# The Distillery. My first N Scale 4x8 DCC layout.



## Project Galileo (Oct 28, 2015)

Hello. This is my first forum posting here. As with so many I am returning to the hobby. When I was a boy I played with a three rail DC train set. Dad built a drop down table mounted to the family room wall were I spent countless hours playing and daydreaming in my green painted world of trains.

More recently I was bit by the model train bug and for some months have been researching and learning about the wonderful world of DCC and modern model railroading. How things have changed in the last 40 years. Not being able to resist my renewed need to play with trains here is what I have decided to build. 

The family room can fit a 4x8 table and N scale lets me do a lot in that space. Technical specifics include Kato Unitrack as my choice for the tracks. I will be soldering feeders to each piece. At this point I am leaning towards a Super Chief Xtra 5 Amp set up but haven't purchased it yet. I am equally leaning toward the Zephyr system. The layout will be broken down into four electrically isolated/insulated regions with sub buses controlled and short protected by a PM42 Quad Power Manager. DS64 Quad Stationary Decoders will run the switches and turnouts.

The layout is a modified Kato "Amherst" plan I drew up on AnyRail 5.0. It finished out at 24.06 m or a hair under 79" long. The new Kato double superelevated curve track is used for the two inner loops with a third outer single loop rounding out the layout. The curves have been kept long and big to allow for longer rail stock and locos. 










The scenery won't happen for a bit. Getting the basics set up and working will be my first goal. Eventually the theme will be a whiskey distillery with an emphasis on freight. My wife has shown interest in helping with the scenery and buildings too! The buildings will be old enough to fit in with older steam locos but also won't look out of place if a modern loco was on the set.


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## Project Galileo (Oct 28, 2015)

Yesterday the bench work began. The basic skeleton came together well.


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## bruette (Feb 13, 2013)

It looks like you will have an excellent layout!

Why are you using 4 isolated blocks? Will you be using signals?


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## Project Galileo (Oct 28, 2015)

30" oak molding was added to the underside of two of the cross beams. These will mate with the top of some saw horses I have that have notches in the top.


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## Project Galileo (Oct 28, 2015)

Here you can see how the molding mates with the top of the saw horses. It makes for a very stable table that doesn't slide around.


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## Project Galileo (Oct 28, 2015)

The foam was about 1/2 inch bigger than the table so I used a long knife to shave that part off. 5 1/4" base molding was turned upside down and attached to the outside of the table to make it look extra sweet and to protect the foam edge. The molding was installed with a 1/4" edge/lip around the outside. This is as far as I got the first day. I am pleased and excited.


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## Project Galileo (Oct 28, 2015)

bruette said:


> It looks like you will have an excellent layout!
> 
> Why are you using 4 isolated blocks? Will you be using signals?



I am using 4 isolated blocks mostly because I can and it would be cool. I wanted to have short circuit protection and was looking into using the auto light bulb scheme for this. However, with N scale I was worried the auto bulb short protection would still leave enough residual power in the track to fry stuff. I found the Digitrax PM42 Quad Power Manager for use as an electronic circuit breaker. It can handle 4 sub buses so I figured why not. The 4 blocks will help me isolate problems, provides short circuit protection, will allow for the rest of the track to keep running if there is a short etc., and will allow for upgrading to signalling in the future. I am sure it is over kill for this smaller layout.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

A PM 42 unit can also operate as a reverse loop controller. Nice
to have if you later design a reverse loop into your layout. The
Isolated blocks are usually used on very large layouts controlled
by the PM 42 so that if there is a derail and short on section 2, for example,
the other sections can continue operating. 

I fear the 5 amp power supply is way overkill for your N scale
layout. A typical 1 amp DCC power supply is sufficient to run
4 or 5, even more, current design DCC locos at the same time
without strain. Sound
locos, however, do require much more power. Having
5 amps on your track can lead to extreme sparking and possible
'weld' to the track. i would go with the basic 1 or 2 amp power that comes
with your DCC controller. Add the 5 amps as a booster if you
later find it necessary.

