is going to be tunnel with log cutting operation on top, loading area to the left, small yard and engine house also that end. Still need to set up cross over on right side of pic and two more runs for warehouse, lumber mill and quarry operation toward other end. 
This is the first time I have ever tried doing this so learning as I go and will have a bunch of questions to make sure I'm doing it right the first time.


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

Looking good. Are you going to put a couple of turnouts on the back of the table to be able to cross from one loop to the other? That might be a good thing to do, so you don't have to go all the way to front of the table to cross over.


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

That is the plan Flyboy just don't have all the switches yet. Got all the ones my local shop had in stock.


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## tankist (Jun 11, 2009)

good start , i think lots if not most of us started in this same way (my pink world of unneeded turnouts is below). you certainly will find the way you want your layout to work, but for now just a hint (you will certainly understand this yourself later) - 

*its not the quantity of turnouts that makes the layout interesting *



keep on it, and show us more pics as you go


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

David,

Great to see you jumping in. Enjoy the ride, and keep us posted!

TJ


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

*Got more done today*

Got the rest of the turnouts I needed today and finished the rough layout of my first 4X8 ever today. Pretty happy with it for now, may try to add another branch in the yard not sure yet.

Now to start putting it together for the test runs.


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

Looks pretty good!:thumbsup:


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

Thanks Flyboy


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

Ok got the layout done to its final setting. Was going to start the permanent laying this weekend but my LHS was out of the cork road bed and next LHS is 65 miles away. Oh well have to go there Tuesday so I'll pick some up then.
Also with help from others on the board got the spacing between rails and tunnel openings set for the dual track. Thanks guys.


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

Hey David, 

Looks nice and neat! :thumbsup:

Are you planning on undercutting some of the foam for bridges? Any elevated track? Even a slightly elevated section can add interest to a layout.

Greg


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

Well I got all the roadbed down and track laid and nailed down. Went pretty easy, allot easier than I thought it would. This is what it looks like so far.


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

Well been working on the layout little by little. Hard to get allot done on just weekends. 
Roadbed is all done, wiring for the DCC is done and working, wiring for all the turnouts is done and working, control panel is built and working.
Spent last 2 weekends making my hills on one end and a tunnel on the other. Just finished it up this afternoon. Painted it a base color dirt brown. Next will start on getting the rocks and tops looking better.
I made the control panel out of piece of aluminum and left over pinstripe tape I had out in the garage from building my street rod.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

You need some indicator lights on the panel to show the switch position.


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

lol yeah I know just haven't learned how to do that yet, but thanks


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Looks like to me your on a great path!
Feedback lights on the control panel do help, yea with atlas switch machines it's a pain in the backside to achieve! 
On a seperate note, you really should have only one switch to control cross overs, there is never a need to have only one turnout thrown at a time. It will cut down on the crashes if one of the pair is strait then they are both strait and vise versa.
For your first you really have done a bang up job!:thumbsup:


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

I was going to wire the crossovers like that, have the wiring diagram too, but I guess I wasn't thinking and didn't do it. It won't be hard to go back in and change it. Have more metal out in shop too


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Looking good David.:thumbsup:











This picture the lower right of the tunnel portal looks kind of close to the rail.
Does that mountain move or is it attached to the layout?

You might want to check the clearance with a long car going through it.
Say a passenger car. 

Unless the mountain comes up then it is just a slight move to the right.

It looks like a tight fit.


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

The entrance is just set there not attached yet. I am going to get it painted then center it. Everything does fit thru it when set in the right place.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Davidfd85 said:


> The entrance is just set there not attached yet. I am going to get it painted then center it. Everything does fit thru it when set in the right place.


OK, I figured I would point that out now. I thought it might not be set to the table.

Scenery coming along nice.:thumbsup:


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

David,

Very nice, neat job on the switch control panel!

Your tunnel reminds me of the one I built out of foam for my little/simple HO layout ...

http://www.modeltrainforum.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=1897&catid=member&imageuser=2267

Thanks for sharing you nice work,

TJ


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

Thanks TJ, the front wall is pieces of white Styrofoam with a wood back wall cardboard strips form the top. 3 layers of plaster cloth and a thin coat of thinned joint compound.
Learned from reading posts here 

Thanks guys


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Davidfd85 said:


> lol yeah I know just haven't learned how to do that yet, but thanks


You'll need something like the Atlas 200 Snap Switch, you wire it's coils in parallel with the turnout coils, and the contacts can be wired to the indicator bulbs to indicate the switch positions. The HO switches don't provide any feedback on their own, so you have to add your own.


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## linnamillet (Sep 26, 2011)

looks very cool and neat!


