Weekend Update 7-12-2009

[John]

Ok, whats everyone up to ..

For me, a little side trip to Maine ..

Rode the Maine Eastern excursion from Brunswick to Rockland ..


Had a lobstah lunch .. then back ..

A couple of interesting industries




A snow plow



An industry for the Dragon cement hoppers - might find a place on the layout



Some of Guilford's finest ... out and about in Lewiston on Saturday

[up1950s]

Beaver Logging Co 140-142

[Dave V]

No pics for me since our good camera died (got sand in it), but started the benchwork for the yard extension for the N scale Juniata Division.

The table consists of a 24"-wide hollow core door with telescoping, folding H-shaped legs (just like the main layout) that will connect in an L shape with the existing layout.  This time around I'm using Atlas code 55 track.  The plan for the yard consist of a pair of staging trakcs, a yard lead/drill track, 4 bowl tracks, a cabin track, and a switchback that then leads to a 3-track diesel shop and 2 pit tracks.  There will be enough "steamy" stuff like a standpipe and water tower so it will work for 1956 PRR as well as my CR 1980.

Today will be adding the legs and laminating the Styrofoam base to the table.  I'll probably hold off on fascia until I determine what, if any, terrain contours I'll be adding.

[asciibaron]

discussed the layout plan with the boos - she said it's ok to extend past the alcove to the fireplace as long as it doesn't look like crap.  her fear is it will be an eyesore.  the plan moves forward and now i just need to square up a date with the VP of Wood Processing in Cambridge.

[JoeD]

Hopefully will finish the CR boxcar from a few weeks ago (post shading)

Also picked up a Berkshire and noodling around what it will take to make a Whaleback Tender and do minimal conversions to SP http://hosteamcentral.com/images/BAL-284-SP-B1-Berkshire-rside1.jpg.  I have an old brass 2-8-0 with a Whaleback and love the look, was looking for something on the mainline I could put one of those on, and found enough info to start working on it.  Hopefully I will have it done and running for the Milwaukee Trainfest this year.

Joe

[eric220]

I made two accomplishments this week.  I got most of the last security plant installed on my layout.  This time, I got brave enough to install the ladders on the signals.  Like most things that I seem to be apprehensive about that I haven't tried, they were really quite simple.



My second accomplishment is also shown here.  I dragged out some of my old ER Models BF-16's (Baldwin RF-16 for the non-Pennsy) and gave them some good thorough running time.  I've never had much luck with these; they always ran too slowly.  After a couple of hours of good solid breaking in, they're running quite nicely!  The lead unit in these photos started out at 19 SMPH at full throttle, the other two at about 27.  By the time I was done, all three were running at 45 SMPH.  No speed records, but very acceptable for heavy-haulin' road freights.



Of course, to say that they sound like a Norelco razor is not terribly flattering to Norelco...

[BCR 570]

Wednesday was a big day for the Dawson Sub as the north wall benchwork was brought home and re-hung, this time with the lighting installed.  The benchwork totals 13 feet in length and hangs above the Pine River scene and the helix.  Here is what it looks like at eye level with some flash assist:






and here is what it looks like with no other light in the room:






The layout is now 2/3 complete with respect to benchwork construction and light installation.  Detailed design work will now begin on the sections for the west wall which will connect the two halves of the layout.  This is where they will go:




The distance to be spanned on the lower deck is 8'-1", and a little less for the upper deck and top canopies.  This photograph also illustrates the challenges of building a layout in an apartment bedroom which must remain functional as such!


I have also completed a PGE chip car.  This is built from a resin shell offered by Sidney Models and detailed with Intermountain and Precision Scale Co. brake parts, etched grab irons and ladders, etc.:






As you can see, the model has sagged somewhat due to the thin wall construction.  Ironically this was a problem with the prototype Vancouver Iron Works cars.  This will do until I have time to scratchbuild some better ones, but in the meantime it gives me a car from the PGE's first series of purpose-built chip cars, as well as a car which still had its block letters in 1977.


Tim

[asciibaron]

Tim - the BCR looks awesome - that bridge is killer.  this is how i want my dream layout to look - shadowbox with epic scenes.

good stuff.

-steve

[chuck geiger]

The second pix of the industry on John's trip looks like a Pikestuff kit? - Also isn't the BCR one
of the most visually pleasing presentation we seen in a while. Back to the armchair for me.

[John]

The second pix of the industry on John's trip looks like a Pikestuff kit? -

I think you are right .. this could be modeled pretty nicely with a pkikestuff kit, and a walthers tank kit

[asciibaron]

that BCR is nothing, wait til you see the L&HR - it will be pimp'n!

[Caleb Austin]

Good stuff as always.

Me, I moved my layout to a different spot. Before, it was wedged in an alcove in the wall and that prevented me from getting to certain photo angles.

So I pulled it out and plopped a table under it.


Heres one of the angles I couldn't get at before...

Messed with the lighting to make it look like sunrise...

[71jeep]

Hey guy's here is a couple of cabin cars I finished between this week and last.


[img width= height=]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_UCxx9-03Evg/SlpyI1XCYpI/AAAAAAAAARs/Y7MwGZw0GMU/s400/IMG_1593.JPG[/img]




Allen....

[chuck geiger]

What I love about ENVIRO'S layout is the simplicity, that scream realism. It
looks awesome, I want to know what's on the other side? The levels and
layers of background trees and mountains are very well represented.

[sizemore]

Good stuff as always.

Me, I moved my layout to a different spot. Before, it was wedged in an alcove in the wall and that prevented me from getting to certain photo angles.

So I pulled it out and plopped a table under it.


Heres one of the angles I couldn't get at before...

Messed with the lighting to make it look like sunrise...

Just a quick bit of advice, you may want to consider putting a curtain in the window, like linen. It will disburse the light a tad and prevent fading of scenery or painted items.

Otherwise great work!

The S.