Finally, the right front corner of the layout, where MR has a tunnel leading to their staging yard. On my layout this is where the AMB "Cullen Station" kit aka DB Tower will sit, alongside the track on right that will lead to staging eventually. The station kit is a close resemblence to DB Tower, a block station on the Kanawha Secondary south of Dickinson yard where the old Virginian connected with the NYC, which this station (tower) will represent. Photo shows Sculptamold placed to cover elevation change and saw cut around curve to switch. After drying, this area has been covered with more ground cover, and a dirt road leading into where kit will sit. More photos after station is built and placed...
A few more recent photos of progress. I'm currently working on the mine area, or the Hitop, Wva area. These photos show the mountain and "wall" behind company houses now complete with trees, ground cover behind mine building put down, dirt road over into mine area installed, and at the top end of branch or my "Morris Fork" area, ground cover put down between main and siding. Since these photos were taken, ground cover has since been put down around farm and hardware supply at end of branch, plus ground cover placed on branch as it curves up around mine and mountain
304live,
It may have been this question I posted back in August.
I am still trying to figure out what to do with the bare hill near the tunnel in the photo. I built it too steep to put rocks ( or a rock slide) and its too close to the track to put puff ball trees.
The solution was actually quite simple. I painted it grey , dry brushed various colors and highlights and since it was rough sculptamold in the first place, it now looks like blasted rock
RogerThat 304live Could you build a retaining wall? 304live, Who is this question addressed to? Can you elaborate?
304live Could you build a retaining wall?
Could you build a retaining wall?
you know I thought I quoted it the first time... .but I cant seem to find it now
but it was somebody in the thread talking about a section beside the track that they had some sort of issue with about making it look right... maybe too high of a rock wall? too long of one? something... I cant recall now...
this is a great thread... Ive checked on it a few times and love seeing the progress
Finally, a somewhat foggy morning in the Kanawha valley as we look at the yard lead curving toward Dickinson yard:
The engineer of the morning Hitop mine run has cleared the crossing as the conductor is busy in the Hitop general store:
Looking great Steve!
Following are some new photos of recent progress in the mine area. This is "Hitop, West Virginia". Of course small details such as produce for front porch of general store, a propane tank, dumpster, ice machine, and car stops have yet to be added to store, while a WS dog and woman hanging laundry will be added to one of the company houses shown. Some old pickup trucks, some ties, and a piece of rusted rail or two will be added as well, along with a few individual trees in the curve of the branch as it starts uphill. Of course crossbucks and some miners will be added, hopefully in April when my budget calls for ordering the remaining detail supplies. Finally, a Walther's utility pole line will be added going across into mine....
Roger,
The coal dumps are Blair Line kits with a scratch built base. I have not constructed the chutes (the piece the sits at the end over the rail) yet as the Blair line ones were just thin card stock. There is still some detailing (and more coal) to do around the area as well.
On a side note for Airborne101 (for another thread). The ballast is Highball cinders put in using the "modified Cody's" method I described.
Here's another look.
Just got a chance to see the Thin Branch. I like it but it takes up more space and provides less traffic for the layout. That said I do plan to expand the layout from that point in a similar fashion in my rendition.
Steve,
Looking good as usual. Are those the Blair line coal dumps or scratch built like mine? I like the base they are resting on. Again, scratch built? Great job on everything.
My Layout Pics
Airborne,
I hear you on the weather. It was 55 degrees here on Tuesday and 22 degrees today. I am building in the basement so am fine except I am somewhat challenged with the light for taking photos. Enclosed are some photos from today showing progress on the back side. The base scenery is done on the coal dumps and the river. Still a lot to do.
No, no military experience here either. I've always used this moniker to honor my father, who was a decorated vet of the 101st airborne in WWII.
I do belong to a club (well, as of this past year, as I didn't renew my dues, and to concentrate on my layout instead), but really only had one person help immensely with the wiring and soldering. Everything else I've done on my own....
As far as other projects, I don't plan on any further layouts, only hopefully the staging yard at some point. I plan to completely finish the main layout first however. The Thin Branch looks interesting, but think the staging yard is more practical at this point. I could actually see the Thin Branch being attached however at the left front of the layout where the "cabinet company" is, and use the staging yard at the original end...
Currently I'm working on the mine area, and will have more photos in a day or two. I'm able to get out and work on the layout thanks to a neighbor with an extra space heater, plus the fact our temps out here have been going from snow and cold one day to 50+ degrees the next. Weather has been up and down here..
All for now....
Thanks,
I had a look this morning and they have released the third video which shows the completed Thin Branch hooked up to the Virginian. It will really come down to whether to base my next layout on the Virginian 4*8 and the disadvantages of a island layout or move to something that utilizes the space better and maybe has a longer mainline. Lots of things to consider, but I probably have until late summer to make the decision.
They built the thin branch to plug into the Virginian project where the staging yard would plug in....
Steve, Dirt pro,
The Thin Branch layout will be featured in the new Model Railroader Video Plus series they are offering this spring. David Popp shows it in the latest Video Plus sneak preview. To see the sneak previews, you need to sign up. There is an ad for it on the MRR home page. You just get a short glimpse at it.
RogerRoger,
I probably have another few months to go. I have made quite a lot of progress since the last photos but still have to complete the mine area and the road system around the company houses, then do a lot of fine detailing over the whole layout. I have been holding that till last as as the terrain changes are more challenging than the other areas. I've also been building a few of the structures which is time consuming.
