Mt. Coffin & Columbia River - N-scale 23"x41" layout

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Back after several years absence due to new jobs, new house, family crisis... let's say a lot of "life" has happened.  Luckily, still have wife, kids, health and love of model railroading!

Since earlier this year I've been working on a table-top 23"x41" N-scale layout based on the cannery industry along the Columbia River (Oregon) in the early 1900s.  Thought I'd share some construction photos (I would have started posting earlier, but couldn't figure out why I wasn't able to post pictures until today: turns out IE9 doesn't like the editing boxes unless you use "Compatability View".  Argh!).

So sorry with dumping all this at once: please feel free to give whatever feedback you think.  I'm always looking for better / different ways to model & improve my skills!

The layout started as a "chunk" from an old layout that screamed "don't chuck me out!" as I was staring at it in the garage. I have a specific future layout in mind, and so I thought this "chainsaw" would allow me the opportunity to develop certain skills: handlaying curved & three-way turnout fixtures, scratchbuilding structures such as mines, canneries, wooden truss bridges, ore unloading docks, various pines, etc.

Funny how the temp layouts soon become time- & skill-sucks on their own! The layout that was supposed to be done in a couple of months is now, after 9-10 months, almost 1/2 way done!

So bear with me as I post the construction highlights of the last year.

Here's the original piece recovered from the previous layout:

It already had that section of foam knocked out, but it seemed to scream "waterfront!"

And here's the layout design [or, the latest version] I came up for it:

 

 Was thinking "table-top", so included adjustable feet on the corners.

Planning on DCC, though everything wired for DC as well (a few sidings / spurs).

Initial layer of foam, supports for the fascia, roadbed:

 

 Notice the space created for the NCE DCC panel.  The wiring all goes along the channel cut out of the bottom of the foam.  16AWG bus wire, with 22AWG feeders.  There's also a separate bus for all the lamps / LEDs that will (eventually) illuminate the structures.

And then piling on the layers of foam for the mountains, assisted by by 9-year-old daughter:

 

 [Initially thought I'd have a storage track inside the mountain (thus the cut), but quickly abandoned that idea]

Cork roadbed, attached with caulk.

[I think there's still a four-image-per-post limit, so: cont.]

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Although freelanced, wanted to have a few Columbia River signature scenes in there.

The Cannery:

The river-side trackage & tunnel:

 

Given the tight space, I handlayed the curved turnouts in fixtures of multiple turnouts:

 That's about a 9" radius at its tightest.

 And used "great stuff" to foam the mountains together:

[Great for simulating nuclear waste disasters!]

I would not use Great Stuff again: caulk, though it takes longer, is easier (after drying) to work with. Great Stuff is way more airy & files / shapes significantly different from the foam.  It also takes paint differently.

[cont.]

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Had to handlay a 3-way turnout, and had to figure out how to power at least one of the frogs:

[the slide switches are gorillaglued under the styrene bases & stick up through the throwbars]
[later I figured out how to make a styrene "cradle" underneath for the slide switch to snuggle into so all tension isn't only on the glue]

I'm now in the process of going back and rebuilding all my turnouts with slide switches to power the frogs.

Built up the harbor area with a basswood retaining wall:

 And carved a stone retaining wall / bridge abutment directly out of the pink foam:

 

Scratch built the approach trestle & howe truss bridge from basswood:

 Basswood.  For my "protolance" plan I took an old HO "A-frame" plan from a mid-90's MR, shrunk it down and trippled it: fit perfect!

[cont.]

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Here's the finished structure (minus fire barrels and the code 40 guard rails) installed:

 

 Also scratched a small ore/coal unloading dock:

Those are Randy Gustafson's fab V&T ore cars lookin' good on the dock.

Still need a crane / hoist & lots o' clutter on there.

Started scenicking in the gorge:

 

Plaster rock molds, paint, dirt, ground foam, & pine trees.

There's no backdrop or board used as a scenic divider: the mountains in the middle (5-6 layers of 2"foam plus 3"-5" pine trees do the trick!)

[cont.]

 

 

[mcfunkeymonkey]

The trees are Ace twine fiber between Michael's floral wire twirled in a drill, spray painted grimy black, & then hairsprayed with WS "conifer". You can still see the twisted trunks, but I need 300+, so only the outer trees will get real trunks in the end.

