I haven't posted here in quite awhile. Finally started texturing the layout with grass and trees. Made my first puffball trees yesterday and have some questions. In yesterday's small batch I basically followed the method as shown in the Virginian Build videos. I dunked the poly-fiber balls in a mixture of white glue and water, squeezed them out good, and then rolled the balls in the foam. This resulted in a lot of wasted foam gunk in my tray. I let the balls sit overnight and they were still damp this morning. Today I did another batch but this time I dunked them in the same glue mixture, squeezed them out, and before rolling them in foam, I set them in tray until I was done dunking them. Then after washing my hands i then took each ball and rolled and sprinkled foam on them. The foam seems to have stuck but the balls already felt dry even though yesterday's still seemed damp. Also, from what I had read in the magazine, I had the impression that the puff balls would dry somewhat hard on the surface, mine are still soft. What are your experiences with these trees?
Here are some shots of my progress so far. I just glued a few of the trees to see how well they hold.
My Layout Pics
Started today on the last piece to finish on the layout: the truck dumps area. Got all the foam cut out, stacked and glued down to form the hills, then covered with plaster cloth. Tomorrow it's applying the Sculptamold. Then, since winter won't seem to give up here (four inches of snow forecast for Wed), it's on to painting the cloth/plaster with an earth colored paint, ground cover, and puffball trees. Photos when done!
I would use the nmra gauge for whatever gauge your using, that would probably be your safest bet
matthew
Has anyone any advice on minimum height for tunnels?
Regards,
Mick
Mick, No new photos yet. As for the tunnels,I used commercially available tunnel portals from Chooch enterprises. These were between 3 1/4 and 3 3/4 inch height at the portal entrance. Once you have the roadbed and the track installed the 3 1/4 inch portals look more prototypically correct. If you actually were referring to the inside of the tunnels, I matched these to the entrance height.
Cheers,
Steve
Dear Moses,
No problems and the best of luck with the layout. Looking forward to seeing some progress photos if your able.
Mick, Thanks for your comment. I finally discovered that if I used a blade tip to solder, it is quick and easy. Also clipping the little plastic nubs off near where you solder helps.
Mick, I used strictly scenic express products for all the green ground cover, and their natural soil and dirt mixed with Arizona rock and mineral earth for all the dirt areas. For all my ballast I used Arizona rock and mineral NYC limestone for the main, and their yard mix for the rest
Hi all,
Latest photos. The first shows the test fitting of the flex rock that I have just received to ensure clearance.
The second photo shows the second main line tacked in. I will not go firm on this until I have test run my N&W J Class lead Powhatan Arrow that is on its way. Once I have this coping with the track I will put down the sub road bed for this line, complete the lower level wiring, ballast the in-tunnel track and put the upper level on before launching into scenery!
Progress is going to cease for a few weeks while I am away in the US so the above will have to wait until then.
Thanks Airborne and Steve,
Airborne, what ballast did you use? Did you use what was recommended by MR our some thing similar?
Steve, any update photos?
I modified 17 Peco Electrofrogs for my last layout and a trick I picked up from MR that helped a lot was to get a needle file and file off the 'shine' of the area to be soldered. I have found that this, coupled with flux, stops your solder running off shinny/smooth surfaces like the underside of the rail and helps it to adhere with less heat time reducing the risk of melting the ties.
Hope this helps.
Thanks again. I find your comments very helpful. And I agree, there is no such thing as luck. I can easily solder feeder wires. But, I have already caused minor track damage to one turnout and it is still not soldered, Since I am retired, I have forever.
Moses,
Its not luck, its practice, Make sure the iron is hot and you have a steady hand. If you lack confidence practice on other things first. Once you get the hang of it , its not too bad. There is also a lot of videos on youtube that show basic techniques. I used to solder quite a bit many years back and will admit that the Peco's are not that easy as you have very limited room to maneuver. One trick that can make it easier is to use a piece of wire about 4 inches long. Pre solder the first inch or so of the wire. This give you more to hold on to. Lay the first inch across the turnout and solder it in the 4 spots needed. Then you can cut it. Alternately, if you have not bought the turnouts yet, and really don't want to solder, you could go with Peco Insulfrogs. They are DCC ready and do not need to be soldered and you don't need the Hex Frog from TAM.
Thanks Steve. I need a LOT of luck with soldering.
