Simply fantastic! Brad, you've done it again; showing the way to the rest of us. I can't wait to see this develop. Wonderful work.

 

Brad, you don't have small ideas, do you?

It's a great idea and I can't wait to see the end result. I can just imagine a team truck coming through the underpass - it's going to be impressive. I'm enjoying the scenario you're building too - you really are having way too much fun with this, aren't you?

cheers,

Rob

 

That looks really impressive Brad, i'm looking forward to pictures of your progress. What are the dimensions are of your track plan? I'm interested in how the concrete slabs turn out, did you think about bending a thin piece of wood against the slabs to give the wall a smooth finish?

Keep on doing your stuff (but faster i want to see more pics

)

Larry.

 

The scope of and detail of your ideas is fantastic! It's always worth the wait to see the next development of your track! The first picture shows the difference between your approach and mine - the beautifully cared for set of chisels and hand tools, where-as I tend to use a power-saw and a big hammer!

 

Thanks guys. You're kind and very patient!

Astro: Hand tools are one of my other hobbies/vices. During the week I'm usually working on the track into the wee hours of the morning so being quite is necessary to keep the troops happy. I do breakout the power tools and big hammer on the weekends!

Larry: I did contemplate making the walls curved but am opting for the segmented walls because I think they look less refined. If I were to make the walls curved, I would have started out just as I have and then added 1/8" or 3mm veneer plywood like they use to "skin" flush interior doors. It's smooth, flexible and comes in large sheets that would allow for a seamless installation. My track is built on an 8'-0" x 17'-0" table. The track itself is two lane Carrera track with both lanes measuring equally at just shy of 65' in length. Here's an overall picture of the track taken before it had been weathered.

SpaModeller: Thanks, your track and scenery skills can be set as goal for anyone to strive for. 'Spa' has been sharing pictures of some of his latest projects with me, and boy are they impressive!

Rob: My ideas start off small, I just don't have the discipline to keep them from growing out of hand

. Thankfully, I am having a ball with it. Now if I could just convince you to visit for a couple of weeks. With your ability to get things done I might actually make some real headway!

Thanks for the complements. They certainly provide a good source of motivation.

Brad

 

That looks amazing Brad! Great work. Similarly to Gunther's Petit Spa, I love how you guys have planned everything out in advance.

Steve

 

Impressive is an understatement as always. I've probably missed it but can you share exactly what I'm seeing to keep the cars on the table as well as children and dogs off it? Is that plexiglass or...?

 

Looks amazing so far Brad!! Cant wait to see finished pics!!

Matt

 

Thanks guys.

DogFish: I've installed aluminum screen fabric around the perimeter of the table and fiberglass screen wire where most of the cookie cutter pieces rise from the main table top. Both of these arrangements are temporary. The fiberglass screen will eventually be replaced by scenery. The Aluminum screen will be removed and hopefully won't need any sort of replacement. I intend to "bowl" the scenery up on three sides of the table and keep it level on the side that is next to the main straight. This is an idea that I am borrowing from David Reinecke. The idea is that the rise in terrain of the scenery will prevent the cars from running off of the table when they leave the track. In the event that the scenery solution doesn't quite work, I will add glass at the perimeter of the table. Interestingly enough, I can get cut and polished glass from a local glazer for less money than cut plexiglass. The price comparison is based upon plexi that won't yellow with age. Eventually, my basement will be finished and the track will be a very visible part of it. I intend to trim out the fascia of the track with finished wood to match the wood trim in the surrounding room. I also plan to build display shelves into the base of the table for cars, race collectables and part of my Lionel train collection.

Thanks again for the complements.

Brad

 

Brad... looking at your drawing, I have a question; are you an architect, a landscape architect, or a draftsman? I worked as a draftsman and architectural model builder for several years in my late teens and early 20's, and I'm guessing you are "one of the above."

Beautiful work, BTW... I especially like the segmented walls.

