Kyle, looks like you've got a good start on the move and a plan for the new layout.
Hope everything continues to go smoothly.

Thanx Mike, thanx Larry C., thanx Rick, I can't follow along on your adventure Rick, (I'm not on any social media thingies like facebook) but I'll bet you're having a real great time. So it means alot when you stop by to 'check in' on the 'goings-on' around the old BGRR. Monday I began removing more of the plaster rock scenery so as to 'lighten the load' for the move. While I was doing that, I had an epiphany that will change a great deal of what's fixing to happen. I realized that it would be easier to remove the 10 inch extension, and all the 'rock work' on the peninsula section (bringing it back to 4x8 or 4'3"x8') and just keep it that way. With the legs removed it's just a 4x8 'table top'. I also realized that if I don't have anything besides track, a bridge, and scenery on the back side, I can push it flush against the wall (backdrop), and do the same with the 26"x8' yard/roundhouse section on the other side of the room, and connect them with a 14"x7' "shelf" section (which already exists on the layout). This will leave the center of the room open. The 'living room/ sleeping room' is 14' wide and 12' deep with a 4'window centered on the 14' wall. I realize it's really small, but it's only me. Besides, my twin bed (I'm looking at a memory foam 3/4 sized bed (48"x75")) fits under the 4x8 section, and is out of the way till I go to bed. I have no other furniture to speak of except 2 office chairs made in New York in 1968 (which I've had since 1984) that I LOVE; so everything else will fit in just fine. All I'll have to do is modify some of the existing trackage, in order to have a modified 'around the room' layout. Track plan to follow along with a floor plan showing how everything will 'fit'. The kitchen and bathroom (both full size) are separate rooms from the 'BIG' room, and there's a pantry in the kitchen, and a closet in the 'BIG' room, the water heater is in a closet in the bath. I put some 'doodles' on the floor plan for a little 'clarity'. I'll draw some more backdrop sketches for a complete 'mockup'. Till then here's what I've done so far......................Hey...I'm gonna actually live in my own train room........WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

KYLE CREEL
SUPT., GM BGRR
stay tuned..........

Here's the 'new' track plan....

here's the floor plan, blue arrows show where the roll top desk, speakers, and bed will be located under the layout. The black chair on the right will slide over and under the yard section at bed time. The bed (a twin bed in the drawing) will slide out for sleeping. The whole apartment has new vinyl plank flooring throughout, so sliding the stuff around will be easy.

here's a partial mockup of the new ideas..........



Here's some shots of the 'modifications' to the layout so far. Sadly, I think 'OL FLATHEAD' will have to go, in order to see the new canyon cliffs that will be added that will 'blend into the backdrop'...........


I hope some of this makes sense, anyways see ya next time.............................................. .

Kyle, it's taking shape nicely.

Good mornin' fellas; THE ICE IS MELTING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! REPEAT------"THE ICE IS MELTING"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow that was a wild ride. Oh well back to what I'm supposed to be doing.....I 'cleaned up' the track plan and added a sort of "geo-topographical-birds eye view-imagineered" map.
Hope it looks ok.......stay tuned, more scenery to be removed today. (I'll do my laundry tonight)
KYLE CREEL
SUPT., GM BGRR

I looked at the above rendering and decided it needed to be 'rendered' "MO BETTA". So I did another one, 'installed' it on the track plan and here it is. I also took a shot of just the map by itself.....

KYLE CREEL
SUPT., GM BGRR
now I gotta go do my laundry.........

Looking really cool, Kyle.

I love the sketch and backdrop 'mock-up' back on page 55. It works really well to help visualise the finished project. Your planning is outstanding. Very interesting to read along.

Cheers, Mark.

Kyle you're going to have the best of both worlds; train and living area all in one. At least you won't have to go far.
I wouldn't be too concerned about the smaller layout size. My "Caz Coal-and -Wood RR" is a point to point @ 16"
deep and 6' long and I've been having a ball with it for the past 2 years and It's not done yet.

Kyle,

I like the direction you are going. The new track plan makes sense; it offers both mountain mainline and switching opportunity.

