Man with average sized fingers builds a medium sized railroad

This is your fault. 

In reply to Appleseed :

I accept full responsibility for the train.  The Diet Mt. Dew, however, is on you. 

Still working, but nothing super exciting to report.  I've got the "bridge" section pretty much wrapped up.  I'm also working on getting the groundwork in along the back wall.  The prototype area has a car lot next to the "bridge", so that's what I decided to model.  It's just the "back lot" area, so it isn't very exciting, but I plan to buy some cheap bulk cars and fill of up the lot.  I'll probably also make some more chain link security fence, even though it's pretty much my least favorite thing to build.  On the plus side, a lot of the pink foam is getting covered up.

I did the math. A Kato Controller is about $50 on Ebay. The power plug is about $25. The M1 starter oval is about $85. Guess which one I went with? This is combined with Kato's compact  CV1, CV2, and CV3. 

Also, CV2 is the cheapest way to get a right hand switch, left hand switch, wires and remotes. 

I want another 90 crossover, and some of the super tight 117mm radi curves. 

Speaking of Control...

I've been meaning to ask what you all like for a Controller (I grew up calling it a "Transformer" but not sure that's completely accurate).  "Controller," "Throttle," "Transformer," "Power Pack," "Power Supply," and what-have-you.  I see you're sticking with DC which is relevant to my interests as well.

What do you have and like?  (I think I see KATO units posted in the thread so far)

I'm playing around with my N and HO stuff since we put up the tree.  Looking to get a better power pack than the 30+ year old starter-set ones that I have.

I'd love something with a "Momentum" feature so I put an MRC one on my amazon wishlist for Christmas...but interested to see what you're using.

I've been following this thread but haven't posted yet.  Your work is fantastic.  I can definitely tell I want to be more of an operator and less of a modeler after reading your thread, lol.  I don't think I have the desire to do the great work you're doing!

In reply to ClemSparks :

Thanks! 

So far, all I've been using is the Kato powerpack that came with our set.  We've got a medium sized layout (size on it is about 10' X 5.5').  We've got feeders tied in at two different points on opposite sides of the layout.  Everything else is powered via Kato's switches, which are a pretty cool invention if (like me), your electrical skills are limited to replacing batteries in a smoke detector. 

One other cool (but SURPRISINGLY expensive) item we added to the powerpack is Kato's sound module.  It runs the track power through a box with gives you a corresponding engine note (you can get different "cards" for steam and various generations of diesel engines), as well as some misc. sounds such as bell, horn, brake noises and start up/shut down sequence. 

Never really looked at "aftermarket" powerpacks as we've always been really happy with the Kato unit.

"Grandma's house" got a new neighbor.  It's the "back lot" of a downtown dealership that borders the tracks.  Not super exciting, but Kazookid approved and it turned out OK.  It also gives me a logical reason to add a few lights along the back wall. 

Will you paint scenery on that wall to “continue” the layout?   Looks great so far. 

In reply to 11GTCS :

Haven't really figured out what we're doing "behind" the layout yet.  I may build a 2d model of the back side of the dealership here.  I may also build some "scaled down" 2D models of some of the taller local buildings to give the illusion things continue on.  Or I may try to learn how to stitch together panoramic photos of the actual skyline.  I may also do a combination of the above.  Haven't finalized that part of the plan yet.    

This absolutely doesn't fit the time stamp on my railroad . . . and I already have a tow truck . . . but still . . . 

Source: Showcase Minatures Tow Truck

In reply to kazoospec :

You can never have too many tow trucks.

In reply to kazoospec :

Have it towing an equally old hot rod out of a parking lot where a car show is taking place. It was already there because it's a cool truck, but it also still functions as a tow truck. 

The other thought I had was to try to modify into a ramp truck for my "hot rod/race shop".  I would probably still use the decals, though.

Another "opinion poll".  Hope you all don't mind, but I really don't know anyone locally who is really in to model railroading, and most of the local clubs are closed.  I'm kind of conflicted about what to do with the "center section" along the back wall.  It's the tan portion in this pic.  I've sort of been picking away at the edges, but need to decide what I'm doing in this portion.

Here are the options I see:  I could keep the ballast fairly tight to the track and use "grass" on the strips in between.  I've also got sifted playground sand that scales out nicely and looks like a brownish gravel.  I could also ballast the whole thing from one edge to the other.  That's probably my least favorite, because 1. I didn't get the groundwork between the tracks very flat.  (Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get a lot of work space along the back wall, so it was pretty tight and difficult to work this section) and 2. Kato ballast is STUPID expensive.  It might cost me $30 just to ballast this section depending on how deep I put it down.  I could also do a mix where I ballast between the two middle "main" tracks and do grass or gravel along the outside two strips.  There's probably another option I haven't thought of (that's where you guys come in!)  Whatever I do, I'll probably put the brown "gravel" under the bridge.  

ANNNNND go . . . 

I'm not overly concerned about being super true to the prototype section, but if it helps, here's a pic of this actual area in Battle Creek.  

In reply to kazoospec :

I vote for sand. Grass would never survive in real life. 

In reply to Recon1342 :

The other thought I had after I posted this was to get a cheaper, darker colored ballast to spread over the whole area, then run the Kato ballast over top of that closer to the rails. 

Couple of small maintenance shacks, fenced off "electrical transformers" old railroad ties (black brown painted strip wood), old barrels, pipes from coffee stirrers, basically,  junk. Natural gas tank from and old CO2 cartridge painted white. 

Also, if you sift through oil dry, it can yield huge amounts of cheap ballast, rocks, and whatever else you can think of. 

Step one:  Found a quart bag of cheap dark gray fine ballast at the hobby restore today for $5.00.  Filled in between the tracks with the dark ballast.  I'll let it dry up overnight, then put down the Kato ballast along the tracks.  I'm pretty happy so far.  

Kato ballast down.  This section is close to done.  Still needs a few little "add on's" just to break it up and add a little interest, but the "heavy" work is pretty much done.

Nothing "new" per se, but we're pretty much done with the "back wall".  Today, we got the track and switches cleaned up and reset all of our trains.  We're running trains again:

Just a note: I didn't ballast this portion of the "outside" main since it's looking increasingly likely that KazooKid2 will want to add on.  Don't see any reason to ballast this all in as that's our access point for any expansions.  

Sort of cheating today.  I started a "new project" by doing the most fun part first.  Did a little detail painting to kick off what will eventually be a garage/race shop.  

Roughed in "Cap'n Slow's Speed Shop" today.

In reply to kazoospec :

Nice!

Today I made a tiny dyno for the speed shop.  It's a bit of an "I think this is what it looks like" effort.  As a Miata owner, I've obviously never actually been to the dyno.