Quick Update

Quick Update:

Been working on a 1:1 scale wall so layout time somewhat curtailed. Did get a good 5 hours to work on West Denver.


West Denver has a Jewish section along the Trolley line and fairly close to the C&S tracks. This is looking upgrade. Tracks are being laid with a nice yard that will service 4 FSM kits: Jacobs Coal, Avrams Bakery, Flour Mill and Butcher Way.


This is the downgrade view. Street is going to be cobblestone or brick. Trolley is HO std gauge. Buildings are just set in-place for spacing. Added the coal gondola, c-19 and trolley to help show a sketch of what it will look like.

I am seriously thinking on including Bar Mills Booty Corner store (wood planking 3 story kit) and with maybe a house (Ronald Reagan's boyhood home is a candidate). Kits have to either be shallow to cut to fit depth.

Would wood kits on the side work here do you think?

Also trying to pick a structure for the trolley to run behind and stop to simulate it going both to Denver and upgrade to Golden. Maybe a billboard would work.

Golden has a matching n-scale trolley (forced prospective)that will also hide to make trolly line appear to service entire area.

Laying that many turn-outs is very time consuming so that is about all I have done in a week.

Thanks Cameron

Wow - been over a year

Just realized it has been over a year since beginning the new layout.  Total length is 273 ft of bench work + staging with about 30' + of track laid + staging.  About 60' has most of scenery in though lots of details to go.  So this adventure is shaping out to be a 10 year project.

Thanks Cameron

Tuesday 12-Feb-2013 Update

Update - Turntable

Finally got the power supply in and after testing to ensure voltage (15 VDC) began install.

First step was running the Buss. I use 12g multi-strand wire. Using a tree with Buss from center, it runs right and left, with branch per level. This limits max length of any run from DCC control to 50-60 ft. Also designed to support using circuit breakers and boosters into mix.

Once done, I hooked up the feeders from the buss to the control box, along with the power feed. The Walther's Turntable is really nice and the instructions are very good. One concern I had was the angle of tracks. The template shows 10 degree for the Walther's roundhouse. I have two old Kibri roundhouses (look a lot like C&S in 1910-30). They have a 15 degree entry. Would they be compatible? Walther's came through, the settings can be done at any entry angle.

I should note I have the pre-built non-DCC, not the kit. I understand the pre-built DCC is the same except DCC control along with control box. I have heard horror stories about kits, so stayed far away from them. A note on power, A Forum post said Walther's recommended the Minatronics 15 VDC 1 AMP power supply. Got mine of e-bay for 6 bucks and it seems to work great. Some people had issues with 12 VDC supplies. There were recommendations for 15 VAC power supplies, but I stuck to the Minatronics equivalent.


Here is the installed turntable installed with some temporary tracks in place. Using my RRamp meter to show bridge power and DCC control present.

The control box is simple plastic box, but it can be mounted flush or handheld. Connections are 4 wire inputs and a RJ-45 connection to turntable. Install was simple. Control consists of 2 buttons and 2 direction control arrows. When programming you can make micro adjustments. One thing I'm going to do is set the turntable, then place the track in final position and secure. That way I can be 100% certain of alignment.

Once programmed TT moves smoothly and quietly to a post just past track and then backs up for final alignment to rail.

All said and done, as of now this is a product I can recommend. Just remember to keep covered when not in use to protect from dust.

Thanks Cameron

Wednesday Update

Wednesday Update.

More planning and testing. First did two more turn-outs. Shortened them considerably and tested a product I read about on forums, neolube. Electrically conductive and adheres to metal. Maybe useful to weather turn-outs. 15 turn-outs to go.



Here is the Denver suburb before. working out spacing and ordered cobblestone.



Tested some ideas on forced prospective for Golden. Front HO, back N scale. Depth 2' but looks much further.



The new turntable is in-place, working on track placement while waiting on power supply. You can see the placement of key structures.



Here is the West Colfax neighborhood in Denver. Structures roughly in place, Trolley track placed to check space. Trolley and train set in-place to show size and spacing.



