Weekend Update 8/7/11

[M.C. Fujiwara]

Sorry I'm late to the party: Lee invited me on Friday right in time for the server to be down.  Cheers!

I've been working a shingles problem (non-medical): never used cedar shingle strips before and trying to figure out how to paint them.
Ended up taking a paper towel to my "Big Jug O' Stain" and blotting them while still on their contact paper.
Added some brown.

Then, before ruin my plank-by-plank engine shed / blacksmith shop, I decided to see how they looked on a small styrene shed:



Seems allright.
Still need to play around with it some more, but I like the slight 3-D effect.
Slipped the exacto blade under rows of shingles to pry up slightly.
Might need to add some powder or dry brush.

Otherwise, it's been an exciting weekend, as I gots me a new camera (WOOT!), one that, unlike my previous point-&-crap, actually allows me to control the focus, aperture, shutterspeed, etc.  I'm walkin' on sunshine (actually, I should take my layout outside...).

So here are some shots of me layout, which my new camera makes look 150% better that it actually does.  (It's like N-scale beer goggles).





(That's the shed before the shingles got to it)





Thanks for looking.

[wm3798]

Welcome aboard, MC.  Outstanding weathering, gorgeous scenery, incredible rolling stock...  Really Big Switch Throw!

(Sorry, that shot was like a hanging curveball... POW!)

Lee

[eric220]

M.C. - Those are some gorgeous shots!  You have quite an eye for photography.  Layout's not bad, either!

[M.C. Fujiwara]

Welcome aboard, MC.  Outstanding weathering, gorgeous scenery, incredible rolling stock...  Really Big Switch Throw!

(Sorry, that shot was like a hanging curveball... POW!)

Lee

Yeahhhhh...
Usually I like to put them inside the track, both to keep them out of view for photos and so locos swinging around curves don't hit them (my Ten-Wheeler got hung up on a couple before I repositioned them inside the curve).
But those are on a 3-way turnout, and, if on the same side, almost bang into each other & make it difficult for me to give it the finger.

I will weather them & dull them.  Maybe some static grass in front to partial view block.

I dunno.

On the "mainline" I cut through the cork to the foam so the handthrows are much lower & so not as obtrusive.
But the 3-way, and the mine sidings on the other side, are on the foam.
I need to rebuild that 3-way anyway, so I might drop the throwbar 1/4' lower into the foam to reduce it's profile.

Wouldn't want Lee poking fun at my "catapults" for the rest of my life.

[ednadolski]

So here are some shots of me layout

Awesome pics!   Very impressive! 

Ed

[DKS]

Usually I like to put them inside the track, both to keep them out of view for photos and so locos swinging around curves don't hit them (my Ten-Wheeler got hung up on a couple before I repositioned them inside the curve).
But those are on a 3-way turnout, and, if on the same side, almost bang into each other & make it difficult for me to give it the finger.

Welcome aboard! Outstanding work, sir, quite outstanding.

Suggestion for the eyesore ground throw: if you can back it away from the track just a bit more, perhaps you might be able to drop a small shack of some sort over it for photos, and pop it off for ops.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

It wouldn't be the Railwire if we didn't start out by telling you what you're doing wrong!

Here's another possible solution: http://conrail1285.com/news.asp?storyid=31 It's how to hide them below grade.

[DKS]

It wouldn't be the Railwire if we didn't start out by telling you what you're doing wrong!

Here's another possible solution: http://conrail1285.com/news.asp?storyid=31 It's how to hide them below grade.

Ed, I do have to wonder a little... how you can really call that "hiding" the ground throws, when they're more or less still out in plain sight...! (insert winkie thingie here)

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Well, people call something hiding the so, and so, but everyone knows where it is.

It's kinda like the same thing. Except very, very different.

[M.C. Fujiwara]

Thanks for all the compliments and destroying my fragile ego by criticizing my oversized hand throws
Don't mean to hijack the Weekend Update thread, so I'll start posting my construction thread and you can tell me all the things I'm doing wrong there.
Cheers!

[pnolan48]

Outstanding work!

[seusscaboose]

Wowie Zowie...   Tennis Anyone?

[wm3798]

Santa came early today, leaving a box of surplus bits, pieces and vehicle kits from one of our many kind souls.  Fortunately the package arrived after I had already started my yard work (the kind that involves rakes and shovels, not car cards and waybills) so after a cursory glance, I went back to completing my chores.  Once that was out of the way, though, I grabbed a couple of pieces try my hand at whipping up some nicer vehicles for the layout...  Here's the initial results:



This is a fairly simple model, two pieces plus wheels.  I shot it with some flat white spray paint to prime it, then brushed on some acrylics.  It's been a while since I've done a metal kit, so this was a good way to warm up.



I was pretty excited to see these in the box.  Back when I built the little Public Works depot behind the yard, I started eyeballing trash truck kits on Ebay and elsewhere, but never found what I was looking for (several in one lot for a ridiculously low price).  So this really hit the spot.  There are two of these, plus another three with more modern Ford cabs and larger bins.  Looks like the Town of Ridgeley can confidently pull their cans to the curb tonight!  I wanted to put something on the door that would look like a town seal, so I took a "Plate C" stencil and put it on upside down.



Last of the first batch, but not least, is this nifty little International fire truck.  I'm sure Daniel will be quick to point out its shortcomings, but I really like the way it turned out.  I definitely need to get a new super fine paint brush, though.  Some of the details look like they were applied with a paint ball gun.

Anyway, thanks again to everyone who's cleaned out their junk boxes on my doorstep.  Now that the layout is more or less in its final form, I'll be doing some weeding myself to pay some of it forward.

Lee

[wm3798]

Thanks for all the compliments and destroying my fragile ego by criticizing my oversized hand throws
Don't mean to hijack the Weekend Update thread, so I'll start posting my construction thread and you can tell me all the things I'm doing wrong there.
Cheers!

Have you looked into the click pen linkage for switch throws?

Look up the blog by JustTrainCrazy... I'll see if I can find a link for you.
Lee

[up1950s]

M.C. Fujiwara , Your wood fading and weathering is top notch and nut details are the icing on the cake . Welcome to TheRailwire , you have gotten all of our attention and hopefully you can teach us a thing or two about that wood treatment .