Well I've been in a funk as to which direction to go with my track. So before I went and mess things up I decided to just take a break from it. It was a bit cold during the winter and when spring came I just was not into it.

I kept telling myself I need to get back downstair but I get into these moods where it's better to stay away than to try to make something happen.

After taken in the Ruscar event last weekend it has got me energized to attack it once again.

Here's my progress, not much as I just laid down some paint and will start the scenery soon.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/Tyco4laner081507.jpg


http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/Tyco4lanerIII081507.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/Tyco4lanerII081507.jpg


Tycoarm/Tycosaur

Looks great Tycosaur! :thumbsup:

The new look with the green paint I'm sure will keep you motivated to work on the track again.

Did you get something in the works for a laptimer?

I myself took a few months off, and was real pleased that my reed switches were still working good when I turned on the track again. Not sure why they wouldn't have been, but I just figured I would have issues with something.

Did you see I went and got a bandsaw to do the MDF border thing? I did all the outer borders, but still have a 100 pcs of inner borders that may (or may not) ever make it onto the track. I didn't shim them to match perfectly with the track height, and have not noticed any issues with this yet, although I just started running something other the SG+ in the past couple weeks.

I just used tape to hold my borders down, which seems to be working good, and may have shimmed them a tad at same time.

Anyway, welcome back to the track, and keep posting updates. :wave:

Jeff

Nice!!!

'lil bit of technical, nice long chutes and elevation changes.

Looks like a blast!

Looks great Tycosaur! :thumbsup:

Did you get something in the works for a laptimer?

I myself took a few months off, and was real pleased that my reed switches were still working good when I turned on the track again. Not sure why they wouldn't have been, but I just figured I would have issues with something.
No not yet. I did'nt want to start on them untill I got some of the other things done. But I'm sure I'll have some questions when I do start.


Did you see I went and got a bandsaw to do the MDF border thing?
Jeff
Yeah, I gotta say that you did a great job on them.

Tycoarm/Tycosaur

Beautiful....

Did you use any of the 6" and/or 15" curves, or is that all 9" and 12" curves?

Joe

Beautiful....

Did you use any of the 6" and/or 15" curves, or is that all 9" and 12" curves?

Joe

Just 9's & 12's.

What is the material you used along the elevated secton of track? It looks great from these photos, like some kind of guardrail.

Thanks...Joe

What is the material you used along the elevated secton of track? It looks great from these photos, like some kind of guardrail.

Thanks...Joe
Joe,
I made the guardrail using a piece of 1x2 pine. I ripped into strips, removed some material with the router (to cover the luane board). I then cut some square dowel to size and screwed them in place.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HOGRAILSIII.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HOGRAILSII.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HOGRAILSI.jpg

Hope you don't mind, I printed off a copy of your first pic for a bit of inspiration, eh!
This winter, now that I have some other projects squared away, I will start my 4 lane routed track!

You have created a beautiful layout and it looks to me like a great ballance of technical and speed! I bet you can "hot-lap" like crazy on it! (Wish I was your neighbor, heh!) I have the space, and inspiration, so when the snow flys, I will have the time! WooHOO! Just have to figure out what to do with about 8 miles (seems like, when I have to clean it) of good Tyco track when I am done with the wood track.

Please keep us updated!

Jeez! That looks great! Plese keep us updated on your progress...

Scott

If I only had the room. Very nice work Ty. :thumbsup:

Joe,
I made the guardrail using a piece of 1x2 pine. I ripped into strips, removed some material with the router (to cover the luane board). I then cut some square dowel to size and screwed them in place.


Thanks...it does look good. You plan to run anything between the guard rail posts or leave it as is?

Joe

Thanks...it does look good. You plan to run anything between the guard rail posts or leave it as is?

Joe

Yes,
I've got it ready when the time comes. I ripped some hot water PVC in strips for the railing I'm hoping it turns out ok.
I'm also going to add in some more posts as the distance between each post seems to be a bit spread out.

