Hi all,
It was asked of me in another thread about the current status of my CNJ Bronx Terminal layout. Admittedly it's been some time (OK, a few years...) since I have posted anything about it.
After Fast Tracks relocated in 2011 there really wasn't much space for the layout available, so for some time it sat in storage. In that time I did take it to a few train shows, but there was no progress on the layout at all as there simply wasn't anywhere to work on it.
Last year Fast Tracks relocated into a much larger facility, and there was room to finally set it back up on display.
Currently it has a nice bright location where it can be seen and operated. It all operates very well, I recently had the decoder changed in the CNJ 1000 loco as the QSI decoder originally installed failed. It now has a LOCsound decoder and sounds incredible! We had it open for a local layout tour in the spring, was a lot of fun to operate it again.
The location in our building allows for the proper displaying of the original CNJ Bronx Terminal painting Fast Tracks commissioned in 2013 to mark our 10th anniversary.
There has been progress on the layout in that time. The largest addition is the fully scale version of the round freight house. Up until recently I had just made a simple mock up of the structure. Now, there is an accurate model of the building. It's not complete yet, still needs some roof details and some other bits and pieces added. The structure is built in 5 separate pieces, each with its own wooden box so it can be transported safely.
The last time the layout was moved was for the NMRA Train Show in Cleveland two years ago. Since then it's been in the office. Not sure if I will take it to another show again or not. It takes a toll on it every time it travels.
The next major step in the project is to ballast the track. I will admit, I'm afraid to do it... Ballasting is one of those one way streets, you only get one try to get it right, there is no removing it once it's glued in place!
I still have not settled on a material that I feel can represent the look correctly. Most of this area would not really have had noticeable ballast. Mostly dirt. I've experimented a bit using grout, but was not very happy with the results. It kind of looks like a soupy mess when it cures. Probably a great way to simulate mud, but that isn't the look I'm going for.
The nails currently being used as track bumpers will of course be replaced with accurate models....
There is a LOT of cobblestone to model in the yard. Between all the tracks the yard was filled with Belgium Block stone. For this I will use the laser to engrave photographs of the original stone into hardboard. Show above is a test strip I made some time back. I will tweak the process a bit as I'm not 100% happy with the results I got here.
Once this piece of trackwork is ballasted, there will be no undoing it!
Also on the list is to finally pour the water in the Harlem River. I've studied a lot of methods and have found one that I thought would work well for this.
I thought this technique was pretty impressive. And you can't help but enjoy watching this presenter! I will give it some tests before using it on the actual layout, but I think it should work pretty well.
The locations of "The Last Solder Joint". Completed June 24, 2009. I think I calculated it once at about 20,000 solder joints on this layout.
I left a small bit of trackwork unpainted so I could explain to visitors how the track was constructed using all PC board ties. This switch has been sitting unpainted, along with a couple lengths of straight track, for over 7 years now.
Other than giving the track a quick brush with a steel wirebrush when completed, I've not cleaned these ties in any other way. The whole "acid flux will corrode and destroy your trackwork" is nonsence. The entire layout was built using acid based flux, which is why the solder joints are so seamless and solid. I don't use a lot of it, just enough to moisten the surface of the tie. The soldering process burns off all the residual flux.
So still lots to do on the layout. I plan on getting back to it as soon as I'm done everything else....
Tim Warris
