Hey Howdy,
Very nice.....your layout is really coming together....and it is HUGE! I am looking forward to more pictures!
Zak
Keep On Railroad'n..............
Your railroad is coming along real nice . Love the progress pictures . What do you think , about 5000 Alberta spruce trees to finish it off ?
Looking good, Jack. You certainly have some red clay soil there. Our clay is more of an orange color. I see we use the same tunnel construction method.
May I offer a suggestion on your waterfall? If you could stack up a series of flatter rocks, slightly stagger back, for the water to run down it would give it a bit more visual interest. Just be careful of it not splashing outside your liner area. Also, mixing in smaller sizes of river rock will blend in the larger rock to the landscape. I am current finishing up a similar project for a client and will grab a few pics today.
-Brian
Here's the pond and waterfall I just finished up.
I found some suitable stones for the tunnel ends. Also modified the waterfall somewhat in order to get several streams of water rather than just one wide one. Also placed a water plant just behind the lip of the waterfall. I think it looks more realistic. Here are some pictures.
Jack,
great photos and railroad, thanks for sharing! :)
When I first saw the name of your railroad, I assumed it must be somewhere in upstate New York! ;) Here in NY, we have Seneca Lake (one of the Finger Lakes) named after the Seneca Indians, who are a member of the Iroquois tribe..
but after taking a look around your webpage, I see you live in the city of Seneca, South Carolina! I have never heard the name "Seneca" used outside of NY state before...do you know how your city got its name?? is it somehow related to the Seneca Indians?
just curious..
thanks,
Scot
I am part of the Cherokee Tribe removed from up there that is now in OK. Truefully I miss the Pow Pows because of my illness I cannot travel any more.
Dang man your place looking great!!! Love it. Any people around your place come over and check out what you been doing?
The sawmill is looking good, Jack! i have on of those on my future projects list. Right now its just a siding to nowhere. Did you motorize the saw blade?
I haven't motorized the saw yet. Thats another one of those furture to do things that keep a railroad from ever being finished.
If you have the bucks, try live steam. I power my sawmill with a Jenson #75 dry fuel steam engine. People are just as excited to see the steam engine run as my trains. I thing the #75 is around $195.
Allen
Looks great
Thanks for the updates!
Jack, you worked really hard on your layout and it shows in the peoples faces lightn up and glowing!!!
Did any of your buddies next door come over and say "Wow! so this is what you been working on all hours of the night!? And I just thought you was crazy."
Toad
jhsimpson62 wrote:The neighbors are always checking up on me, so normally stay away if there are strangers around. I tell them it not a big deal, just come over, but they don't. Now that the railroad and garden in getting to look acceptable, I be looking for reasons to open it to the public. i.e. local garden club, historical socity, etc. Thanks for the compliments. Jack
Well, you could do as us model railroaders have done for a long time- start em young. Offer open house days to the local scout troops (Boyscouts AND Girlscouts). Also contact your local library. You could easily work with them to coordinate a selection of the many fine 'train' books for kids and let them link it to your open house. Certainly you can invite the local newspaper (yes, there are still newspapers) over to cover an open house. Tell them they can cover it as a human interest kind of thing. Then you can reach out to local elementary schools. They're always looking for relatively short local 'field trips' to things that can be broadened into classroom discussion, usually involving the role played by the railroads in building this country.
I could go on and on, but by now, you should get the idea. You've got a fine start and as the landscaping matures and your layout gets more populated, it can only get better.
My own personal layout problem is a little more serious- I'm trying to plan something that will look good on 5+ acres of steeply sloping land. Some might not consider this a 'problem', but they may not be keeping the concept of a budget in mind!
It is great to look in on your work again. Real nice buildings!!! I love all the trestle work. I can't wait for our area to get out of this rainy, windy, funk we are in so I can get back outside and play in the dirt. Keep up the great work!
Regards,
Nice buildings as well as the hard work on the layout. I recognize the saw mill, lumber shed, and office buildings as being Garden-Texture. What is the source (did you design them or purchase plans) of your other buildings? Are you cutting your own lumber or did you buy kits?