 

Brad,

Looks great. I was going to do the same (not at that detail level), but FORGOT when I did the screening to make a place to do so. DOH! So, now I have the next project - cut one back in. It's been driving me nuts that the cars in the Paddock just "appear". Not realistic at well.

My latest work has been "restoring" some old Strombecker buildings and grandstands. I've got to weather the stands, and then I'll post some pics.

 

Thanks Swisher and David.

Swisher: Good guess, I'm an architect. I work mostly on residential projects. I drafted my track plan using AutoCAD, and here's the kicker...I lost the drawing file when my hard drive crashed! That would have never happened in the old days of drafting by hand. I'm in the process of redrawing that the track plan, and saving on a backup disk each time I work on it. Innitially, I drew the plan to have something to show my friends what the layout will look like when it is finished. I found that I refer to it often to when I'm working on the track.

David: I can't wait to see the pictures of the Strombecker structures. They'll fit in nicely to your layout. I just got 4 chassis and motor setups for you're Trans Am resin bodies. I'm going to take a shot at building them after I get the overpass finished. I'll be in touch to get some decals from you.

Brad

 

Hi all: Here's the latest update on the underpass progress.

Retaining walls:
I've burned all of the concrete form lines in to the sidewall pieces and then joined them together with wood glue and nails (Astro: I used a pneumatic finish nailer!). I next applied wood batten strips that simulate the face of concrete buttresses between each segment of wall; followed by raised cap pieces at the tops of the buttresses. The back sides of the buttress caps are angled because 1:1 retaining wall buttresses would likely be angled from wide at the base to narrow at the top. I applied pieces to cap the wall segments between the buttresses. These pieces are purely cosmetic and will function as a curb to abut the terrain into.

Ramp:
The roadway from the paddock to the underpass is graded rather steep, more so than what one would be at a 1:1 track. This was a concession made to the limited available space. I really wanted to model an underpass like this, so I decided to go ahead and "shoehorn" it in. The base of the road is made of 3/32" birch veneer model airplane plywood and sanded tile grout. The plywood was a real chore to fit in and around all of the wall segments and buttresses. I ended up having a gap of +/- 1/8" between the walls and the plywood. I cut strips of the same plywood to glue over the gaps so that the grout would not fall through. The grout was applied over the plywood and was originally intended to be the finished surface. I was thinking that I would be able to apply it smoothly enough to simulate concrete, but I was wrong. The material was perfect, the application was not. The combination of a curving/twisting surface and bending/undulating sidewalls was too much for me to handle. The resulting surface was not smooth and flat enough to look like concrete. As such, I will cover the surface with N scale model railroad ballast to simulate a gravel road. I was already planning on using this for the area behind the pit building, so it won't look too out of place on the road down to the underpass.

Paint:
The bridge supports and the retaining walls have the first two coats of paint on them. I'm trying for a weathered (but not too old) concrete effect. The base coat is a basic gray primer color that looks like new concrete. The second coat is a camouflage beige color that looks like faded concrete. Both colors were applied from rattle cans. I will airbrush the final weathering. There will be a general "dusting" of color to reduce some of the contrast between the first two coats and rust and grime highlights from the bridge structure and railings that will be placed on the bridge and retaining walls.

Here are the pictures of how things look to date. The pieces are set in place and not yet anchored down. The fit between the bridge base and the retaining walls will improve - hopefully!

Next:
My next step is to build a storm water drain at the base of the road. After that, I will be working on the railings and fencing at the bridge and retaining walls. As always, please let me know what you think. I'd really appreciate any advice you can offer.

Thanks for looking.

Brad

 

hey brad you need a hobby!!!

your work is outstanding keep it up

 

Brad,

Looks fantastic well done. What was the process to painting the track? I love the grey.

Keep the pics coming

Peter

 

Brad,

It's hard to suggest anything. I'd love to see it in person. You're doing just amazing work.

Bill

 

Thanks Bigford 550, TrojanUK and jmswms. I'm looking forward to the next steps of the underpass as I think that they will be a lot of fun to do.

