Welcome back to the Rusty Rails! There have been several changes since the last post, the most being the change in grades & contours plus modifications to the track plan. Once the foam was fixed I set upon laying the track; pinning it down to get the basic feel and prepare for final gluing. As a precaution I temporarily electrified the track and tested the route. The big problem was that 12% grade; the 2 inch climb. The locos could do it but not with a wagon, so the contouring had to be altered. To try to keep the height somewhat I went with a switchback rather than one grade. One inch of foam was (messily) removed from the West end, and then a gradual climb of to the East end. Tests proved successful with both locos and wagons; the contouring is set.
Also during this time I was finding the track plan in need of changes as well, especially that 3-way switch. Replaced it with a Y instead. Other minor alterations made but it was time to glue it down. I pinned the track to the foam and used a 50/50 mix of water and PVA glue. Using a syringe I applied the adhesive, letting it flow under the sleepers. 24 hours later the glue has set and the track fixed in place. Did another test run with some engines and wagons; working fine. Now it was time to carve up the foam! The shop-vac got quite the workout...
This is a portable layout with future expansion in mind. Due to limited space I have had to remove some of the themes, but those can be resurrected for the addition(s). Referring to the above image, the designated areas are:
1-Entrance/exit to the fiddle yard. I can also be an expansion point one day.
2-Urban area. Background buildings, vehicles, various business. Hopefully lots of lighting and billboards/signs. Will wrap around the West corner over the tunnel. Plan it to be Blade Runner-esque but without the damp...
3-Location of the Tofu Shed, with slightly sunken area in back for bits and pieces.
4-Pier/water feature, but no room for boats. That'll have to wait for the expansion.
5-East exit tunnel for future expansion and switchback.
6-"The Breakers Yard". Large depressed area for lots of sci fi rubbish! Trestle over pit will have crane to remove the salvage; will be lots of Easter eggs in there from many series.
7-Refinery. Or a very small Hades landscape. It'll take up the whole East end of the layout.
There will be a 24 inch high backdrop on the rear and sides for flats and scenery. It was also nice to discover that the adhesive used to glue the foam panels originally was quite tenacious... Next on the job list is getting power to the rails. With the earlier experiments I found I will only need three feeders. Thanks to the Insulfrog switches I won't have to do any block wiring either.
Have a better one!
