Layout Progress as of 12/20/2009

This past week, TrainBoard announced the Second Annual International Winter Layout Party. WLP 2009-10 is an eight week program where model railroaders get together and publish their goals for the eight weeks. Each week, members post updates and comment on other member's progress. It is a lot of fun and a good way to get motivated and get some stuff done on your layout. WLP 2009-10 is a follow-up to the very successful First Annual International Winter Layout Party. I have been a member of TrainBoard for a few years now and have found it to be one of the best online model railroad communities, especially for N-scalers such as myself.

For the new layout party, my goals are to complete an extreme transformation of the Emerson, GA scene:

• Prime & paint fascia.
• Replace temporary turnout controls with permanent ones mounted in the fascia.
• Frame out the supports needed for the I-75 underpass.
• Install hardshell terrain (cardboard web + plaster cloth + paint + texture) on the ENTIRE scene.
• Extra Credit: Paint tree line and distant hills on the backdrop.

I have already started working on the task list above. Today, I primed the fascia that I installed last weekend. I have included some updated photos of the layout.

» Photos

In this photo, you can see how I prepped the fascia for priming by filling in any abandoned screw holes leftover from when I was experimenting with positioning the fascia. This photo also shows one of the three 3/4" holes that I bored into the fascia to accommodate the rocker switches that will control the turnout motors:



Before priming the fascia, I also installed vinyl panel molding along the cut edges of the fascia and in the seams where two sections of the fascia come together. This molding gives the fascia a nice finished look and does a good job of hiding any imperfections in the raw cut lines:



Here is the fascia after two coats of primer have been applied. Applying primer to the hardboard used to construct the fascia and backdrop results in a smooth, even top coat and vibrant colors when the top coat is applied:



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