No recent updates because I've been working on solving a problem. I've got pretty long arms (37" sleeve) and figured I could comfortably reach across a 36" table. This ends up being only "sort of" true. First, once there's scenery everywhere, it becomes a lot harder to reach to full arm extension without breaking stuff. Second (and the source of my most recent project), when your table is "L" shaped, the "far corner" ends up being A LOT more than 36". (Should have paid more attention in geometry, I guess)
The solution I came up with is this little "maintenance building", which is actually built around a solid wood core which is, in turn, tied into the wooden table-top. This provides a solid place to put my hand if/when we need to "go up on the table top" to clean or fix a derailment. Not a perfect solution, but I think it's going to work.
In reply to kazoospec :
Similar problem with my slot car track, but I did anticipate it. I made the infield scenery into two removable "plugs" that have their edges disguised with grass on canvas flaps. Also I anchored the water tower strongly into the table and directly into a 4X4 leg with a 1/2" threaded rod. A leaning post much like your solid building. The lower paddock stays put, the upper spectator parking lifts out including the bleachers and tire walls in front of them. All of the table will support 1/1 scale human weight.
In reply to TurnerX19 :
That's pretty sweet. My other option was to leave a gap between the layout and the back wall, but we only have room for one more expansion, so I really don't want to give up a foot of space.
BTW - love to see more pics of your complete track.
A Stinger on the grid, love it!
In reply to kazoospec :
There are quite a few already posted on this forum in the Slot cars thread and in Carl Heideman's slot track building thread. But here are 2 more anyhow.
In reply to Jim Pettengill :
It is just a 140, no window filler panels, just the tail spoiler
Not getting as much time to work due to other responsibilities, but here's the current project. It's a miniature version of a "car repair shop" outside of Battle Creek, MI. It's about 1/3 the size of the actual building, but it's limited by the space we have available. I had planned to build a fairly complete interior, but even adding a few fictional windows and an open large garage door, you really can't see much inside the building.
This is about what you'll be able to see:
In reply to kazoospec :
This building needs skylights and interior lighting. Fictional buildings can have fictional skylights.
I'll definitely light it. As for skylights, unfortunately this probably isn't close enough to the table edge that skylights would allow you to see in. I already "fictionalized" the doors/windows on the side facing the outside of the table. The real building is actually a "pass through" and has three tracks running in one side of the building and out the other. I would have loved to have done that with this building, but ran out of room. Instead, I'll probably make the garage door by the road a "delivery door", and build a workshop/machine tool area in the part that's visible from the door/windows. The real building has a "scrap yard" of wheel sets and broken trucks piled up around it, so I'll probably replicate some of that also.
Update: Got some really small machine tools, bumpers, a large compressor, some storage and some overhead HVAC/Support beams in. Hopefully, it's enough to keep it from looking like an empty warehouse when it's closed up. Got the base coats of paints done. I still need to do detail painting, glass, roof and lighting, but so far, so good.
Eventually, we'll probably store some extra cars in it and also use it to hide the Tomex Track Cleaning car I have coming.
Nothing new, but the Mrs. took a "non-potato" pick for me:
So...you need 23 extra Kato locomotives, right? At the current price, that's about $30 an engine.
That's a lot o Kato
Fortunately, I can successfully tell myself I don't have nearly enough yard space for that many engines. That's a lot of bread to throw out at one time, but the per unit is pretty incredible.
I did pick up a few little oddball pieces though:
I've ordered this guy:
Gonna hide him somewhere in the woods near "grandpa's cabin".
Also picked up one of these for my neighbor's fictional cottage, since he has a real one in the yard of his actual house.
Also found a cool vehicle lot that includes a 70's stepside pickup, a work truck that I'll modify as MOW and a 64 Chevy wagon.
Appleseed said:
So...you need 23 extra Kato locomotives, right? At the current price, that's about $30 an engine.
That's a lot o Kato
Now up to $750, but still a pretty great deal.
Even at $1,000 that's less than $50/locomotive.
I have acres of groundwork to do. I hate groundwork, and this is supposed to be fun, so I made cars.
That auction...last I saw its $1,180. Wowzers.
In reply to Appleseed :
The thing is, it's not a super eclectic collection. I could see someone wanting most of those engines. A lot of times with big lots like that, it's such a weird mix of new, old, various brands and road names that I can't see any one hobbyist wanting all of it.
Unfortunately, there are also numerous "flippers" in the FB N scale for sale groups and I suspect they're driving up the price on this lot. They've pretty much destroyed the "bargains" that used to be available on marketplace. I'm guessing these will end up auctioned off/sold individually, making someone a pretty tidy profit. It doesn't help that the used Kato market is really weird. Sometimes people pay almost full price for stuff that's still available new from Kato.
Final price was $1327. Per until is still decent, but that's a fair piece of coin.
In other news, did "ground work" for a couple hours tonight. I'm quickly running out of open space.
Today we proved that, even in miniature, it is impossible to take a clear picture of Bigfoot.
Today, I worked on the job I was putting off a week or so ago when I made cars instead. I made dirt, lots and lots of dirt. About 1/2 done, and it does give things a lot more "finished" look, but I still hate doing it.
Finished up the "groundwork" and ballasting for the maintenance/fueling area today. I'm looking for some details to add. Locally, CN seems to hate anything green, and if it's theirs, it seems to be regularly treated with roundup. As a result, I'll probably only add greenery around the outside of the facility. I'll try to "populate" the employee lots around the car repair shop and the fueling facility. Eventually, I want to add some heavy-duty MOW trucks. I'll probably also add a short section of "display" track and put out our CN caboose. It seems like it's still going to need "something", I'm just not sure what. Open to suggestions.
Here's the area I need to "liven up".
Needs junk. Ever see an episode of Roadkill Garage? All that accumulated crap around Dulcich's place. Those random bits of stuff outside a shop. Engine parts, pallets, crates, barrels, pipes, fenced off sections butting up the the shop. Generators, overhead wires, yard light on a power pole, dumpsters.
