Howdy from Texas

[Derek_Koett]

Howdy from Texas to all the folks at G Scale Central - excited to share and learn from y'all. I recently purchased the LGB Construction Site Train Starter Set (72503) for Christmas for my son and I to play with in the yard and have quickly dove deep into the hobby.

At first I set it up around a large oak tree in front of my house and scratch built a small station platform and building, and 3d printed a few people to play with on the train. In the past month and a half, I dedicated a new area in the front yard for the layout, and working on new buildings and other decorations. It is setup with a central opening for operating the train and playing with the models, and I just got started on the foundations for a mountain with a tunnel on one corner.

The plan is to continue extending the table setup over time when I run out of space. The theme I am going for is inspired by the Fallout video game series, particularly elements from the New Vegas game. My wife disassembles and "upcycles" electronics, so we are planning to blend our hobbies and make retro-futuristic models combining the scrapped parts with the wooden buildings I make. Eventually, the base will be textured with sand/gravel/rocks, and other terrain features will be built in.

When my grandfather passed away, I inherited many of his personal effects from his time working at Southern Pacific. You can see a couple of the signs he collected attached to the tables.

Pics 1&2 are the first layout around the oak tree.
Pics 3&4 is right after setting up the layout on the new tables.
Pics 5-12 are of the newest building - a gas station/auto shop going to be named "Raul's Chop Shop".
Pics 13-16 are current state, with the foundation for the mountain in the corner.

- Derek

 

[pugwash]

Welcome along Derek, good to see you. Equally good is to see that you have kicked off in a big way, I see lots of interesting ideas are in preparation and already built. A good start with the photos, we love photos, keep them coming.
Ignore what anyone says about the humour here, we are all grown adults with a perfectly normal view of life.
Have fun here!

 

[Northsider]

Hi Derek! You've made a good start, having a lot of fun and developing an interesting layout. I'm impressed that you got a picture of a mug of tea into your second photo (don't spoil the illusion by telling me it's coffee...). You'll see that some of your photos appear upside down: it's a quirk of the website, but for some reason, if you edit them (just a tiny crop will do) they'll appear the right way up. No-one knows why...

 

[Derek_Koett]

Have fun here!

Thank you!

if you edit them (just a tiny crop will do) they'll appear the right way up. No-one knows why...

Thanks for the tip regarding the photos - I think they are fixed now. I was wondering about that earlier and that is why they are out of order now from when I tried to fix them. Interestingly, uploading the same image flipped upside down image stays upside down. Will keep this in mind for future posts! Oh and yeah - definitely Yorkshire tea

 

[dunnyrail]

Welcome to the forum Derek, good to have a high baseboard but have you considered a dogbone setup, tgis tends to allow access to all the layout without a duck under being used so often, though a duck under and pop up of use in occasion.

 

[Gizzy]

Welcome Derek....

 

[grizzmo]

G'day Derek, welcome to the forum.

 

[playmofire]

Welcome from the North Yorkshire coast - you've made a start and a half there!

 

[Canyon City]

Welcome to our forum!

Great, and the little one is having fun.

 

[Madman]

Welcome aboard Derek.

You don't mess around, do you. Amazing start.

 

[PhilP]

Welcome aboard Derek.

You don't mess around, do you. Amazing start.

Well, they do say everything is bigger in Texas!

Welcome to the Forum!

PhilP.

 

[Derek_Koett]

have you considered a dogbone setup

Thank you for the suggestion - I did a mock up after looking at some other layouts, maybe something like this?
Then I can make a opening that can be walked through, rather than crawling under. I want to be able to reach the tracks from any side.

I'll just have to buy a lot more curved track

Thanks to all who have welcomed me so far! Should I start a new post to discuss layout planning? Lots of ideas flowing here.

 

[korm kormsen]

be welcome.

i would like to know, with what, and how you aged your wood.

 

[Derek_Koett]

i would like to know, with what, and how you aged your wood.

The wood is oak, sliced into small strips on the band saw, and I used WATCO - Danish Oil "Dark Walnut" with one coat, waited 15min then wiped it with a cloth, and it turned out like this. I am very pleased with the result.

 

[korm kormsen]

I am very pleased with the result.

and rightfully so.
thanks for the explanation.

 

[Paul M]

Welcome, Derek. That's an interesting design you have, and, cleverly, youve left room for expansion!

 

[dunnyrail]

Thank you for the suggestion - I did a mock up after looking at some other layouts, maybe something like this? View attachment 353046
Then I can make a opening that can be walked through, rather than crawling under. I want to be able to reach the tracks from any side.

I'll just have to buy a lot more curved track

Thanks to all who have welcomed me so far! Should I start a new post to discuss layout planning? Lots of ideas flowing here.

Ah that is the job, you could think about a double track bit to join the loops that way you will not have any electrical issues plus will give you a section of apparent double track if you like the appeal of that. Pity you are not in Uk I have loads of old track usable LGB to move on here.

Not quite sure why you want the hinged section when there is no track on it? I would be tempted to leave that as a permanent opening with perhaps with nicely curved edges.

 

[Northsider]

Should I start a new post to discuss layout planning?

Yes, why not start a thread in 'Track and Track Laying'?. This section is really just to say 'hello, I've arrived', post a couple of pics and/or ask a few opening questions.

 

[dunnyrail]

Yes, why not start a thread in 'Track and Track Laying'?. This section is really just to say 'hello, I've arrived', post a couple of pics and/or ask a few opening questions.

Spot on Patrick we have thread drifted again, how unusual for the forum! If D Derek_Koett wants I can move the whole thread as it is very much about his line.

 

[David1226]

Spot on Patrick we have thread drifted again, how unusual for the forum! If D Derek_Koett wants I can move the whole thread as it is very much about his line.

I'm inclined to agree with your train of thought, it can be an uphill struggle keeping on track, in line with the topic, but let's not get steamed up about it, we wouldn't to railroad him into anything. You can probably tell I've not been on the wagon.

David