traingeekboy Posted June 5, 2014 Author Share Posted June 5, 2014 I am always impressed with those who are single minded. I am not so single minded. I just poke around on the layout when I want to have fun. At my rate I will die before I ever achieve anything on that scale that guy has. But at the same time, there is the whole income vs play money thing. I honestly just don't see my hobby as being as important as other things. It's why I don't divert too much of my income to the hobby. Judging by that guys layout I wager all he does is play with trains and buy trains, so it's a much different life style choice. No criticism there either, we all choose how we do this train obsession thing. Mick, No plans for giant railroad. Been rethinking and am aiming for a very limited layout. I am almost to the point of having all my track completed.... err... that damn missing section... ARGH! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussietmrail Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Griff, that is an awesome O scale layout indoor and out, money must of been no been no object and he had all the time in the word to build that Swiss layout. I am on budget also and only interested in running trains on the layout will be a big challenge in its self, but I have a you tube video that will blow you away and what I want to achieve on the layout with the station complex modelling Sydney Central, apart from the Tehachapi loop is where I will be putting most of my effort, always have wanted to do the same running too with the shunting. Will have the auto carrier siding also. What you saw was the Indian Pacific consist at peak times, they run 26 passenger cars with two locos up front to get over the Blue Mountains, quiet times is only 16 passenger cars which is the size of my train . The train has to be split up using two platforms all that fun in shunting. Once the train gets to Broken Hill it's all flat going and only need one loco especially after Adelaide on the Nullabor Plains to Perth, at trip I would love to do three days of pure magic. There is more Aussie trains on the link for you too look at enjoy. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traingeekboy Posted June 7, 2014 Author Share Posted June 7, 2014 I had been in my usual state of thinking too hard in order to solve a problem. The big dilemma was that I did not have the correct tool for the job. I finally bought what I needed. It's an upholstery stapler made by Arrow. http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51VaLxmCdkL.jpg I have needed that in order to tidy up my overhanging roofing felt/shingles. I also needed something to attach beg pieces of ground cover to the layout. Sadly no camera right now, but I am dead set on getting some scenics onto the station area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traingeekboy Posted June 11, 2014 Author Share Posted June 11, 2014 Plugging away at the layout. Got a fence up along the back of my station platform. I also managed to get the blue scrubbers looking green by using bright yellow paint light on blue. The mix is such that it looks green at a distance. I decided to use my staple gun to attach pieces of those down. I expect now that I have a staple gun I will be fixing anything that's broken with staples; one track mind you know. But it's looking like a station! Next up: -is to cover the hail damaged platforms with paint and add some more fence and finish up track in there. -Cut a piece of cement board for the station building itself to fit on top of. -Install and wire some lights. - glue some people on the platforms. -Do some shunting in the station area with coaches and my little switcher loco. The above is my usual way of pronouncing what I must do, so that y'all will hold my feet to the fire a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ironhorse Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Griff don't forget the duct tape, lord only knows it saved me more then once. Robert AKA Ironhorse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traingeekboy Posted June 12, 2014 Author Share Posted June 12, 2014 But Robert, I have a stapler! With the right technique I may be able to fix car tires too. Actually, I was on a tear and tried to attach the second platform fence with super glue. Since I had painted the fencing on that side it just dissolved the glue and nothing would stick. Instead I stapled pieces of foam insulation down and it is holding my fence to the platform from behind. I will have to barrow Sara's camera to show what I am getting done. It really is looking like a station now though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ironhorse Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Griff look forward to seeing pics. One thing about it, you become very resourceful when runing outdoors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ironhorse Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Griff can't wait to see Pics. Staples are good to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 Yeah, pics would be great. Staplers can be very useful - so too are hot glue guns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traingeekboy Posted June 14, 2014 Author Share Posted June 14, 2014 Had another day out in the garden. As mentioned before I've lost interest in repairing the gap in the oval. I realized what was bothering me was the absence of scenics, and it seems to be the real passion right now; I am just going with the flow and doing what feels fun. I repainted the hail chipped platform. Got a little bit of over spray on the fence I had installed, but I can remove it and paint if it starts to bother me. I also cut a piece of cement board as a base for my station building. Things are looking up out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Layout's aren't just about running trains round in circles. You should enjoy the build process too. I bet there are modellers who have spent their entire time building a layout and never run a single train. I know our eventual aim is to complete the thing and get trains running but for sure, a major part of the process is construction and so we have to do what we enjoy doing most. I'm not sure where the dividing line is between construction and scenic work because to me on an outdoor layout the're very much the same but I've loved every minute of the build on Worsley Dale, especially the viaducts which are both construction and scenic at the one time. I don't have a complete loop either but I don't feel pressured into completing it because I'm enjoying what I'm doing right now. We're all creating our own little worlds out there so take your time and do the things that appeal to you most. