"Shoo-fly" Free-moN Module (2'x6')

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Thanks, Bear.

The camera and sunlight make that fallen oak look decent.
In real life it looks more like the piece of shriveled broccoli you find 5 years later behind the cupboard when you move out.
Thank goodness for sunlight and decent cameras

Here's some more picts because why not:







Thanks for looking.
Will be finishing up the transport / storage crate today.
Woot.

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Well, crews are starting to build the abutments as we speak!
There'll probably be a finished concrete abutment on the hill side, with forms & rebar for the cow side abutment.
Still figuring it all out.

But, (a but? ment?), that will have to wait as the show at the Hiller Aviation Museum will start tomorrow.
Got the transport box to the point it will serve it's function:



It's 37"x28"x24".
At some point will put on a top.
Loading the module into the box & into the car resulted in casualties (so far) counting one small tree and one fence post (the one near the edge).
Nothing various glues can't fix.

But before I packed it up I was able to add some more details such as rails, ties, wood & drums around the service spur, as well as the module's first structure:





Hawthorne opens The Scarlet Letter noting that the first two structures early colonists inevitably erected were a prison and a graveyard.
My first structure could be both, depending on the food, but nevertheless arguably more important than any other.

So off we go.
To the show.
I hope to get some more wiring done while there, and I'll probably be working on the old barn at home and then planting it while at the show, or start experimenting with vines for the vineyard.
Or maybe I'll just be too busy running trains

Thanks for looking, and hope to see some of you at the show.

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Fun times at the Hiller Aviation Museum Planes n' Trains Spring Break extravaganza.
First time Free-moNing for me, so quite a learning experience!
Will write a bit more on that later, for now just posting some picts to show the general Free-moN sprawl:





[Yes, our one turnback loop is wrapped around a pole]

I've been taking home some of the small 1'x2ish' 45 deg modules.
They've been pinkfoam prairies since X2011 in Sacramento (where I first saw the Silicon Valley Free-moN group in action), so I thought I'd spruce 'em up a little;



Did two last night, but ran out of time at the show today to pour the water, so it came back home along with two other barren wastelands that will be given the Fujiwara Fertilizer Freshen-upper treatment:




We'll see how they turn out in the next two days (no show on Easter Sunday).
We'll need them done-ish, as they're part of the mainline!

And, of course, a video!
(Only two minutes: Woot!)

watch?v=fhDmsQll78U

A bit shaky as no tripod.
We'll be popping in to run trains and work on modules all week, so there should be a big difference (for better or worse) by Sunday.

Thanks for looking, and hope to see you there (like we saw John Sing today! Yeay!)

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Long but fun week of running trains at the Free-moN show at the Hiller Aviation Museum.
Haven't been posting because I've been working on a 10'-long staging yard module since last Sunday, but got that "done" and operational for the big group ops fun today.
Will post picts & fancy videos later.
For now, here's the shoofly:

watch?v=Arej PKJGak

Time for bed.
Fun week of running long trains through fab scenery!
Thanks for looking.

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Haven't been posting because I've had to tackle the backlog of work I let slide while getting the staging yard module operational.
When we set up at Hiller Aviation Museum we realized that we had only one runaround / passing siding besides the turnback loop, and that was Steve Williams' Lockhart, TX module.
We had more modules past Lockhart, but it was all single track with no turnouts.
So on Sunday, April 8th I started cutting wood for a 16" x 10' staging yard module so we could at least run around some trains and so use Lockhart as a meet rather than staging / passing / runaround / terminus.
The module is two 16"x4' sections with a 12"x24" 15 deg. curved insert so we could bend the yard in either direction if we had to (the slight curve also makes the yard increadibly stable):



[The gap on the far left staging track was filled in with temp flextrack on double-sided tape to be operational]



While I wasn't able to get all 7 tracks laid (final will have a main, two staging and a runaround on each side, but two LHS didn't have enough #7 turnouts!), I was able to get the main and about 3 1/2 staging tracks done & wired, so on Sunday when 5-6 guys showed up we could all run trains continuously, so good times all around.



We clamped the 4"x24" detachable extension on at the end for clearance & runaround.

But we were able to run some pretty good-sized trains!



Considering my "home" layout is a little under 2'x4', it was a real treat to be able to run long trains through groovy scenery.
Major Free-moN plus!

The Caboose Ind. ground throws are just temporary: now that the show's over I'll pop those off and install Bullfrogs underneath with control rods running to both sides.
There'll also be a diesel service area, machine shop, wreck crane train siding (we need it!) and an 8"ish manual turntable with steam service for the steamers and F-units.

And of course, a video:

watch?v=txeqQms9Zjg

Thanks for looking.