I've built the saw mill and love their plans. I also bought a couple sets of plans from Smith Pond Junction.
Rex
Jack, I also have the "Bungalow" plans so I'm very interested in how you're planning to modify it. My layout includes a housing area for the miners, loggers, and towns people. I have room for about 14 houses along the river near the town. I'd like each of the houses to be different but right now I only have the Bungalow and the "Lumber Baron's House" plans. Modification will be the name of the game so let the unscrupulous bashing begin.
Are you using the plastic windows and doors or are you making those as well? The GR article on building doors looks easy. I said the same thing about the street lamp construction article and then failed miserably trying to get wires down the too small diameter tubing. I could only get one wire through so I tried using the brass post as the other wire and managed to short the whole thing out when my soldering effort melted the wire insulation.
My saw mill, grist mill, ore tipple, and sand & water tower are all finished in natural cedar wood perservative. I haven't tried painting yet but will give it a go with the service station/garage I'm working on now. It looks like it would be easier to shoot paint on the building and trim separately. How did you do it and what tips can you give us?
Thanks,
Rex, Lets see if I can answer your questions. So far I have been using the plastic windows available at Garden Texture. Since the CFO (wife) wants more windows than come with the plans, I've been thinking of trying to build my own. Looks like a lot of work.
The first modification on the Bungalow was to change the location and the style of the windows. Also altered the way the siding is placed. Some horizonal and some parallel. Think I'll do the next one on an angle. Made one two story by simply adding an additional 4.5 inches to the height and added a wrap-around porch. Also varied the paint color of both house and trim. Can also vary the style of trim work. Also plan to change the roof line and shorten the ends, lengthen the front and back and make a ranch style house out of it.
I have been spray painting (out of cans) window and doors and brushing the paint on the houses and roofs. I found a paint which has some roughness to the finish and a little glitter which looks a good bit like asphault shingles. I did one roof with asphault shingles made from vinyl sheet and coated it with the rough, glittery paint and looks good. Sheets don't fit a 1:20.3 building so it had to be pieced. After everything is painted, I spray a couple coats of clear matte finish lacqur for UV protection and cutting the shine of the paint.
Good luck with your bashing. Just let your imagination be your guide. Jack
Very nice shingle work there...your buildings are looking cool...looking forward to more pics....
Was that one roof wet-dry sand paper pulling up?
Howdy,
Lookin mighty fine around the Seneca & Chetola line. I especially liked the the end of track bumper you put in place on your lumber mill siding. I am gong to borrow your concept if you don't mind for my siding to the very used Pola lumber mill I picked up on evil-bay.
Keep up the great work.
As stated before, a group of shipmates from the USS Independence (CV62) gathered for a weekend of reminiscence. They got some nice shots of the layout, but it was when the trains weren't running. you'll find the pictures here. Later today another group from the Elks Lodge will be coming. It may be a small turnout since Mother Nature has brought us August weather in June. It to be 101 degrees. Plans were made hoping to have the event before it got too hot. Too much trouble to change them so we'll see what happens. Jack
Jack:
Looks good, but I'm more interested in your sawmill. Q: Does the blade actually turn? Looks like you put in some sort of motor or are my eyes failing me?
Tom Trigg
Water tower is lookin good!
Are you working from a kit or did you come up with the plan on your own? Is that redwood you are working with? What kind of glue are you using to withstand the elements?
Thanks for sharing your project with us. I look forward to your updates on your railroad!
Looking good! Still say it would look better in D&RGW colors, but thats only my opinion.
Thanks Tom. At this point it would be difficult to convience to CFO (wife) or the CMO (me) to change the corporate colors. Since the Seneca & Chetola Line is a fictious railroad, we selected red for the railroad buildings primarily to add some color to the layout. Jack
Your water tower project sure turned out nice! It should give you many years of service on your RR. What do you plan on building next?
Keep up the great work!
jhsimpson62 . At this point it would be difficult to convience to CFO (wife)
Jack: I learned a long time ago to NOT aruge withthe CFO. Guess I'm gonna have to stop asking yuou to change color!
