Preparation for Laying Track

With the backdrops painted and the cork down, it is time to actually lay the track with the goal of actually running some trains. I will take a how-to approach to this post as I am trying some new techniques and I am learning how to do some of this myself.

Prepping the Cork for Turnouts

Materials                                     

• Scrap cork
• Hobby knife 
• Hobby knife with #17 blade
• Machinist's square
• Scale rule
• Sharpie
• Sanding block 
• Wood glue
• Drill with 1/4" bit
• Flat black latex paint
• Grey latex paint similar to ballast color
• 1" bristle brush

The switch stand pads are made from scrap cork, turned upside down so they slide into the bevel. I trimmed mine to an eight scale feet width. I beveled the three sides first with a hobby knife and then a sanding pad. I glued them in place with wood glue, centering each of them with the tie rod lines that were already marked next to the cork.

After glueing the switch stand pads in place, I cut slots for switch machine actuating wire. While I do not plan on using switch machines on the side of the layout I started on today, I went ahead and prepped for them in case I ever change my mind down the road. (It is nearly impossible to drill out the holes after the fact without tearing up the turnouts.) The first step is to mark a rectangle on the cork approximately 1/4 by 1/2 inches, centered along the mark for the throw rod. The next step is to cut out the cork with a #17 chisel edge blade. Finally, after removing the cork, drill two 1/4" holes and use the drill to connect them into a slot.

At this point, it makes sense to paint under the turnout locations. By painting the cork a flat black or a close approximation of the ballast color under the point rails, one can avoid ballasting (or at least heavy ballasting) under the path of the moving point rails. Also, in this area, I had patched the cork with white spackle and the paint will hide any white showing through.

Prepping the Turnouts

                                                                                                                                                               

In addition to the tools needed for prepping the Peco Electrofrog turnouts, one can see the painted cork with turnout pads ready for the track in the photo to the right.

• rail nippers
• wire cutters
• wire strippers
• needle nosed pliers
• hobby knives
• jeweler's files
• #20 wire
• solder, rosin, soldering iron
• solder stand with alligator clips
• drill with 1/8" bit
• pin vise and twist drill bits
• multi-meter

The Peco Streamline Electrofrog turnouts that I am using need a few adaptations for independently powered frogs and DCC "friendliness." A clear discussion of these turnouts can be found on the DCCwiki. The steps I am taking for Willow Junction are below. Again, I am not using switch motors on this side of the layout, but I am powering the frogs with a Tam Valley "Frog Juicer." Steps 1-5 are preparation before laying track, and 6-10 are part of the track laying process. 

Peco Elecrofrog with first three modifications done

1. Snip the wires connecting center rails to frog. (The gap is already there in Peco Streamline Electrofrog; in other brands one needs to cut a gap in the rail.)  
2. Solder the point rail to the stock rail for the mainline and diverging rails at the gaps in the plastic tie material under the turnout.
3. Solder feeder rail to frog. Since I already have a "Frog Juicer" installed, I made sure the wire would be long enough to reach it.
4. Construct a wire jumper to bridge the hinge at the point rails. David Popp has instructions on MRVP Olympia Layout. While I understand the rationale for having this, I find that my first attempt is unsightly and detracts from an otherwise attractive turnout. 
5. Check continuity with a multi-meter. Ohms will show continuity. Frog should be isolated (no continuity with other rails). Stock and closure rails should have continuity, but just on one side. No continuity between mainline and diverging routes.
6. Measure and locate position before drilling 1/8" hole for feeder wire through the cork.
7. Trim head block ties if switch stand is located on opposite side.
8.  Trim ties for rail joiners as necessary.
9. Drill out ties for track nails from back side if desired.
10. Remember to use insulated rail joiners after the frog! It is a built in short if you don't do this.

I am curious what others think about the need for a prophylactic wire jumper to bridge the point rail hinge, my step 4. Please comment!

Backdrops Part 3: Background Landscape

Painting the background, other than sky, requires some research to match the appearance of the location that one is modeling. If it is not a reasonably close-by location, some internet tools can be very helpful. Three that I have found useful are Google Earth, Wikipedia, and on-line real estate photos. Because I was taking a trip to the Pacific Northwest to finish up some final aspects of our move to Pennsylvania, I was able to fit in some in-person research. Traveling parallel to the route of the 3rd Subdivision between Anacortes and Burlington and driving around Ferndale, gave me the opportunity to take some snapshot-quality photos as reference.

Mountains, trees, and field west of Ferndale

The first step in actually painting the backdrop was to pencil in some lines for background mountains, hills, and trees. Another step before actually painting was to mask off the bench work, cork, or any of the DCC components with newspaper and blue tape. One of the techniques I learned from one of my modular railroad friends in Seattle was to spray white haze between layers of hills to add depth to the scene. I wanted to protect the surroundings as I attempted that technique with a flat white rattle can.

This shot, to the left, shows three layers of hills with white spray paint between the more distant layers and behind the tree line. In this part of the painted background I kept the horizon low and the colors muted with the only real detail in the subtle conifer brushwork at the top of the ridges. These are three of the colors that I premixed with the intent to use them throughout the initial layout and any later extensions that I might add in the future. I used the sky blue and white latex paint as well as adding some craft paints colors (slate grey and medium foliage green) and raw umber Liquitex acrylic.

The shot to the right shows both the beginning of a signature scene, Mt. Baker, and the array of brushes that I used. In one of the coved corners I wanted to include Mt. Baker because it is definitely a recognizable feature in Whatcom County, at least on a rare blue sky day. Of all those brushes, the two that I used the most were a #8 bristle round and a #2 bristle flat. I used a larger bristle flat to create the treed texture at the top of some of the ridges and a softer flat and a fan brush for some closer tree work. But really, I could have gotten by with just the two.

In this shot, to the left, my attempts to layer details while keeping a low horizon line are shown. At this point, I have completed painting the background landscape for the backdrop of the initial "U" shaped layout. As I add foreground scenery and complete the final step, disguising the right angle between the backdrop and the benchwork, I may have to go back and make some adjustments or additions to the painted backdrop.

Progress Update

Willow Springs side of the "U" with cork installed

Some serious progress has been made on the layout in the past month or so. The benchwork, track plan, and cork are complete (other than the fold-up, west end staging) for the initial U-shaped layout. Likewise, the backdrop is complete with sky. Now the next steps are to add detail to the backdrop and to install and wire the track.