Seething, IL
It took a few false starts to come up with this plan, and to stick to it! Currently on the 3rd set of boards, and god knows how many changes of plan, which is most unlike me…quiet at the back!!! Originally the layout was set in the UK but a gnawing interest in US railroads has prompted me to ‘Americanize’ the setting.
Baseboards & Trackwork
The two 4ft long baseboards were built in the traditional method 9mm ply atop 3″ by 2 ” timber, a bit heavy but solid! Simple ‘H’ frame legs slot between blocks screwed to the insides of the sideframes and the boards are held together by 8mm bolts & t-nuts. The boards where then covered in 5mm foamboard (bought in A1 sheets from Hobbycraft). The top of the baseboards sit 44″ above the floor, giving a nearer eye-level view point.
A scenic extension board, 12″ long was built to the left hand side of the layout, prior to the layout’s first exhibition appearance, this has allowed the sector plate to be completely hidden.
The trackwork and points are Peco code 75, I modified the pointwork as per this method. After adding dropper wires, the trackwork was stuck down initially using double-sided vinyl flooring tape, which allows a bit of fine tuning before being weighted down to let the adhesive grab. 3mm by 2mm circular neodymium permanent magnets were originally used for uncoupling, however these are being replaced with a new system which is being described on the Seething, IL Updates page. The sleepers and rail-sides were sprayed with Halfords brown camouflage paint. Woodland Scenics fine brown ballast was then brushed into place and secured with diluted PVA. I took a fair bit of time doing this, working on a small section at time, ensuring the ballast was packed well between the sleepers with very little or no ‘stray’ bits on top of sleepers/stuck to railsides etc. Once the glue was dry, I sprayed a mist of a dark grey primer (picked up cheap from B&M) and weathering powders over the entire ballasted area from all directions to weather it all down.
Electrics & Control
Each section of track has dropper wires soldered to it, which are connected to a DCC bus running the length of the layout. Layout control is by the NCE PowerCab DCC system, in common with the other layouts in our group. Points are motorised by servos, controlled by a Megapoints Servo Controller, switched by macros on NCE handset. The layout can be operated from the from or back, or both at exhibitions.
Stock
A layout of this size doesn’t need much stock, but that hasn’t stopped me picking up a variety of locomotive and stock representing not only Rock Island, but also various ‘local’ railroads, further afield roads and private owner stock. These are a mixture of RTR, modified RTR and kit built parentage. All stock is fitted with Kadee couplers, almost prototypical and work very well!
Structures & Scenics
The few buildings on the layout are dominated by the 5ft long factory which hides the fiddle yard, this is scratchbuilt from plywood, mountboard and embossed plasticard, with most parts cut designed and cut on a Cricut Maker. This has proven to be an invaluable investment for our group, we are only limited by our imagination (and CAD skills!) The white corrugate building in the centre of the layout is again scratchbuilt on a simple foamboard shell, covered in embossed plasticard. The other commercial buildings are kit-bashed Walthers items.
The minimal green scenics feature various hues of static grass and scenic materials from across the many ranges available.
As with my previous layouts, Rockvilla Goods and Gallowmere, shunting (or should I say switching) is the driving force behind this new project.
The layout made its exhibition debut at the Falkirk Show on 18/19th November 2023 and can be seen again at the forthcoming Greenock Show on October 19/20th 2024, 2 days after I come back from the US, so come say hello, quietly as I may be sleeping!
Please ensure to regularly visit the Seething, IL Updates page for information on ongoing changes and improvements!
Exhibition manager details:
Total size: 10ft x 15″
Baseboard height: 44″
1 power point required
Minimum of 3 operators
Layout has own lighting
Layout requires barriers
Transportable in 1 family car
Separate car required for operators
If you would like to book Seething, IL to appear at your exhibition, please send me an email to twelveadmrg@hotmail.co.uk with the subject of Seething.
12AD Model Railway Group 