Since the basement is still full of boxes to sort out and find locations to put stuff (including model railroad stuff) I decided I’d build a switching layout on a shelf in my office for the time being. I should be able to incorporate it in the larger layout when that actually happens.
I posted on Facebook that I was going to use the track plan from a 1960’s Model Railroader (West Agony) but when I laid it out on the 2′ x 8′ space I had it didn’t quite work.
So I fell back and made something up that should still be fun to run. I’ll have to draw up a plan to post here later, since I just laid it out full scale on the shelf.
I ripped up some 1/2″ plywood and built a box in the shop. Then I glued some 1″ foam board on top.
After the glue dried I moved it upstairs into the guest bedroom. I’m going to try and at least get the track work done and wired before I hang it on the wall in my office.
This is West Agony laid out. Even though my space is a foot longer than the West Agony plan there is not enough length on the tail tracks on the ends to run a locomotive and a car into, so it’s impossible to switch.
So, back to the drawing board. I had some brown paper so I pinned it down and tried again. This is what I came up with. The curve on the left will attach to a pair of tracks that will be a fiddle yard running along the other wall.
Here is an overview.
And views of each end.
After I was satisfied with the design I painted the foam board with some ugly yellow mud colored latex paint and transferred the track plan to it.
Since I had some cork roadbed left over from the last layout I started gluing it down.
And this is as far as I got before I ran out of cork.
I have more cork and track on order, and I still have to finish building the turnouts, so I have work I can do, but at least it’s started and I have a layout to work on again.
Exciting!