Changes to the "Santa Fe Room" layout

[arbomambo]

running a few trains...
westbound Super Chief led by detailed Kato F7s...













~Bruce

[arbomambo]

lots of work to the "Turquoise Room" in anticipation of resuming progress on the Kingman Canyon layout! (starting and growing a T-TRAK group has slowed work on the layout for a few years!!!)
 The Turquoise Room is, now, officially turquoise! Last week we prepped and painted the room in the shade of turquoise that we thought would complement the room but still maintain an open look.




as soon as the paint was dry I wasted no time in hanging the various ATSF prints and plaques; future track lighting will help illuminate the framed prints and layout...



Denise also contributed a nice feature; a vintage tin plate train she purchased at a train show a few years back, recently put into a shadow box she aquired and lighted...



the fascia of the layout was painted a complementary Southwestern-y earth red (the same color I've been painting the fascia of the T-TRAK modules) and the fabric that will form the skirting has also been purchased (here it can be seen on its bolt under the layout). It will be sewn in panels and attached to the fascia with velcro strip, allowing access to the storage drawers underneath, but providing a finished look to the layout, while adding to the Southwest theme of the Turquoise Room.








thanks for looking,
~Bruce

[OldEastRR]

Are those F unit horns the stock KATO ones molded in "red"? Painting them the real ATSF red seems too easy but the difference is noticeable. Also, if you have a fine tip brush take a teeny bit of black on the end and dab the center of the horn bell. It will give the horn interior depth. Small detail, but in close-ups everything matters.  And drilling out the stacks (only deep enough to give some depth, no need to go thru the shell) and dabbing a little black around the openings also looks very interesting.

[thomasjmdavis]

Bruce,

I, for one am going to compliment you on seeing to it that the trucks, pilot and MU cables get sprayed aluminum as soon as they are dry from the car washer.  Also nice job with the window shades and other details.

[robert3985]

Are those F unit horns the stock KATO ones molded in "red"? Painting them the real ATSF red seems too easy but the difference is noticeable. Also, if you have a fine tip brush take a teeny bit of black on the end and dab the center of the horn bell. It will give the horn interior depth. Small detail, but in close-ups everything matters.  And drilling out the stacks (only deep enough to give some depth, no need to go thru the shell) and dabbing a little black around the openings also looks very interesting.

@arbomambo  Bruce, I agree that these are good points and will visibly improve the models in close-up photography.  Another point is to take the time to paint the horns so they're not translucent.  On my yellow Kato U.P. F-unit horns, they are REALLY translucent, so I spray em with silver first, then apply the Amour Yellow.  If ya got 'em, substitute lost-wax brass versions which are generally finer, have better depth on the bell of the horn and are 100% opaque. 

Another quick touch is to put a little circular blob of aluminum paint in the center of the class lights above the numberboards to simulate the fresnel lens these usually have.

Lastly (I'm not going to talk about any weathering) paint the louvers on the front of the nose black, then quickly swipe downward so their undersides are shaded with paint that remains there.  This really pops 'em out, giving them a much sharper appearance.

I love the red SF warbonnet scheme, and for a time this die-hard U.P. enthusiast had collected a couple of SF passenger trains.  The added details you've got on them at the present time improves their close-up appearance exponentially, and a few more small touches will make them even better.

AND, a bit of really light weathering on the trucks & pilot and on top will make them even better.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[arbomambo]

I appreciate the comments; these units aren't even close to being finished (you'll notice the lack of photo-etched lift rings-yet to be installed), and I haven't weathered any of the equipment that will run on the layout until I finalize my actual earth colors...I haven't  given the fans, trucks, and exhausts a 'wash' yet, either...all this will come, as well as weathering rolling stock...but for now, this has to take a back seat to improving the room, then working, again, on the actual layout itself...all one can see is bare foam, temporarily painted an earth color (one of the 'hills' is a demo foam carving sample that has no business being in Kingman Canyon), paper cutout 'stand ins' for a stand-in foam girder bridge, a cheap plastic trestle stand-in in for an eventual wood  ballasted deck  trestle here, and in two more places on the other side of the layout...
Soooo much to do, but the room is taking priority now that all the outside work on the house has been completed (entire house has received new plywood skinning and new Hardie Board siding, as well as paint).
 It was a perfect time to go ahead and paint after having to caulk the window edges after new siding with vinyl window opening insulation.
I'll be sure to post photos of the weathering process as soon as I can get to it!
Thanks,
Bruce