Weekend Update 10/30/22

[dem34]

Little building work, made a mockup of a custom HV equipment shop, and since there was a little gap in the scenery a little auto parts and in house garage. Thank you @Chris333 and @Sumner for the files.

[RockGp40]

I was off today, so I built the parking lot/loading area for a transloading facility.  Although the loading area surface is still slightly damp, I couldn’t resist setting up the truck, trailers, and rail car.



More on The Carolina Sandhills Lines thread in the Layout Engineering Forum.

DFF

Now you need an RBT to complete the scene.

[bbussey]

Continuing trackwork in the New London Proper area of the layout. Working on the crossover turnout for RDCs to reach Track 3 at the station, the last remaining section of track in this area to complete before continuing west to the pier trestle at Shaw’s Cove. Just the straight closure rails and the point rails to install before adding the ties and moving on.

[Jim Starbuck]

I finished a pair of CGW transfer cabooses this week.
178 was an undecorated Bluford model and 176 is a Fox Valley repaint.

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[Caleb Austin]

I have barely touched my layout for over a year, but am finally getting back it. I had a cat rampage that destroyed all the trees and damaged some buildings, so just I couldn't really look at it for a while, haha. But I started re-making trees last weekend and its starting to look more like a layout. I'll try and re-start my thread in the Layout Engineering Reports forum to help motivate me to make some good progress this winter.





Caleb.

[BCR 570]

Welcome back Caleb, and good work everyone!

Another week of decent progress on my layout, principally the wiring for the Fort John Subdivision extension.  Here is the shelf after installation of the DCC command bus, auxiliary bus and track bus wires:




And here are the connections between the Highway 97 section and the FSJ Sub extension:




Looking along the extension shelf with all wiring now installed:






And a test run with all wiring installed to ensure no loss of continuity or shorts:






My next step is to get the piece inside the wall ballasted and scenicked, and then installed permanently so that the extension shelf can be screwed to the wall.

Also of note this week was the arrival of my Master Builder - Cars Certificate from the NMRA which I am pleased to have.


Tim

[Cajonpassfan]

I finished a pair of CGW transfer cabooses this week.
178 was an undecorated Bluford model and 176 is a Fox Valley repaint.

Nice work, Jim!
Otto

[tehachapifan]

Aaron,
aren't the hoods too wide on most N scale locos from Kato and Atlas (due to the width of the motor)?  If that is true, and you are able to live with that, the 0.5mm height difference seems insignificant.  I suspect that many commercially made models have dimensions which are off, and modelers generally live with those inaccuracies.

Yes, I understand that you painstakingly designed that hood, and are proud that you did an accurate job, but sometimes we have to compromise slightly.  Personally I'm amazed how well your hood looks and how detailed it is.   Rest assured that it will likely never be made by any of the "big" companies. Since you are using an existing chassis, why not enjoy the fruits of your labor, even when a small compromise had to be made.

I had another thought:  can you just reduce the height of the locos chassis (like we often do to make room for a decoders)?  Or (if I understand  correctly what's bothering you), just extend down the size of that side grill by 0.5mm. Might be less noticeable that way.  Again, we often have to "fudge" things when making models.

I completely agree with peteski on this! You've rendered a an absolutely beautiful and highly accurate shell! But I also totally understand, as I tend to notice all the flaws and inaccuracies on my custom models no matter how minute, especially when they're recently completed. However, over time I tend to forget about the flaws and inaccuracies and then I only see a nicely built model that I enjoy very much.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

With Bob back, I thought I would finish off one of his auto carriers.
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I still need to add a touch of weathering to the grill, touch up the tires and add headlights. But it's about 95% done. Two down, 8 more to go.

[aikorob]

Welcome back Caleb, and good work everyone!

Another week of decent progress on my layout, principally the wiring for the Fort John Subdivision extension.  Here is the shelf after installation of the DCC command bus, auxiliary bus and track bus wires:

And here are the connections between the Highway 97 section and the FSJ Sub extension:




Looking along the extension shelf with all wiring now installed:




......

Tim

Tim, really like the use of the biscuit as an alignment tool. What is with the 2 notches in the shelf?

[Philip H]

Worky work work.

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=40665.msg753473#msg753473

[TrainCat2]

With Bob back, I thought I would finish off one of his auto carriers.

I still need to add a touch of weathering to the grill, touch up the tires and add headlights. But it's about 95% done. Two down, 8 more to go.

Nice Daniel.  I just found a stash of 20 carriers and 30 auto ramps last night I did not know I had.

[Jesse6669]

Another week of decent progress on my layout, principally the wiring for the Fort John Subdivision extension. 

Wow, that is some gorgeous wiring!  It definitely appeals to the OCDS part of my brain..   And great modeling from everyone as usual.

As for myself, over the last couple weeks I managed some ballasting on the 1:300 WP&Y.  So far I only completed a siding track to test out the grout sand (it's a variation on one of Ed K's special recipes of SpectraLock).  I think it looks good for 1:300 scale.  I may do the main in a slightly darker blend just to indicate newer ballasting.   All will be further weathered with some chalks. 

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I mocked-up the backdrop for Fraser on regular paper in 3 parts.  I started with a prototype picture of the water tower modeled, edited to remove the foreground items.  Then I added more of the mountains according to some other reference pics using cut/paste and clone.   It actually looks better than I'd hoped.  The "real" one I might get printed in a strip at a Kinkos or other printing shop so there aren't seams.


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I also have been test-finishing a T-scale B&O FP7, with some hiccups.  The B&O Royal Blue I have on hand--old Polly S--just looked too dark, so I blended a little CR blue and grey into it to make a more faded B&O blue.  Also, the first batch of decals I made were slightly off--the "B&O" too tall, and stripe is too thick.   Fortunately I have a bunch of these 3D printed shells to use as test-beds.   SO, corrected decals will be coming and I'll try the new blue.  I also have some Milwaukee Road and SCL decals to test on FP7s as well. 

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While working on the F, I chanced into a technique for small windows.  To date I have used either clear decal film or MicroScale Krystal Klear for my T-scale windows;  At this small size, decal film can be tough to place and sometimes the edges are visible--but it does dry nice and flat.  Krystal Klear is easier to apply (with a fine/00 brush) but dries with a slight concavity that, even at this scale, is noticeable to me;  I had some Vallejo Matte Varnish out for the Fs, and on a whim tried using it to glaze the windows using the same technique as Krystal Klear.  To my surprise it held together, and more importantly dried with a really nice flat surface--it must be something to do with the levelers or the way it shrinks when curing. 

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[BCR 570]

Tim, really like the use of the biscuit as an alignment tool. What is with the 2 notches in the shelf?

The biscuits have been quite useful as the shelf is put into place and removed several times during track and wiring work.  There are horizontal and vertical ones aligning the joint with the Hwy 97 section, and horizontal ones aligning the joint with the section sitting inside the wall.  We also used biscuits to align the two halves of the sections for Septimus.  Ordinarily, during cabinet work these would be glued in place for a mechincal joint, but I will leave them loose as I want the layout to be removable if necessary.

The two notches in the shelf are for vertical backdrop supports on the rear of the Pine River section, which will go right up against the shelf.


Tim

[RockGp40]

Nice Daniel.  I just found a stash of 20 carriers and 30 auto ramps last night I did not know I had.

@TrainCat2

Will you make them available for purchase?