Zak, Thanks it was a fun project. Next I think will be a church. Since moving to S Carolina we have been attending a small old country church. Over the years there have been some renovations, but I have found a pencil sketch of the original (or almost so) building that along with measurements of the current building I think I can scratch build a pretty close copy. I just have to decide how far back to take it. Originally there was no bell tower so it really dosen't look much like a church. I want to discuss this project with a few long time members of the church and see just how much they remember.
I have gotten started on the next construction project. It is a scaled copy of our old country church. Have finished the windows and started putting the siding on. Next comes the roof and then the steeple which is still in the design stage. The windows are scratched built and include some of the original glass from the church. Pictures of this project can be found here.
I'm also working on a church. My current idea is to do some stained glass windows from "mosaic glass" I found at a craft store. Could you share your plans?
Rex, Not so sure you could call them plans. Got some measurements and knowledge of how the church looks today, plus some idea of how the church looked in the 50/60's from the older members. I'm not much of a planer, give me a basic idea and I go at it changing and modifying as I go along. If you want I'll be glad to send you the measerments and a rough sketch. Jack
I'd love to see your rough sketch. I have a rough plan on my table that calls for a side wall of four stained glass windows. It's roughly a 12" x 15" floor plan with a steep 12x12 pitch roof.
Still working and the church. Here are a few pics taken yesterday. Since then, I have finished siding the entire building and applyed a coat of primer. In the morning, I'll start the finish coating.
Looking well!!! Always a great look and see with your stuff.
Thanks Toad. I had expected to be finished and ready for placing the church in the train layout, but a bad cold, raining weather and a bout witgh the gout has left me with the first finish coat on and in need of cutting the shingles and applying them. The last thing will be inserting the windows in the opening. Maybe next week.
Here are some construction pictures of the church I'm working on
I even got my Mom and Dad to work on the stained glass. They had a ball.
Rex, I was just going to post a few pictures of the church I am building when I noticed your pictures. Thats a real nice looking church and the stained glass really shows up great. I finished shingling the main roof and the extrance roof this afternoon. I still have one small side porch roof and the steeple to shingle. The porch columns and entrance is next then installation of the windows to finish it off. You can find the pictures here
Your church is looking good. I may have to add a porch but I think I'm finished with it now that the paint and cross are on. At least I think so until my chief-of-staff informs me of my misunderstanding.
Have finished the church and in the mean time managed to paint some figures to start populating the train layout Hereare some pictures. Next project will be the "Lumber Barons House" from plans obtained from Garden Texture.
Great looking church. What did you use for flooring and foundation? Is your church lighted?
Here is a picture of the Lumber Baron's House that I placed near the edge of the forest just off the lake (which is dry right now). It's a good project that goes pretty fast.
Thanks Rex. Flooring is 1/2" treated plywood with the foundation made of 1 by ceader boards, primed, painted and sealed with clear matte laquer. You've set a pretty high standard for me to try to match with the "Barons House". Looks great. Jack
Howdy Jack/Rex
Wow you fellas have put together some mighty fine buildings there. Great work. I have been fighting an enertia problem here lately. Once I get started on a project, it moves along just fine. You two are certainly inspiring. I am getting a little older now and my knees are to stiff to kick myself in the patooty to get started. I am going to put down a temporary circle of track in our front flower bed for a Christmas train....
Well now that I have told you guys about that, I guess I had better go do it. I will take some pics and see if I can get them posted.
Again thanks for the inspiring work. Looks awesome.
Zak, Thanks for your kind words. Saw your pictures on the "General Discussion" site and they look really good. Bet there are even better at night. It was decidied that a country church needa a cemetary, so one was added. Here are a couple pictures as well as one just getting started on the next project.
Made some progress on the timber frame house this week. Completed the end and side walls as well as the thrusses and started assembling everything today. Here are some pictures of the work so far.
Wow Jack! The timber baron's house looks very nice. What kind of wood are you using? I see some plans there on your work table. Did you draw them up yourself? You have some very nice work that is completed pretty darn fast. You will have that lay-out populated with scratch built dwellings in no time. :)
!