Started scenicing the main mountain / scenic divider:

 And then got my daughter into making trees:

 I figure she can make 5,000+ before she "earns" her driver's license!

Ballasted with cinders, then poured some tinted Magic Water:

 

 Needed a couple of thin pours to plug up all the leaks!

But turned out fine.

Magic Water leaked (a wee bit) through blue-tape dam:

 [cont.]

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Then Modge Podge Gloss (with one layer of matte at the bottom) created the moving river effect:

Started building up some fab 20T coal / ore car kits from Republic Locomotive Works (have to modify a bit, as the kits are Nn3, but work great on N when done):

But, after reaming out the bolster pin hole, don't push too hard down on the pin:

Fixable, or will become part of mine scene as discarded car.

Trees, more trees, polyfiber, groundfoam, more trees, static grass, some chopped moss for texture & more trees:

 

 Still need many more textures (at the very least mix up some different static grasses): bushes, some sand or gravel, weeds, etc.

[cont.]

[mcfunkeymonkey]

JV models watertower, new weathered Ten-Wheeler:

 For the BMann Ten Wheeler, I reamed out a little more space in the front and installed MT905 Z couplers:

 

They just slide right in, and look moocho better. I also swapped out the stock tender (with it's "dual decoder") for a Spectrum Small USRA tender with a DZ125 decoder:

 

 The smaller tender looks better (IMHO) and the DZ125 performs much better, especially at slower speeds.

[cont.]

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Building a 18-ton Climax from a "Kato Kritter" chassis and one of Randgust's fab resin Climax kits:

It's a good thing I got two Kritters when I did, as I pretty much destroyed the first: playing too much with the contact strips & cutting away too much to install a decoder under the chassis. At least now I know what to do!

Firewatch trail scene over tunnel:

Looks like Vern forgot something down at the town (hint: he's only got 1/2 of the "pack horse").

Daughter doing switching ops before I started ripping out some turnouts to power the frogs with slide switches:

 Here's installing the new fixture (straight & curved turnouts built as one, each with slide switch under styrene base to power the frogs):

Given that I'm using smaller, earlier steam, powering the frogs turned out to be the smart way to go.
(Will never go back to dead frogs again!)

[cont.]

 

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Right now I'm building a single-engine shed with blacksmith shop:

Will have lit roaring forge & interior lamps when done.

On site:

Still need cedar shingles, forge, machinery & lamps.

At X2011 in Sacto found a groovy old Kato (C50) that somebody tricked out into a D&RG steamer, though still with whack tender:

Put in a DZ125 decoder. Runs groovy. Will swap in an Atlas mogul or other tender soon (3-axle tender not happy with tight turns!)

Otherwise, here's how we're looking so far:

 

Not sure if I can embed a video, but here's a short video of dubious camerawork but it does give some sense of the layout as a whole. Well, the waterfront side, at least:

cozZTuSOLS4 

Still need a lot more trees! (and a firewatch on top, and a cannery, and a coalbin, and a mine, and.........)

Thanks for taking the time to check this stuff out!

All comments welcome!

 

[Anonymous]

mcfunkeymonkey - what a wonderful, atmospheric layout!

I am glad to see you´re back!

[ClinchValleySD40]

That is some really beautiful modeling.   Would love to see some more updates.

[Mntneer]

That looks incredible.  Love the pics.

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Thanks, all, for the kind words.

Since the layout is so small, I'm trying to take the time with the details.

And I really need to get a decent camera and an extra light for photography.
My ancient Japanese pocket-size is about to give up the ghost, and right now my "photography lighting" is just opening the garage door:

 And here's without the garage door open:

So hopefully new camera & spot light soon.

Having the cannery will help with the composition as well as giving the trains something to do!

Sorry for dumping so many photos at once, but it'll be a more normal interval of updates from now on ;)

Thanks for following along, and for all comments / criticisms / suggestions.

[-E-C-Mills]

Nice work on the turnouts!  Thanks for sharing.

Erik

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Thanks!

