Weekend Update 2/12/17

[nkalanaga]

CV:  Thank you!  I changed it. 

[craigolio1]

I've spent the past several weeks working on my lumber mill at Kinzua.  I've always been a little apprehensive about scratchbuilding but I decided to dive head on into it with the main mill, the lumber shed, and the dry kiln. 

This lumber shed is very loosely based on the Hines Lumber mill shed at Hines, Oregon.  The actual structure was an amazing 1/2 mile long http://www.senecakids.org/SenecaProject/Hines/Plant.html, but I was able to allocate about 200' worth of space (15" actual inches) or enough to fit four 50' boxcars inside.  I did not attempt to model the interior other than a few lumber stacks next to the doors. 
IMG_5529 by Dean Ferris, on Flickr

One of my summer jobs during college was pulling green chain at a mill, although it was actually a veneer mill (we made paper covered veneer primarily used for grape boxes in the 60's-80's).  Pulling green chain is a very physically demanding job usually held by the lowest seniority workers in a mill.  No way I was going to build a lumber mill without this feature!  I've started using sanded grout for my gravel areas (thanks @SSW7771).
IMG_5522 by Dean Ferris, on Flickr

My dad grew up in a mill town on Vancouver Island. He and his tour brothers, and grandpa of course, all worked in the mill. He too worked the green chain. He's got all kinds of hard toiling stories. When they were young teens they were given shovels and made to go in to the slash burner and shovel out the ash and embers. Walking on 2x10 while doing it. Unreal. That mill is gone now. Used to run 3 shifts a day. Sad.

Anyway, awesome model. And that green chain is really nicely done.

Craig

[bnsfdash8]

Bent a little wire this week for the AC44C6M.

[SSW7771]

I've started using sanded grout for my gravel areas (thanks @SSW7771).

Thanks Dean! The lumber shed looks great.

Caught some lease power on the industrial park job earlier this week; thanks to my son. Not quite "n scale" and definitely not DCC. 

[Ike the BN Freak]

Thanks Dean! The lumber shed looks great.

Caught some lease power on the industrial park job earlier this week; thanks to my son. Not quite "n scale" and definitely not DCC. 

My kids have a ***** load of those minis, seems every time we go to the store they have a whole new series of them.

[sirenwerks]

A home update project snafu prompted a trip to Vancouver BC to get more floor tile, and Mark Dance graciously let me spend a few minutes with his layout and to run a train.  An amazingly, designed, scenicked and weathered layout; truly an inspirational trip.  Having too much fun operating my train and being engrossed in the scenery, I forgot to take a lot of pictures, but here's my favorite...

[BCR 570]

This past week saw the BCR grading crews finish off the sub-roadbed for the tracks into the Northwest Wood Preservers mill at Dawson Creek.  The tracks were re-aligned slightly to incorporate a wye switch for the second turnout, and the spurs for chips and lumber are now on a respectable 16" radius.  Beyond the foam track-bed, balsa wood ramps bring the tracks down to the donna conna:




Following completion of their work, the foreman called for a work train to return their equipment to the camp at Tremblay:




Now to recall the track gang and get the turnouts into the mill laid down, followed by the spur tracks.

Also this week, I received some wonderful aerial photographs of Chetwynd and Dawson Creek yards from the provincial government.  The Chetwynd photographs date from 1979 and will be of great assistance in laying out the Canfor mill there; the Dawson Creek photos date from 1977 (the year I am modelling) and will help with the mill and grain elevators there.  There is much to glean from the photographs and I highly recommend the use of historical aerial photographs for those wishing to recreate a particular locale and era.


Tim

[MK]

A home update project snafu prompted a trip to Vancouver BC to get more floor tile, and Mark Dance graciously let me spend a few minutes with his layout and to run a train.  An amazingly, designed, scenicked and weathered layout; truly an inspirational trip.  Having too much fun operating my train and being engrossed in the scenery, I forgot to take a lot of pictures, but here's my favorite...

So it looks like you found an address in Vancouver for Home Depot Canada to deliver to? 

[jmlaboda - RIP]

When I see shots like this I can't help but to remember the coverage that the magazine Rail Classics during the early to mid-70s provided a large amount of coverage documenting the decline of the CP's FM diesels.  Good memories to say the least and only would have been better if I could have seen it for myself... might even have some of those old magazines somewhere in my stash of paper, something some may no longer remember...

[sirenwerks]

So it looks like you found an address in Vancouver for Home Depot Canada to deliver to? 

Yup.  And today I finish laying and grouting the tile I had delivered to Vancouver, and installing and caulking the molding.  Good thing too, because new washer and dryer that go in that room are enroute and will be here any day.

[C855B]

Nearly all of my week has been spent, when not nursing a slight cold, rooting the bugs out of a new ScaleTrains turbine. It was only semi-successful, as I realized last night after buttoning everything back up that the shell is not quite on straight, evidently the byproduct of not being able to cinch down the chassis all the way.

Adding insult, the ESU LokPilot I installed in one of the pair decided to go tits-up. No smoke, no drama, just nuthin'. So I get to locate an appropriate box and mail it back to the online seller.

I'm astounded by the amount of MRR time this nonsense has eaten, having done nothing on the layout this week other than run the ailing locomotive.

[wcfn100]

It was a 3D printing/TSC weekend for me. 



Back left-to-right, I made a TSC adapter for the Athearn Rack (an I assume all other iterations of the flat) out of styrene that I've since converted to 3D for a future order.  I received my adapter for the WOT SP flat and I'm very pleased with it.  Just need to settle on a deck.  My TSC gauge had to be modified from as-drawn, but now should be ready for general sale once I upload the new file.  Played around with the TWX gondola and a standard coupler box.  Not sure where I sit with that yet.

And finally in the middle front is my NP 52' flar car.  It came back great but warping is an issue.  Need to redesign for a c-channel brass sill of similar that I can glue down afterwards.

I'll break all this out individually as I get a chance.


Jason

[James Costello]

I received my adapter for the WOT SP flat and I'm very pleased with it.  Just need to settle on a deck. 

Looking good Jason. What are your thoughts on the replacement deck?

I sounded out @bbussey about a replacement similar to the the Athearn one he did years ago but I haven't followed it up since.

[wcfn100]

Looking good Jason. What are your thoughts on the replacement deck?

I sounded out @bbussey about a replacement similar to the the Athearn one he did years ago but I haven't followed it up since.

I actually asked Bryan recently about where he got his done, but I may not have the 'in' to get similar work done there.  If not a laser wood deck, then probably .020" styrene siding which is what I was going with before the TSC was available.


Jason

[Chris333]

Monroe Models. Mount Blue models. Both laser cut.