Hi Jon,
Supurb modeling, any updates?
Looking forward to seeing lots more.
T-Sax
I've been learning to weather a few freight cars for the new layout and decided to try out the chalk powders instead of oil paints on the latest boxcar, a patched CSX excess-height boxcar still in Family Lines paint
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1803818
The other side (with damaged step iron). I haven't had time to do the new end numbers yet and the graffiti on this side was copied from other cars in the series.
I'm itching to do another one now...
Jon
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I managed to get another boxcar weathered, this time an ICG boxcar, that was 'very' orangehttp://www.yesteryearmodels.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=YM&Product_Code=BL2131&Category_Code=ircho
I mixed a lighter shade of orange to cover the whole car, then rubbed off the paint over the lettering. I added the rust, dullcoated it, and finally added the patched number and graffiti, before dullcoating it again.
In the photo I was working from, I couldn't make out what the graffiti said, so I just wrote gibberish! The 'Zappa' on the reverse just happens to be what I was listening to at the time.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=710419
Now for a Family Lines boxcar.
Sir Madog John - not that I am overly curious - no, I am just begging to see more of your wonderful new layout!
John - not that I am overly curious - no, I am just begging to see more of your wonderful new layout!
There hasn't been a lot of progress over the past couple of months, but I will shortly be relaying a siding, so the warehouse fits scenically. Then I can start on some scenery, with photos to follow.
That said, I am exhibiting Sweethome Chicago in a couple of months and need to work on a few areas of that as well. So much to do, so little time....
John - not that I am overly curious - no, I am just begging to see more of your wonderful new layout! In fact, Sweethome Chicago and Sweethome Alabama both inspired me to finally go for a shelf switching layout!
I have been messing about with some new weathering techniques on some of the freight cars for Sweethome Alabama. I has a go using oil paints, streaked with thinners on a couple of boxcars and also messed around with some home-made graffiti.
I've also had a go at painting some pulpwood cars, essential for modelling Alabama.
I'm not sure, but I think the pulpwood car in RF&P paint scheme may be a 'foobie'(made-up), but it looks quite nice.
subscribed.
jon grant some sort of pellets
Jon,
Needless to say your modeling skills are outstanding.
Attached is a picture of a siding for South Eastern Container Corporation. It is owned by a group of Coca Cola bottlers for the manufacture of plastic bottles. When the plant first opened there was one silo and plastic pellets were delivered by semi truck. More silos were added and a point was reached that it was more economical to have rail delivery. Kind of unusal in this era.
Having this picture in my file I just thought I'd show that plastic pellets can generate a lot of traffic. In fact my work place is on the other side of the tracks and CSX is shifting cars every morning.
I was going to say, "keep up the good work" but that is rather superfluous.
Merry Christmas,
Bob
Don't Ever Give Up
The second almost-finished building is the Walthers Cornerstone Medusa Cement Silos, although I don't yet know what the contents will be. It might be grain, some sort of pellets or it possibly fertilizer - whichever maximises the number and types of hopper cars delivering stuff to it.
The silo sections were weathered in stages, working upwards, and using masking tape to blank off the areas I didnt want the paint to get on. The railings round the top were made from Athearn handrail stanchions and some Evergreen plastic strip - look for the big red button - there's always one.
The silos have been cut at an angle to line up with the backdrop.
wedudler Great building. I like your weathering and painting a few bricks a darker color. Did yu do it with crayons? That's the way I did it.
Great building. I like your weathering and painting a few bricks a darker color. Did yu do it with crayons? That's the way I did it.
No Wolfgang, I used different coloured acrylic washes and a small brush to pick out individual bricks - time-consuming but worth it for the effect, IMO
Fröhliche Weihnachten!
Merry Christmas
Wolfgang
Pueblo & Salt Lake RR
Come to us http://www.westportterminal.de my videos my blog
Hello all. I haven't been up to much in the last 6 weeks owing to a close family bereavement, but I have managed to detail a couple of buildings.
The first is a Southern RR-style freight house. The front is made from DPM parts, the roof is made from Wills plastic sheets and the rest is from the scrap box. The figures and freight is mostly Preiser.
I have decided the building is too close to the backdrop, so I will be removing the siding/spur that the freight house is currently next to, so I can move it forward 2 or 3 inches.
MisterBeasley Is Sweethome Chicago still around? I'm thinking that you should build the Illinois Central to go between these two fine layouts.
