Index: this page
1st   Part 1 Begin construction of layout addition
2nd  Part 2Layying out old west town
3rd   Part 3 Solve last minute details

All pages of this build
Part 1 the start, layout table, Minuscule Mtn. w/ Schmidts Mine & 3 hill climbs
Part 2 build Cathedral Rock, rope bridge and Twin Arches
Part 3 Start river, expand table, small arch bridge, detailing east of the river
Part 4 Minuscule Mtn fence rock spire w/Wile E coyote, greenery and small details
Part 5 Painting walls-Nothing to do with layout progress
Part 6 Start West of river add small balance rocks (fried eggs)
Part 7 Basically done add dynamite shack, minor changes, future plans, 3/2024
Part 8,9,10 Picking up last few months before move 3/24-9/24
Part 11 This page, building the new crawler layout addition

Part 11 finishing up expansion. Though making videos along with these web pages I slacked off on adding pages after part 7 and also taking photos. Trying to catch up to current layout state.)

Part ,8910 left off with layout moved and new table added.

Got the new layout deck built on another old dinette. Its currently 4' x 6'2". Getting to this point was a huge milestone. I assume 50% chance cutting and moving layout would end in total disaster. Things just kinda fell into place with a lot of luck. Now the fun starts...

Part 1 of new layout
begin construction of layout addition.

Several days later...Got base laid, 2" thick 4'x8' sheet of foam board.. Started carving few features. Extending lava rock river into new layout cut foam base. Cut up another box to start new mountain climb.

Already see new mountain climb is going to take up a lot of room on new addition. For more room cut box to allow crawling under & thru.

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The actual climbs up & down taking some thought.

Started gluing some foam to box to make look more like a hill. Got the climb up done, it fans out to bottom so different paths up. Now to get down.

And done, plan changed so return down turns back toward climb up. Also put on columns to keep more driving space open.

Just view from back, not quite what I had envisioned but it'll work, actually fun.

Painted. Still need to highlight/dry brush. Even scaling back, trying to minimize foot print, this took up over half of new table. But reason for addition.

Now to look at second reason-adding old west town to layout.

Part 2
Old West town on layout plan changed

I only have couple of buildings made but needed to see how this was going to be incorporated. Sort of to scale they take up a lot of room. Thought I'd be able to drive thru town but kinda 'bland'.

Ended up extending table 6" to get a drive around.

Can still drive 'thru' town. I elevated section under town 2" and carved down to create this whoop-d-do section around it. So I can have my old west town and still some additional area to crawl this end of table

Pondering the town I stopped to highlight and fill river with lava rock.

Added rock to seperate town from mountain and as backdrop. Starting to prime, things changed. Area that town occupies is big...having second thoughts on giving up space for it

Continuing priming, I was running low on primer. I used some old wall paint on flat surfaces. Seeing the different colors is when I realized I could cut a piece of 1/8" luan and make the old west town removable.

Cut a template to transfer to plywood. Cutting one to install old west town and another for crawler feature. Get to have both! build my old west town but still have full use of the table for crawling. Actually I could make different removable crawler features to 'plug in'. Stoked. I really wanted the town but sacrificing are seemed it wasn't going to happen.

I only have couple of buildings so going to start the crawling feature. Added 2 arches connecting new mounting climb to town area. I had thought about earlier but with the old town under decided folks would drive and land on building so nixed. Now with planned rock pile ther back

Just carved foam I inserted couple bamboo skewers to add rigidity.

And rock pile started...

Few details and painted. For something that wasnt in the works pretty stoked. Tied into the main mountain gives a lot more options for driving. Odd how sometimes allowing spontaneus changes end up with way more than planned.

Part 10
Fixing some issues

The drive around of town area on both sides ended up too narrow, to the point of driveing off edge.

Not enough room to add barrier This side is worse but the other side not much better.

Added 2x4 to edge for room to add barrier where driving off edge likely.

and the other side

To keep from hitting the ground but does add some visual interest.

Last area is between the mountain and town area...kinda skipped over. Had some ideas, maybe teeter totter or pit, but just want to finish so I can start the border work

What I came up with, simple sand wash. Carved down about an inch an glued painted sand into cut. If down the road I want to add feature area is flat. Alowed to finish painting.

Finish the border work and we'll be done with new course expansion. Now its starting the Old west town. Likey will be adding detail plants etc, add features when an idea occurs, maybe some more rock spires.

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