The "other" industrial layout...

[Alaska Railroader]

Chris, what about this; if you used gloss coat to protect your decals maybe spray gloss on the surface first then place the decals. Should blend in better. Or, if you used a matte finish on your decal sheet try spraying DulCote on the tanks first. Again, should blend in. Then put whatever final finish you want after that.

Silver is tough to get away with blending decals. Cutting a circle around those letters the exact size of the tank will be tricky but I'm sure you can do it. And Solv-a-set is spot on. Are you going to rust them up? In fact are you going to have a somewhat dirty town? Or will things be unweathered for the most part?

[DKS]

Try this: Dull Cote the decals. Gloss or semi-gloss the ends of the tanks for best decal adhesion. Then Micro-Sol, weather and Dull Cote.

For decals I sell with product, I use a matte sealer.

[Chris333]

The decals set pretty easy, its just a combo of the thicker film and the silver paint. Soon as the decal hit the tank it made the color change under the decal just a hair.

As for weathering, yes I plan to weather everything, but I model 1948 so not a bunch of rust. With something like these decal edges weathering would just accentuate the edge. At any rate the new ones are cooking now. I printed out each word separately and used Dullcote. I have a template for drawing circles that I will use to cut them out. If there is still an edge visible it will be around the diameter of the tank and I can live with that. At least that would look right lightly weathered.

This (by the way) is only my first of many signs that I'm sure I'll screw up...

And while all that was going on I started building my curved structure. Nothing great yet, just a balsa shell frame:




I still have to add the metal siding, loading doors, dock roof, and building roofing.

The real thing is not curved, it has 4 segments, so does mine (although the concrete dock is curved)

There is minimal window problems where to 2 buildings meet each other. I'll just have to give the roof some good rain gutters.

[Sokramiketes]

Too late now but that decal film looks really thick. Decals can be sanded and this is a perfect candidate.

[Chris333]

Got the decals re-done. They are applied and Dullcoted.


And I haven't shown the fuel dealer area yet so...



There are remnants of at least 7 coal trestles in my area and all of them had concrete piers, but I went with wood bents just because. Wish there was more room here, but I'll live with it.

The tanks are made from PVC. Trestle bents are Blair Line. Walls are Chooch.

[Chris333]

And I did metal siding on the green building. This was not fun at all 



With a base coat of paint:


And trying to piece this roof together 

[bdennis]

Very cool work!. 1,000 internets to you! 

[PRRATSF]

outstanding work.... the building on the curve is sweet.

Sam

[DKS]

And trying to piece this roof together 

I can totally believe that!

Seriously cool stuff! Green building was worth the non-fun work.

[LKOrailroad]

The buildings are very cool. I have a question about the green building. You applied the sheathing in a shingles/brick-like overlapping pattern. I have never seen 1:1 metal sheathing applied like that. Did the proto building have it that way or did you just want it like that?

[3DTrains]

And I did metal siding on the green building. This was not fun at all 

But definitely worth the effort! Great work!

Cheers!
Marc - Riverside

[Chris333]

The buildings are very cool. I have a question about the green building. You applied the sheathing in a shingles/brick-like overlapping pattern. I have never seen 1:1 metal sheathing applied like that. Did the proto building have it that way or did you just want it like that?

The real thing is overlapped, but probably not as much:




I guess they are much more straight than mine. I'll just call mine more modelrailroady 

[sizemore]

It's not a Chris333 layout unless there is a coal pier!

Looks like its really coming together!

The S.

[wm3798]

The big building and the corrugated sheet building are works of art.  Oh wait, they're works of Chris...

Amazing stuff.
Lee

[SAH]

I think I'd make better progress on the AC&Y Spencer thing if I just contracted it out to Chris.   
You are amazing home boy!