pt714 I model southern CO, where sagebrush also abounds. I've tried a bunch of sagebrush techniques, and like the sisal rope (it's great for huge WY brush, I think I first saw it as an O scale technique.) The approach that has fit my needs best so far for smaller brush came from Rob Spangler-- as I remember it, he used 3M grey scrubbing pads that were cut up, pulled and teased apart to make the branch structure, then Super 77 and a sprinkle of the right sage-color ground foam. That might be a good way to make a lot of brush quickly, so you can get that vast expanse covered! Phil
I model southern CO, where sagebrush also abounds. I've tried a bunch of sagebrush techniques, and like the sisal rope (it's great for huge WY brush, I think I first saw it as an O scale technique.) The approach that has fit my needs best so far for smaller brush came from Rob Spangler-- as I remember it, he used 3M grey scrubbing pads that were cut up, pulled and teased apart to make the branch structure, then Super 77 and a sprinkle of the right sage-color ground foam. That might be a good way to make a lot of brush quickly, so you can get that vast expanse covered!
Phil
Same here except western CO into eastern Utah:
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Thanks Dave, Rich (partially) and Don!
Bear, I'll be reporting your family to the EPA, so they can keep an eye on any US relatives.
Rich, don't get used to it - next month I'll be back to the same old grungy clothes I usually wear. Thanks for the very kind words otherwise ! After the comments from you and Don, my ego is threatening to explode like an overinflated balloon!
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
Another outstanding video Mr. Pruitt!! You continue to astound me with your dedicated approach to layout construction and ensuring quality in your work. Your videos are a definite motivation for others of us regarding how to plan and build a model railroad!!
Don; Prez, CEO or whatever of the Wishram, Oregon and Western RR
Finally a decent looking shirt, but I would expect no less from the Casper Division Public Relations Manager.
With all due respect to a few other forum members with outstanding layouts, yours surpasses all the others in my personal view. The construction of the layout, its sheer size, and the video updates all combine to capture my interest like no other.
If the forum were presenting awards for Outstanding Layout, yours would get my vote. I hope that you never actually finish the layout because I would miss your video updates. I bet your buddy Dave is shaking in his boots as your layout progresses.
Rich
Alton Junction
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Hi Mark,
Your videos continue to hold my interest. I look forward to them every month!
Cheers!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
3 September 2022
I posted this month's layout update:
16 August 2022
The last nine days have seen some progress on the layout, notably on the Worland / Greybull peninsula.
On the 8th I finished the benchwork by adding the last section (nearest the camera). Now it's ready for some subroadbed and track!
On the 14th I carved subroadbed out of a couple of sheets of 1/2" plywood and began test fitting them flat on the benchwork.
I was going to begin building the subroadbed for Worland, but common sense prevailed (unusual in my train room!) and I began working on the Cody branch first, which will be located underneath Worland and Greybull.
On the 15th I connected all the subroadbed pieces together and began raising the line to the proper elevations. In the following photo, in the far distance (the curve to the right to nowhere), the line dives under Greybull and Worland (coming towards the camera) with just under 4" of clearance. It descends on a 2 1/4% grade all around the peninsula.
Today I finished the subroadbed underneath Worland and through the tunback curve.
My track plan has Powell (the first town on the Cody branch out of Frannie) on a deck below Powder River, but depending on how the clearances look I may move it to under Greybull instead. I think the clearance to Greybull will be too low to work well, but we'll see how it looks once I have the Worland to Greybull turnback curve in place.
After the benchwork was finished but before I started the subroadbed I paused for a few days to build this tank car kit from Intermountain Railway. This was a series of special kits manufactured for the NMRA's Rocky Mountain Regoin back in 2002. I "inherited" five of the kits from someone who decided they weren't going to use them. This is the first one, all weathered and ready to go. Looks like that baby has a few miles on it!
Thanks Bear, Dave! I was afraid the roof looked too garish. "Subtle" never crossed my mind.
7 August 2022
The past few days I've spent ripping two sheets of 3/4" plywood down to 3" wide strips (in a stiflingly hot garage!). and building most of the benchwork for the Worland / Greybull peninsula.