Is Sweethome Chicago still around? I'm thinking that you should build the Illinois Central to go between these two fine layouts.
Funny you should say that, as the next layout is to be in Mississippi - IC, KCS and Midsouth.
This whole series is artwork, even the under-table wiring. Having admired Sweethome Chicago for several years, it's fascinating to see another layout coming together like this.
I'm putting an extension on my layout, too, and I'm grateful for the shots of the "great divide" between modules sections. Superb work.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Spurred on by the Monroe Models bridge, I went daft and scratchbuilt another example, based on a prototype in Northern Alabama, to cover the exit hole through the backscene towards the fiddle yard.
I have also started a warehouse-type building and a freight house for the right hand yard
Both incorporate DPM modular parts and card, and the freight house below is a modified DPM Scissors factory, salvaged from an old Atlas project.
Here's an overall view of the yard so far
When I couldn't be bothered to do any layout wiring, I set my mind to starting the structures.
First up is the bridge for the left hand viewblock/false exit. I want to give the impression that the tracks go off layout so I built a Monroe Models laser-cut wood bridge kit, then painted and weathered it.
Unforunately, the finished model sticks out too far in front of the layout ...
...so I'll have to give some thought to what to do - solution will be along soon.
The second bridge on the layout will cover the baseboard and rail joints and create a view block half way along the layout, effectively splitting the layout into two equal-sized scenes. This is also the area where the operator will sit to operate the layout, so the obstruction caused by my/his head will be kept to a minimum.
The bridge is made from the Rix wrought iron bridge sides on a scratchbuilt road bed and pillars. The abutments have yet to be modelled.
More to come...
jon grantI used Peco switch machines on my first layout 17 years ago. I found them difficult to wire and the auxiliary switch attachments reduced their throwing capability. They are also apt to enlarge the hole in the tiebar and are difficult to mount under a wooden baseboard - unless you fix them directly under the turnout in the slots provided. My main motive for retiring my Peco machines was to a different switch machine with an inbuilt switch - I used Seep (now Gaugemaster) twin-solenoid turnout machines on 2 layouts, very successfully That said, I had my experience with the older version of the switch machine - the newer version may have solved some of these problems Jon
I used Peco switch machines on my first layout 17 years ago. I found them difficult to wire and the auxiliary switch attachments reduced their throwing capability. They are also apt to enlarge the hole in the tiebar and are difficult to mount under a wooden baseboard - unless you fix them directly under the turnout in the slots provided.
My main motive for retiring my Peco machines was to a different switch machine with an inbuilt switch - I used Seep (now Gaugemaster) twin-solenoid turnout machines on 2 layouts, very successfully
That said, I had my experience with the older version of the switch machine - the newer version may have solved some of these problems
My club uses Peco switches and switch machines pretty much exclusively now. In the almost 20 years that we've done so, we've had to replace only a few turnouts due to mechanical failure. Those were almost invariably because the switch was in a location where installing it was difficult to begin with, and they were damaged during installation. As far as the switch machines themselves, we've only had to replace one during that time period, and that one turned out to be fine...it was a broken wire that led us to believe the coil had failed!
Yes, you still have to mount them under the switch itself and cut a large slot for it, but in my experience, that isn't hard to deal with. We simply cut a piece of .010" styrene to cover the hole and carefully cut a slot for the pin and mounting tabs through it.
We recently installed the auxiliary contacts for the first time on switches for a hidden yard. So far we haven't noticed any lack of throwing power from the switch machines.
I'm definitely enjoying watching your latest layout come together. I can't wait to see some scenery on it!
Robert Beaty
The Laughing Hippie
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The CF-7...a waste of a perfectly good F-unit!
Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the
end of your tunnel, Was just a freight train coming
your way. -Metallica, No Leaf Clover
superbe You use Peco track and turnouts but not their switch machines. Would you explain this as it seem more logical to me to use the machine that was built for the turnout??
You use Peco track and turnouts but not their switch machines. Would you explain this as it seem more logical to me to use the machine that was built for the turnout??
jon grantthe Tortoise machines fitted
Like the other responders, your work from begining to end is masterfull. As I'm installing my first switch machines, I have a question. You use Peco track and turnouts but not their switch machines. Would you explain this as it seem more logical to me to use the machine that was built for the turnout??