Mike

Good evening fellas !! Thanx Mark, thanx Larry C., and Thanx Michael. Well as fate would have it (or more correctly) the more I work on my plan (Mark, thanx for noticing), the more I keep coming back to a few SERIOUS considerations. SIZE, WEIGHT, and MOBILITY. The configuration as planned, and currently displayed above, FAILS ON ALL 3 !!!!!! So...you say, what's he to do now ???? No worries, I got this ...IN SPADES!!!!!!! Check it out... ALL the scenery will be removed for the move; got it. That takes care of the weight issue. Re design the track plan using fewer components from the old RR.; got it. Less to move. THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX while redesigning the layout and track plan so as to only have to move 2 (TWO) sections; got it. Get rid of the 'new' end piece section built for the roundhouse, and relocate the roundhouse on the old yard section, which is only 5' 3" long and 26' deep. Use my head and come up with a different yard plan; (now I don't have to move the whole 8' section, or 2 sections one 35"x26" the other 5'3'' x 26'): got it. While you're at it, attach the yard section in a different location on the layout so as to take advantage of all the viewing/photo angles, as well as enhancing PLAYING WITH THE TRAINS !!!!!!!!!! Now go to it. Here is what I came up with; a new, smaller, easier to move and more fun to look at and play with RAILROAD. The new BLACKROCK & GRIZZLY RR........I have all new shots of the apt. floorplan with the RR. Some shots of the track plan in detail; and some mockups of the new scenery configuration 'ON THE RR', as well as some backdrop mockups. Stay tuned.......................
Thanx for following along, any thoughts or suggestions are always welcome.........

KYLE CREEL
SUPT., GM BGRR

First up the floorplan, the rolltop desk fits under the layout....



Now the new track plan.......note the standard gauge track, and interchange track at BLACKROCK....



And now the shots of the backdrop sketch and mockup.......This first one shows the new yard location, and behind on the backdrop is MT. KAMPHUES; to the right is the position where 'TWO HORNS' rock formation will be against the backdrop.


this one and the next one show the layout with the backdrop on the right hand side 'closed' for photos or when not in use; and 'open' when in use.....




The backside of this corner portion of the backdrop which you see when entering the room will also be done in pastels.....



this is the view of the 'front' side of the above mentioned 'corner'......



and now some views from about 'normal viewing height.......







If you're still awake and interested, here's some shots of the REAL SCENERY mocked up in its' future location. The ARCH was removed, rotated 180 degrees, and shifted so now the repositioned track runs under it. OL' FLATHEAD also got repositioned to create a 'crevice' between itself and the ARCH. WOODS' RIDGE will now 'grace the corner' approaching GRIZZLY from DILAPIDATED, pine trees to follow. I also swapped out the bridge that was in place over the 'gulch' with the one that used to span the canyon. It has a left hand turnout at the end in just the right place, the embankment will be 'brought out' to meet the end of the bridge and an abutment installed to match the other end.....After this weekend all the scenery that hasn't been removed will be, and all the scenery will get packed up for the move. After that it's DEMO TIME !!!!!!!!!!!



Well, that's about it for now. Hope everyone's eyes and brain aren't to badly damaged from 'photo overload'. Thanx again and stay tuned, it's just "gettin' good".......
KYLE CREEL
SUPT., GM BGRR

Kyle, that mockup is a cool way to plan the layout. I really like the background scenery sketches perpendicular to the layout track plan. Looking forward to the build. ~mike

Kyle,

The sketches give an excellent impression of how the layout will look.

No reason to cut corners at this stage; time to plan things to meet your criteria and build an interesting and fun railroad.

When do you move everything?

Mike

Kyle you sure have it going on!!! This will be one seriously nice RR when finished and I'm looking forward
to following along on your new adventure.

Kyle, looks like you'v got a good plan.
Will be fun following your progress.

Thanx Mike, thanx Michael, thanx Larry C., and Rick on the road (w/his dog), thanx also; Mark and I had breakfast this morning, and came back to the house. We then proceeded to 'GIT AFTER THE DEMOhOhOhOhOh'...............Here's some shots documenting our 'efforts'........... Alcohol; (2 beers for me, one for the man that had to drive) was involved after the 'RUKUS' was concluded........ Some cleanup was done THANX MARK !!!! that would've looked great if I hadn't been running around constantly scattering debri as I went about the 'demo process'.......Anyways, no harm, no foul....all's fair in trains n' war.

stay tuned........

KYLE CREEL
SUPT., GM BGRR










sorry about the 'crappy ones', here's what we've packed and removed so far............

all for now..............................................

Ouch! But it had to be done.