# Our New Layout



## Prospect193 (Nov 30, 2011)

Hi Everyone,

My name is Pat along with my 7 year old son Ethan we are building a HO Layout in our garage. I have attached some progress pics for your viewing pleasure. This will be freelance steam era layout, mainly with UP and Sante Fe locos and passenger trains. Ethan wants a mine area and a waterfall and river which we will incorporate to the far right plus we have a 6 stall roundhouse also on far right. We will scratchbuild a turntable pit which hopefully will make for a fun project for the 2 of us. 2 main lines and some interesting switching in the middle section. He has been helping with the handsaw, electric drill, measuring and planning. Anyway we hope you like what we have accomplished so far any comments good or bad is welcome.

Thanks
Pat & Ethan


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## Xnats (Dec 5, 2010)

Looking good Pat, I bet your son is pretty excited. Ethan is a nice name, a good strong name, for a matter of fact  Wait, that's my sons name and he is almost 7 :laugh: The kids get so stocked when they get to help out. Cant wait to see some trains running.


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## Prospect193 (Nov 30, 2011)

Just a progress pic of our layout!!!
Outer mainline is down and almost wired up!!!












Pat


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

It's coming along great, looks like it'll be a fun layout!


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

Great stuff.


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## Conductorjoe (Dec 1, 2011)

Looks like a great start :thumbsup:


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

:thumbsup: Looking great! :thumbsup:


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## Timb (Jan 7, 2012)

Absolutely cool... wish i had that when i was 7....Ha!!
im sure your son will have hours of fun there..

Tim


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## kursplat (Dec 8, 2010)

nice progress, should be a blast to scenic


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## Prospect193 (Nov 30, 2011)

The BLI 2-10-2 did its first run around the loop tonight!!! Had a couple of spots I need to adjust slightly so the loco runs thru but all in all very happy!!! 3 more feeders as well and outer mainline done!! Picked up 25 bags of Woodlands scenic ballast today on eBay the value here in Oz is $205.00 but it was only $50 its more than ill ever need, I just couldn't resist!! Sometimes you just have to buy when the price is so ridiculously cheap!! The kicker was the seller lives 10 mins from where I work so didn't even have to pay shipping!! 

Pat


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

That thing is looking great. Grad to hear that some trains are runnning.


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

nice layout...wheres the trains...you said you had one running....we want pics....or it never happened....


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## Prospect193 (Nov 30, 2011)

New Berlin RR said:


> nice layout...wheres the trains...you said you had one running....we want pics....or it never happened....


Its the middle of the day and 'm at work, so i'll get a couple of pics off tonite after dinner!!

Pat


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## Prospect193 (Nov 30, 2011)

As promised here are a few pics of 2-10-2 with some passenger cars.





































Pat


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

ok now how can we make that nice 2-10-2 magicially show up at my place.....hmmmm...


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## Conductorjoe (Dec 1, 2011)

Looks like you are off to a great start :thumbsup:


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

Beautiful pics. Nice start, what an adventure you have before you, as do I. :thumbsup:


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## mwpeber (Dec 5, 2011)

Great looking layout! I love the way you've laid the track bending around the corner. I have a layout that I've been working on that looks like it is almost exactly the same size and shape but it's hit a little brick wall lately in terms of progress.

Keep the pics flowing!


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

New Berlin RR said:


> ok now how can we make that nice 2-10-2 magicially show up at my place.....hmmmm...


In the great words of the Silhouettes *Get a Job! :laugh::laugh::laugh:*


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## Prospect193 (Nov 30, 2011)

NIMT said:


> In the great words of the Silhouettes *Get a Job! :laugh::laugh::laugh:*



:laugh::laugh::laugh:

Or you can give me lots of money and i will gladly ship it too you!!!:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Pat


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

mwpeber said:


> I love the way you've laid the track bending around the corner


Well if he didn't do that the loco would fall on the floor!:laugh:


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

NIMT said:


> In the great words of the Silhouettes *Get a Job! :laugh::laugh::laugh:*


I got two of them  i just need to find one of them 2-10-2  the pay checks just don't show up fast enough (or often enough....)


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## Prospect193 (Nov 30, 2011)

*New pics!!!*

Layout progressing along nicely tunnel portals and abutments weathered and installed, also starting to put in the backdrop!!


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

Quite the project! Those portal models look familiar, I have what looks like the same in N scale.


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## Prospect193 (Nov 30, 2011)

Yeah they are chooch portals, does the weathering look ok?? I'm a bit unsure if the colors work!!

Pat


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

Prospect193 said:


> Yeah they are chooch portals, does the weathering look ok?? I'm a bit unsure if the colors work!!
> 
> Pat


Yeah looks great. I even see some soot on the centerline up top. Nice touch.


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

I think the coloring on the portals and abutments looks great.