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

I have been doing some work on the layout. I got the hills and mountain/tunnel the way I like them. Also started working on buildings for the town area. And this weekend started working on some ballasting (first time) and started putting on the scenery. I don't have any trees to put in it yet but basically got the beginning started. I figured I would start in one corner and work my way around the table. I have been running into some problems but I'll put them in another thread. 

Thanks


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

I love long weekends. Gives me a chance to get some work done. I've been working on all my buildings. Got what I have on hand all done ready to layout for the roads but I have to wait, girlfriend has 2 more buildings for me on the way for for christmas. She has a firehouse and merchants row II for me and is really going to make me wait . But I did get the end going through the hills and sand pit area finished up today. Still have some detail work to do on it but here it is so far.

Thanks


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

Looks good you are moving right along. Keep the pics flowing!

Massey


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

Just about done now only have a some details left now. Signs, crossing gates, few more trees, cars and people.
Already in the planning stages for the addition of another loop with a bigger yard and some more factories.


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## mr_x_ite_ment (Jun 22, 2009)

David...looks to me like you have done first-rate work! You have done a fine job on all the detail work! I would be proud to have that layout in my place!

Chad


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## JohnAP (May 4, 2011)

*Good job!*

Everything is looking good so far. Could use some weathering, but that can be done most any time.


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## Conductorjoe (Dec 1, 2011)

For a "first" layout that is really Nice . :thumbsup:


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

David,

Details look fabulous. Great work.

Can you post (or did I miss?) a "big picture" shot of the whole layout, please?

Thanks,

TJ


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

Here are a couple of the whole layout. Sorry not a great pic taker.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Sweet! Nice blend of town, industry, etc. Well done.


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## mr_x_ite_ment (Jun 22, 2009)

Yep, there's nothing wrong with that layout for sure! Nice job! 

Chad


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

Thanks guys. Still have allot of detail work and weathering to do, just a little at a time now.


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

mr_x_ite_ment said:


> Yep, there's nothing wrong with that layout for sure! Nice job!
> 
> Chad


Agree - sweet!


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

I'm starting on the addition to my first ever layout. The bench work is done,track is set and down in place. All the wiring is done and control panel is built. Since I haven't updated this in awhile the pictures are from about 5/6 weeks ago.
First picture is the basic plan I have.
Second picture, green paper is a two stall engine house, orange paper in front of that is refueling station.
Third picture is of two background factories, the orange papers, the box in the corner is going to be a rock quarry, pink paper is crusher/loader.
Last picture is just looking back down over the yard area.


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

I have started on the scenery. Now working on the quarry/crusher, loading area first. I built a coaling tower kit but will use it as the loader as space is kind of tight. Yesterday and today I built the mountain/quarry from foam, have it shaped and ready for plaster cloth tomorrow. I also built my below ground cone type rock crusher( not proto but...).I used a rubber chair leg end for the cone and made the rest from balsa wood and some wood hole plugs from my wood shop for the motor. Have it in place and basically painted for now I'll weather everything more later on.
Here some pictures of the quarry area so far.

Thanks for putting up with all the newbie questions you folks have helped me learn a ton of info that was well needed on this first ever layout.


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

Nice work, I really like the high cliffs!


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## joed2323 (Oct 17, 2010)

cool man, good job with the addition, keep the pictures coming, i like how your quarry is looking so far


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## Bman (Aug 24, 2010)

This is really great work, you have just jumped in full bore and everything you have done looks great.

Great Job :thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## lmdave (Apr 20, 2012)

Very Nice.

What did you use for the streets/roads? I like the finish it produced and would like to try to on my layout when I reach that point.


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

Well it has been a couple of weeks now and since I only have weekends to work I'm getting there little by little.
Last weekend got everything in place, final shaping, glued down in place and covered with 2 layers of plaster cloth and a coat of thinned plaster to smooth it out. I forgot to get a picture of that, sorry.
This weekend only had Saturday to work but I got the quarry painted up. I thought I'd try my hand at doing it with my airbrush instead of the wash system because I was concerned about it puddling on the ledges and not looking right.
Imdave I used the Woodland Scenics Smooth-it and Road tape kit for my roads and just painted them after they dried. I didn't follow the mix directions they have, I made mine about the same as a thin milkshake, it poured out nice and easy to flatten with a straight edge.
Here is a couple more pictures of progress so far.


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

Well I was able to mostly finish the quarry/crusher/loading area today. I got hold of some chipped stone and sand from a construction site at work. Cleaned it up, sifted the bigger stuff out and baked it awhile to dry it beofre putting in on the layout. Also weathered the tower some to make it look dusty with my airbrush. I will weather the trucks and cars later along with making a couple of full and half full loads for the hopper cars.


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## wilson44512 (Mar 4, 2012)

All i can say is WoW. The progress is just amazing:thumbsup: What are they using? Nitro or TNT to blow the rock face?


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