You have a basic continuous running layout. You might consider
where you can add spur tracks for industries. Switching operations
give you a lot of enjoyment.

Don


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## bruette (Feb 13, 2013)

Project Galileo said:


> I am using 4 isolated blocks mostly because I can and it would be cool. I wanted to have short circuit protection and was looking into using the auto light bulb scheme for this. However, with N scale I was worried the auto bulb short protection would still leave enough residual power in the track to fry stuff. I found the Digitrax PM42 Quad Power Manager for use as an electronic circuit breaker. It can handle 4 sub buses so I figured why not. The 4 blocks will help me isolate problems, provides short circuit protection, will allow for the rest of the track to keep running if there is a short etc., and will allow for upgrading to signalling in the future. I am sure it is over kill for this smaller layout.


Thanks for all the details and your bench work is outstanding!

I don't think its overkill if you are having fun doing the work and I think you are enjoying it.


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## Project Galileo (Oct 28, 2015)

Don, I forgot about the reverse loop controller feature of the PM 42. That's a really nice thing to have for future expansion. I understand about 5 amps being way too much. I mentioned it as the manufacture uses the term to describe the lowest amp Super Chief set up they offer. It is my understanding their unit has a switch to select the scale you use and it adjusts down or up appropriately. Does the the PM 42 also distribute the amps to the 4 different buses thereby lowering amps at the track still?

I like the ability of the Unitrack and to let me be modular and easily let me add spur tracks and rail yards in the future. I plan too do just that. I wanted to wait on those things and signalling until I got my feet wet getting back into the hobby.


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## Project Galileo (Oct 28, 2015)

Today I made a couple feet for the train table so it can sit on the dining room table without scratching or damaging it. The train will be there temporarily. The router table carved a groove in a couple 2x4s. These grooves will receive the two moldings I attached to the bottom of the train table. The edges of the 2x4s were then beveled and voila! Train table feet. Paint and felt on the bottom will finish them.


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## Project Galileo (Oct 28, 2015)

The rest of the molding surrounding the table went on today too. I left a gap on the far side of the table where I will carve out the foam for the water inlet and ravine the two bridges span.


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## Project Galileo (Oct 28, 2015)

Here it is ready for me to fill the nail holes, sand, and paint next. The first track arrived today too.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

I always admire good craftsmanship like you have used on
your layout table. I am a total klutz with it, impatient and
clumsy. Very nice.

Don


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## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

If your model railroading skills and anything like your woodworking skills you will have a great RR. 

Magic


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## Project Galileo (Oct 28, 2015)

Thanks for the kudos all y'all. This is fun. The table was painted with an oxblood color my wife picked out and it was all moved into the family room where it will live. I also got another package of track. Enough to start laying it out and test set it up.


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## Project Galileo (Oct 28, 2015)

Some of the track is on back order so I cannot finish it completely. However, it is looking great in its new room.


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## Project Galileo (Oct 28, 2015)

I carved some foam today. I roughed in some cliffs, a canyon and hills. I may loose the elevation in the front left and have buildings etc. there instead. Nothing is glued and it all can change still.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Good progress, and good thinking, Don't glue anything until after you get
all of your track with temporary installation and you can see what you
like and what you don't like.

If you are like most of us, you'll see many changes you want to make.

Don


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## Project Galileo (Oct 28, 2015)

The river was started today. Carving foam is a blast. Messy, but fun. I used a thin sharp flexible knife and a box cutter. The concrete bridge supports turned out great. Paint will really make them pop. I spent about three hours sculpting today to get this far.


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## Project Galileo (Oct 28, 2015)

Here are the bridges on the concrete supports. The way the concrete and rocks join up is slick. I am pleased.


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## vwrabbit (Oct 14, 2014)

Love the carving for the bridges and river/creek.


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## Aminnich (Nov 17, 2014)

I love your progress. The carving to superior!