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## brik-el (Feb 24, 2012)

Coming along nicely!:thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## Prospect193 (Nov 30, 2011)

Been busy today with the layout!! I must thank Sean (NIMT) for his great tutorial on terrain building!! His method works amazingly as this picture will show!!










Thanks Pat


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

I see some NIMT hill in the works! Though I've never tried it myself, I'm amazed at the realistic topography resulting from the crumpled screen.

Looking forward to your progress here.

TJ


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## Carl (Feb 19, 2012)

This is any outstanding job on the layout........your 7 year old helper needs an afternoon at the park for his help.


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## Prospect193 (Nov 30, 2011)

Funny you should say that Carl!! That's exactly what he got yesterday!!

Pat


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Prospect193 said:


> Funny you should say that Carl!! That's exactly what he got yesterday!!
> 
> Pat


It seems like there is a lot of wasted space under the mountain your building?
Any track going under it?


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## Prospect193 (Nov 30, 2011)

It's narrower than u think!! Originally there was not going to be any plywood but I placed some there to support a couple of things including the bridge abutments!! Also you can't really see in this pic but the gap tapers into about 2" in the background of the pic!! I also wanted to give a natural terrain elevation rise towards the backdrop!!

Pat


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Prospect193 said:


> It's narrower than u think!! Originally there was not going to be any plywood but I placed some there to support a couple of things including the bridge abutments!! Also you can't really see in this pic but the gap tapers into about 2" in the background of the pic!! I also wanted to give a natural terrain elevation rise towards the backdrop!!
> 
> Pat



It looks like a nice place to park a train under.
A siding line running in under the mountain? 
Back in a train to park?


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## Prospect193 (Nov 30, 2011)

It would be but it would be too narrow to get track in there from the far right side!! Not a major though as I have tons of room in the foreground to park trains!! That section was always intended as a "mountain pass" 
I will take a pic later to show you a more overhead view to show you how the tracks run!!

Pat


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Prospect193 said:


> It would be but it would be too narrow to get track in there from the far right side!! Not a major though as I have tons of room in the foreground to park trains!! That section was always intended as a "mountain pass"
> I will take a pic later to show you a more overhead view to show you how the tracks run!!
> 
> Pat



OK !! OK !! :laugh:

NO TRAINS UNDER THE MOUNTAIN!!!!


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## Prospect193 (Nov 30, 2011)

Big Ed, 

You can see from this pic how it tapers in!!










Pat


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## Prospect193 (Nov 30, 2011)

Been busy again today!!! Time to get plastered!!




















Starting to look more like a layout!!!

Pat


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## Carl (Feb 19, 2012)

Great progress..........


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## broox (Apr 13, 2012)

looks awesome!

I got talked out of using the flyscreen + plaster method this time around, but It'll be making an appearance on any future layouts!


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## brik-el (Feb 24, 2012)

Don't you just love when you start putting things together, you can start to picture what it'll look like eventually?

Good job, keep the updates flowin!:thumbsup:


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## ozroscoe (Jul 10, 2008)

Prospect193 said:


> Yeah they are chooch portals, does the weathering look ok?? I'm a bit unsure if the colors work!!
> 
> Pat


You're kidding, right? They look fantastic. Nice weathering job. What was their original colour? The benchwork construction is impressive and clean. Can't wait to inspect it myself 

Cheers,

Roscoe


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## Prospect193 (Nov 30, 2011)

Hey Ross,

Glad you joined!! They were originally a dull grey!!! We'll see you and the family in November!!! In the meantime the guys here are terrific with a huge amount of experience and very helpful!!! Look around the forum and gaze in wonderment!!!

Pat


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

Thanks for keeping us posted


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## JohnAP (May 4, 2011)

Great progress! The bridge abutments and tunnel portals look awesome!

:thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## Prospect193 (Nov 30, 2011)

It is with a bit of sadness Ethan and I have begun taking apart the layout piece by piece!!! We are moving and we have decided to start from scratch. We will be reusing almost all of the materials and the track is all going to be saved as well. About the only thing we will toss is the plaster. Not sure about the fly screen it might be too much effort to save it, luckily not to expensive to buy again!! I really don't want to take photos of the disassembly bit too sad!!! Boo Hoo!!

Pat


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

That is a sad affair, I don't blame you for not taking pictures. :rippedhand:


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## stuart (Jun 12, 2010)

Sorry to hear about your moving your train table. All that hard work. With your talent you should continue in your new digs. Lots of luck with your move.


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## ozroscoe (Jul 10, 2008)

*on the move*

Duuude,

R u kidding me? I am coming up in 6 weeks time and your taking the layout down! Man, have you got A LOT OF WORK TO DO by the time I get up there 

I prescribe lots of elbow grease, long hours in the shed....and lots of coffee


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