Zak, Thanks. As with all my buildings, I am using cedar. Pickup 1 bys and rip them down to size. The plans are from Garden texture which I blow up to 1:20.3 scale. Not sure about how quickly I finish a building, but its what I do. I am retired and moved south to build a railroad. Winter is when I do buildings and spend a large part of each day in the workshop. Jack
Another installment documenting the construction of the "Lumber Barons House". Once the roofing is finished I be ready to build the porch steps and install the windows and doors. You will find some pictures here of the progress. Enjoy. Jack
You'll find the latest pictures of the Lumber Baron's house here. Hopefully by the end of the week I will get the glass in the windows and doors and all of them installed. Took a short vacation to visit friends so I'm a bit behind schedule. Jack
Howdy Jack,
Holy Moly this is your best yet. Awesome building.
Thanks Zak. As with all things in life, one tries to improve on each new experience. In my case it is sometimes learning to cover up mistakes. Jack
The Lumber Baron's House is completed and you can find pictures here. I showed my method of providing some stibility from wind blowing over my buildings. The "legs" are placed in holes filled with portland cement and are easily removed if need be for maintance. Haven't had a building disturbed by the wind since first trying this method. As you can see, the front and back are about the same with the exception of the doormers. The house is positioned to overlook the lumber mill from the front (the rear view) and what will be the downtown area from the rear. The downtown area will be the next area to be constructed.
Have commenced the next building project. It will be three stores loosely based on the Garden Texture's 20th St Series. I am constructing them as one unit. So far this is what I have. The front, with the windows (less trim casings) and applying the siding. Here are some pictures.
Looks interesting. Looking forward to seeing more.
Thanks Trigg. As requested, here is this weeks progress. Finished the front of all three buildings. Also cut the end wall and the interior walls and although not shown here, have placed the windows in the end pieces.
Jack: Looking very good indeed! This view is execelent
This view enhaces the different building heights. With the facia boards in place it is beginning to look as if it were 50 years old.
Tom. The "BOSS" took that picture and liked it also. Today I started putting the trim casings on the doors and windows.
I just noticed something in that pic. Look at the top right window on the left building. Now look at the lower pane of that window. It looks like a broken piece of glass.
That is amazing. Hadn't notice that before. It would be neat, but as yet I haven't place the window panes in the frames. Must be a shadow or something on the camera's lens. Won't place panes till windows are cased and paintet. That way I can spray them.
Buildings are starting to shape up. Have assembled the building and finished it all around and the roofing applied to the sidewalk overhangs. Have placed the support beams for the main roofs. This week I hope to have the flooring in place and the roofs on. Then it will be time for the board side walk and base. Here are the progress pictures for this week.
Another week and some more progress.If all goes well should finish by the weekend. Here are some pictures. Meant to include one of the finished roofing, but some how got two of the sidewald framing. Oh well will include the roofing in next report. Have the windows all ready for installation and have yet to complete the doors although the transums are finished.
Looking good my friend. DA BOSS just came in and looked over my shoulder! Ya got me in trouble! Now I gota make one. She loves your color scheme and I admit I like it too. Seems to me to be a unique combination of colors. It looks to me as if you put in the intermediate floors. If so, did you make any allowances to open up the building to place furnishings? If so, what did you do? Thanks.
Trigg, Sorry bout the trouble. The color scheme came from trying to use up some left over paint and stains as well as a mistake. The wine color of the center building was picked out of a row of "colonial red" paint. (should have read the label). If the future calls for furnishing the interrior, I'll just pick out a window or two to place furnishings. The windows will be installed using Silicon II sealant incase I want to do something inside. Second and third floors might be difficult, since windows are smaller, but first floor will be a breeze with the larger windows. Color scheme is left building Morocian Coffee stain trimmed with Camaflouge Gray; center is Cabernet trimmed in Winter Gray: building on the right is Clear Polliurathane trimmed in Cherry Red, all of which is overcoated with Clear Matte Lacqure
The Store Front project is finally finished. Actually it has been on the train lot for almost two weeks, just took some time to get pictures posted. Here they are. This should wind up the building cycle for the year (gets too hot in the shed). Will be working on track maintenance and gardening for the summer months.
