Building a HO-HO-HO scale christmas tree layout

[dudeface]

I always run trains under the Christmas tree and decided I need a good level base to put them on. This is the track plan... I guess? It fits in a 4x5' space which is where the tree goes.

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I have Bachmann ez track. As you can see one of my switches is nickel silver with gray roadbed and the rest is stainless steel (I think) with black roadbed. All my track is Christmas and birthday presents and my uncle got me the wrong kind, so it doesn't match.

[philipy]

A little bit of black paint would cure 95% of that problem.

[dudeface]

Or a lot of grey paint and nickel silver rails. The stainless steel corrodes like heck.

[dudeface]

This is the area the layout will go in. It looks fairly big in the picture but it's just over 4x5' with the couch there.

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[dudeface]

Work has begun on the tunnel. Here I've started to lay down a base

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I'm going to use this stuff, Activa Rigid Wrap, because it says you can make tunnels with it.

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It's going to be open at the back to make dealing with derailments easier because Murphy's law says they're going to happen there, and it'll take less material that way.

The tunnel and all the buildings (if I actually get around to making some) will be separate from the layout to make it easier to move and store.

[drewzero1]

Looks good! I always like it when a Christmas tree layout does a bit more than just a circle. Do you ever run two trains at a time, one on each loop? This track plan seems like it would lend itself well to that.

After having contended with rusty steel EZ-track for 20-odd years, my son's loop of nickel silver stuff seemed almost magical.

[dudeface]

Yes, the whole point of this track plan is to be able to run 2 trains at once. I have another transformer so it could be 2 separate tracks with trains running in opposite directions, but this way they can travel between the loops and 1 transformer is probably easier.

Since my track is stainless steel it doesn't rust, but it turns white and I clean it off with very fine sandpaper once in a while.

[dudeface]

Just ran some trains around to "test" it...

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I like this stuff for tunnel liner, it would also make good corrugated siding or roofing. It's packaging material from Chewy boxes. Chewy.com is where we get cat food and litter and it's also a good source of cardboard.

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[dudeface]

New tunnel front.

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[dudeface]

I was thinking about how to make portals and then realized I could use the aforementioned corrugated stuff.

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[dudeface]

I'm going to build the framework for the tunnel with wire, but since the wire won't easily glue to the cardboard base I made these blocks with holes drilled in them to insert the wire. Then I can hot glue the blocks onto the base. I made 20 of these and it probably took 45 seconds for each one: Drill, cut, move the wood half an inch in the vise, repeat.

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[dudeface]

One wire down, nine to go. I've also installed the left tunnel liner.

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[dudeface]

I haven't worked on the tunnel much today, but I just got done with the framework for the front of the mountain. It looks pretty good if I do say so myself (and I do).

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[dudeface]

I forgot to mention - it now has a name: The Enormous and Gigantic Christmas Tree Railroad (E&GCT).

[Sir Clothem Cap]

looks good

[dudeface]

Hopefully I can piece together this plywood to make a base.

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[dudeface]

Well I did the usual getting distracted by other projects and now there's a week left to get it finished. I wanted to get the plywood cut today but the circular saw had thought up an extremely clever hiding place, so tomorrow I'll have to go over and borrow my grandma's jigsaw. She has a circular saw but TBH I'm kind of scared of those things and my dad works tomorrow...

[drewzero1]

Funny how that happens, isn't it? Stuff comes up quick, especially when you're trying to finish a project in time. I have a feeling I'll be spending a few late nights in Santa's workshop over the next week. (And speaking of workshops, a circular saw is a perfectly healthy thing to be afraid of! Stay a little bit scared and you'll keep your fingers.)

[dudeface]

The plywood is cut to size and mostly screwed together. Hopefully I can have the layout done by Christmas eve. I stayed outside in the dark with a 15 degree wind chill fighting with phillips head screws (I much prefer torx screws but we were all out) but as a Wisconsinite born on the 28th of January I can survive.

Pictures tomorrow probably.

[dudeface]

I finished putting the plywood together. It will be cut into 2 C-shaped pieces after the opening in the middle is cut. The small feet aren't attached yet, they will also be put on after the opening is made. I also worked on the tunnel. It's pretty slow going, hopefully I can have it done in the next four days. I wanted a station but I might not have time, I haven't made any buildings before so I'd like to give it a try.

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My drill batteries seem to be giving up the ghost, I'll have to ask Santa for some new 20 volt DeWalt batteries...