[livefreeordie]

As you can see its a work in progress. We are very addicted to our new hobby, we have been working on it from the time we get home till the time we go to bed. Its not as big as I would have liked, but there is always time to add on later. The Sante Fe is hers, my locomotive is in the mail. Let me know what you think, and if you have any tips, as this is our first build.

 

[tankist]

looks like a start. :thumbsup:
read up, look around, find stuff that you like and implement them on your layout.

tips? sure.
what is underneath the foam? i would suggest a sturdier then pegboard foundation before you get to far. later if you will have to move it, without it the foam will flex to much and scenery will be flaking off. sandwich plywood for example or a frame. or is it sitting on a table?


i wish my SO would work with me on that hobby.

 

[livefreeordie]

Its sitting on the table for now( a pool table I got years ago and have only used for storage). If I decide for this not to be its final resting place than I will mount it on plywood.

 

[Big Ed]

Its sitting on the table for now( a pool table I got years ago and have only used for storage). If I decide for this not to be its final resting place than I will mount it on plywood.

You ought to decide before you build it.
And decide on how much space you can devote to it from the get go.

Theres never enough room for all the trains!:laugh:

 

[Reckers]

A nice start, and kudos to your lady for doing it with you! I'd echo the comments about something rigid underneath before you go much further. Using the foam is good, but as they said, it will flex some when you lift it. No one here wants to tell you what to do or how to do it---that's a cardinal rule as well as good manners---but, we want you to succeed. The plasterwork adds weight and when you finally move it, the flexing of the foam might cause the plaster to crack. Even a sheet of 1/4" plywood beneath it would help you avoid that.

That aside, we're happy to have you both and hope to see more pics as your layout progresses!

 

[livefreeordie]

Here is some progress we have made, painted a base coat and mounted and ballasted the track. Tomorrow I will start work on the trees.

The Mrs. at work

The ballast

The basis of our trees, will be getting some "fresh" foliage.

 

[Reckers]

Absolutely beautiful! I'm impressed! :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
Oh, and the layout is nice, too!

 

[tkruger]

What did you use for the ballast?

 

[livefreeordie]

Medium grain "ballast" sold at the local hobby store.

ballasting definitely is a pain, but makes it look so much better.

 

[livefreeordie]

Here are some finished trees:

 

[Reckers]

Man, you guys are tearing right along on that thing! I like the way you've matched the slope of the ground on either side of the tunnel---looks good!

 

[tjcruiser]

Very nice! Great looking trees!

 

[dustinward03]

i started my current layout project on 7/16th plywood, have moved it twice with no problems with plaster cracking or anything so far.

Is that the bachmann track and you just built around it?

 

[livefreeordie]

Yeah its the bachmann track with a few extra pieces.

Having done too much to it in the past day or two, we are really just waiting on our order from modeltrainstuff.com to get here tomorrow.

Here are some pictures of the train in action:

Our future plans:
set up a barn, farmhouse, crops and pastures
paint the mountain
put a retaining wall on the front of the mountain
add grass and moss

 

[tankist]

you guys are showing some serious pace of building this.

i like the second picture, you might want to straighten it up a bit however. and consider cleaning ballast off the ties, mainlines are usually well groomed

 

[livefreeordie]

We just layed the ballast on heavy because the plastic underneath the tracks isn't all the same color.

Our order finally came in, and I got my locomotive

 

[Reckers]

Looks great! May I ask who makes the house?

 

[livefreeordie]

Perma-scene by Imex made the house, we got it from model train stuff. Its actually some sort of ceramic so it has some weight to it, but its not lighted.

 

[tankist]

looking at the picture of the cow with unpainted pores it looks like you used some foam unfriendly paint and melted it somewhat. better stick to latex ...

 

[Reckers]

Thank you. Anton, the cow has hickeys, that's all. For some reason, that's common in New Hampshire.