"Like the man said... It's deja vu all over again."

I am not in the habit of quoting the late New York Yankee catcher, Yogi Berra. But as I embarked on installing 150 risers, it was not lost on me that I had done this once before for the original single deck, then removed them all, before re-installing taller risers to cantilever my ill-fated second deck. That sentiment seemed so perfectly descriptive, even for a New York Mets fan.

So let's see. One hundred and fifty risers at two screws per riser... installed, removed, installed, removed, installed. That's 1,500 tweaks of the drill in all of the same locations. If that ain't "deja vu all over again," I don't know what is.



The very original single deck sat on benchwork that rested on a ledger strip about 44" above the floor. Five inch risers, plus the 1" Gatorboard brought the track height to 50" and nicely met the styrene backdrop in corners and along the peninsula.



The benchwork had been dropped about 5" to accommodate the ill-advised second deck, so new risers had to be used to make up the difference. Seventy five  17" risers from that second deck were reused, cut in half and mounted using jigs, so that they'd be plumb and level.



By using a block clamped in my table saw to assure that all cuts were 8-1/2" and by using jigs that aligned those risers with the bottom of the 1" x 3" benchwork, I theoretically should have risers that extend 6" and are even with one another. My level confirmed that, for once, theory and practice were in harmony... AKA "even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes!"



The new risers still leave the deck about 4" below the styrene backdrops in corners and along the peninsula, but land forms should be able to hide the issue. Of course an added bonus to my venture into multi-deck land is that I now have twice as many lengths of Gator Board that are all two narrow to 'cover' the full depth of the single deck. But again, the issue should be minimized with varying land forms and all of the hacking and stacking to come.

So the long, strange journey from single deck to multi-deck and back again, has cost me more than a year and has left me with a track height of 46" instead of the originally planned 50". Not the end of the world, but frustrating as all get out.

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   BONUS:  JUST  ONE  MORE  THING  BEFORE  WE  GO...  

 

Friends and visitors often tease about my benchwork being "too nice to cover up"... apparently I have taken their comments too literally!

"Noodling... Can the entry gate be salvaged?"

It was reassuring to see that I was not alone as the "welcome to the club" congratulations poured in from fellow model railroaders over my gaffe with the entry gate. But while many have had their own "been there, done that" moments, it still didn't mitigate the fact that I had a problem of my own creation that needed to be rectified. Did I have the goods to figure something out or was I indeed a free agent going to the village with the winning bid?

Aside from lowering the cellar floor, per my buddy Chuck Diljack's thoughtful advice, I needed to shorten the length of the span or increase the height of the drop. My priority was whatever would be easier without a loss of effectiveness.

The early morning sun poured into my favorite coffee-sipping, jazz-listening, newspaper-reading lounging spot. Meanwhile, the defective entry gate mockingly disrupted my view into the train room. But could it be that the stop plate extension was the sole issue?



Measurements showed that it was very close whether the stop plate was the only issue, so it was removed, but the gate still didn't quite clear the floor. Like my Mets, close, but no cigar. 



The stop plate was mounted to the top of the bench work and a reinforcing 1" x 3" support was switched from the end of the span to the edge of the bench work. Combined with the 1/4" expansion gap that was no longer part of the span's framing, I picked up a full 1".



The sash locks were now placed inside the end of the span while still being assured of perfect height alignment by the stop atop the bench work.



Success! The gate now swings freely and will give me maximum clearance adjacent to the entry. I may add a hydraulic closer similar to what is used for storm doors to assure that the gate drops in a controlled manner.



Here's the reworked version. Still  perfectly level, but 1" shorter and awaiting risers for the sub-roadbed. Scroll down to compare this photo to the first photo in Sunday's post.


It remains to be seen how this will work out once track is laid, but it is very solid. Hopefully the expansion/contraction cycle will be minimal since my basement is climate controlled and the kiln-dried framing has been here for a year already.

I will need to be careful as I build up from the bench work to an overall depth of about 12". The meeting-edge of the span will need to be angled back slightly to allow for clearance when the gate drops down in its pendulum arc. I will do some mock-ups to make certain that that clearance doesn't become an issue. But for now, mission accomplished. More on this down the road, I'm sure.

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   BONUS:  RHETORICAL  QUESTION  OF  THE  DAY...  

 

I'm just saying, but if a recording tells me how much my business is appreciated by the companies that I sometimes need to call, why do they make it so incredibly frustrating to reach an actual human being?

