Weekend Update 2/12/12

[Scottl]

That PRR shot is great!

So after months of locomotive kitbashing and painting, along with a side project of getting my paper mill started, I finally was able to run the layout again this weekend.  No pictures, but it was fun to actually operate!  I had some DCC problems with my MRC sound-equipped locomotive (it is direction challenged!), and one of the other locos with an NCE decoder has power, lights, but no motor.... 

No pictures, but several layout developments.  First, I bought a Digitrax Soundbug decoder to see if I could set up some kind of background diesel noise in my yard.  All I did was solder on two wires and connect it to the track.  The factory default was steam, so I switched that, and then it worked!  Really nice to just turn it on and leave it running in the background.  I might make some kind of baffle but the speaker is pretty good as is.  Operating with the MRC sound-equipped loco, the noise was suitably... noisy!  The only problem is that the default sound is an SD38 and you need Digitrax hardware to load a different sound... Any suggestions?

The second item was the crossover I installed in the soon to be hidden return tracks.  I installed it because the turnouts were available and I thought, why not?  But operating it for a few hours yesterday convinced me it was not a good idea.  It was located on a 2% grade, and when the points were occasionally picked by a car, I had some derailments that sent the rest of the train rolling downhill.  Given how much of a pain it would be to deal with this kind of issue when the fascia was fully installed (even with access hatches), I decided to remove the turnouts.

Lastly, my modelling bench was in our upstairs den, and after some polite pressure, I cleaned out the storage alcove in my train room and moved it all down.  I'm very pleased to have my trains all in one spot, and the lighting in the train room is much better.  When I finished the room, I put in some pot lights directly over the alcove for this reason.  Luckily, the table I have been using fit with a few inches to spare.  Oh yeah, we now have the den for other purposes too!

So, all in all some fun with trains, some DCC trouble shooting and a track replacement job.  Not bad for a weekend.

[ednadolski]

Wow that is really nicely done!   

Ed

[mark dance]

I concur on the PRR shot. -  Beautiful.

Just a short update this weekend…off to spend time with the family.

This week saw lots of painting of the rockwork and water at the Kootenay river scene. 















I have to gloss the river and do some more blending.  And of course, backdrop, ground cover trees and details.  By next weekend I would like to have the water finished and the rails and bridges permanently installed.

Have a great week!

md

[C855B]

...This week saw lots of painting of the rockwork and water at the Kootenay river scene. 



...

Holy moly, Mark! Can I hire you when it comes time to do water? Your scenic artistry overall is wonderful, but you have water textures nailed, man! Wow!

[Dave V]

[chuck geiger]

+2

[Puddington]

Knitting.....everytime Mark posts progress on that pike I am convinced I should take up knitting as a hobby....unbelievable Mark !!!!!

[Scottl]

OK, those are spectacular shots!  Mark,  that third picture nails the river bank and the eddies in the flow.  Dave, what can I say- superb composition and scenery.

[dnhouston]

Mark, your work is simply amazing!  (drool)

[JSL]

Mark and Dave. One work speechless!

[wcfn100]

Last week I wrote an article about the prototype Pullman Standard 40' PS-1 and how the new Atlas model compares for anyone who's interested.

www.cgwmodeler.com


Jason

[M.C. Fujiwara]

Sacrificed a Fine N Scale 36' boxcar to be the yard maintenance shed on the "Alameda-Belt-in-a-Box" layout:







Lots of great work this week.
Proud to be an a$$hat! 

[GaryHinshaw]

Two very cool (and very different) PRR shots Eric and Dave.   Mark, the shoreline detailing is off the charts.  Very convincing.

I'll bring us back to earth with something entirely more pedestrian. I finished installing the Loop roadbed and have moved on to the hidden loop underneath, which you might be able to make out in this maze of benchwork:



(The hidden loop will carry the track from the lower deck-to-be to the Loop deck, and provide a bit of elevation separation.)  And I couldn't resist plunking a few elements in place to get a feeling for things to come.  Here is a quickie of the Tunnel 9 area with a custom portal courtesy of Ed Nadolski and the Walong signal bridge (with unfinished masts just resting in place) courtesy of Traincat:



A northbound with empty center-beams sits in the hole at Walong waiting for the southbound (with a rare CP unit in the lead) to pass.

-gfh

[BCRail_FSJ]

More backdrop painting on the upper deck.  Woodland and hills north of the Fort St. John yard.

[MichaelWinicki]

U33B...