My first baseboard experiment

[ChrisGreaves]

Ah yes good point about the ‘fly off the track sections’ I’ll make sure something will be built into those bits.

Hi Tigcraft. My immediate thought was that you could wrap a printed sheet of a water-tower (or similar) around the banister spindle/riser.
You can't have two water towers within five inches of each other so you will need to think about the second spindle (evil grin)
Cheers
Chris

[Raboliot]

Maybe it's time to start your own topic in the "Personal Layouts - Under Construction" forum...

[Tigcraft]

So, after a long period I finally got my head round the outer track of two that I’m making, inner one to be continued... and has taken AGES! I’ve cut down quite a bit of track to get the areas which I struggled with. I’ve a few 1st radius areas which I couldn’t avoid and currently seem to be a bit sensitive but can improve. I’ve begged borrowed and stole track so I’m running a mixture of Lima, peco, Hornby and jouef. I’ve a few minor high spots on joins which I’ll file and blend flat as it’s causing part derailing of the odd wheel. On the whole I’m getting there on this part of the build

[End2end]

Very nice and very bespoke Tigcraft.

Did you not consider flexi-track for such fluid curves?
Thanks
End2end

[Bufferstop]

I like the utilisation of the dead space above the entrance steps. I swapped my loft space for a space on the lower ground floor, constant temperature and easier access.

[Tigcraft]

Very nice and very bespoke Tigcraft.

Did you not consider flexi-track for such fluid curves?
Thanks
End2end

I’m just learning how normal track responds to building and bought loads second hand from multiple sellers so cheap. I didn’t find any used flexi track at all as such. When you price it all up new it’s eye watering as I found out and I really didn’t know what I wanted.

[ChrisGreaves]

So, after a long period I finally got my head round the outer track of two that I’m making, ...

Tigcraft, I love the look of the bare track as it is. You have made a railway line that is not a toy oval. Good for you!
I can imagine a train sweeping around a bend, then disappearing, a glimpse of it as it passes a distant gap between two buildings, ...
I like too the prospect of climbing the stairs and being the first view of the layout being an eye-level view of mainline trains!
Have you calculated the total area of the baseboard (to the nearest square foot)?
Cheers
Chris

[Tigcraft]

@chrisgreaves Yes there’s something fascinating about a train coming directly at you at eye level when your a few steps below. It’s nearly reality. I also have two more elevations, when I’m sat down on the sofa it also has a good view and then stood up it’s a good birds eye as it then becomes Just about knee level.
The systems baseboard is 2.5m Long both ways, the ‘lollipop’ over the stairs I think was 1m broad and also the ‘square’ circle against the radiator is also 1m deep from the grey wall. As for total track length I’ve not measured it. Tell you what though, it was fun making it all. I hope when (if) it’s complete I enjoy it just as much.

@bufferstop it kind of fits like a gentleman’s ‘tree house’on top of the staircase. Houses tend to have plenty dead spaces in hallways too.

In all fairness I would have gone ‘N’ gauge if I bought the train not my wife as it wouldn’t have been so ‘radius’ compressed.

[Tigcraft]

Well the earlier stages still continue…
Is it me or does ever one get a mental block when building layouts?

I have touch this in ages and I can’t seem to get a smooth flow as in wanting to merge in some more ‘interesting’ track and I really don’t have the product knowledge that’s gained from years of playing with these things like others do.
I’m trying to drop a second ’inner’ line to run a pug and a dirty industrial style idea but struggling to mate stuff up smoothly. I’ve still a challenge to keep my outer line in ‘third radius’ or as close as for my flying Scotsman and now bought some flexi sections and lots of older used track.

The other thing that’s stalled me is I was a sloped contoured track with depth and not just a plain flat thing. Wife (who instigated it all) just tells me to get on with it and doesn’t really understand what she got into.