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## IlliniViking (Dec 13, 2009)

Great job on the carving. :appl: Love the progress, keep up good work.


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## Project Galileo (Oct 28, 2015)

Thanks for the feedback. This is lots of fun. The other night I only had a little time so I glued up the cliffs and weighted them with stuff. Later I carved some concrete footings to hold up the bridge support. They will be in the middle of the river.


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## Project Galileo (Oct 28, 2015)

Tuesdays are a day off for me so I was able to get a lot done. I endeavored to create a way for the river to make sense. Inlets don't happen in the Colorado Rockies. Rivers do. Concrete tunnels to the rescue. Tunnels also follow the thinking of the D&RGW railroad; build through, not around. The D&RGW and D&SL railroads spent a lot of energy in the first part of the 20th century carving out tracks along cliffs and rivers and tunneling through mountains to get over and through the continental divide. Although I don't intend to create an exact portion of these railways I want to create what might be typical scene along the great mountain rails of the west. So, tunnels it is.

A Forstner bit made neat tunnels and were way faster than the dynamite used in real life. The first three holes were angled a bit off and the tops were thin enough to see light coming through. To avoid a cave in I redrilled more holes. Once there were three, well spaced holes I cut the concrete tunnels away into a square.


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## Project Galileo (Oct 28, 2015)

The main concrete tunnel came together nicely with a sanding block, some sand paper, and a box cutter. After some deliberation I decided on placement, drew some lines, traced the square concrete tunnel, then cut it out with a sharp knife. It reminds me of doing inlays with wood working only you can be sloppy.


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## Project Galileo (Oct 28, 2015)

Without much hassle it slid into place. The inside of the tunnels were carved to look like blasted rock with a concrete facade for the bridge. The cliffs and hill in the back of the turn along with the tracks will hide most of the inlay cuts. What shows now will be hidden with grass or rocks. I need to find some railing for the concrete bridge now.


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## vwrabbit (Oct 14, 2014)

Really love all of that foam work! I need to pick up some 2" foam!


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## Project Galileo (Oct 28, 2015)

The river was cut in a bit more although the edges weren't defined all the way yet. I am trying to decide how close to come to the tracks on the inside of the layout that will be along the edge of the river. I will put up guard rail but wasn't sure about how much room to leave beside the tracks for a road, buildings, or the things that might be along that spur. Perhaps it is time to buy a car or truck to scale and work it out.


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## Project Galileo (Oct 28, 2015)

VWRabbit, you will love working with foam insulation. It is very easy and forgiving. If you blow it, no worries, grab another hunk of foam and have at it. It vacuums up in a snap too.

Eventually, while deciding what to do with the the river bank I got to carving the cliffs. The cliffs are modeled after some cliffs I drive by on the way to work. With paint they will pop. The cliffs still need refining but are coming along well. There is what appears to be a gap at the base of the cliffs. That is where the top part of the cliffs will be glue to the foam in the table. I left them unglued so I can pick up the corner of cliffs and turn them to carve. It took a short time to figure out the best techniques to cut the foam rocks with.


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## Project Galileo (Oct 28, 2015)

The cliffs were carved on more today. It became necessary to get a feel for where I am at and if the rocks look real so out came the acrylics and the cliffs were painted a bit. I only did a small area and only in the dark base color to get an idea for how it looks. There is some work to do with the line between the layers but it is going well.


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## Project Galileo (Oct 28, 2015)

The mailman brought my first n scale car. It is a charming wooden caboose from 1914 made by Micro Train Line. He also had another box with some Switch Kat stationary decoders, and a DCC Specialties PSX4. It won't be long and I will be wiring.

After trying out a few cabs and set ups I opted to switch my main dcc set up to NCE for a lot of reasons. 