Thanks,
I temporarily wired up some momentary on-off-on switches for the Tortiose motors to give me the option of either controlling the switch motors from the hand-held or from a panel. The toggle switches will eventually be inlaid into the scenic fascia board.
That done, I had my first running session tonight - three months in, and I'm running trains.
This will be the maximum length train on the layout - short and sweet.
PS - not everything went to plan - I got 2 of the Electrofrog feeds mixed up and has to snip the wires from the Tortoise auxiliary switch - could have been a lot worse.
I wired each section of track with 2 pairs of feeds to ensure electrical continuity - ie. each yard of track has 2 black feeds and 2 red feeds.
The second board was propped on its side, perched on a table, to do most of the wiring - the folding leg prevented me from propping it on its end.
I use 7SWG/0.2 wire for the feeders to the track and heavier 12SWG/0.2 wire for the Track Bus and jumper cables that connect between the baseboards. I always use multi-wound wire instead of the solid varietyafter learning my lesson with my first portable layout. When a layout is moved on a regular basis, solid wire is apt to snap anywhere along its length and it is a sod to find the break.
One of the 6-pin connectors can be seen to the bottom right of the photo below
The t layout boards have been wired up and the Tortoise machines fitted. I have experienced no problems so far using the NCE Procab - I thought the NCE Switch-it decoders might have caused a voltage drop, but they work well.
The first board was turned on its end to work on the wiring.
All the rail connections were soldered on the side of the rail away from the viewing side of the layout
This meant that half of the wires were soldered to the gauge side of the rail and needed extra care so that the solder didn't impede the wheel flanges
Always a 'heart-in-mouth' moment, here is the first time the boards have been separated since the track was laid
I can now work on the underside of the layout - easy, when the layout can be propped up on its side.
The first job was to paint the underside white. this helps to see the wiring and enables me to draw/write straight onto the board with wiring notes, section diagrams and placement lines for the Tortoise motors.
Now I can start with the wiring. I use 7-strand (7 SWG) wire for the rail droppers and 12 SWG wire for the cab bus. I also solder 2 feeds to each length of rail, to ensure there is no voltage drop.
I have also drilled the holes for the wires on the non-viewing side of the rails so that the feed isn't visible on the viewing side - it does mean that the solder joint is on the 'gauge/flange' side of the rail, but it shouldnt prove to be a problem.
Now for some soldering
davidmbedard Jon, with your butt joints, how do you disguise the screw heads?
Jon, with your butt joints, how do you disguise the screw heads?
David, see the final 2 photos below...
The rest of the track has now been laid and the undertrack magnets fitted.
I've already re-aligned one track and re-fitted the magnet three times until it worked correctly
All that remained from ten #5 and #6 turnouts and 12 yards of track was this...
I've also filled in the blank areas across the baseboard joints with railties, cut individually to fit between the rails and the screws. Once ballasted, the joint between the boards should be difficult to spot, without actually looking for it
great work jon its fun to watch it come along
Wow, layout is looking good, love the track arrangment!
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
Once the boards joint was crossed I made quick progress and have now got most of the track, underlay and undertrack magnets fitted and glued.
I started by finishing off the loop.
I then laid the tracks in the west yard - The foam underlay here is a flat sheet, as I want to inlay the tracks into the dirt, rather than have them properly ballasted.
I had to cut the back off the building at an angle so it fitted between the track and the backscene
I have now run out of undertrack magnets and will have to halt the tracklaying until some more arrive. I suppose I can fit the Tortoises and do the electrical feeders while I'm waiting for Postman Pat.
fifedog Ellison, Allen, Odegard, Olson, Furlow, Grant... Outstanding work, Jon.
Ellison, Allen, Odegard, Olson, Furlow, Grant...
Outstanding work, Jon.
A long, long way to go yet, Fifedog, but thanks for the compliment
I have been busy laying some more track over the last few days. The first obstacle was to get the tracks over the baseboard joint.
Using my tried and trusted low-vis method (once the ballast is laid) I glued some stripwood and inserted brass screws at the baseboard joins, sitting just under the rails. The rails are then soldered to the screws before being cut.
When used in tandem with the patternmakers dowels, I get a perfect alignment every time
To keep the two tracks evenly spaced I cut a template equal to a scale 7ft wide. When placed between the sleepers of two tracks I get the correct spacing for two facing Peco #6 turnouts.