Building a train shack.

[Anonymous]

Well you guys were right about this whole train bug catching and becoming addicting. I got a hair brained idea to relocate an old 12x10 shed to a more convenient location so I could start me a train shack so I have spent the past 3 weeks working on remodeling the thing. Was bad enough I had to move it by skidding it on logs, but once I set it on railroad ties and started remodeling I decided it had to be restored back to original. I mentioned in an earlier post that the wife runs an in-house day-care so Squeak (my 6 year old) can't play with his trians short of on the weekend or they get attacked by all the little kids.

I was just going to put T-1 panels on the outside and get the shed useable so I could get to the train building inside, throw that out the window. I never seem to be able to do anything the easy way, the artistic/creative side always kicks in and takes over. I have now carefully pulled all the original siding and insulated and sheeted the walls and I'm re-installing the original siding and salvaging siding from other buildings in the valley that people are kind enough to let me take some pieces from to replace what isn't useable on mine. I am adding a little porch on the front that will have some old rusty tin for a roof over it and I'm going to hand build a wood screen door so I can install a big spring to pull it shut with a slam like they used to. The roof was rounded and has kind of an old caboose look to it, it was too low so I raised it about 15 inches. I think it makes the perfect Train shed and I tucked it in behind a large row of lilac bushes and cut a small opening through them from my yard to give it hidden effect. I also purchased 3 old rusty lanterns off ebay, two with red globes and I'm converting one of them over to and electric bulb and it will hang under the porch with a switch. A couple more weeks and I'll be inside setting up the deck for the train I hope.

Here is a link to a few pictures of the shed restoration if anyone is interested. Let me know what you think as far as it having kind of a train feel to it. I'll add some pictures as I progress.

http://tinyurl.com/5hg8z

Hook

[FJ and G]

Hook,

Very creative. At first, I thought you were building a train shack to put on your layout; but after seeing the photos I see it is to put the layout IN.

A nice addition would be a windmill atop the shack to power the trains.

Dave Vergun

[FJ and G]

2 shacks, one a model & one real, posted around same time. Apologies other forum:

http://ogaugerr.infopop.cc/eve/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=63160042&f=57660482&m=5531070011

[Anonymous]

coming along. It looks like a piece of junk now, but with you it will be a beutiful shed!

[FJ and G]

"Junk"

----------------

Correction: "Character"

[Anonymous]

A seperate outbuilding with character. Very nice!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jerrylovestrains

coming along. It looks like a piece of junk now, but with you it will be a beutiful shed!

I'm just about beyond the junky looking stage now. Should be applying some paint within the next week which brings up a good question. The reason I'm using the original siding which isn't in all that great of shape but doesn't worry me as I'm sheeting the building underneath the siding is that I want an old rustic shack look. I'm hoping for a bayou shack look. My question is how do I give the new paint a weathered look? I see all the weathering topics for trains so how about some weathering advice on the shack. I was thinking maybe dry brushing on some black over the paint which will be a red/brown color.

Hook

[TexasEd]

Hook, I think you just paint it and let mother nature take its course on the weathering. You will be cussing about having to repaint sooner than you think.

Ed

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TexasEd

Hook, I think you just paint it and let mother nature take its course on the weathering. You will be cussing about having to repaint sooner than you think.

Ed

Probably a good point Ed.

Hook

[FJ and G]

I'd Have to agree w/Ed that it looks good as is.

If it were my shack, I'd use it as a staging area to keep the transformer & electrical stuff and trains out of the sun and rain and run some Atlas n/s track outside thru an opening and make a garden RR. Just my thoughts.