# Redoing/Rethinking my railroad



## lathroum (Jan 2, 2008)

Before I get all the scenery in place and details done... I've been thinking...
SO... I'm gonna redo the railroad... right now its kinda a folded dogbone on flat benchwork with an aisle on one side...

Well all these layouts that go around the room look so much better to me...

SO I'm gonna redo the whole thing... Center access / aisle and trains running all around...

Then they can run throught the towns instead of around them...

Also I think I might be able to fit some 8' diam curves on the outer line and open up some larger locos...

stick with 5' and 4' diam on the inner loop... I figure I'll have this thing for a long time to come I might as well do it the right way...

you can see my current layout here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGML2sRgWQI

and here (a bit older minus a few things)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYHJLdIR6gc


Philip


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## steam maker (Jan 11, 2008)

Philip I wish I had half the stuff you got. I like your railroad


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## ThinkerT (Jan 2, 2008)

Doesn't going all the way around the room like that mean a dreaded head-knocker (duck-under) in at least one spot? Or will you be fortunate enough to somehow avoid that? Or do you see a duckunder as worth the pain?


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## lathroum (Jan 2, 2008)

yes I will need a duck under...

But I was thinking of maybe doing a hinged bridge in that spot.

So you could flip it up and then lock it back down...

Or I'll just have to bend down and watch my head...



Philip


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

I usually ducked under, but I put the lift bridge for less spry guests.


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## pacbelt (Jul 8, 2008)

As I'm cricking my back crawling under, I'm thinking the lift bridge is a great idea!


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## lathroum (Jan 2, 2008)

Seems like it took forever... 

BUT... Finally I have the benchwork almost done... and I have 2 loops back up and running... 5' diam on inner.. 6.5' on the outer... 

My wood working skills are not the greatest (not bad though) couple that with my older house and the not so level floors and not so square walls and I have a few gaps in the plywood benchwork... 

What is the best way to fill these gaps? 

I was thinking of using drywall tape? anyone? 

I'll try and get some pics up once I clean up... I'm not an organized builder... 

Philip


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

If the gap has something below it, why not fill it with plaster? better than a soft spot to try to hide later where there is just tape over mid-air.


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## lathroum (Jan 2, 2008)

I was afraid that plaster might crack... 

What about Plaster impregnated fabric? 

Philip


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## SandyR (Jan 6, 2008)

Would wood putty work? 
SandyR


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## Guest (Sep 1, 2008)

just bathe old T-shirts in plaster and nail them down.


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## jr747 (Feb 7, 2008)

Phillip,

I kind of did what you want to do with your layout. I have a simple oval because that's all I could fit if I wanted to run bigger radius curves (9' and 10'). I have a bridge that lifts out and I use the Hillman bridge clamps so that I can take the bridge out all together if someone wants to duck under or if I'm doing work and I don't feel like ducking under all the time. It works pretty well. Below is a link to my previous posting on the progress of my layout:

http://archive.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=42077

J.R.


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