[mcfunkeymonkey]

The Shoo-fly's been on hiatus as I've been working on the staging yard module, but recently I've pulled it out to test out the staging module in it's "split stub-end" configuration so I thought I'd post some picts to keep the documentation up to date:





Here's a short video of my new 2-10-2 pulling a bunch of cars through the Shoo-fly:

watch?v=ntryw3aQzNY

Inspired by the easy of use on the staging yard module, I've gone ahead and modified the Shoo-fly module legs so that they're "slip-ons" as well.
This involves cutting slots down to the bolt-holes on the leg plate and then Gorilla Gluing the bolts in place to the cross-support.
This way you don't have to take any hardware off, just loosen the wing nuts, slip the leg plate in place, and then tighten the nuts.
Makes set up oh-so-much easier.

Also finally got my hands on a Kato Mikado, so I'm a happy camper:





Don't worry, the Erie will disappear and be replaced by my Portland & Pacific RR or something else soon.
As soon as I get the Staging Yard done I'll go back and finish the Shoo-fly, hopefully all by the GTE show in September.
Sometimes deadlines (or show-lines?) are your friend.

Thanks for looking.

[MisterBeasley]

It looks like you're making good use of the clothes dryer, but I'd have to say you need a bigger garage.

Watching this thread and your Free-Mo layout videos is a great advertisement for that format.

[mcfunkeymonkey]

After working on a bunch of other modules & projects, I've returned to finish the Shoo-fly module, starting with "Lush Vineyard".
Used small stranded wire to create the vines, which I painted with ceramic stucco paste and then with Grimy Black:



You might have seen me use sawdust & whiteglue to create the bark on my oak trees, but that takes too many coats and too long to dry for the vines, and the stucco is easy to work with, sticks to the wire in one coat, and comes out with almost the same texture.

(And with a couple hundred of these to make, easy & quick wins!)

Here's about 80 vines planted:



Only about 100 more to go! Used floral wire for the irregation hose.

Not a super-fine detailed vineyard, but creates a good impression:



Why no grapes?
It's early-/mid-spring.
Plus, an N-scale grape would be 0.00315".
No thank you!

Might put some of those big fans you see among the vines in Sonoma, though that might date the module a bit modern.
We'll see.

And, of course, a "how-to" video:

bq vIdVK20g

Hope it comes in handy.
Thanks for looking.

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Finally finished planting Lush Vineyard:









That's 182 individually made & planted vines.
At about 3 hours per batch of 40 vines, it was a bit laborious, but the end result is worth it.
Especially as this is a Free-moN module, and both sides are the "front" and close to the viewer.

If I ever make a vineyard again, I'm puttin' towards the back of the layout and just detailing the first row or two and fakin' the rest.

Still, I think it turned out alright, and, with the oaks, definitely says "Sonoma, California".

Now just got to finish the bridge-building scene and this module is d-o-n-e!
Thanks for looking.

[MisterBeasley]

mcfunkeymonkey

Now just got to finish the bridge-building scene and this module is d-o-n-e!

No, the module may be done, but the job's not done yet.  You need to come up with a logo and label for your wine, and then put it on a sign by the vineyard.  Print up some full-sized labels, too, and stick them on empty wine bottles.  (Creating 1:1 scale empty wine bottles is easy.  Just start with full 1:1 scale wine bottles....)

Great work.  Thanks again for the tutorials.

[Xicaque]

Very nice  MC. I am drooling.

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Been working on the last scene on the Free-moN "Shoo-fly" module: bridge construction.









Still have a ways to go.

Currently building a bulldozer and crane car (to be perminantly positioned above the yet-to-be-poured abuttment.
Need to figure out how to make churned dirt / dozer tracks / mud (thinking brown paint and some Durhams water putty, or maybe just paint and matte modge podge).
Workers, water tank, tools, more wood, more framing, more rebar, etc.

Any other construction detail suggestions appreciated.

Last will be a final water pour to raise the creek a smidge and cover all the crap & scratches there now.

At least I won't have to explain the lack of bridge there anymore  

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Been trying for a churned-earth / muddish ground that shows evidence of the bulldozer / tractor that I'm assembling.
So I tried some Liquitex Brown with some dirt and Durham's Water Putty mixed in.
Painted it on the area, let it set a bit, then squished the tracks of the tractor around the muck to get prints and piles.



Not sure if it was a success, as it seems to be drying a bit light tan instead of darker brown, but I can always paint over / stain that as long as the texture is good.

That's the problem with real dirt: even fine sifted it's still a bit grainy for N.
That's why I think the paint / water putty works alrighty.

Was first experiment: will refine!