Just gotta say, Boy o Boy does that look nice..... :)
Oh...what did you use for the base?
That looks like a real "boardwalk" (wooden sidewalk) the building is setting on. Is that true? Is that the foundation?
Let's see now, if I leave on Wednesday morning that will put me arriving in your back yard about midnight Saturday night. OOPS, did I say that out loud? Looking good my friend.
Tom and Zak, Thanks for your kind words.
Zak, the base is simply a 12'x12' scale cedar frame with 1/8" cedar flooring over 1/4" luaun board.
Tom, the boardwalk is extended from the base frame work with the same size lumber and 1/4" planks attached like the flooring. There is a couple pictures of the "sidewalk framing" among the progress pictures.
Everything is coated with three coats of Polyurethane. Jack
During a unusal rainy spell over a couple weeks, the CFO chased be to the shed to build something. After digging in the scrap wood box, I came up with a gazebo. Its finished and the weather has dried up so I finally decided to rework the water fall. Here are some pictures of both projects.
Another days progress on the water fall and mountain project is recorded here. Have been moving rocks! If the weather holds should finish in two or three days.
Some more progress pictures here. Should finish initial stage today. Calling for rain and showers for next five or six days. Eventually the rear portion will be hiegthened and will include a mine with a spur to it and a tippler.
Planted some miniture juniper trees in front of new waterfall and completed some mondane tasks of restaining a trestle and installing some rocks at a spot which mulch always washed on to the tracks. Here are some pictures.
More progress. Stones are stacked to create a mountain with a mine entrance. Need to add some dirt and plants to sides. Smaller river rocks which made up privious hill have been recycled as edging along the walk ways. Next in line is trestle leading to a tippler at a siding. Here are the latest pictures.
Jack: Looks like you've been having entirely too much fun! You know, of course, that a project likes that is supposed to take years not days! I see the "river" coming out of a most interesting falls, so when are we going to go fishing.
Tom, Sorry I'm not a fisherman. Can't sit still long enough, besides now I have to put in a spur to the mine and build an ore tippler to move the ore to the processing facility (which must be built and located some place in the yard). Jack
Its been quite awhile since I posted anything. Several trips and projects for the CFO have kept me out of the train yard for some time. Now the heat is just too much for working. While showing someone the pictures posted here, I noticed that I hadn't posted any with the lettering done on the motive power and rolling stock. Here they are with a couple of a future engineer who visited the other evening while the trains were up and running.
Spent a couple days getting started laying the base and track for the new spur going to the mine. Then I installed the switch and balasted everything. Still must erect some sort of retaining walls, but want to wait until I get the tipple installed. Next project is build the tipple (still a bit warm in the workshop) so I have started redoing the ballast on the entire layout. Here are some pictures of the mine spur.
Now that the growing season has come to a close and the CFO's projects are finished for the summer, I have reopened the construction arm of the Seneca & Chetola Line. First new structure for the year will be an Ore Tipple to be located at the mine and new spur line. Here are the first pictures of the process. More will follow as construction continues. Jack
Have completed construction of an Ore Tipple and placed it in the garden. Now that it is in place, I can get the measurements to complete the trestle coming from the mine. Trestle plans are from Garden texture and enlarged to 1:20.3. Biggest challenge was getting the stain on it. Here are some pictures. Jack
Just about finished with the Ore Tipple project. I am waiting for pullies and chain to arrive (hopefully today or tomorrow). To make room on the work bench, I've planted it in the train lot and will attach the hardware in place. The latest pictures are found here. Jack
Should you ever tire of looking at that beauty ugly monstrosity, UPS and FedEx both know where my front door is located!
Tom, We should both live that long! Jack
Have started next project for the train yard. Figured I needed a barn. when finished I'll do a farm house to go with it. Here are the first pictures. Sorry I didn't get pictures of building the post and beam truss.
