As of early February 2014 the basement finishing is now complete!

A couple shots:

the area where Chetwynd will be

Dawson Creek will be above the workbench

And looking down the aisle where the wye to Mackenzie will be (upper level)

Now for a little clean up then onto installing the lighting valance…

It’s been far too long since my last post, ironically I’ve been busy working on the layout room and have had little time for a blog post!

So the drop ceiling is in place above Chetwynd Yard, and I have added extra room lighting as well as the lighting for the top deck:

In the imag below you can see the lighting for the top deck, as well as the 1X2 support for the masonite valance, which I will add later. 

The image below shows the next section of ceiling that I am working on. I need to install a light and a heat vent before adding the rest of the tiles and the lighting for the top deck. Top deck lighting is a mix of 8 and 4 foot fluorescent lights with T8 bulbs

Spent a couple hours on New Year’s Day finishing the laminate floor.

Looking at the future site of Chetwynd yard:

Now to start measuring the roof sections to figure out the layout for the suspended ceiling. Good thing I got a few gift cards this Christmas!

Just finished hauling 36 boxes of 12mm Attic brand Pewter laminate flooring into the basement. I think I’m good for a couple of stiff drinks and a night in front of the TV!

I also bought some good quality underlay for the floor. Its the same stuff I installed in our old house and it is worth the money. After letting the new laminate settle with the temperature of the basement, I’ll start putting it down.

Well, almost. I need to buy 13 more Dricore panels, but I’ll wait until Friday to do that. Yesterday I found some 12mm laminate flooring I like, so the plan is to purchase and haul the laminate home next weekend.

In the image we are looking at the center peninsula of the layout, Chetwynd will be around the corner to the left, and to the right (where the pile of stuff is currently sitting) will be the mainlines for the Dawson Creek and the Prince George sub (one above the other). The layout will wrap around the stud wall in the center of the image.

Home Depot saved me a little work, although it took a 1/2 hour to round up an employee that #1 Could think for themselves

and #2 Could drive a forklift

So we have 120 Dricore panels in the back of my truck waiting to be carried downstairs:

After much grunting and swearing, the panels are now in the basement. Added to the 50 I already bought, I only need to buy 39 more. That will be next weekend’s project…..

I painted the drywall in the room with a good high quality paint (Behr Slate Grey). I did not bother mudding and taping all the drywall in the basement, since 98% of it will be covered by benchwork and backdrops.

Area where Chetwynd Yard will be built:

Looking towards Dawson Creek Yard:

Next up is the purchase and installation of 209 Dricore floor panels, followed by some laminate flooring. The Dricore panels look like this:

The black part is the bottom, and the top part looks like sub floor. This floor material, in addition to some good quality 12mm laminate should provide a comfortable area to work and operate the layout.

I should add I am NOT looking forward to moving 209 panels from the store to my basement!

I decided very early on that before any layout benchwork was built, I would have a finished basement (walls, floor, ceiling). I want a comfortable space for me and my operators to enjoy the layout year round. So, step 1: frame up the utility room and dividing wall for the layout!

Furnace room framed up:

(All those boxes are full of train stuff)

The wall that will divide both upper and lower main lines (plus a generous amount of Hoard)

Drywall is currently hung, and with the layout occupying most of the outside walls I only need to mud and tape a small section, which is good cause I suck at mudding and taping! All the drywall will get painted to seal it before the layout goes in.

And part of the loco fleet sits locked in their boxes, waiting for the layout…..