Last Shot, Over view of yard area.



Thanks Cameron

Denver Moving Forward

Denver Moving Forward

In the original plan Denver was going to be just staging and a Locomotive facility. The new design changed all that and Denver now will become much more of a center piece of the layout.

With that said and staging laid out. It was time to start verifying the Denver Plan. So my first time out to work on the trains in a week (had a cold, now wife has it) I started laying out the major pieces.

Following the plan posted a week or so ago, started with the yard. The key is the turn table so began there. It is the pre-DCC Walthers HO I got from my mentor Barkeep. This unit is reported to be very reliable and the pit is preformed. Laid template in place and added the tracks into roundhouse.


This was the overall scene. The white foundation to front is the car repair facility, the roundhouse to rear of picture, and to the right of the roundhouse is the machine shop. Plan calls also for a coal tower, seen here as dark grey foundation in front of turntable.


Here is a more detailed picture. The Turntable template is marked for 10 degree tracks, Kibri roundhouse is 15 degree. I think the turntable can adjust to any angle so will begin there, if it will not line up I will instead scratch build the roundhouse. Once I verify all will fit, the next task is to cut the TT hole and install, then line up tracks and verify angles. Then building the 10 turn-outs. Will use Fast Track #6 turn-outs. For controls still debating slide-switch or bullfrog.


Next is the new area replacing the relocated staging. This area hopefully will represent a track-side neighborhood in Denver. Plan includes trolley, Synagogue, merchants, theater, etc. shown here against wall. Plan on using shallow fronts of buildings (about 3" with side walk). Then cobblestone street with trolley down middle.

Area to front will be track-side industry ( all FSM including Avrams Bakery, Jacobs Coal, and Butchers Way). The mainline will be parallel to Trolly and thinking a board fence with a strip of grass between street and tract would look good. This will require another 5 turn-outs, same as above #6.

Since time frame is 1916-18, traffic will be mixed horse and car.

Order cobblestone material and will proceed only though track laying until background is either painted or a photo back drop procured. Mainly sky so could go either way. Did look at buying but almost $100 for 10'. Could not find any city backdrops I liked so far.

Read an ideal by Joe Fugate (MRH ezine)to use vinyl remnant as backdrop. Can be gotten with almost no seams and is easy to work on. Thinking it might be best to paint sky before installing, then install and add some radical paper flats to add visual interest.

Advice appreciated.

Thanks Cameron

Forced Prospective

Forced Prospective

Wanting to use Forced Prospective in Golden. The area is 2' deep. Upfront need 2-3 tracks, station, water tower, Freight Depot, and Barkeeps Tavern (named for my mentor). That is about 8 inches depth. After that is a road and creek where the separation needed for the forced prospective begins. Behind Creek is roughly 12-14" where Golden sits. Thinking of using n-scale buildings there along with a N-Scale trolley.


Here is this portion of the plan.

Trolley will run parallel to back drop, may angle road slightly front to back.

Coors will be full size with trolley going behind. Plan is to put Trolley on a auto reverse. There is a unit that allows multiple stops and then auto reverse. So stops at several spots to pick-up passengers. Will stop behind Coors hidden to enforce illusion it continues to Denver.

One "bright" idea is to use the same color trolley in Denver to give the illusion trolley runs entire way.


New Denver plan after moving staging. Note Trolley track parallel to backdrop. Will run right in front of flats of merchants and a Synagogue flat.

I would appreciate any links or advice on how to make the forced prospective realistic.

Thanks Cameron

A Quick Update

A quick Update

Calling the 180 Deck 2 creek done (for now <grin>).


Heading downgrade to Beaver Brook. Final pour of tinted resin, matte gel on top, then gloss gell lightly to add a little sparkle.


Upgrade of previous shot.


Downgrade closer to Beaver Brook.


Upgrade of previous shot.

Here is current Staging, all main tracks now soldered, adding more to left side for Cabesse, etc. Marking, will then drill turn-out controls and adhere with silicon chalk.



Might have the flu, something really hitting me so slow going now.

Thanks Cameron