...additional info

So as to not clutter up the initial blog entry, I'll add additional "color" here...

This basement space is under an addition we put on the house back in 2001. At that time the Contractor cut through the poured basement wall in the "old" basement and connected the two.

As a refresher, you can find the discussion on my track-plan here:

https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/sp-lordsburg-sub-as-of-170226-12206184

You can see four pieces of (-4-) blue, painter's tape on the white wall. Those are the levels of the four decks that will be in the center peninsula "blob".

I'm putting up the stud walls first which will then allow me to install a flat-black drop ceiling. Then I can start construction of the bench-work.

Let's see if I can rise anywhere close to the level of that curmudgeon "Type A" personality chronicling the build of his B&O/PC Cincinnati West -  https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/bopc-cincinnati-west-construction-12196885

I hope you enjoy the journey!

Woo-hoo!

Here we go!    
And I got first reply!  

Glad to see this.  
 

Randy 

Congratulations!

Looking forward to following along with the progress.....

By the way...

This doesn't get you out of shop-vac duty. 

Randy

undoubtably...

...you noticed the shop vac sitting off to the side in the upper photo as well as the clean floor!

So did you mean finishing has

So did you mean finishing has begun before construction on the layout begins?  If you install stud-walls and a drop ceiling first, you will enjoy the layout so much more.  I am glad I took the time to do those finishing tasks first.

I look forward to your SP layout!  I've a fan of the SP having grown up in California in the late 60's thru early 80's, mostly northern CA (Sacra Demento area)

Technically you're correct Jim....

For me I considered it "the start" of the layout because I had no reason for the stud walls if it weren't for the layout as they they are going to support the center peninsula/blob - refer to my track plan and you'll see what I mean. I agree the drop ceiling is a must but it couldn't be installed until after the stud walls.

We'll see how things progress. I might be hampered a bit because that "B&O/PC West Cincinnati" guy usually has me corralled on Friday evenings.... 

The beginning is a great feeling.

I am working on a new layout too. Mine is a little farther along, it’s smaller. 

For sure, stud walls before

For sure, stud walls before drop ceiling.  That's how I did it too.  I did go back and look at the layout plans - definitely packing a lot into the space.

Looking forward to progress updates!

Oh yes it is. Great feeling

Whoops...

I was advised that my track-plan in the above link wasn't the latest/greatest which didn't show how the stud-walls interact with the layout itself. That has been fixed.

Thanks for looking!

Stud walls done! Complete!

All four stud walls are up! Now on to the next item - the drop ceiling....

View from the doorway into the room:

View looking back towards the room entrance:

As James Brown once said, "feels good!"

Nice...

You're going to cantilever your deck supports off those walls, right?  

Are you going to box-in that beam as part of the ceiling install?  

Good to see that you're using your time off from the Cincinnati West wisely.    

Looking good. 

Randy

Yes, No, Me Too....

Hey Randy,

Yes - those stud walls will support four levels - each cantilevered. They also provide hidden staging in between for each of the two, middle, operationally enhanced levels. Ala the VIrginian Deepwater District model RR (with reasonable access however).

No - I'm thinking I'll fasten the drop-ceiling support angle bracket directly to the web of the I-beam. Not sure how I'll do that yet but that's the plan. Gotta go find my laser level....

Yup - time off from the Cincinnati West is being wisely utilized on the Lordsburg Sub.

Beam...

Trying to attach the angle directly to the beam will be a nightmare. Make an L-shaped piece out of wood, say 3"x3" or whatever, and butt it against the beam and give yourself a nice flat piece of wood to screw the ceiling angle to. That will be so much easier.  

Randy

Voila! Ceiling and Lights!

Sha-blam! I've finished with room prep and am ready to get on with actual rail-roady stuff....

Here is a view as you approach the entrance to the train room:

Here is a comparison view with first picture on the first page of this blog post:

Here is a comparison view with the second picture on the first page of this blog post:

I've completed the flat-black drop ceiling and also installed four (-4-) 2' x 2' 4,000K, 4,000 lumen LED light panels. I think you can easily see the difference in light quality from the earlier photos to now. I will have LED light strips installed over the railroad itself, behind the fascia.

