Page 1 of 2
Building a HO-HO-HO scale christmas tree layout
Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2023 4:42 pm
by 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.
- WP_20231127_10_13_19_Pro (2).jpg (1.25 MiB) Viewed 2963 times
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.
Re: Building a HO-HO-HO scale christmas tree layout
Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2023 4:56 pm
by philipy
A little bit of black paint would cure 95% of that problem.
Re: Building a HO-HO-HO scale christmas tree layout
Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2023 5:01 pm
by dudeface
Or a lot of grey paint and nickel silver rails. The stainless steel corrodes like heck.
Re: Building a HO-HO-HO scale christmas tree layout
Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2023 5:19 pm
by 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.
- WP_20231127_11_14_15_Pro.jpg (4.09 MiB) Viewed 2958 times
Re: Building a HO-HO-HO scale christmas tree layout
Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2023 4:26 am
by dudeface
Work has begun on the tunnel. Here I've started to lay down a base
- WP_20231127_22_07_13_Pro.jpg (4.86 MiB) Viewed 2953 times
I'm going to use this stuff, Activa Rigid Wrap, because it says you can make tunnels with it.
- WP_20231127_22_16_22_Pro.jpg (4.18 MiB) Viewed 2953 times
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.
Re: Building a HO-HO-HO scale christmas tree layout
Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2023 10:31 am
by 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.
Re: Building a HO-HO-HO scale christmas tree layout
Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2023 1:38 pm
by 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.
Re: Building a HO-HO-HO scale christmas tree layout
Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2023 2:10 pm
by dudeface
Re: Building a HO-HO-HO scale christmas tree layout
Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2023 3:16 pm
by dudeface
New tunnel front.
- WP_20231128_09_11_48_Pro.jpg (4.06 MiB) Viewed 2930 times
- WP_20231128_09_11_53_Pro.jpg (4.5 MiB) Viewed 2930 times
Re: Building a HO-HO-HO scale christmas tree layout
Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2023 5:16 pm
by dudeface
I was thinking about how to make portals and then realized I could use the aforementioned corrugated stuff.
- WP_20231128_11_11_14_Pro (2).jpg (3.03 MiB) Viewed 2924 times
Re: Building a HO-HO-HO scale christmas tree layout
Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2023 6:38 pm
by 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.
- WP_20231128_12_31_18_Pro.jpg (3.94 MiB) Viewed 2918 times
Re: Building a HO-HO-HO scale christmas tree layout
Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2023 8:06 pm
by dudeface
Re: Building a HO-HO-HO scale christmas tree layout
Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2023 2:35 am
by 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).
- WP_20231129_20_28_34_Pro.jpg (5.15 MiB) Viewed 2886 times
Re: Building a HO-HO-HO scale christmas tree layout
Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2023 3:22 am
by dudeface
I forgot to mention - it now has a name: The Enormous and Gigantic Christmas Tree Railroad (E&GCT).
Re: Building a HO-HO-HO scale christmas tree layout
Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2023 7:46 pm
by Sir Clothem Cap
looks good
Re: Building a HO-HO-HO scale christmas tree layout
Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2023 9:02 pm
by dudeface
Hopefully I can piece together this plywood to make a base.
- WP_20231211_14_53_19_Pro.jpg (4.92 MiB) Viewed 2583 times
Re: Building a HO-HO-HO scale christmas tree layout
Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2023 2:36 am
by 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...
Re: Building a HO-HO-HO scale christmas tree layout
Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2023 5:51 am
by 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.)
Re: Building a HO-HO-HO scale christmas tree layout
Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2023 2:50 am
by 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.
Re: Building a HO-HO-HO scale christmas tree layout
Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2023 9:57 pm
by dudeface