Weekend Update 1/09/11

[eric220]

My new basement is getting dangerously close to being done!  The walls and ceiling are textured and primed, the ceiling is painted, lighting has been installed, and the trim on the window, half wall, and alcove have been installed.  On Wednesday, the electrician returns to finish the electrical.  There are two separate 15-amp circuits powering the outlets in the room, as well as a dedicated circuit for the lights.  We also finally settled on a tile-print vinyl for the floor.  Hopefully, in one of the next installments of Weekend Update, I will be able to show off a completely finished room!

[seusscaboose]

Lookin' good!

[MEC_FAN]

Ian, thanks for posting the video pretty cool, hope you can get some free time to come back down, maybe a weekend session!! Have played around painting the backdrop after seeing Eric's work on the his Housitonic RR got me fired up to do it. Have also been doing some ballasting and scenery work. The ballast is Jon's home brew and I like it a lot, the gravel on the banking is Scenic Express Natural Stone (SE0403) nice stuff. The banking will probably get static grass, brush and scrub applied down the road.
Will be building some new stone bridge abutments like the ones Jon built for his bridge and working on the roadway real soon.

[BCR 570]

My brand new Alps MD5000 printer arrived. Now to begin learning the secrets of decals.

I will be interested to hear how you make out.  Decals (or the lack thereof) are my single greatest frustration in the hobby at the moment.  I have models waiting for decals which don't exist.

Tim

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I've been busy lately (relatively).

I did a study using a CR right of way diagram to see how it looks in practice:
http://www.multimodalways.org/archives/rrs/CR/CR%20Standard%20Plans/CR%20Standard%20Plans.html




I wasn't happy with it, it looks too wide to me, like there are tracks missing, so I went with something narrower in practice, when I started carving the next section of the layout:

[TrainCat2]

I have models waiting for decals which don't exist.

You canucks will have several more waiting if I have anything to do with it.  ;D

[TrainCat2]

I wasn't happy with it, it looks too wide to me, like there are tracks missing, so I went with something narrower in practice, when I started carving the next section of the layout:

Agreed. Any overhead pics of the newly carved sections?

[tehachapifan]

Great stuff!!

For no particular reason and with plently other things I should do first, I decided to start another cantilever grade crossing signal. This signal will be positioned as shown on a 90 degree curve in the highway at the bottom of a hill, hence the sharply angled lights, skewed cantilever and the placement of the signal on the right side of the road. Not entirely sure if the prototypes would do it this way, but...







Russ

[wm3798]

Installed the subroadbed for the Cumberland Station area, and proceeded with some track laying.


Looking toward Knobley Tunnel and Maryland Junction beyond.  The chasm will be filled ultimately with Wills Creek and the steel beam bridge, and the plywood that goes off to the right is the brewery siding.


The B&O interchange track that cuts off next to the station.  I toyed with the idea of running a longer siding up the wall under the helix, but that's a little too remote, and would be asking for trouble.

Next chore for this area will be building the control panel for the local tortoises, and getting them installed.  After that, I'll be working on closing up the scenery along US 40 to get ready for the final installation of Wills Creek.  We're moving right along.  Hopefully the supplies will hold out at least until the household economics improve a little more.

Lee

[GaryHinshaw]

So Gary did you bring any Floquil burried in the car like drugs ? I don't think they have Floquil sniffing Moose trained yet .

No Floquil, but I did bring a can of Rustoleum rusty metal primer: Tom showed me what a great base it makes for weathered trucks & wheels. 

-gfh

[Iain]

Well, the new Bachmann trolly has got me wanting to do the Norfolk Southern Electric Division in the early teens.  With the 4-6-0 and MDC and Model Power Moguls, and MP 4-4-0, I can very easily aquire the steam necessary.  The problem lies with period freight cars.  As the Electric Division only occaisionaly had any sort of passenger equipment besides trollies, I can get away without any.

Of course, I have room enough in the layout room for three door layouts, easily.  I don't want to do anything permanent in there because the house is for sale.

I did get a 4-6-0 and have started modifications to turn it into a NS D4.  First project is to do the tender, which looks like this:

http://rr-fallenflags.org/ns-s/ns-s-s541ahv.jpg
(NS E3)


I also have started working on a gourd banjo.  I'd like to finish that in time to get decent with it so I can play it at Merlefest here in a few months.

[Puddington]

Well, 60' number 4084 went into service.....



Now we finish it's sister.....

[Pomperaugrr]

Great progress everyone!

Ed:  I like the ground countours you are carving!

John/MEC Fan:  The backdrop adds nice depth to yoyr scenes.

I have no progress to report, but I hope to change that by the end of next weekend.

Eric

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Thank Eric, it's a real pain in the butt once the cut depth exceeds the length of the knife or saw I'm using, but it's coming along.

And anything that I don't like, I can always fix with drywall compound.

[MEC_FAN]

Thanks Eric,

The colors look better in person than in the photo, maybe see you at Springfield if your going.

John