"Revealed and confirmed... I are such a idiot!"

Somewhere a village has a job opening with my name on it! But before we get to that, here's the backstory. It was long over due that I get back to the layout, and task numero uno was deciding upon a method for the entry gate. Just design it, fabricate it, install it. No real worries. For me, the keys were simplicity and durability. It was imperative that it remain out-of-the-way when not in use while still allowing emergency egress when it was in place.

It seemed that a simple 36" span that could drop down out of the way was a good way to go. I had some old door and old window hardware on hand, not to mention ample 1" x 3" framing from the discarded helix. Design, construction and installation went very well and all necessary parts were indeed available. I quite possibly had the single finest model railroad gate ever known to man.


The 14" x 36" span was actually cut from the helix frame and used as is. The ends were beefed up with extra 1" x 3" members for added mass to better accept the hardware. It is hinged on the left side so it can hang alongside the wall beyond the path of circulation. The right side is assured of vertical alignment by a 1" x 3" 'stop' screwed to the bottom of the span. It butts up against the fixed bench work when it is in the raised, fully level position.





The span is locked into these two sash locks from some old windows that were replaced. I saved the hardware for the slim possibility of some unbeknownst future use. Bingo, baby!



The heavy duty brass hinges are from old solid wood doors... the ones that they just don't make anymore. Ideally the hinges should be set flush by routing or chiseling out 3/16" giving them added strength, but the gate won't take the repetitive perpendicular force that a 'cantilevered' heavy door would, so why knock myself out, right?



The sash locks are shown here... one in the locked position and one in the open position. When fully secured, the gate is as rigid as the fixed bench work, even though there are gaps at each end for expansion/contraction.



And now, drumroll please... Presenting the finest model railroad entry gate (that does not clear the floor.)  No 'splainin' this. How could I have possibly screwed this up so royally?

Somehow I had neglected to carefully measure the vertical clearance versus the length of the span, including the 1" x 3" stop extension with its hardware. I had previously known that a gate would not be an issue when my bench work was at its original height. But I did not fully consider the impact of the 7" loss when the ill-fated upper-deck was installed and this deck was lowered.

 

I've walked away for a day or two to gather myself. There are a couple of ideas I have to possibly salvage this. We'll see how that works out. Meanwhile, I have to get the phone. I suspect a village is calling. To be continued...

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   BONUS:  RHETORICAL  QUESTION  OF  THE  DAY...  

 

Boy oh boy... model railroading can really be fun sometimes, can't it?


"Wonderful!... Two steps back, one step forward."

It only seems fair that if I referenced earlier changes to the layout as "one step back for two steps forward," then the opposite would hold true if another change brought me right back to where I was a year ago!

Sad to say, but I lost my way when I elected to add a second deck, focusing only on operations and allowing too many opinions to cloud what had originally been a very distinct view of what I wanted to achieve in my first-ever layout. I sought to build a detailed, high quality, mid-size layout in a reasonable amount of time. It would closely depict a modest portion of a prototype that had personal meaning to me and ultimately  provide a couple of hours of relaxed, trouble-free enjoyment for 3-5 operators, or myself alone when the urge struck.

Although I've known for quite some time that the multi-deck just didn't feel right, I delayed the inevitable. Well, Labor Day weekend came and the upper deck went. My wife summed it up succinctly. "Wow, the helix is no more!"

This is not an old photo of the upper deck being built! It shows part of the dismantling process of that deck to return to a single deck with greater depth and an optimal height  for constructing, scenicing and operating.



The benchwork which originally sat on the ledger strip, now sits  7" lower. While somewhat frustrating from an anal perspective, it's not the end of the world. Longer risers will eliminate any issue here, but I do need to be cognizant about landforms not falling lower than the styrene backdrop in the corners and along the peninsula.



The valence will remain as is, reduced from 8" to 6-1/2" when the second deck was constructed. The 8" depth shielded the lighting a bit better, but I am not readdressing that. The original pipe insulation along the valence edge, a la Kip Grant, will be reinstalled.



The original benchwork will hold the staging level at 40" and the pictured 19" risers, upon removal, will be cut in half and reused. Those 9-1/2" risers will then hold the layout at 48".



At least I can report that my 'temporarily permanent' backdrop system performed flawlessly. After staying in place perfectly for about nine months, it came apart effortlessly and, with the exception of the styrene backer strip with carpet tape, is fully reusable.



