ALL ABOARD!

Welcome to TrainGuy Don's Blog!   

    I’ve been interested in both real and model trains all my life. About a year ago I started a major project to build a model train layout in our basement, called the Scripter Basement Railroad (SBRR). My wonderful wife gave me the keys to our back basement room, saying I should have a space all to myself to pursue a train layout. She also said something about it being nice she will be able to close the door, hiding whatever lies beyond (I am messy). Prior to acquiring the room, the dream of a layout was there, but no suitable space was available. Starting the construction of the layout at the same time as the start of the pandemic was purely chance, although having the layout project has been very helpful with the reality of staying at home and dealing with Covid19 safely. I was fortunate in having purchased most of the materials needed for building the layout table just prior to the lock down. I have also relied on on-line and phone ordering, and curbside pickup. My local hobby shop (Whistle Stop in Portland, OR) has been very accommodating

 

    Today I am able to run trains around on a continuous main line, although the scenery is only available by imagination. A lot has happened to get to where I am today. The true beginning of the train layout was dealing with a room filled with stored items from our major house remodel. Many trips were made to Goodwill. Keepers found homes elsewhere. The room itself was rather shabby. I did a major do-over, which included repairs, painting, paneling, new trim, and new lighting that was more suitable for the future layout. That was followed by designing and building the layout table - an L-shaped structure roughly 10-ft by 11-ft. It was built such that it can be disassembled in to pieces that can be carried out of the basement with no problems. Then I added the roadbed structure, followed by the installation of track and related wiring. All this will be detailed more in future blog entries.

    The plan is to continue to develop the layout. Among other things I’ll add a train yard and scenery. I also plan to incorporate special effects, such as day to night lighting, including a starry night sky (mostly complete), and ambient sounds. We sometimes refer to the train room as the Disney Room.

    Rather late in the game we jointly decided that a blog about this project might be of interest to others. We previously did blogs on our major home remodel, our Mediterranean cruise, and my stem cell transplant. Documenting those experiences was enjoyable for us. This blog will be the same.

     Because this blog is starting in the middle of the project, it will have different kinds of entries. Some entries will be about my interest in trains that started when I was a child. Other entries will start at the beginning of the layout design and construction, and catch up to now. The remaining entries will be about current accomplishments from this point on.

    I want to say a big thank you to my wife, Sami, for signing up to do the blog setup and maintenance. I’ll write the entries, but she’s in the back ground making the blog happen.

So...ALL ABOARD!