There's one small section left to add in the foreground, plus a couple more legs. Tomorrow, maybe.
I also have spent a couple hours adding static grass in a small area just west of Casper. This is only the first layer. Yet to coe are low bushes, weeds and sagebrush. Hopefully it get more realistic as I go.
Another interesting video! The pallet company looks good! I don't envy your having to make so much sage brush, but you have a great work ethic so I'm sure it won't take you long.
3 August 2022
I just uploaded my latest layout update video:
PruittBoth markers do show the same indication. The Light It will only drive one LED per output, so it takes two outputs, which by default are functions 1 and 2. The outputs can be remapped to a different function number, but as far as I know both outputs cannot be mapped to the same function. So each marker is activated by a different function.
I have to say that I find it a bit disappointing that the Light It can only handle a single LED per output. LEDs do not draw a lot of power so I will suggest politely that they need to up their game (no criticism of your use of the module intended).
In my cabooses I use a circuit designed by Mark R which delivers constant lighting to the marker lights as well as a light inside the conductor's cubicle. The lights are controlled by a magnetic latching reed switch.
Here is the wiring diagram:
The fact that the capacitor is rated lower than the track voltage doesn't matter, but you can use a higher voltage capacitor if you choose. The reed switch is optional. You could use a manual switch. In fact, finding the latching magnetic reed switches may prove to be rather difficult given the age of the technology.
I'm not suggesting that you change your methodology, but my option may prove interesting for some viewers.
hon30critterHi Mark, That was a very interesting and well done video. Thank you. I do have one small question. Why are the left and right marker lights on the caboose controlled separately? I have always assumed that both lights would show the same indication. Am I wrong? Thanks, Dave
That was a very interesting and well done video. Thank you.
I do have one small question. Why are the left and right marker lights on the caboose controlled separately? I have always assumed that both lights would show the same indication. Am I wrong?
Thanks,
Both markers do show the same indication. The Light It will only drive one LED per output, so it takes two outputs, which by default are functions 1 and 2. The outputs can be remapped to a different function number, but as far as I know both outputs cannot be mapped to the same function. So each marker is activated by a different function.
richhotrainMark, thank you for convincing me to never add Wi-Fi on my iPhone to run my trains.
Rich, I don't particularly like running trains with my phone either. But for less than the price of one radio throttle (Cab06er), I have the capability to connect four wireless throttles that are more reliable (in terms of reception and transmission) than the radio units. Pretty much everybody who might come over to operate will have a smart phone, so they're all carrying throttles in their pockets, whether they know it or not.
For the future I plan to purchase at least one of the TCS UWT-50's for use at home and at the club.
Mark, thank you for convincing me to never add Wi-Fi on my iPhone to run my trains.
I should mention that I am a graduate of the Sheldon School of Model Railroading.
PruittI just posted a video on how I added wifi to my layout:
Thanks Phil!
I checked out Rob's approach to sagebrush. I'm going to give it a try.
19 July 2022
I just posted a video on how I added wifi to my layout:
Great update, Mark. I'm enjoying dropping in here from time to time and watching everything take shape.
Pruitt Boy, I need a whole more of this stuff!!!
Boy, I need a whole more of this stuff!!!
Thanks Dave, tankertoad135!
10 July 2022
Since my last photo update of 14 June (wow! Nearly a month ago!) I've continued working on scenery between Casper and into the south end of Wind River Canyon.
I patched that cut-away spot above the rock face:
And went on to add some more rock castings. These will all be blended together with additional plaster, then stain and paints:
I continued brushing on a layer of hydrocal over the plaster cloth in the canyon, getting to this point on 18 June:
I can't go further right now because the plaster cloth that's still exposed is only one layer. I'll add a second layer when I get more cloth, then continue brushing on the hydrocal.
Wyoming has a lot of sagebrush, so it was about time I started to figure out how to make it. Going on a suggestion from someone on another forum, I bought a small block of florist foam ($1.99 at Hobby Lobby) and ground it up in a blender (orange juice is going to taste funny for awhile!):
I cut a tiny length of sisal twine, glued the threads together at the base, and dipped it into a Hunterline weathering solution to make the branches of the sagebrush:
Then I sprayed it with Super 77 adhesive and dipped it in the bag of ground up florist foam. The leaves were a bit glittery, so I sprayed the bush with Dullcote and propped it up on the layout to see how it looked. Pardon the slightly blurry look in the photo - the camera focused on the blue tape behind the sagebrush:
Not terrible I think, but there's room for improvement. It should look more like the sagebrush in the foreground here:
But hey, it's a start.