This is what one decommissioned upper deck looks like... sectional framework, backdrop and fascia. I'll be able to reuse most of the lumber and possibly some of the backdrop system for the lower level staging, unless someone would like to take the whole kit-and-caboodle. The helix frame survived intact and is leaning on a wall in the laundry for the time being.

Trevor Marshall has rightfully sung the praises of author Mike Cougill and his OST Blog. Ironically, Mike's post last week, "Cutting Through the Noise," confirmed my decision and summarized my position far better than I could. The blog's link is really worth checking out. Here's an excerpt:

"There are a lot of strong opinions and conflicting voices about the best way... Trying to listen to all of them will only leave you confused, maybe even frustrated and with all of the noise, it's hard to listen to your own voice."

I'll follow up in a few days with much more on this and allude to another timely post in another favored blog. For now, please allow me to sheepishly sign off.
 

-30-

 

 

   BONUS:  RHETORICAL  QUESTION  OF  THE  DAY... 

 

Why didn't I listen to this guy's advice right from the start?

 

"Just listen to your heart. That's what I always do." - Napoleon Dynamite



"Give me enough time... I'll change my mind."

I have chronic back issues which tend to be rather mischievous, appearing from time to time in various ways and in varying degrees... all typically without any real rhyme or reason. They range from the annoying, but relatively innocuous stiffness, to everybody's favorite, the painfully paralyzing spasms. If you suffer from any back ailments, you understand the following sentiments:

"When my back is feeling great, it's hard to imagine it ever feeling bad. But when it's feeling bad, it's impossible to imagine it ever feeling great again." - Me

It was with this in mind that I initially chose to build a single deck layout at an optimum height and with limited reach-in demands. But I couldn't leave well enough alone, could I? I listened to the devil, or at least to a bunch of operating-oriented modelers, and converted to a multi-deck. "It's all about the run!"


Once the upper level framework and lower level backdrop was completed, I began to cut and install the 1" thick Gator Board panels as a sub-roadbed. There will be much "hacking and stacking" for land forms with the biggest challenge being the river bed on the upper level. Fortunately, this  represents the western-most part of the area that I am modeling and where the Patapsco River tends to be pretty narrow and very shallow. Hooray!



I also installed the upper level fascia to get an idea of what dimensions may work best. This is at 3-1/2"  to allow for LED string lighting below and a little bit of contouring above. I also placed a piece of left over 6" valence to try to see what the final look may be.



Although coincidental, the painted valence and fascia are almost identical in color to the Gator Board which makes it difficult to really get a read on proportions for the valence and fascia, but that will resolve itself down the road one way or another.

But now I am facing a rather ambitious multi-deck layout and doing so bent over with the ongoing reminder that perhaps I took a few too many "for the team" during my many years of competitive sports. Combine these factors with a number of recent personal developments that suggest that our current home may not be our forever home, and I am bit dazed and confused. What to do?

 

We'll discuss some of these issues and the myriad of options I have absolutely settled on, depending upon which day of the week it is, in upcoming posts... and why it's rather tricky to get advice from some well-intentioned Jersey mates.

-30-

 

  BONUS:  RHETORICAL  QUESTION  OF  THE  DAY... 

 

Fill in the blank: The author's excitement over his wife's increasing dialog about getting a beach home is understandable because...?

A) He loves the beach, except for the sun, sand and water parts.
B) His tanning cycle goes from snow-white to beet-red to snow-white.
C) The basement issue could be jeopardized by the whole 'stilts' thing.
D) He has yet to master the art of laying around doing nothing.
E) Everyone knows that Hurricane Sandy was just a fluke.

"Legs... Really long, lean, beautiful legs!"

Now, now...  calm down. This isn't that kind of site. But a few of the more conscientious readers of this blog emailed me after I referenced the peninsula's legs in a photo of my helix frame. They say that I never really covered that aspect of construction. Apologies, so here goes.

The leg assemblies were based on the struts that supported the around-the-wall bench work and designed to be unobtrusive, but still rock solid. Each assembly utilized a leg and an angled support, but contrary to traditional methods, I reversed the application and placed the angled support in front of the leg to provide greater clearance for wayward feet and to mimic the wall struts.

The photos below should explain things better than my words ever could.


The end of the peninsula is supported with a tripod of sorts as three leg assemblies are tied together with 1" x 4" horizontal bracing which really tightens everything up significantly.



The origin of the leg assembly is evident here when compared to the wall strut at the rear of this photo. The leg assembly supporting the middle of the peninsula is narrower than that at the wider end. Brilliant stuff.