Tycosaur,

Would love to run on that track. Nice layout...zoom, zoom! 4 lanes of pure car racing fun.

Highs and Lows....yeah baby!

Bob...zilla

I was able to put in some serious time with the track today. Here's today's progress.

Note: I'll be using this thread to post any progress as I go along.

The garage area. I'll be using pink foam for the walls, the spikes are there to keep the walls straight while the glue dries
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HOVI082607.jpg

The lights for under the garage area.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HOII082607.jpg

The overpass and tunnel area.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HOIII082607.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HOIV082607.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HOV082607.jpg

The tracks not finish and aready someone has scraped the wall. :D
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HOVII082607.jpg

Tycoarm/Tycosaur

I musta Blinked..............WOW you really hit her hard!!

Progress breeds excitement breeds more progress!!!
I do believe your going to have a Beauty Track once its completed!!! :)

Dont stop now............Go man Go Get er Done!!! :lol:

It's nice when things seem to just come together. So with that being said here's today's progress.

I got some paint down on this area. I just need a bit more to have this table done.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HOAug082707I.jpg

Rocks along the the overpass.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HOAug082708II.jpg

The garage area, I'm trying to decide on some kind of canopy above the bay doors.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HOAug082707III.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HOAug082707IV.jpg

I hope to get more done tonight.
Tycoarm/Tycosaur

Wow. The garages really look cool. Nice work!!

Looks great!

Those look like rock-croppings in between the track on the left table. I hadn't pictured that, and I like the way they look. If I landscape my track, I need to keep things low, and that type of feature would work good for me.

Excellent work.

That is coming along really, really great! :thumbsup: The slight elevation changes really work well and you are just rocking the pink foam insulation! :eek:

'doba

Thanks everyone for all the thumbs up. Here's a few days progress, I put ten hours in on Sunday. I'm trying to stay on course but ideas just keep popping up and I get a bit side tracked.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HO090407I.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HO090407III.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HO090407IV.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HO090407V.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HO090407VII.jpg


I'm almost done covering the layout with foam and painting. I came up with a few ideas on grandstands, I'll post when I get a few made. I still have to get the pit area done as well.

Tycoarm/Tycosaur

:eek:

WOW!!!!

Just when I start liking my track again,I se pics of something like this track.

Nice work man!!!!!! :thumbsup:

The whole thing is just done so well,from laying the track,the borders,everything looks first class.

Nice job,and thanks for the inspiration!!!!!!

Mike

What I find most impressive is that you did a four laner using only 9" and 12" curves, and it looks great.
Keep it going. Your work is an inspiration to those of us who have yet to undertake "The Great Build".

Joe

Keep it going. Your work is an inspiration to those of us who have yet to undertake "The Great Build".

Joe

DITTO.

Not sure if you've posted this information before, but I'm very interested in the approach you used to construct the guard rails. They look great. :thumbsup:

DITTO.

Not sure if you've posted this information before, but I'm very interested in the approach you used to construct the guard rails. They look great. :thumbsup:

Rudy,

I'll try to put something up as soon as I can on how they were made.

Arman
Tycoarm/Tycosaur

Rudy,

I'll try to put something up as soon as I can on how they were made.

Arman
Tycoarm/Tycosaur

Great!! I'll be looking forward to that.

DITTO.

Not sure if you've posted this information before, but I'm very interested in the approach you used to construct the guard rails. They look great. :thumbsup:

Rudy,

Here's how I made my guardrails.

Here's what you'll need.

One piece of 1/2" hot water pvc. (Menards)
Some 1/4" wood dowel, it's cheap pick up a few. (Menards)
Pkg of #4 3/4" philips screws. (Menards)
Small nails. (to drive through the ripped pvc.) I used nails I bought from the hobby shop for tacking down the track.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HOguardrailI.jpg

First you need to cut the pvc in a length that will be easy to work with, about 4ft. is good. I used a bandsaw for this, now you'll need to cut the 4ft. piece of pvc down the center then rip the two half pieces to the widths you like.