To get a sense of how much I need, here's a zoomed-out shot of the Powder River / Wind River Canyon section of the layout. The red circle is where that sagebrush is:
The last week I've been focusing on coating the area between Casper and Shobon, including the Powder River siding area, with plaster in preparation for ground cover (and sagebrush):
The areas nearest the roundhouse are still wet. The color from one batch to the next doesn't match exactly, but this will all be covered with tile grout dirt, spotty prairie grass and other scattered foliage, plus lots (and lots and LOTS) of sagebrush, so the differences in the plaster colors shouldn't be noticeable.
Mark,
Your monthly and annual updates were absolutely fantastic. Your ability to plan and carry out your layout plans are something we should all aspire to!
The operating session looks like it was a lot of fun. Well done.
Thanks Bear, Dave!
3 July 2022
I posted my latest layout update video:
I have said this before but it bears repeating: Your work ethic is amazing! You are like the Energizer Bunny! I am content to do an hour or two a day, sometimes more, sometimes less, sometimes nothing. Please stop making me feel guilty!!
26 June 2022
I posted the second birthday video of the layout yesterday...
Thanks selector, Dave!
Selector, you're certainly welcome to drop by and help with the rock washes! With your skills, this will surely look great in the end.
Dave, I think I read about the AL foil idea in an issue of Model Railroader many years ago. This is the first time I've gotten to the point of being able to try it.
That's looking great. I love the crumpled aluminum foil rock casting. Did you come up with that idea?
Should look pretty darned spectacular once you have done here, Mark. Just some dabbled tan wash to get this one rock face looking like the photograph's depiction, and the rest you seem to know how to do it...judging by what you show now.
14 June 2022
Early this past month I received the 50 lb bag of Hydrocal I ordered about a month earlier:
On 8 June I started applying the Hydrocal to the south end of Wind River Canyon. First I mixed in some dry brown tempera pigment so the stuff wouldn't be stark white.
I've never used Hydrocal before, so I didn't really know what I was doing. But the only way to learn was to try it out and see what happened, so I made up y first batch of soupy hydrocal and brushed it onto the plaster cloth. The result:
I left that to dry overnight. Seemed okay the next day, so I continued on with some more similar applications. I got to this point:
Then I decided it was time to add some rocks around the tunnel opening. I've never made plaster rocks before, so this was another step into the unknown for me. I made a rock mold from slightly crumpled-up aluminum foil, mixed up some more Hydrocal, this time with black pigment to simulate the dark rocks in this area, and poured it into the mold.
After letting it begin to set up, I slapped the filled mold up against the plaster wall. I gave the plaster about 10 more minutes to cure, then peeled off the foil, leaving me with this:
That came out a lot better than I expected! One thing I learned, though - pigmented Hydrocal dries darker than the wet mix looks, while plaster of Paris dries much lighter than the wet mix looks.
I made another, smaller rock wall panel and applied it to the wall just inside the tunnel. After drying for about 12 hours, things looked like this:
I was pretty encouraged by how this was looking, but after a couple days I decided it needed a revision. Here's what the real location looks like:
Notice the road that runs along the wall and over the tunnel opening. That was the road that provided access to the first Boysen Reservoir dam. I want that road on my model, but it was too high up on the canyon wall. So yesterday I took a utility knife and serrated kitchen knife to the area. I took off the top part of the new rock wall and a bit of the plaster cloth, leaving this:
Once I add a bit of plaster to the wall again, I'll have a road that looks similar to the real one. Great! I'll do that in the next few days, then proceed on with more rock casting.
To be continued...
8 June 2022
Thanks for the kind words, everyone! And thanks for the humor, Bear.
Ed, that link to the Microscale decals looks like just what I need. Thanks a lot! Now I just need to relearn decaling (haven't done it in about 50 years!).