Weekend Update 4/24/16

[bnsfdash8]

I got back to work on another NS high hood SD40-2. It'll have working strobe lights like the prototype.

[nkalanaga]

Chuck:  If you have a couple inches I'd go with flats.  The warehouses are big enough that wall details will be obvious, especially at close range, and photos would look too flat.

On the other hand, most of the buildings are fairly simple concrete walls, with various joints and braces, so building them wouldn't be hard.  Unless you want the exact dimensions, styrene sheet and strip would make it an easy cut-and-glue project.  It's the little details, such as stacks of crates, pallets, cooling towers, etc that will take a while. 

You'll also need to decide whether you're modeling apple harvest season.  Things get very crowded around that time!

You might also consider photos for the gaps between warehouses, especially if you can get your own on-site.  Cut the sky from the photo, glue the street/buildings/hills to the painted sky, and you'll have the exact view for each location.  Since the photos will be fairly small, you won't need the large (and very expensive) poster prints.  You can print your own and try multiple variations, on cheap paper, then print a good copy on photo paper.

[ljudice]

I added these from @ljudice .  Will be replacing some of my Atlas 33K foobie scheme cars with these from Athearn.

20160422_174409 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

Hoping to work on some more weathering this weekend, but it's difficult to work on that when I'm watching Capitals hockey.  Here's to them winning tonight, and I don't have to watch them again until round 2 !

Glad they arrived safely!!   Now if anyone has some pre-2005 (no stripe / no spreadsheet)  LPG's for sale, let me know!!

[nuno81291]

Working on color correcting my sand ballast to a grey tone with india ink. Also trying to darken up my mainline color with various dry brushes of browns/gray/black.. obviously havent touched the outside of the ties just between the rails here but much happier.

[chuck geiger]

Which arrangement looks the best? Lots of work to do. sanding off excess ballast, reworking landscape to fit area, make ground packed desert type dirt. Going to
add flats.

[nkalanaga]

Apparently Google doesn't want anyone seeing those pictures.  I tried copying the image URL from the page source code, and all I got was a Google login page.

For packed desert dirt, seen from normal scale distances, a layer of stained plaster would come close.  I never paid much attention to the "soil" in Wenatchee, but remember it as being somewhat gravelly.  You'd know more about that than I do!  Even with that, the rocks wouldn't likely be visible from 150 feet, a foot in N scale.  My old eyes don't like to focus much closer than that.

If it was me, and I didn't already have a favorite way of doing it, I'd get some scrap scenery base, whatever you're using, and start experimenting.  Try every technique that sounds like it might work, and doesn't cost a fortune, then see which one you like.  I suspect that you'll find that all of them work well for something on the layout, and end up using a bigger variety of techniques than you expected.

[jmarley76]

Finished up a little building this weekend I had originally posted in Lee's "No New Model Challenge;" found a nice spot for it on the layout. It's made from parts left over from combining two of those Life-Like saw-tooth warehouses into one structure. Looks like a nice utility building for water & sewer or some other type of municipal use...

[hegstad1]

I really like this little guy!

[peteski]

Finished up a little building this weekend I had originally posted in Lee's "No New Model Challenge;" found a nice spot for it on the layout. It's made from parts left over from combining two of those Life-Like saw-tooth warehouses into one structure. Looks like a nice utility building for water & sewer or some other type of municipal use...

I agree.  There is something really great about this tiny kitbashed structure. Well done Sir!

Maybe I like it so much because it reminds me of similar structure I see in New England (nearby old  ornate brick mill buildings). It also has some European flavor which is of interest to me.

It could also be used as a transformer building.  Just add some insulators, utility poles and wires. 

[C855B]

Yes... very evocative! These little masonry structures are everywhere (or seem like it) serving as pumphouses for underpasses. Like Pete said, insulators for an electric drop and maybe a crook light over the door, and you're set.

[narrowminded]

It even has the appearance of some of the bank vaults you see left standing in some ghost towns.  Lots of possibilities.

[draskouasshat]

Cajon pass circa 1947 has begun! I ve done all of the work down here besides the carpet. Luckily the wifes brother in law has a carpet company. It came out good and adds another 972sqft to the house. Now that its done, Cajon pass well be built. It might be slow going as my drawings seemed to work but in real life, I might have to shorten my plans up.
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[rodsup9000]

Cajon pass circa 1947 has begun! I ve done all of the work down here besides the carpet. Luckily the wifes brother in law has a carpet company. It came out good and adds another 972sqft to the house. Now that its done, Cajon pass well be built. It might be slow going as my drawings seemed to work but in real life, I might have to shorten my plans up.
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 It's about damn time you got something started.

I hope you'll start a build thread.

[draskouasshat]

It's about damn time you got something started.

I hope you'll start a build thread.

I might Rodney. At the rate it took me to finally finish the basement completely, you'll be done with your layout scenery and ask before I can run a damned train!
Not too mention, with the basement done, I have a twin turboed 12 valve Cummins inside of a lowered 99 superduty street/strip truck to finish!
It's actually coming along pretty nicely. With the twin turbo setup I've decided on, I should be able to reach 650-700hp.

[Cajonpassfan]

Very nice Drasko, and about time too! I guess I better start pushing ahead before you beat me to it
I like the feel of the basement with the wood panelboard wainscoting, and color choices, nice touch. What are the black walls for?
And, the westward track needs to start dropping right out of the big 10 degree curve...
Otto K.