Once complete I will most likely start planning something more extensive. I was looking at a variation of the Virginian created by a guy called Byron Henderson as a possibility, but haven't decided on anything concrete yet.
http://www.layoutvision.com/id56.html
I haven't heard of the Thin Branch layout. Do you have a link to it.
Cheers.
I for one am very appreciative of this thread. I have planned on building this layout since I first saw it but cash flow and house size prevent it at this time. I would wager there are others in a similar position that wait on the edge of their seat for the next post in this thread!
Do you have any more info on this Thin branch layout? Your post is the first I've heard of it.
No ex military connotation here. Just a play on my name. I could have used "Roger Roger" and had a Star Wars connotation.
I started this thread assuming lots of people building a layout based on the Virginian would join in, but alas, only the three of us. I'm not in a club either and have done everything on my own.
Have you seen the Thin Branch layout that MRR has completed to replace the staging yard? I was planning on my next project to put in a switching layout in that same area. However I was going to make it more of an urban industrial setting. Do you have any future plans?
I wonder how many of us are building this layout.. Its the first series I saw since Turtle Creek that really leads you through the process from start to finish for a complete layout rather than an extension or change to an existing layout. For myself who don't belong to a club and doesn't have a support network it has been a great asset. I hope its more than Airborne101 (ex army I presume), Rogerthat (also has a ex military connotation) and myself. If theres anyone else , you can come out of the woodwork now
Cheers,
Steve
Progressing nicely though Roger!
I am way behind Airborne and Steve on my layout. Both of their layouts are progressing very nicely. I haven't updated my pics in quite awhile so here are some new shots. Lately I have been working on the hill and ridge line behind the Roger's yard area. With this completed, I am now basically done with the terra forming portion of the project. I still have some minor slopes to complete. It is then time to switch to the texturing phase.
Here are the pics:
I think your comment on not being able to make much progress during winter was just to lull me into a false sense of complacency :) .Nice progress. I hope to be able to post some new pictures in the next day or so.
Two more photos of recent progress. One photo is kind of dark, but shows grdont cover now down along front edge of layout, using Scenic Express materials. Also shows half of mainline along front ballasted. Second photo shows most of yard mix ballast and cinders down in mine area...
A few more photos of recent progress. These photos show the rest of the yard ballasted, road crossings in with Arizona Rock and Mineral "NYC Limestone" ballast in on some of the main, plus more "tree planting" on the ridgeline....
Thanks for the compliments David!
Another short update here while old man winter is preventing more work on the layout. A short commentary on the background of my layout. Instead of the "Virginian", my layout is based on the ex NYC/PC Hitop branch, which was part of the NYC/PC Kanawha Secondary. The branch ran up to two mines, one at Morris Fork, and the other at the end of line at Hitop. My Hitop mine is the Walther's New River mine, the same kit MR used, but mine was built as is, and not modified. I used all three tracks for this mine. My Morris Fork mine is represented by the two truck dumps at the end of the branch.
My yard is ex PC Dickinson yard instead of Rogers yard, and my track that will lead eventually to my staging yard will also be my "interchange" track to simulate the ex Virginian connection at "DB Tower", which will be represented by the AMB model of "Cullen Station", and also will simulate the B&O connection at Blue Creek, where NYC/PC had trackage rights up the branch. This fit in perfectly as my "Blue Creek" starts in the curve just past the "interchange".
Being from the Midwest and modeling NYC/PC, mainly PC, this fit in perfectly with what I had in mind, and the trackplan fit in perfectly with this plan, and the space I had to work with.
Here is a photo of my new engine which will run on the layout, which will alternate with my Atlas PC GP-7 of a few years back. This new engine is Athearn's Genesis PC GP-9, # 7394. I picked this number as this PC engine was ex NYC 5994, built in 3/56, serial number 21007, and is a detailed replica of this ex NYC engine. Athearn really did an excellent job on this new engine. Both engines have sound....
Been following your progress, looks really nice!
David
Yes, I looked at Byron's plan, it does look interesting! As for the puffball trees, I also have varied the sizes a bit, as I must do on the back of the ridge where the branch climbs up to end of track, as their isn't much clearance between one track and the hillside.
Most of the front side of the layout is done as well. I still have to finish ballasting, do an India ink wash on the rocks, install two retaining walls, and finish the right front corner. On the back of the layout, I still need to do final ground cover, plus build the road into the mine area. Also have to finish the top corner of the layout where the truck dumps sit, plus the creek itself (creek bank is done). Of course on both sides I need to finish the trees....
What is limiting progress now is old man winter. As the layout is in our garage, even with some heat, our temps here have been in the single digits with near zero or below wind chills, so may be awhile until further progress.....
i think you have caught if not passed me. I have started work on the "back nine" and the river. I have the yard side finished except for detailing. A comment on the trees. Yours look identical to a few batches I made. What I was doing was rolling each piece into nice uniform golfball shape and applying a good amount of flock In a uniform fashion. One day I got lazy and varied the size, shape and flock coverage and the end result was more pleasing. There is however, only so much you can do with puffball trees
i also found once you start the random install of real trees., it improves the illusion, your eyes are drawn to the real trees and the puffballs blend in more realistically.
You may have noticed that a guy named Byron Henderson has created an alternative to the Virginian in a wing layout that looks pretty intesresting.
Keep it up.
steve