Screw-in adjustable feet do the trick for leveling and help minimize the absorption of any floor moisture. All connections are done with simple sheet rock screws and either painted over, or countersunk considerably.

 

The 5/4" x 2" struts are anchored into the wall's baseplate through the molding thereby eliminating the need to locate wall studs that are allegedly every 16", but never really are.

 

I painted the leg assemblies to match the struts and lower walls with the intent to always leave those areas exposed. I am fortunate not to have to store items here, at least for now. I like the clean, uncluttered look and prefer not to have any distractions that will compete with the modeling above.

 

And anyway, I'm not sure when the timing might be right to hit my wife up for 90' of pleated skirting!

-30-

 

  BONUS:  RHETORICAL QUESTION  OF  THE  DAY ... 

 

Yay or nay?  Top 10 music video of all-time - ZZ Top's 'She's Got Legs.'

"That's my story... and I'm sticking to it!"

With the transition from single-deck to multi-deck now complete, it was time to embark upon the start of the backbone helix that would link the two levels by way of the finished rec room. On a day in which we were expecting our daughter home from college for a holiday visit, I worked on framing the helix while my wife went food shopping for all items preferred by our fussy little offspring.

But soon the barking of Stormy and Duffy told me that Miss Heavy-Foot had arrived, well ahead of our earliest ETA for a drive from Boston. She bounded down the basement stairs to greet her beloved dad, stopped, looked and deadpanned, "Does mom know about this?"

"I'm sure she must," I testified. "I mean, we talked about my going to a second deck. Obviously she would know that I had to connect the two levels somehow. And by the way, it's great to see you too, honey!"

She was incredulous. "That's all you've got? That's what you're going with?"

"Yes. Yes it is," I proclaimed confidently. "That's my story and I'm sticking to it."

She shook her head."Boy, are you in trouble," she said even more confidently.

The helix occupies an area that was otherwise not used. The frame measures 6'-3" square and will handle alternate loops of 34" and 28" radii. The legs match those of the peninsula in the main train room.



The first and third loops @ 34" radii will be visible and sceniced, separated by about eight inches and linked by a second, hidden loop @ 28" radius. The grade will be just about 2% to provide the necessary 15" of  total climbing between decks. 



A 12" high hardboard mock-up was put in place to depict how (2) layers of 1/8" hardboard would form the backbone helix. The final version will utilize 30" high hardboard to insure a full view block.



The exterior 1/8" sheets not only serve as a partial structure for the helix, but also as a backdrop that nicely begins and ends at the room's wall.



This overhead shot illustrates the full configuration of the (2) layers of 1/8" hardboard. The eventual 30" high inside layer will actually have an area cut out of about 15" x 30" to allow the hidden criss-crossing loops to enter and exit the backbone. Future wall penetrations are shown using black construction paper.



Regular readers of this blog will recognize the sentimental piece of pine that was used as bracing on the interior of the helix. It was explained in the May 20th entry.

Ah, but there was a method to my madness. Recognizing early in life that timing was everything, and having that confirmed repeatedly during nearly 30 years of wedded bliss, I had planned for this day carefully.

I knew that nothing make's my wife happier than the safe arrival of our daughter for a visit. In those times, I become totally inconsequential, and if I'm inconsequential, then my helix is inconsequential!

To be continued...

-30-

 

  BONUS:  RHETORICAL  QUESTION  OF  THE  DAY... 

 

What best describes the author' strategy in this particular instance?

 

A) Pure genius          B) Misguided soul          C) Cockeyed optimist         D) Dead man walking

"Three elements... Firmness, commodity, delight."

Marcus Vitruvius was a legendary first century Roman author, architect and army engineer who wrote the Ten Books of Architecture. I read the first one. In it, he emphasized that any built structure required 'firmitas, utilitas and venustas' for it to be considered a legitimate architectural work. The popular Anglican translation is 'firmness, commodity and delight' which further translated means that any project must have strength; must be useful; and must be beautiful. Seems like pretty straightforward stuff, but not always followed.

I have approached all of my layout design and construction with this in mind, and the lower level backdrop was no exception. My plan called for (3) 4' x 8' sheets of .040 styrene to be cut into (12) 12" x 96" lengths which would be enough for the entire run. I wanted a system that would be stable, adaptable and attractive... pretty much those same three elements that the V man would have mandated had he been playing with trains instead of building aqueducts.