The Switch Kats will run all the Kato turnouts and have a cool feature that lets me run a red/green LED indicator light off of it. Indicator lights showing the turnout status will be sweet. They also will allow me to use a push button or momentary toggle switch wired into a control panel to throw the turnouts as well as using the DCC cab to change them. Switch Kats also remember the turnout position after a power loss. Nifty.

The PSX4 will give short circuit protection. This particular model has the ability to sense a sound equipped train as such and not give a false short circuit. Really nice since sound equipped trains will be run on the tracks.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I thought I had commented on this thread? I guess I did but only previewed and did not hit submit? I do remember typing something, must have been one of my early to bed hurry up days.

Master carver! :smilie_daumenpos:
Nice work, love the viaducts for the water, and the all rest.:thumbsup:
The paint will make it all come alive, that is the part I like doing the best.

You must carve up a great turkey too? :thumbsup:


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## Project Galileo (Oct 28, 2015)

Thanks Big Ed. The carving was coming along great. Was coming along because I had to start over on the cliffs.

As I was carving and sculpting I kept coming along pockets of air in the foam between the sheets of foam. I tried hiding the gaps as much as I could for a while. My hope was to make it seem like there was a layer of soft rock eroding more than the other layers. You can see the gaps and bubbles in my earlier pics. However, the more I went the more it kept looking too straight and you could see the gap between the foam layers. I finally came upon a couple gaps that were huge. I just couldn't hide them. 

After finding a monster gap at a place I couldn't hide it I broke it open to see why it was there. It turns out the glue I used caused a reaction with the foam and made the bubble/gap to form. The destruction began.

Prying apart two joined pieces showed just how bad it was as the second picture shows. The glue I used had been recommended for use with pink foam. In fact I saw a video online on carving rocks with pink foam and this was the brand they specifically recommended. Oh well. 

I have since cut and reglued new foam with Liquid Nails for paneling and foam. It did not bubble. The silver lining is I am way better at carving rocks and cliffs than I was at the start and the new cliffs are working out nicer.


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## Project Galileo (Oct 28, 2015)

Getting a new train in the mail soothed the pain a bit. Kato's PA-1 and PB-1 are just lovely. The 11 car California Zephyr rocks too. I chose this train since the "Aspen Leaf" paint job was the first of the D&RGW locomotives to pull the California Zephyr in 1949. Kato's detailing is amazing. They even got the paint on the loco to be just a little off compared to the rest of the Zephyr. In life the Aspen Leaf paint job was just a silver gray paint that didn't quite look like the Zephyrs shiny cars. Well done Kato.

It will need a new decoder and speaker. That is a project for the future.


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

Wow, definitely do not want to use that glue! I just checked to see what I had used and it was the same liquid nail (wood and foam) that you have now used and it does not seem to dissolve the foam. Used it a week or so ago and its rock solid and not eaten into. Really like the carving you did! I'm still laying track and have not even thought much about scenery.


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## longbow57ca (Oct 26, 2015)

Hello Project Galileo, I sure love a n scale layout, great work looks so very cool and neat. You will have a lot of fun with that layout. Your layout gave me a lot new ideas for my future n scale layout for that I thank you for that. Thanks longbow57ca.PS I also love n scale and n scale layouts. Have a great day.


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## Project Galileo (Oct 28, 2015)

Progress has been a tad slower. The holidays have been in the way and gleeming all the track has been the major focus lately. A small oak block wrapped with 600 grit sandpaper followed by 1500 grit got the rails ready for the stainless steel washer. After several were done a switch was made to a square rubber eraser instead of the block. I felt the eraser did a better job overall. After the washer polished the rails to a mirror finish I cleaned everything with alcohol. 

Once the rails are installed and things are closer to running trains I will use NO-OX-ID "A-SPECIAL" to lightly coat the rails and metal wheels. NO-OX-ID "A SPECIAL" is an electrical contact grease known for its excellent performance in keeping metals free from corrosion and oxidation. It will help minimize track cleaning frequency.


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## HO LOVER (Nov 25, 2007)

Any Updates on this BEAUTY?


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