Up next paint the dowel and pvc to the color you choose, when dry cut the dowel into stumps to your desired height. Drill pilot holes in the stumps (about halfway through) I used a drill press for this.

Now place the stumps along the track, I made a jig for this to keep them evenly spaced.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HOguardrailII.jpg

Mark their location and drill through the table and with the #4 3/4" screws secure the stumps from underneath the table (you could use glue for this process as well).

Now place the ripped pvc onto the first stump a secure it with a small spring clamp. Mark the location for the pilot holes at each stump, remove the rail and drill the marked areas (I couldn't find a drill bit small enough to drill a pilot hole through the ripped pvc, So for this I snipped the head off one of the small nails and used it as bit).

It's time to attach the rail. Using some pliers I drove the small nails through the rail and attached it to the stump. Keep the nail straight and drive it through slowly, some of the nail will stick out from the rail stumps so a Dremel with a cut off wheel took care of this.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HOguardrailIII.jpg
Opps I forgot, make sure you place a stump on the back side to keep the pliers from leaving marks and to let the nail go through.

Hope this helped.

Tycoarm/Tycosaur

Neat method -- always interesting to see how people come up with work-arounds.

'doba

I got a set of bleachers done tonight. Made from extruded foam, the fence posts were made from paint stiring sticks and grey vinyl window screen for the catch fence.

Here's the pic's.


http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HObleachersI.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HObleachersII.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HObleachersIII.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HObleachersIV.jpg

I hope to get some grandstands up this week.

Tycoarm/Tycosaur

I am standing and applauding. I look silly, but....
Great job.

Joe

Really nice work. Thanks for the tips.

Sha-zam!!! -- When you get inspired, you get inspired.

-- D

Hey If I come up to Chicago someday Tycoarm can we race at your house?

Can't stop looking at all your pics....Way Sweet Layout!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bob...zilla

Hey If I come up to Chicago someday Tycoarm can we race at your house?

Can't stop looking at all your pics....Way Sweet Layout!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bob...zilla

Sure can, but just give me a shout before ya do.

Sure can, but just give me a shout before ya do.

Cool :cool: ............Will do. Not real soon but, maybe before the snow flies? Would be a great road trip. Heck my Honda Element can even travel in a little snow with it's BFGoodrich All Terrains...ooooh yeah!

Bob...zilla

My 4 laner setup is close to being finished. I'm hoping in a couple of weeks it will finally be done. I got the side walls up this week.

Here are the up to date pic's.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HO092207I.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HO092207II.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HO092207III.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HO092207IV.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HO092207V.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HO092207VI.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HO092207VII.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HO092207VIII.jpg

Tycoarm/Tycosaur

... Bob's coming, so what time should the rest of us all be over? :woohoo: nd (nice job!)

Outstanding!!!!
Thanks for the update!

Great looking setup! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: rr

VERy nice!

AWESOME! Great work from A to B with that track, its come a long way. Looks like a blast to race on and the scenery just adds to it.

A very nice layout indeed! I have been following your progress and have been inspired by many of your track scenery ideas. Great job!!

Thanks again for the kudos everyone, I'm just about done with the
sky boxes I'll posts pic's soon.

Tycoarm/Tycosaur

I was able to finish the sky boxes today. These sit right above the left side of the track.

Here's how they look.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/093007SkyBoxesI.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/093007SkyBoxesIII.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/093007SkyBoxesII.jpg
I am very happy with the way they turned out. I just need to create a banner or billboard with the name of the track.
Lakeside Park is the name of the track.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/LakesideParkVIII.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/LakesideParkVII.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/LakesideParkV.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/LakesideParkIII.jpg

And a short video flyby of Lakeside Park.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fApl1jMoJcE


Tycoarm/Tycosaur

Whoa -- really, really nice job with that! :D

'doba

Nice! Very good work on the sky boxes!!

Those look great, and what a great idea - putting them above the track, and not taking up table space. I have not seen that before.

Nice work!! :thumbsup:

Wow. Nice work, Tycoarm.