Vermissa Valley - PRR 1960s

[Hornwrecker]

Thanks, guys.  Things are running a lot better than I expected for such an old layout, and it's making it fun again to run it.  I was planning on getting a 5A smart booster, but now that I have things running on the main, and 2 in the yard at the same time, it barely consumes, 0.15A.  I'll wait to see what happens when I get more decoders installed, and start MUing some older covered wagons together to see how much power they need.

[LKOrailroad]

Sound decoders is what will suck the juice. You can run a whole bunch of non-sound locos on a 5A booster.

[Hornwrecker]

Scraped down a lot of the green ground foam that covered most of the layout; put over a mix of my special dead leaves formula and dirt from the backyard.



Makes everything look a lot bleaker than it did before, which is nice.

Last weekend, Joey Uboats was over.  Not much was accomplished other than strategic layout planning and beer consumption.  I did manage to catch him operating the layout, which for being a known Luddite and technophobe, is a rare thing, indeed.  He was impressed with DCC, especially the NCE thumbwheel.  On his next layout he wants DCC, but with truck mounted, rapido couplers on everything.

 

(I don't think there has ever been a photograph of his face, even his driver's license, that has ever been taken in focus.)

I did get 300 FVM wide wheelsets installed on all hoppers and home road cars.  Need about another 300.  Track is staying cleaner and operations are much improved.   Going to get another 300 after I get paid for the Easter gig.

[Hornwrecker]

Finally got JMRI installed on my Linux laptop.  Took a couple of tries, but it finally took; a lot easier than I thought it would be.  Also got the NCE USB thingee installed in the control panel, and it communicated with the computer on the first try.  Spent the evening getting my meager decoder equipped roster listed and CVs read.   My PB1 died for some reason, have to crack it open again and figure out why.  Ordered the wrong auto reverser, so that is still on hold; given the choice of two, I ordered the one that takes more amps to trip than the PowerCab.  I wish the website put more details into the descriptions.  Have to call them tomorrow to see if they'll exchange it.

Got my order of static grass in today, still waiting on my mid range grassinator to show.  Can't wait to get my layout flocked-up, as opposed to something similar sounding (which I'm trying to remedy).

[chicken45]

I know you already ordered one, but I hear you can make a pretty good grassinator out of parts for around $15.

[Hornwrecker]

Yeah, I looked into the various versions.  I'd have to order some part from Oz to make the type I'd like, so... after screwing around with wiring for the last couple of weeks, I decided I'd rather spend the money and just get to the scenery seen to, plus, this way I'll have somebody to sue when the inevitable static accident happens.  My dog will probably end up as an eighty pound ball of green grass in it, too.

One other thing I ordered that I really like is a coiled six wire RJ12 cord for the PowerCab.  The dog doesn't get tangled up in it like he did with the flat cable.  Got it from Litchfield Station.

[Hornwrecker]

First patch of static grass applied.  Mixed about four colors of 2 and a bit of 4 mm, then went over with 2 mm winter grass.  Trying for an early spring look.  Should change a bit as it isn't dry yet, but I couldn't wait to see how it looked in a photo.



We're having fun now! (those cars really need some weathering)

[Dave V]

Wow, looks like an ad for Eastern Seaboard Models...!   

[Hornwrecker]

Wow, looks like an ad for Eastern Seaboard Models...!   

They seem to photograph the best.  Need lots more of 'em.

[CodyO]

They seem to photograph the best.  Need lots more of 'em.

And a fat wallet, do love there cars though I don't mind spending extra on them!

Like the layout also really like how it's modeled on the area I live in,well I live on Hughestown 10 miles north of Wilkes Barre

[Hornwrecker]

I've only visited the area once, but knew at once that I wanted to model the scenery in that area. 



The grass looks better today, sprayed it with some cheap hairspray and added in some green foam weed, dandelions and scattered dead leaves around. (giving equal time to BLMA and FVM (& NZT))

[chicken45]

Grass looks great!

[Hornwrecker]

Thanks, chicken.  Did a couple of more spots last night, the weed choked EL yard and near the east tunnel entrance.  Took some macros to see how they look.





I put a lot of winter/dead grass down first, then a blend of other fibers.  Came out looking way too light.  Scattered a bit of ground foam of various greens and rubbed them into the static grass, and it came out looking better.  Fixed it in place with hair spray. 

[chicken45]

What did you use to color that rock?

[Hornwrecker]

Acrylic paints in tubes.  The cheapest ones from Michaels.  Ink wash, then a rust wash I make from rusting steel wool (filtered and checked with a magnet) suspended in alcohol.

 They still need to be touched up, and tend to get a bit of a shine to them with all the scenic stuff going on around them.  Need to get my airbrush fixed, so I can get them dulled and some more detail highlighted.

I tend to get a bit excessive with my rocks, since I was a geology major in kollidje.