Beginning construction

April 2008- These are some of the photos when I initially started construction, I used a section of an old Ikea shelving unit for the base and layered cork sheets over top then gluing the track with contact cement.

One of the problems with the code 55 I ran into and to this day still do, is is that the engine wheel spacing doesn't fit between the rails going over a turnout. Its quite noticeable when the engine decides to jump the track or just stop dead after losing current. So to fix this I had to adjust the wheel spacing by dismantling the trucks on the engine and either pulling the wheels apart a few thousands of a inch or move them in. The other problem was with the plastic wheels, some flanges on them were to large and would ride the ties under the rail so I converted all my rolling stock to metal wheels.

Here is my simple switch control device just aluminum tube with wire which I would later make little handles for.

Before I started ballasting I primed the track with burnt umber brown then dry brushed some sierra brown for that rusty look. After that was dry I carefully spread ballast and sprayed it down with a alcohol water mix then soaked it in a 50/50 white glue water mix.