Weekend Update 11/21/21

[up1950s]

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https://weta.org/watch/shows/reactions/how-fry-thanksgiving-turkey-without-burning-your-house

https://www.thehighline.org/blog/2017/11/01/from-frozen-turkeys-to-park-visitors-a-history-of-what-the-high-line-carried/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/196539971214181138/

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http://thepinkepost.com/2014/06/worlds-largest-turkey-bbq/

[Bob]

I haven’t done a thing with the layout over the summer but with fall upon us I can again turn my attention to the layout.  I’ve started by making my next batch of SuperTrees – I really like how these turn out, but don’t like the spindly trunks – at least for trees in the foreground.  I had taken to painting on layers of latex rubber to thicken the trunks and am reasonably happy with the outcome, but there are three issues that detract from this approach.  First, the rubber gives off a strong smell of ammonia so you need a very well ventilated area.  Second, each layer of rubber is quite thin so a fair number (6 to 7) of coats are needed to thicken the trunk to an appropriate width.  Third, even after painting the rubber-coated surface looks too smooth and ‘shiny’.  The photos below show an example.

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I have now tried using saw dust, though I am sure others have done this and I have missed the post.  I suspect that in model railroading the same wheel is reinvented many times! The photos below show what in N scale would be an 80-foot tall tree with an 8” diameter trunk – not very sturdy (photo 1)!  I brushed diluted (50:50 with water) matte medium on the trunk and lower main branches.  I then sprinkled on saw dust that had first been passed through a relatively fine metal filter (photo 2).  After drying a bit, I brushed on more matte medium and applied a second layer of sawdust (photo 3) and then followed this with a final application (photo 4).  The trunk is now a scale 2.5 feet in diameter.  I then painted the tree gray, applied foliage, and then bushed weather powders on the trunk to give some color variation (I used too much dark powder).

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The advantages of this approach over latex are that there is no smell, it is faster because each layer of sawdust is equivalent to at least two layers of latex, and the end result is a tree trunk with both a flat surface and a rough texture.  It is also quite fast – you can put the layers on quickly, but I learned that after the final layer you must let everything dry completely or your carefully constructed tree trunk may not withstand handling.  While I won’t do this for all trees, I suspect I will do this for trees in the foreground – it just is not that much work.

[mu26aeh]

And if you think ahead, you can save all your sawdust from benchwork construction to complete a forest of tree trunks

[thomasjmdavis]

I've been working on some stand in Erie coaches (modified MTL single window that will vaguely resemble 1100 series), but still not happy enough with them to show here (striping is not my forte).  Maybe next week...

In the meantime, I have been working on some working class housing for the 1/160 railroad crews and industrial workers.  Still need glass and curtains, but I am happy with the progress so far. This is one of the 3D prints by a seller on eBay who goes by hdcustomdesign, discussed here:
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=52896.0

[bbussey]

Finished two more pieces for the RBB&B consist, a Case L1 tractor and a dolly to carry one of the Caterpillar D7 crawlers.

[TiogaTracks]

After neglecting model railroading for a couple months, I discovered a layout space I didn’t know I had, and a little just-for-fun layout sprang up.  Yeah, it’s just random buildings on the vast Plywood Plains, but I’m enjoying it.  Maybe I do something more serious with this while I wait for decent outdoor railroading weather?  We’ll see.

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The whole layout.  4 feet wide by 11.5 feet long, with another 20’ or so of staging track to be added along the far wall.

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Trolleys rule the roost here, mostly my two Baltimore cars and trio of Philly PCC streetcars.

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The classic scene of a budget-built traction line crossing the big steam road.

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Brake lights aglow, PTC 2012 descends from the trestle and heads into town.  That nifty building is a Sesame Street toy!

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Waiting for the trolley.

-Steven

[davefoxx]

Construction of the SAL station in Aberdeen, North Carolina is just about finished, and the model will soon be off to the paint shop:



DFF

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Making progress on my MBTA FP10. The front stripes were especially difficult due to the fact the area needed four color masks. Some of the rough edged were fixed with decals. The rest will be fixed with weathering. #1114 was filthy by the end of her career and that's how I plan to model this engine. To that end, the MBTA purple is a special fade blend I made for older equipment.

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[sirenwerks]

Making progress on my MBTA FP10.

(Attachment Link)

Nice, Daniel!

[BCR 570]

I have had three enjoyable evenings this week undertaking alterations to the layout sections for Chetwynd and Dawson Creek.  The work involves enlarging or drilling new passage holes, and revisions to the wiring for connecting to the new layout sections which are to come.  At present the layout sections are set up on their backs on sawhorses so now is the time do get this work done.

Chetwynd Yard before:




Chetwynd Yard after shortening aux bus back to rear of layout, and providing terminal blocks for it and track buses:




Dawson Creek before:




Dawson Creek after extending aux bus, providing terminal blocks for it and track bus, and repairing LED light strip:




Next up is removal of some track to facilitate the extensions, and some backdrop removal and replacement.


Tim

[PiperguyUMD]

Wrapped up several locomotive projects this week.

Completed my fleet of WM F units:


Finished the tender shell for my WM K2 pacific:


So happy to have sourced a motor for the next project, WM VO660 103


More info in my WM Free-moN thread.

[BCR 570]

I also finished my HSC and RMC woodchip cars this week, filling a significant gap in my freight car fleet:



BCOL 90414 'A' end and left side view; one of 100 cars built by Hawker Siddeley in 1973.




BCOL 90539 'B' end and right side view; one of 400 cars built by Railwest Manufacturing 1975-76.


I now have three of the 90341-90440 series built by HSC (one car was already completed and received some decal corrections):





And I now have nine of the 90441-90840 series built by RMC (the white demonstrator car was already completed):




My attention now turns back to finishing the Vancouver Iron chip cars, for which decals are arriving soon.

Tim

[dnhouston]

Making slow progress on the stockyard.  Adding feed troughs and finished up the fencing.  Still need water troughs, and lots of cows!

[John]

Well -- My Anycubic Mono saga continues ..

My MONO SE is junk - firmware 1.7 .. it failed on the 2nd day -- The menu screen stopped working - support sent a new screen slow boat from China -- still didn't work. Support now says its a motherboard problem .. waiting another 3 weeks to get package from China .. picked up a motherboard from Amazon Anycubic store .. installed yesterday .. menu came up fine -- printed a test print today -- menu either stops updating, while the print plate continues, or eventually goes back to white screen .. seems to freeze computer - I'm using a good USB formatted properly ... will try one more time when the new motherboard comes in --if that doesn't fix it -- in the dumpster

Late breaking news -- New motherboard was shipped express -- arrived today .. only a week .. will install that this weekend to see if we can finally fix piece of crap

[carlso]

Completed my fantasy heritage Black Widow pain project :



Stay well !