I plan to start building the upper-level first that is in the center blob section. This comprises the (Eastern) return loop and storage/staging tracks. I think I'm going to build it at a comfortable working level then lift it up to the final 73 inch height. I may have to do it in sections. We'll see.....

As a refresher, you can find my track-plan here:  https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/sp-lordsburg-sub-as-of-170226-12206184

I'll start a new blog entry to document the construction phase of the upper staging level.

Very cool...

Very cool, the ceiling looks good. The real fun is about to begin. 

Randy

Post-Summer Update

Firstly, I changed the title of this blog to better reflect my ongoing construction progress (or lack thereof).

Over the Summer I managed to build and attach three (of four) levels of L-Girders on my center peninsula section: the lower staging/return loop, the lower operating level and the upper staging/return loop.

The photo below shows you what you see when walk into the room.

That sheet of plywood is resting on the lower operating level. Benson, AZ will be at this level on this side of the center peninsula. That sheet of plywood however is destined for the upper return/staging level. I'm going to lay track and wire it at this level then hoist the finished sections up top.

This next photo is looking at the end of the peninsula and down the other side.

 That piece of cardboard you ask? Yeah - had to go to my local appliance store and ask for a Fridge box. I'm using it to make a template of how I'll need to cut a 4'x8' sheet of plywood. All of these sections of plywood will have track laid on them at this level, wired, and then lifted up on top of those upper-most L-Girders.

This side of the peninsula, at the level where the plywood currently is, will be east of the Cienega Creek x-over. Basically Mescal, AZ - where the double track east of Tucson, AZ ends (at least it did in 1980).

My track plan can be found at the bottom of page -2- at this link:

https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/sp-lordsburg-sub-as-of-170226-12206184

I hope you stick around for the ride, it's going to be a long one!

First trackwork!

....and there was much rejoicing!

Since my last post I cut 1/2" sheets of homasote to match the plywood sub-road, glued them in place and painted them white. I shamelessly stole that idea (white paint) from someone else here on MRH. The white paint is great for storage track/return loop visibility where lighting will be less than the rest of the layout. I will most likely run a single strip of LED lights over each and the white paint will help to see what's going on when a problem erupts.

What you are looking at are the turnouts for the throat on one end of my Upper Staging/Return loop which represents points east (El Paso, TX). Don't have the 3-way turnout in hand yet so a paper template will have to suffice.

It feels good to finally be laying some rails!

I'm curious, why two stud walls instead of one

I'm curious, why two stud walls with a space in between instead of one centered on the support beam.  That seem like wasted space?

Is that Peco code 100 track in staging there?  I am using Peco as well but for some reason didn't decide to use the 3-way.  I'm using all electrofrog large except for a couple insulfrog larges I already had, and a couple of Shinohara #8 curve turnouts.  My 11 staging tracks have a capacity ranging from about 17 feet to 24 feet on the longest.

Hidden staging

Hi Jim,

The two offset stud walls create a space where I can accommodate two spurs: one goes to Globe, AZ and the other Douglas, AZ. One on each of my two operating levels. You will find a link to my track-plan in the first post on the first page of this blog that will show these. Each of these will help stimulate traffic and enhance operations. These two tracks will disappear into hidden staging off-stage between the two stud walls.

Why Arizona in Ohio?

So why did you pick the SP in my backyard play area?  I find it odd when people model railroads in Arizona vs the bigger railroads on the east and west coast.

Pick one....

A) Because everyone else here in the Cincinnati area models Eastern RR's that are usually mountainous / hilly and who needs another one of those?

B) Because I like the wide open vistas Arizona offers?

C) Because I've been told by those everyone around here that model the C&O, B&O, Pennsy, NYC, VGN, N&W, PC, etc. that all I need to do is throw some sand on the plywood and voila! my scenery is done (boy are they wrong on that!)?

Seriously though I've always liked the gray/scarlet of the SP along with the wide open vistas of that part of the good ole U.S. of A!

3-way

Remind me tomorrow night. I think I might have a three-way turnout in my big box o' turnouts. 

Randy