Do you have any plans / drawings / pictures that you can share with us on your 'Switchmans tower' would love to create such a fine model to add to my railway expansion.
Thank you
Simon
Simon, While building the switchman's tower I didn't get any photographs. The plans came from Garden Texture. You can purchase either the plans or as a kit in 1:24 scale. I buy the plans and convert them to 1:20.3 and cut my own lumber from cedar boards. Jack
Here are some more pics of the Barn project. The cupolas are attatched but the roofing is just fited and loose to allow for easier moving while completing construction (windows, doors etc).
Almost finished with the barn. Sorry for the lack of pictures. With the cold weather the CFO dosen't venture to my shed/workshop to take pics and I keep forgetting to take the camera with me. As you can see, not much left to do. Another coat of stain on some of the trim work, roofing and than the foundation. The foundation will be the hard part, there is somewhat of a grade where the barn will be placed on the lot so I'll have to place it and level it with temporary blocking to get the measurements. That will have to wait for a while until this cold snap passes. Here are the latest pictures. Jack
Got started on the roof today. I'm making a standing seam roof using panels scaled to 4' x 8'. Cutting down aluminum cookie sheets I found at a local grocery store. Here are some pictures.
I like it!
Great work on the barn. Can you tell us how you put the realistic looking brick texture on your barn foundation sticks?
Rex in Pinetop Jack, Great work on the barn. Can you tell us how you put the realistic looking brick texture on your barn foundation sticks? Rex
Was just about to make exactly the same comments.
Rex and Tom, Thanks for your engouraging comments. I was quite please with the outcome of my foundation, but perhaps its not as good as I thought. It's suppose to look like a stacked stone foundation as opposed to brick. To answer your question, after cutting down an old treated wooded step tread to fit the slant of the train lot, I routed the horizontal lines using a Demoral w/router attachment than free handed the vertical lines randomly (in the pictures you have to look closely to see that they are jagged as natural stones would be rather than nice and neat as bricks). Than a coat gray primer sprayed on to which was added various colors (gray, black, raw sienna and terra cotta) dabbed on randomly using a paper towel. Finally filling the grout lines with cement colored mixture. Final step will be several coats of clear matte finished laquer.
Made some progress on the barn project. Here are some pictures of Pennsylvania Dutch Hex Sign I copied from the internet and attached above the three barn doors. Also hung some chain and hooks from the hoist bars above the hay loft doors. Now if we ever get a few dry days its ready to be planted in the garden. Once planted I'll be able to finish by constructing and placing access ramps at the doors.
Today started bright and sunny with mild (49 degs) temp, so decided to put the barn in the garden. After digging and filling with stone dust it started raining. It took three tries, but finally quit long enough to finish the job. Still must back fill around the foundation, ground too muddy. Then will build the ramps up to the doors. Here are some views of the barn in the train lot.
Nice.
Since we have a barn, I figured the farmer needed a place to live. Here is the farm house. Pretty much like any other house build so didn't bother taking a bunch of pics while building. CFO stuck her head in the shed once in a while and shot a pic. Building season over for the summer. Spent the day cleaning mulch and leaves out of the track and ran the trains for about 3 hours.
While I was preparing the railroad for some visitors, the CFO thought it time to take some panaramic shots of the train lot along with some of the newer vignettes. Here are the new photos.
I sure hope that the drunkard crew that laid the rails behind the church have been sent to rehab. Well done my friend.
Great shots. Your layout is progressing nicely. What happened to your saw blade?
Tom, Thanks. Crew attended rehab, but failed. CFO says still consumming too much brewski.
Rex, Also thanks. Original saw blade was cut from old floppy disc (as per an article in GR) and gone after the first winter. I have played around with other materials but am not quite satisfied. Actually purchased some to strew around the mill as used blades, but are a little small (I think).
Jack: Have a look at a Dremel saw blade. Dremel has one that is 2 1/4 inch in dia. It may be a bit on the small size but will standup to the weather.
I haven't been on in a while. Work is nuts and other issues. I am glad to see that your work is coming along well. Keep up the great work and fine pictures
Thanks Zak. Its good to see you on here again.
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