Large Scale Central

New Here & Starting A Small Indoor Layout

Indoor and Micro
#21

Greg Elmassian said:

typical household acrylic latex should not attack the foam.

On the crossovers, you have plenty of room to use longer switches, since you have some straight track adjacent.

The track to track spacing using the Piko R7 switches for your crossovers may work… you might have to trim them a bit. I have crossovers between my 2 mains with Aristo #6 and the track to track spacing is about 9.5"

I’ll break anyrail out tonight and see what I can come up with, if I do an update to it, I’ll post it here.

#22

Ted Doskaris said:

Hi Steve, and welcome.

What type and how big locos and cars are you planning to run on your layout?

Given the relatively tight curves and turnouts previously described, it looks like you will be limited to smaller items with short lengths and wheel base like, for example, a narrow gauge logging railroad.

-Ted

Right now, the two main lines use Piko’s R3 curves, better then R1… the loco’s I have are Piko’s 0-6-0T, 2-6-0, and 0-6-0. So they are small. I do have 2 USAT GP9s ordered though.

#23

I don’t have much knowledge either, but I’m making it work!

Steve said:

Bill Sakalaucks said:

Welcome to the micro-Railroad club! I’ve got a small outdoor one I put down this summer and the folks here have been of great help to me.

Thanks. I’d really like to hit the outdoors but my knowledge isn’t all that great. Lol

#24

Steve said:

Greg Elmassian said:

It appears you are using R1 (4 foot diameter) switches except for the outer mainline.

I think you can use R3 switches for the 2 crossovers between the outer and inner mains, that would allow much larger locos to navigate into the outer loop.

Glue track down, no nails, use a few books or weights to hold it down while gluing.

Greg

Hi,

Using R3 would mean inner loop would have to be r1 curves if it would even fit… I’ll have to try it out and see. I did originally try r3 but the difference between tracks was to big…

Steve

Steve, I am confused… at the time I first mentioned this, you indicated R3’s would not work…

Now you say they are R3…

Did you change them? Is there a new picture?

Greg

#25

Greg Elmassian said:

Steve said:

Greg Elmassian said:

It appears you are using R1 (4 foot diameter) switches except for the outer mainline.

I think you can use R3 switches for the 2 crossovers between the outer and inner mains, that would allow much larger locos to navigate into the outer loop.

Glue track down, no nails, use a few books or weights to hold it down while gluing.

Greg

Hi,

Using R3 would mean inner loop would have to be r1 curves if it would even fit… I’ll have to try it out and see. I did originally try r3 but the difference between tracks was to big…

Steve

Steve, I am confused… at the time I first mentioned this, you indicated R3’s would not work…

Now you say they are R3…

Did you change them? Is there a new picture?

Greg

Hi Greg,

I’m using R1 for switches, but most of the curved track I have are R3 (both main lines). I tried changing the 2 crossovers to R7 switches, if I do that, I must change the inner loop to R1 on the curves, which I really don’t want to do. Hope this clears things up a little.

#26

Why do you need to change the loop? is it because the track to track spacing with R7s in a crossover is too great?

What is the track to track spacing where the 2 crossovers are?

Greg

#27

Greg Elmassian said:

Why do you need to change the loop? is it because the track to track spacing with R7s in a crossover is too great?

What is the track to track spacing where the 2 crossovers are?

Greg

Yup, the spacing is to great. I’m not sure what the spacing is right now, I’ll know once I get the foamboard installed and the layout setup again. Using the R7 switches though creates a longer crossover and increases the distance between tracks.

Steve

#28

well, guys already getting discouraged. Got the foam today, wasn’t impressed with the way it looked… got it in the house and started. All the videos I’ve seen with people using liquid nails, it came out nice and smooth. Mine on the other hand came out in clumps took 2 tubes for a 4’x8’. Grrr. Next, after putting the foam down it sticks up in places from the glue blobs. Then of course I didn’t have enough heavy objects to put down on it. I’ve got both of the 4’x8’s done, only got to do the 4’x4’ and the foamboard will be down… (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-undecided.gif)if I ever have to do this again, I think I’ll use 1" foamboard.

Steve

#29

Sounds like the liquid nails was already starting to dry out. Did you use a putty knife to spread out the liquid nails, or just leave the trails as they came out of the tube?

#30

David Maynard said:

Sounds like the liquid nails was already starting to dry out. Did you use a putty knife to spread out the liquid nails, or just leave the trails as they came out of the tube?

I did what the video showed. Probably my first mistake. No putty knife, just squeeze and placed foam. I did move it around real quick. But I do agree with you, I think I bought old liquid nails… all 3 pieces have been placed down, will have to sand one section so it will match the level of the middle piece, other than that it looks okay…

Steve

#31

Steve said:

… using liquid nails,…

… after putting the foam down it sticks up in places from the glue blobs.

indoors you might use just good old white carpenter’s glue. works for me.

i seldom glue down pieces larger than 2 squarefoot. doing patchwork is easier, needs less weights and gives the oportunity to preform the landscape with pieces of different thickness.

edit:

being late to the party…

for ballast indoors you could use cat litter (for 20.3 or 22.5 scale) or coarse filtersand for pools (for 1:29 or 32)

both can best be dry mixed with colour powder for portland cement than lightly wetted and if wanted glued with white glue.

#32

thanks for all the help everyone… foamboard is now down… now question…

Paint foamboard before laying track or lay track, glue track then paint foamboard?

Thx

Steve

#33

thanks for all the help everyone… foamboard is now down… now question…

Paint foamboard before laying track or lay track, glue track then paint foamboard?

Thx

Steve

#34

Paint first.

You do the ground cover before you do ballast (when you get to that point).

Before you affix the ballast, run the layout for a while to make sure the track-work works. Its a real pain to make adjustments to the track after its ballasted. (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-embarassed.gif)

#35

David Maynard said:

Paint first.

You do the ground cover before you do ballast (when you get to that point).

Before you affix the ballast, run the layout for a while to make sure the track-work works. Its a real pain to make adjustments to the track after its ballasted. (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-embarassed.gif)

Got ya. Suggestion on type of paint? I’ll find an earth color.

#36

for paint i use ordinary indoors wall paint with the corresponding toners, and for smaller spots, or highlighting, the cheapest acrylics, i can get.

for texture coarse sand or sawdust mixed into the paint do wonders.

edit:

#37

Yes, latex or acrylic paint. No solvent based paints, no lacquers and such. Chemical solvents will eat the foam.

But, to make the stream bed in the foam I used, I did spray a line of Krylon iron oxide coloured paint where I wanted the stream bed, and it ate a nice irregular depression into the foam. With a little bit of fine tuning, it made a decent stream bed.

#38

okay all, first coat of paint is on. I’ll try to take some pictures tonight, but still can’t seem to post. I’ll have to get on my laptop later…

All in all, I’m about 75% happy with the way its turning out.

Hoping to start laying track Wednesday or Saturday, and the after that, the biggest challenge left will be the lift out section…

Thanks for all the help everyone.

Steve

#39

Your pictures must live online to post here. Bob gave you space in the Freight Shed. Up load them there and then use the location in your post.

In the freight shed ‘Manage my folders’ will take you to your space. There is a rumor there are still ‘dial ups’ so we keep our pics to 800 pixels wide.

The soft ware can reduce, but doing it before uploading saves space.

#40

Welcome to LSC Steve ,

Just west of Harrisburg PA myself …the old CVRR main still runs behind my house now owned by NS …