Josh's NCR Un-Shelved

[Bob Bufkin]

I've got a small bit of Jerry's track.  Got his brass Il at the PRRT&HS meeting years ago plus several of his cars.

[eric220]

I can't claim any chunks of layouts, but I do have some of Lee's buildings and cars, including the Hard Hat. I've also got some of Jerry's BF-16's. I guess even out here in CA we're not immune to the STDs going around.

[chicken45]

Layout swapping... It's just like the 70s.  Just leave your throttle in the brandy snifter to see which railroad you're going to go home with...

LOL.

If it were mine, I would have built the layout up on top of that foundation "shelf."  Not only would it be closer to eye level, but you could take advantage of that free square footage up there, which would enlarge the aisle.  The only problem would be the sump pump pipe, which the layout could go behind, although I suspect that pipe could be moved so that it turns and runs to the stud wall below the level of the shelf  Then, you would just divert it within the wall cavity to get back to the exit point near the ceiling.

Agree 100%. Here's the deal, we're renting this house for 2 more years and don't know where we are going after that. I had to keep this on the cheap end. I think we put $50 in to materials for the bench work. 

Never did cash in on Jerry's fire sale.

If you haven't checked his blog on Keystone Crossings lately, it's worth your time.  Lewistown hawtness.

So Josh, are you going to keep it as-is or change season/locale?  I think it's also a good candidate for the Bald Eagle branch which was pretty damned busy back in the 50s.

For slightly less operational stress, consider the L&T secondary or the Montandon secondary (think Bellefonte Central interchange!).

I'm open to suggestions, Dave. I may be an okay guy at building models and weathering stuff, but this is where my lack of knowledge shines.  What do you guys think?
One thing I don't want to do is shoehorn too much stuff in there.
I'm open to ideas and discussion!!  Lay it on me, fellas!

As far as seasons go, I'm good with winter, but I may turn the calendar forward a little but to late fall. Or I might try to add some snow or frost. The shelf is in 3 sections, the end curves and the single track main in the center. Maybe I could model a scenery transition or something.

[chicken45]

And oh yeah, Thanks @Ed Kapuscinski !

Hey @Hornwrecker! What do you think about the scenery?

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I'm open to suggestions, Dave. I may be an okay guy at building models and weathering stuff, but this is where my lack of knowledge shines.  What do you guys think?
One thing I don't want to do is shoehorn too much stuff in there.
I'm open to ideas and discussion!!  Lay it on me, fellas!

I think you should keep it simple. It'd be tough making alterations too.

As far as things to add, I'd recommend a few buildings at the one grade crossing, including in what I considered the "empty lot" and where the old convenience store was. The lot was good for the 80s, and the convenience store was too, but in your era, they'd probably be a bit too new.

[John]

I got some of Jerry's track via John B.

and I have Lee's WM stone train and 84 Lumber

[tom mann]

Remember, I also have the Hinshaw Valley.  Also, Josh has one of my dioramas.

[davefoxx]

I got some of Jerry's track via John B.

I can't claim any chunks of layouts, but I do have some of Lee's buildings and cars, including the Hard Hat. I've also got some of Jerry's BF-16's. I guess even out here in CA we're not immune to the STDs going around.

Oh, no.  I've got Atlas Code 55 track from John and Eric220.  Does that mean my layout needs a shot of penicillin?     And, I've got Lee's commissary building from the WM.

DFF

[mu26aeh]

I can't claim any chunks of layouts, but I do have some of Lee's buildings and cars, including the Hard Hat. I've also got some of Jerry's BF-16's. I guess even out here in CA we're not immune to the STDs going around.

Lee's power plant and Westvaco paper warehouse are residents on the CSX Hanover Sub.  His handywork is also inside the guts of Gettysburg #105/107

[wm3798]

Ed has those expensive DCC components that went missing from John's layout last time he hosted an ops session...  Oh wait, I wasn't supposed to talk about that....

[Dave V]

LOL.


Agree 100%. Here's the deal, we're renting this house for 2 more years and don't know where we are going after that. I had to keep this on the cheap end. I think we put $50 in to materials for the bench work. 

I'm open to suggestions, Dave. I may be an okay guy at building models and weathering stuff, but this is where my lack of knowledge shines.  What do you guys think?
One thing I don't want to do is shoehorn too much stuff in there.
I'm open to ideas and discussion!!  Lay it on me, fellas!

As far as seasons go, I'm good with winter, but I may turn the calendar forward a little but to late fall. Or I might try to add some snow or frost. The shelf is in 3 sections, the end curves and the single track main in the center. Maybe I could model a scenery transition or something.

I agree with keeping it very simple.  If you want to Pennsy-fy it more, you might want to tossing in a pair of PL signals on masts.  Currently your best bet on those is probably sucking it up and buying a pair of the new NJI LED PLs.  They're not as good as the Alkems, but the Alkems are long gone.

Maybe near the grade crossing you could toss in a PRR standard flagman's shack or maybe a PRR standard tool shed...across the street from a Pennsylvania-style general store. and gas station.

I wouldn't do much else to it!

[C855B]

I can't claim any chunks of layouts, but I do have some of Lee's buildings and cars, including the Hard Hat. I've also got some of Jerry's BF-16's. I guess even out here in CA we're not immune to the STDs going around.

Same here in IL. I have a bunch of Lee's cars and a loco or two. There is no known antibiotic, I'm afraid.

[wm3798]

If your basement leaks, you could just put it on the floor and model June 1972

[mu26aeh]

If your basement leaks, you could just put it on the floor and model June 1972

 

[Hornwrecker]

Hey @Hornwrecker! What do you think about the scenery?

Keep it as is, for the season.  Since you're doing transition era, needs more cinders!  Maybe dust the ballast with some dark gray unsanded grout to get things dirtier, as well as airbrushing with a light coat of grimy black.  If you still have the big bag o'leaves I gave you, it would prove useful in hiding the joints between sections, scattering them over the whole thing to unify the layout. 

Now's the time to study nature, laddie.  Start observing trees and underbrush, paying attention the next few months to see what to mimic on your new layout, like where dead leaves collect.  Some oaks will hold onto brown leaves most of the winter, sumac holds onto their red seedheads, etc...  so maybe you can add a few of those it

This Ed K scenery and the Lance Mindheim Monon layout was what inspired me to try early spring, since I hadn't seen that done.