New house - New Layout, Ripley802's layout build!

You are lucky to have a lady in your life that respects your items unlike my mom

Mrs OTR isn't in to train stuff but she's surrounded and outnumbered by our son, daughter and me!

Mrs. OTR...that's funny!

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Suggestion #2: Get an absolutely accurate measurement from level 1 to level 2, based on a multiplied unit height of risers and slopes. If the difference between the two levels is off by an odd amount, you will not be happy with the jerry rigging adjustments you'll have to make to make it work, and even though you'll be able to jerry rig it to work, you'll have to continually worry about, make adjustments, and monitor your engine's climbs and descents, as it will never be truly sound.

Here’s a suggestion maybe make a tiny layout of plarail advance s in the middle or maybe some road vehicles

[ripley802]

Thanks. Unfortunately for me, I have no Plarail advance. I should have purchased some awhile back but never got into that range and now it is going to be phased out it sounds like.

I am planning to have some road track though, I have tons of track, slopes, and some accessories for it, so just trying to work out a plan on where it all should be.

Very nice layout and it would be great to watch it unfold. I have a suggestion, in the corner of the room I would put a mountain that would be 2 or 3 girders high so the train can travel through a mountain. You can do this by getting a big lump of foam, cutting out the foam and the tunnels then spray painting it. Other than that I’m sure regardless it will look very, very nice.

[ripley802]

Small update.

I got all of the MDF for the main level cut to size. It is not secured down yet only laid in place to test the fit. You may be wondering why there is such and overhang on the two 3ft box areas. Well my plan is to make a radius on each of them to give more of a chance to have a nice outer loop or two. I need to still cut those and then need to add a few more supports to fasten the MDF down to, but after that I should be ready to start with some track.

I think I will be fastening the frame to the wall as well at least in a couple spots as it still has some movement in it. Also eventually I may do some sort of scenery for the base like a grass or gravel look but for now it will likely stay the unfinished MDF, or possibly a primer coat of paint. My first layout may end up being a Christmas one due to the timing.

Also (last pic) I added some more supports just to make sure there should not being any sag, etc...

[Super]

Looking good and sturdy Ripley. A nice set of drawers under the narrow center section for all the trains and such would look nice. Maybe a trip to Ikea is in order. Hope you are going to cut a radius on those 4 corners so the kids (you) don't get stabbed? You can get rolls of fake grass mats to cover the deck before laying out the track that you can get from a Hobby shop or Hobby Lobby. I had bought a lot of fake grass indoor outdoor carpeting in advance of our elevated layout but I gave it all to my daughter because its blades are too tall.

[ripley802]

Thanks Super. Yep, definitely going to round the corners. I will take a look at the local Hobby lobby and see what they have. Now that you mention it I remember seeing the rolls of that there in the past.

I like the idea of the drawers, would make a nice finished touch. Please NO IKEA...LOL.. that place always seems to take my money.. haha. I swear you go in for one thing and end up with a cart full of "necessities..."

[Super]

While you are at Hobby Lobby "Might As Well" Pick up some trees, shrubbery etc

[ripley802]

I am debating if I want to do some sort of natural scenery, with trees, grass, (eventual water scene of some sort) or maybe go more abstract and use lots of colors, elevations, etc... hmmm..

I will probably start building and see where it takes me. This is another reason I like Blue Plastic Tracks vs say HO or another scale because it is so easy to re-configure and take down/rebuild.