[mcfunkeymonkey]

The GHQ kit tracks are what I used to make the imprints above.
Dried very light, so I stained the area, and it turned out nice & muddy / churned.

I know that a real construction company would build both abuttments at the same time, but I wanted to have "progress" in progress, so one abuttment "done" and another in medias res.
The eye zero's in on details one at a time anyway, so I was hoping that each bridge side would frame the eye like a comic panel and divert from the slight diversion from reality.

Alas, buddy Michael Rountree (WP&P), in addition to being a fine MMR, is also an architect, and called me on the concrete reality of the lack of parallel concrete progress, so I had to add to the scene and show the first "mis-cast" abuttment being carted away:



Concrete chunks made from balsa foam painted & stained with "rebar" embedded.



Concrete trash not planted yet: think I need to weather a wee bit more.

Currently building an older rail crane to perch above the build, and surveyors are a great idea!

Fun with a small scene like this: so many little details to make it real!

Thanks for looking.

[magi46]

Excellent work MC. Thank you.

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Thanks, Magi46, for the kind words.

Glued in the concrete scraps and some more debris being removed.
Cut the trestle bent posts to look like cut bent posts.
The dozer's broke so it's getting fixed.
Surveyor team is trying to make sure that the new abuttment is in line with the rest of the track:







Just waiting for some ground cover to dry around the creekbed and then I can do my final pour of water: a thin layer to cover everything that fell in / scratched up the first pour.

Will be building the rail crane that will be next to the surveyors while the water cures.

My daughter created a new tunnel for the module:



I guess our family lives, breathes and eats model trains!

Thanks for looking.

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Alrighty: poured the Magic Water (tinted with Floquil BNSF Heritage Green and Grimy Black).





It was rather warm today (60's) but the nights (and days) are going to be getting very chilly starting tomorrow (maybe down to low-30's) so wanted to get the pour done now.
Hopefully will be cured  tomorrow night / next day morning.

Am also hoping the fact I already did a pour earlier this year will keep the creep from happening too much, but no problemo if it does.

Next tasks: build the rail crane and then construct the endplates for the module section halves (I figure by using endplates instead of the big box I can free up a few cubed feet in my car! :) )

Thanks for looking.

[magi46]

Get's better and better. Since you poured with Magic Water and colored it can you use acrylics instead of enamels?

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Water-based paints tend to bead-up in Magic Water.

Tried that my first time about three years ago and the green acrylic looked like algae scum, but in a very paint-blob way.

Solvent-based paints seem to tint the MW much better, and Floquil BNSF Heritage Green + Grimy Black seem to get that deeper dirty greenish tint that most water actually is.

[-E-C-Mills]

"My daughter created a new tunnel for the module: "

Funny!

Everything looks great, thanks for posting.

[mcfunkeymonkey]

The water is cured, so I might add a few Gloss Modge Podge ripples here & there.

Also finished the rail crane dedicated to the bridge build:



While the kit had some nice castings, it was obvious from the directions that the N scale kit got shortchanged moocho on a lot of details, so I had to add a lot.



Looks like I need a bit more weathering (though in person it doesn't look as "fresh").

So here's the whole construction scene so far:



I'll try to get the whole module outside tomorrow for some "final" photos, but it's supposed to start dumping rain tonight and go throughout the weekend, so we'll see.

Any other nifty detail suggestions appreciated!

Thanks for looking.

[Anonymous]

Michael,

it is so hard to believe, that this is N scale! What a wealth of detail!

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Raining today so best I could do was haul the module as close to the open garage door as possible for some shots to show how both sections work together:













Lots of little details still to add, but it's nice to have a module "done" with most of the scenes in so I don't have to keep explaining to viewers what "will be" there.

Now to fit the endplates to it doesn't take up as much room in my car!

Thanks for looking.

["JaBear"]

Gidday M C , I'll say it again, "thanks for sharing". Very 

Cheers, the Bear.

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Thanks, the Bear!

On the importance of endplates:

I used to cart this Shoofly module around in a custom-built box:



You can see it under everything and how it takes up most of the back of my car.

The dimensions of the ply box are 28"W x 24"H x 37"D.

By attaching endplates, I can reduce the footprint to 19"W x 25"H x 37"D:





Why only 19"W? 
By turning the modules on their sides!
So basically I free up over 10" of space, which is more than enough for a bunch of 45 deg modules or legs or anything else!

Plus, all the scenery is totally protected within the box, which is a BIG plus, considering that most module damage occurs during transport.
After putting endplates on Effett Yard and the 45's, I'll probably be able to pack everything in my car (with seats unbolted) and not have to worry about a speedbump destroying a coaling tower or oak tree.

It's all about the packaging!

Thanks for looking.