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussietmrail Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Hi Griff, Don't have to worry too much about losing interest a layout never gets finished anyway and you will get back to it, always something holding it up . Agree what Mick is saying about modellers spend a live time in building layouts and never run a train, I am like that did have an actual working layout with block bus wiring to run duel throttles got fed up with and started to change the design that was a quite a few years back and then came up with the idea of moving to HO scale garden railway. Then I came across the two Forums and was overwhelmed and decided to go in that way after taking to other club members what they though of HO scale garden railway to my surprise they said go for it can be done, is catching up over here, big way in England and the same in America, here I am on my way will take some time to construct working on my own. I am having fun in what I am doing enjoying the construction work even when it comes don to the bus wiring and will have some scenery on the layout, lighting on the station modules. Looking forward to seeing more pics of the progress of your layout, Griff. Tony. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traingeekboy Posted June 19, 2014 Author Share Posted June 19, 2014 As you guys said, the layout is never done. I will make a point of taking that advice to heart. And now for some progress: The photos show my usual sloppy modeling work, but at arms length it looks like the real thing. Next up is to finish putting in light posts and get them wired up for some night shots. hmmm... May get out those old Rivarossi catenary poles as well. Then I think I will be ready to shunt some coaches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 That first photo is a great shot looking down through the station. Those platform lamps and the fencing make the scene look very realistic as does the platform surface. It's the kind of photo that could have been taken on a railway based almost anywhere. I bet most of us have seen similar scenes in real life. The other photos show the vegetation beyond the platform fence which looks remarkably realistic too. Good to see you back in layout mode and looking forward to seeing those night-time shots when the lighting is powered up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traingeekboy Posted June 20, 2014 Author Share Posted June 20, 2014 Glad you like it Mick. If I put a couple figures on the platforms it should really give it scale. Since I had the yellow already I painted all the light poles with it. I was worried about UV light affecting the plastic. I should take some shots of my point motors. They are made of hard black plastic and have melted and curled; completely useless at this point. ha ha but I learned something from having them out in the garden and that was part of the experiment. I am doing a much sloppier version of the layouts I've seen on here Mick. To be honest I couldn't have done it without all the positive support of this site; not to mention stealing construction ideas from everyone. What I am most excited about is how the scrubber pads are looking. I split them down the middle to make two pads out of one and then turn them torn up side up. I used the same yellowish spray can to lightly spray the pads and it really counters the blue look. I didn't do too well on some pieces and better on others, but I will be masking off the area and giving it another spray to bring it all together at some point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ironhorse Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Griff that looks great, the angle of the top photo looks real. Robert AKA Ironhorse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traingeekboy Posted June 20, 2014 Author Share Posted June 20, 2014 he he he I was just ot watering the plants in this heat were having. I figured gee it's a tad dirty and could use some debris moved out of it so I gave the whole thing a nice hosing off. Let me see you do THAT on a indoor layout. BWUUUHAAAAHAAAAAA!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ironhorse Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Quote What I am most excited about is how the scrubber pads are looking. Griff I really like the scrubber pad idea , I hope I will get to that point on my layout before winter hits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traingeekboy Posted June 21, 2014 Author Share Posted June 21, 2014 I liked it so much I stole it from Ian! ha ha http://www.oogardenrailway.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=21 My only big change was merely to add an overspray of a muted yellow color to tone down the blue color. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ironhorse Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Quote I liked it so much I stole it from Ian! ha ha Well I have a feeling I am going to steal the Idea from the both of you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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