The turnouts I first put in (with dead frogs) worked alright, especially with the Kato NW2 (which seems to be able to roll over scale cows & not derail), but as I wanted to run smaller, earlier steam I found I really wanted powered frogs, so I'm in the process of replacing all the fixtures.

First I traced the existing routes:

And then used the trace to line up the #6 straight & 12"/9" curved templates (Fast Tracks).  Sprayed adhesive , then placed the pc board ties on which I built the two turnouts as one fixture, which really helps for smooth curves and running:

 

Rebuilding also allows for seveal other improvements, such as using BlackenIt to darken the fixtures:

 

[BlackenIt on the left, untreated on the right]

Even though I paint the ties & tracks (I find spraypainting with Floquile Grimy Black works fine), the BlackenIt helps the non-painted area around the points blend in, as well as tones down the rail tops.

The other great discovery (suggested by Chris333 on the TB forum) was Dedeco ultra thin cutting disks for the Dremel, which are much thinner than the Dremel "thin" cutting disk: 

[Dremel "thin" disk cut at top, Dedeco Ultra Thin cuts at bottom, and on BlackenIt turnout in previous photo]

I powered the frogs by installing slide switches under the throwbar in a pocket made from the same styrene base for the Caboose Handthrow.

Now, every engine I have, even ones with spotty pickup on curves, rolls through the two turnouts smooth & even.

The next fixture on the list will have four turnouts (two curved, one straight, and one wye), so I'm looking forward to having the same smooth rolling & powered frogs soon!

 

[mcfunkeymonkey]

New Camera!  Woot!

Not much work on the layout: been staining some shingles (roofing) for the engine shed, got some WS foliage clusterclumps and started planting some non-pine trees (FINALLY!) at the lower levels. (You can still see some T-pins holding them up as the glue dries). Still need moocho more of all kinds of trees, but it's nice to see some variety & more textures showing up.

I also moved my layout to a small piece of benchwork against the garage wall: need the workbench space for the "summer shunting shelf project" my daughter & I are working on, and it has better lighting for photos.

And the big news: new camera!
One I can actually control the focus, aperture & shutter speed on!

So while the first shot is handheld & full auto, the rest are long exposures with (FINALLY!) some depth of field. Yeay!
And since my tripod is at my parents' house (until tomorrow), these were taken with the camera sitting on the layout or another table.

[Click on them and open them to full size to see all the nifty detail / oopsies: I love my new camera!]

 

 

 

 

 

[That last one is to get a sense of how small this little layout is: I keep forgetting myself!]

Ok for first shots: can't wait to figure out the camera & get the tripod (and maybe a halogen spotlight).
Time to stay focused!

 

[sfcouple]

Wow! Your modeling skills are truly wonderful, and your hand laid turnouts are works of art. Congratulations on a job very well done.  

Thank you for posting all these photos: I'm in the middle of building a HO layout of a general logging theme and I have downloaded some of your photos for future reference.  

Wayne

[wm3798]

Incredible work.  Simply incredible.  Thanks for sharing your progress.

Lee

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Thanks, Wayne.  If you want to see some really good N-scale logging stuff, check out Nscaler44's albums on Trainboard here.  He does amazing work.

Lee: Thanks for the compliment.  I've been following your work through your website & periodical articles for a couple years now, and am a big fan of your work & that you share so much of it with other modelers.  Thanks thrice!

 Picked up the tripod today, waited until there was some good sunshine filtering through the garage door (was overcast this morning), and then went more nuts with my new camera. I love aperture adjustments, shutter speeds, depth of field, tripods, and the 2 second timer that allows me to press the shutter button without rocking the whole thing.

So bear with me here. You've seen this stuff before, just not almost all in focus!

Ten-Wheeler (still minus traction tires) pulling 20 ton coal cars across the bridge:



The late-freight pulls into Mt. Coffin at Twilight (hmmm... that sounds like a good idea for a book):



20 ton coal cars dumping their load:




4-6-0 pulling a slow freight of Swift cars over the Columbia River:




Movin' out!




Thanks for bearing with me as I go a bit bonkers with my new camera.

I promise to only post pictures of additions / progress from now on.

 

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Been experimenting with coloring cedar shingles.