TrojanUK: Here's a link to the threads that I posted about painting the track. Have a look and let me know if you have any questions. Paving at Priaire Ridge Road Course I'm very happy that I painted the track. I added the tire marks with an airbrush. Innitially, I was concerned that the finish might not be very durable, but it is proving to be very durable indeed. The process I chose to was time consuming, but well worth the effort.

Bill: I know you're in California, but if you ever make it to Chicago or Milwaukee let me know. I'm right between either city and and would greatly welcome a visit.

Brad

 

Looking really good! What's happening at the end of the road though? It seems to end in a wall rather than a tunnel under the track? Is this a temporary thing, or does it have to stay?

 

I wonder how many times we're all going to say 'Wow, Brad' before you finish your track?

It looks very good though, love the detail on the walls and butresses. Like you say, the gradient is a little steep but I don't think it's a problem. In your scenario you can just imagine the owner thinking "shorter tunnel = less cost, how steep can we make the exit ramp?"!! I was surprised you said you weren't happy with the road surface, it looks fine in the pics.

cheers,

Rob

 

you said butresses

 

Thanks guys!

Astro: There is a wall at the end of the road. I'm not sure that I'm making the right decision, but I plan on painting the wall to look like a continuation of the right side wall of the tunnel. In hindsight (from just the work I've done so far); the small side walls under the bridge were easy to make, probably more so than painting the back wall. Originally, I thought it would be easier to paint the continuation of the side wall in perspective. Trust me that I have already slapped my forehead and uttered, "What was I thinking?", more than once now!

Rob: The road surface doesn't look too flat in person. I wasn't able to work the grout flat for a couple of reasons; 1. The grout went on a little thick and I was not sure what I could use to thin it (probably water I guess) and 2. The curving narrowness of the road prevented me from using a nice wide putty knife. I ended up with more than a few tool marks from the putty knife. I was thinking of another possibility on my commute home tonight. I may give the "concrete look" one last attempt using spakling compound. I figure that the mortar may be flat enough to allow the spakle to go on thin, just filling the voids. It should be thin enough to work flat. It should be easy to score concrete joints into too. I'll give it a try and post the results.

bigford550: Big smile on the Beevis and Butthead reference! Uhh...you said big. Yeah, yeah big... like sproing!

Thanks to all for your continued interest and patience, I appreciate both!

Brad

 

If the wall is staying - I'd suggest turning into a steel security shutter like a garage door or something - but I am sure that whatever you do is going to look amazing anyway.

 

That sounds like a great idea! I think I'm going to give the painting idea a try first - I always like a good challenge. When that doesn't turn out so good, I'll follow up with a door or gate. A gate with a somewhat open frame work of steel may provide just emough screening of the painting that it won't look too bad. The openess may create the illusion that there is in fact a tunnel under the bridge. Look for proper credit if the gate or security shutters make the scene . I'm thinking that they were manufactured by the world's first choice for security enclosures. Astro Industires, of course!

Thanks for the idea astro.

Brad

 

Brad,

You sick, sick, man....stop it, you're killing me! I swear I'm ready to tear mine up everytime I look at your track. Get out here and help me redo my layout!

 

I've made a little more progress on the underpass that I'd like to share with you all. I've completed the storm drains that are located at the base of the underpass and have completed the road surfacing. Thanks to a timely suggestion from Spamodeller, I used drywall joint compound for the road. It proved to be a great material to simulate concrete. The apprearance is spot on and it is very easy to work with. It's even cheap to boot! Thanks again, Spamodeller! Here's what it's looking like at this moment:

I plan to add some rubble in areas at the base of the retaining walls as well as some weeds and such sprouting up the some of the cracks in the concrete. I'll also be adding some lighting under the bridge and possibly a couple of fixtures on the retaining walls. I'll be making the bridge railing and fence/railings on the tops of the retaining walls. Thanks for checking in on my progress.

Brad