Plastic end caps were screwed into place along the entire run of the lower deck to accept the styrene backdrop in the same fashion as was done at the former doorway and peninsula.



The channels bend gracefully in corners allowing the styrene backdrop to follow easily. A Velcro square will be used on each riser to hold the top portion in place while providing for emergency access to the chase behind the lower backdrop... you know,  just in case.



The end caps were jointed to correspond with that of the bench work to maintain the sectional feature of the entire construction... again,  just in case.  



Styrene sections were butted together and reinforced with a 3" wide backer that was stapled in place. A Velcro square is visible at the top. 



Despite the channel, Velcro and styrene backing, the butted ends of the styrene did not sit uniformly, leaving a very visible seam in some locations.



Double-sided carpet tape was mounted on a 2" wide piece of styrene and slipped into place behind the butted sections and in front of the backer to provide a clean seam and a solid, but reversible bond.



The carpet tape did the trick nicely and the seams were barely noticeable at this point. The installed sheets of styrene were now ready to be carefully primed and painted, in place, with a 3" roller.



The installation of the backdrop more clearly illustrates the varying depths of each deck around the full run of the layout.



Although in different planes, the lower backdrop blends effortlessly with that of the upper which is mostly the room's sheet rocked walls.



Two decks, check. Two backdrops, check. And all the bells and whistles still to come!

The lower level backdrop really went together nicely and without any surprises. The seams became all but invisible once they were primed and painted over, yet the entire backdrop is relatively free-floating. I call it 'temporarily permanent.'

The Romans may have invented concrete, but I'll stick with styrene. After all, it's got integrity, is very useful and can be quite handsome.

-30-

 

  BONUS:  RHETORICAL  QUESTION  OF  THE  DAY...  

 

Did you know? Contrary to some  of my i-Phone photographs, the backdrop is fairly muted and was painted using Benjamin Moore #806 'Breath of Fresh Air' to achieve a light blue/gray look in person.

"The plan actually seems to be working..."

In the world of architecture and construction, the theory goes something like this. Ideally, a sketch is turned into a scaled drawing which in turn is expanded into a construction document. If all goes well, the project is built according to the architect's vision by a diligent contractor for a satisfied client. Since I wear all three hats on this project, I did take some shortcuts and work some things out in my head, figuring that all three parties should remain in communication throughout the process anyway! 

While I had a general idea of how the second deck would be integrated with the structure of the first deck, I did realize that a few different conditions existed that would require slightly different details. How the second deck would be cantilevered in certain locations, and how much it would be cantilevered, were the biggest issues.

The second deck was constructed using  1" x 2" clear pine and supported with 19" long risers. The frames of each deck mirror one another so the risers align with each cross member. The lower deck here is 14" deep while the cantilevered upper deck is 16" deep.



The upper deck is very rigid. It is anchored into the wall studs and supported by the riser. The amount of acceptable cantilever could have been determined through a complex math equation which had a lot of neat symbols that I didn't understand, so I guessed.



The right side shows an upper deck that is the full 20" deep while the lower deck is only 10". The styrene peninsula backdrop required that risers be used in the rear as an anchor and toward the front as cantilever support.



Because the styrene backdrop at the peninsula did not provide the ability to anchor as the wall studs did, wider 1" x 6" and 1" x 4" risers were utilized. The changing depths of the two decks as they round the end of the peninsula are evident here.  The white end cap will hold the lower level backdrop.



Note the use of a few stamped metal L-brackets on rear risers to help support the upper deck on the left along the peninsula and on the right across the former doorway. In each case I needed maximum depth for the lower deck and the styrene backdrop could not support any type of anchor. The lower decks here are 18" and the upper are 12".



A close-up of the stamped L-brackets show how they are mounted on a rear riser that is 'flat' to the other risers. Adjacent risers provide the clearance that the backdrop will need.

You may have noted by now that I did have a bit of a formula for the relationship between the two decks, and it did not involve anything beyond kindergarten math. While the original single deck was 20" deep, I determined that the sum of the two decks at any given location would equal 30" giving me both an acceptable cantilever support and a consistency whereby one deck could handle substantial modeling/operating activity and the other was merely ROW.

 

I hope that I have explained this clearly. Regardless, it went up and has remained up, very rigid and secure, awaiting the installation of the backdrop which we'll cover shortly.

-30-

 

  BONUS:  RHETORICAL  QUESTION  OF  THE  DAY... 

 

Seriously, a show of hands here. Who honestly saw this coming?