First strip of roadbed goes down
With the backdrop almost done, I began working on the next phase of the layout; laying down roadbed.
The first thing I needed to do was transfer the trackplan to the plywood. I decided on a rather simple (but kinda tedious) method of basically hole-punching the center line into the plywood.
Using a scratching awl, which is almost like a giant ice pick with a tiny, pointy end, I simply poked holes through the track plan paper on the centerline of the outer track every inch or so (little further apart on straights). This resulted in a dotted pattern on the plywood I could to line the roadbed center too. I only did the outer track because the inner track roadbed will simply butt up against the outter track roadbed.
Here’s a look at the first strip of roadbed glued down on the Elmwood side. I used wood glue to secure the cork down. It’s actually quite tacky and held the cork in shape even on the curves without much assistance.
Good progress…looks like you are going to lap me again in the near future at this rate! Glad to see I am not the only one still using the good old “poke the awl through the track plan” method of laying out track centerlines.
A scratch awl? How . . . 1970’s of you . . . Looks good though, and with all your unitrack in stock, you don’t have to worry about buyin gthr $760 track pack Kato is now offering for this layout.
@philip: Heh. It works though!
And actually I’m gonna be using ME C55 flex on the layout, no unitrack for me. I did consider it but I just don’t like the look of it (and the high cost!).
@Jamie: Maybe, but I have much smaller layout than you. I’m still jealous of you and Jim Reising’s layouts. One of these days I’m gonna buy a house with a “extra large spare bedroom” so I can have the long mainline runs like I really want.
“Extra Large Spare bedroom” has a way of becoming “Extra Large Room for Wife’s Projects” more often then not. Be careful what you wish for.