Moses45 I just started this layout. I am new to the hobby. Do you modify all Peco Turnouts or just the six that go to the Frog juicer? I tried soldering modifications and they are nerve wracking.
I just started this layout. I am new to the hobby. Do you modify all Peco Turnouts or just the six that go to the Frog juicer? I tried soldering modifications and they are nerve wracking.
You need to modify any Peco Electrofrog turnout. Each turnout you have should have instructions with it to tell you if you need to modify it for standard DCC. If you are using the same track as listed you will need to modify the 6 turnouts connected to the frog juicer (all the Peco #5's). You will not need to modify the two Code 100 turnouts.
Soldering these can be a little bit tricky as there is not a lot of space and you can end up melting ties. The best way I found is to make sure you use a pencil tip on the iron, make sure you use flux on both the turnout and the wire, and pre apply solder to both the wire and the turnout. This means when you try and solder the wire to the turnout you just need to touch it momentarily with the iron. I melted some ties on the bottom, but you don't see this once you have ballasted.
Good luck, Steve
those most recent pictures look great!
Chris, thanks much! The PC geep is an atlas product with QSI sound. The caboose was weathered with Bragdon weathering powders.
Nice video Airborne! Two questions; What is the sound system in the PC Geep, and how did you weather the caboose?
Tnanks.
Chris Ballinger
Modeling the Clementon Branch of the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines in HO scale
Steve, I just have minor details to add as well, including my utility poles. Then it's on to operations, which I've already had one ops session. At some point I'll add the staging yard, but not the thin branch extension
Mick,
Keep posting on progress. it looks good.
Airborne, I am down to finishing the creek, one structure,some landscaping around the truck dump area and one final batch of puffball trees. Then its just minor detailing like utility poles. Whats next for you. Run it, or build an extension ?
And the rest:
Looking good Mick!
Have been away from the forums for awhile, so here goes. Following is a series of photos of progress, including the creek area finished, waybills printed and already used, and of trains staged and hopefully a video here of a train coming down off the branch. Lots of other details have been added since my last update. I only have the small area where the truck dumps sit yet to finish....
I am a little nervous about clearances especially where the branch comes up...it looks very tight!
You shot from the other end but from what I can see the clearances look fine. If you use the flexible rock it embeds under the branch cookie cutter but can jut out somewhat and provides a little bit more "clearance" on the top. All you are really looking for is enough clearance for the trains on the mainline to not hit the rock face..
The clearance between the yard and the upper branch also looks good. When you put in the hill between them it does look very unnatural (as its so thin and steep) until you have covered it, then it looks fine.
Excellent progress.
A few details added yesterday, including whistle posts and white picket fence. Ballast work completed.
Thanks much!
Just can't get into the videos right now. Just renewed my subscription online, but MR hasn't recorded it as yet, so videos are cut off for now....:(
Airborne,
I have done a base coat of 2 parts Railroad tie brown and 1 part Mud (both Polly Scale). Once I have completed everything around it I will come back and do a mixture of 2 parts Polly Scale brown, 1 Part Mud and 3 parts MOD Podge gloss medium. That is the final mixture David did after a few tries. If you have the videos its in Part 16.
Dear All, Thank you for your compliments but you all played a part with your posts and advice!
@Roger, Your River sounds great. I am still debating what to do with mine so you have definitely got me thinking. I have done some ‘water’ work before, here is a waterfall I did on one of my other layouts,
but I have not done rapids yet…could be a nice challenge! Looking forward to seeing your scenery progress pics!
@ Steve, Great photo and great work! Yes I did quite a bit of model aircraft building in my younger days, mostly plastic 1/72 kits, including a diorama of a ‘Battle of Britain’ airfield on a ping-pong table…unfortunately I have no surviving photos of that. I have carted my tools and paints around for 15 odd years until I decided to get back into it and decided that I liked the dynamic nature of model railroading over the static nature of model aircraft…plus model trains are somewhat contained to a layout whereas model aircraft which tend to spread which makes my wife mildly more happy with it.
@Airborne, Thanks for the reply. I usually use Woodland Scenics ‘Realistic Water’ instead of gloss medium and sealing the area is very important otherwise it all leaches out. The preparation you describe is very important and something I sometimes forget in my enthusiasm to finish a scene.
@ Matthew, Thanks for the compliment!