Before I glue them to the single-engine shed & blacksmith shop (next to water tower in previous post), I wanted to try them out on another structure, which left the only other one on my layout so far (& my first styrene scratchbuild): the coal unloading dock shed / office.

I had already printed out shinglish patterns on regular paper & glued it to the styrene subroofing:

Which looked ok, but flat.  I added the stained shingles to one side:

Took an exacto knife blade & slipped it under the rows to pry up a little 3-D.  Looks alrighty.  Might need a little bit of powder or drybrushing (or anything else people suggest).

And a pict showing the team track.  A small freight house will go where the truck is whenever I get around to building it:

 

Thanks for looking.
Happy Monday.

[Geared Steam]

Awesome modeling, I enjoyed every post!

[Colorado_Mac]

Fantastic.  That bridge rocks.  Actually, so do the rocks!

[BerkshireSteam]

Hate, or love, to see what you could do with a 38x54 area. Just happens to be the size of our current, and very much unused, dinning table. This did get me thinking of trying something out in the 24x48 size area since I have a couple of OSB quarter sheets laying around.

[R. T. POTEET]

I'll repeat something I said on Weekend Photo Fun this last weekend: you appear to have carving rockwork down to the Nth degree.

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Got some 23W 4100k CFLs to light up the light box I just made out of foamcore board & poster paper, but they help with the layout picts as well:

I'm just happy to have a light box.

Tried out some (unfinished) models in it today:

Funny how the camera "exposes" all the things you still need to do (like weathering trucks).

Still need to fiddle around with the lighting & exposure combos, but on the right track.

Thanks for looking.

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Chris333's Harlem Terminal trackwork inspired me to get off my caboose and rebuild another turnout fixture, this one a 4-turnout fixture with two curved, one wye and one ??.  The goal is to rip out the current fixture, which works probably 90% good, and replace it with improved turnouts with powered frogs.

Before the BlackenIt bath:

After the BlackenIt:

Checking to make sure it actually "turned out" the correct curvature:

Next steps:
Build styrene bases for handthrows / slide switches (they go under the throwbar in a pocket)
Gorilla Glue bases / install handthrows & slide switches
Wire frogs
Test all works, electrically, BEFORE I rip out the old
Install new fixture
Slip replacement ties under the rails
Re-scenick & re-ballast

If this one turns out anything like the 2-turnout fixture I already rebuilt on the left side of the layout, then it's gonna be sooper-smooth railsailing from now on!

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Nn3 20T coal cars from RLW I altered for N & superdetailed:

 

[Sailormatlac]

I've been following your progress for a while, but I must say I'm amazed how you make wise use of such a small space without getting caricatural. Excellent and inspiring work.

Matt

[mcfunkeymonkey]

Thanks, Matt!
It doesn't look caricatural because I take the Groucho Marx glasses off the locos & cars right before the photos ;)

Been mocking up the cannery, mainly because 1) I'm tired of looking at an empty lot & 2) it was too hot to work in the garage the last couple days (over 100 inside) and cutting cardstock in the air-conned kitchen felt much better (even remembered to use a piece of scrapwood underneath while using the xacto at the kitchen table).

At first I thought I'd go for a nice wide, massive cannery:



But somehow it didn't quite do it for me, plus I was at a loss to figure out the funkey roof angles.
I'm sure I could have Picassoed it together, but then I came up with a better design:












Which I'm liking a bit better.
There's room for three car spots: two at the loading docks and one almost a team track at the rear delivery door.
I have proto-photos of either size & style, so it's really what fits the layout.

As it's the central structure / industry of the whole layout, it'd be nice to get the massiveness of it across: big wide wall of fish.
But the big one is a little silly, too.
I'm debating about putting a second story on the smaller one to give it some mass / shape. I'll mock it up tomorrow & see how it looks. A second story (smaller, like the offices the canneries had up there) might be too much & crowd the already crowded track that serves it. We'll see!


Here's what it looks like from a wider angle so you can see how it fits in the scene:




Any comments, thoughts welcome.
Thanks for looking.

[Anonymous]

mcfunkeymonkey

Thanks for looking.

We have to thank you for sharing your great work with us! I am more than just impressed by it.

Eager to see more coming!