Speculating on some more projects Robert? Maybe that Gulf Life building?
Mike.
My You Tube
Following up to previous post.
LINK to SNSR Blog
I should have known! NICE!
mbinsewi I should have known! NICE! Mike.
+1
I'm beginning to realize that Windows 10 and sound decoders have a lot in common. There are so many things you have to change in order to get them to work the way you want.
Current scratchbuild. Here are a few rough sketches of the Liquid Product Loading Facility of Acme Chemicals. It is located in the lower right corner of the middle peninsula.
I have a little animated movie from the viewpoint of a tiny electronic insect drone flying over, under, around, and through the structure, but I don't know how to upload it.
Robert
Just guessing by looking at the staircases, will that be about 6 inches tall when done?
What are you gong to use to build the tanks? I have never built a structure like that one.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
SeeYou190 Just guessing by looking at the staircases, will that be about 6 inches tall when done? What are you gong to use to build the tanks? I have never built a structure like that one. -Kevin
Hey Kevin -
Looking at the second image . . .
Notice that the structure has three levels. From the top: round dome of tank, middle cylinder, bottom hopper. All cut through with floors/walkways. The tanks are not solid constructions that pass through holes in the floors, but three separate pieces and the floors are solid.
All stuff is readily available commercial Plastruct materials and detail pieces.
Floors made from diamond check plate. Top round dome from molded acrylic. Bottom 'witch hat' funnel from vacuum formed ABS. Middle cylinder from regular old ABS tubing. Piping and structural steel is extruded ABS.
Looking at the trackplan . . .
The Wet Product Loading Facilities straddle two spurs on the Acme Chemicals plant complex. There is about 1.5" clearance below the hoppers. The tanks are 6" overall length. So, about 8" structure height. N scale.
I'm typing this on my cell phone. I'll move over to my laptop in a few minutes and add a photo.
EDIT Here's a quick photo. Vacuu-formed 'witch hat' solvent welded to tank cylinder and painted a dignified shade of colonial blue. Unpainted acrylic dome out front.
This is why I don't participate in the Show Me Something thread. I never seem to have any decent photos lying around . . .
I have photos and sketches and whatnot taped to the walls of my office and layout room, including a large-format plot of the current trackplan. I keep forgetting that because of file size and screen resolution and so forth, the other members of this forum cannot see what I see. So, here is an enlarged image of the lower middle peninsula that includes Acme Chemicals that is discussed these past couple of posts . . .
ROBERT PETRICK Looking at the second image . . . Notice that the structure has three levels. From the top: round dome of tank, middle cylinder, bottom hopper. All cut through with floors/walkways. The tanks are not solid constructions that pass through holes in the floors, but three separate pieces and the floors are solid. All stuff is readily available commercial Plastruct materials and detail pieces. Floors made from diamond check plate. Top round dome from molded acrylic. Bottom 'witch hat' funnel from vacuum formed ABS. Middle cylinder from regular old ABS tubing. Piping and structural steel is extruded ABS. Looking at the trackplan . . . The Wet Product Loading Facilities straddle two spurs on the Acme Chemicals plant complex. There is about 1.5" clearance below the hoppers. The tanks are 6" overall length. So, about 8" structure height. N scale. I'm typing this on my cell phone. I'll move over to my laptop in a few minutes and add a photo. Robert EDIT Here's a quick photo. Vacuu-formed 'witch hat' solvent welded to tank cylinder and painted a dignified shade of colonial blue. Unpainted acrylic dome out front. This is why I don't participate in the Show Me Something thread. I never seem to have any decent photos lying around . . .
Very nice CAD model! I have a similar structure, a coker tower for my refinery.
Can't wait to see final model and progress photos!
Here is early shot of it installed in refinery.
Here is final shot of refinery!
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If you want I can share the cad files with you. (HO scale but can be scaled to N)
Colorado Front Range Railroad: http://www.coloradofrontrangerr.com/
Renegade1c Very nice CAD model! I have a similar structure, a coker tower for my refinery. Can't wait to see final model and progress photos! Here is early shot of it installed in refinery. Here is final shot of refinery! If you want I can share the cad files with you. (HO scale but can be scaled to N scale).
If you want I can share the cad files with you. (HO scale but can be scaled to N scale).
Hey Renegade-
Thanks for the interest.
I use AutoCAD Civil 3D 2018 at the office and AutoCAD LT 2020 at home. I've been using Acad for a very long time, and I use it to sketch and doodle and whatnot; including the renderings shown on this thread. I also use it to prepare detailed and precise technical drawings and schematics for all the pieces and parts that go into scratch building, but those stand-alone drawings are kinda boring by themselves.
The inspiration for this structure is the wet product loading facility at a calcium carbonate (limestone) slurry plant in Alabama. It has been stylized and simplified and stripped down to something generic, while still keeping enough stuff to have an interesting appearance. I have a fairly expansive view of the freelance part of freelanced prototypical, and I try not to get too bogged down with facts.
Acme Chemicals and the San Juan Pulp and Paper mill are two separate entities that are cabobbled together as a massive industrial complex and share space on the middle peninsula. Each provides background structures to the other to give breadth and scope to the overall vista. Borrowed scenery, as it were. I make no claims about prototypical correctness or functionality; aesthetics were (and are) my main concern. Freelance.
There's a fairly long and detailed narrative on my blog describing this and other design elements and features of my layout.
The latest scratchbuild: Natrona County Library in Casper, Wyoming. This project was kinda introduced in another thread, but the info is brought here.
Partially assembled and completely unpainted, unwindowed, and undoored, but the footprint is about right and the sidewalk and plaza are about right. The pedestal awaits a suitable Prometheus.
Here're a coupla photos from the other thread showing the 1:1 library:
Here's Part B to a photo I posted a couple of months ago showing the streets in the little downtown area. The building pads were cut from 0.040" taskboard. The areas not covered by structures (or mailboxes or lamp posts or benches or pedestrians or urban landscaping, etc) will remain exposed and will serve as concrete sidewalks and the face of curbs that delimit the asphalt streets. Modern era, so plenty of parking (including ADA Handicap stalls). Actually the 1:1 scene would have at least twice as many parking spots.
Needs a little work on the joints and whatnot and a little bit of paint to even out the color shades, but serves the needs at the moment to outline the downtown area.
Here's a yard sale photo of a store-bought building kit I'm assembling. It is the Ashbury Hotel by Lunde Studios. N-scale, of course.
And a photo of the boxtop.
The kit is very similar to a scratch-build hotel I designed (but not yet built) a long time ago based on the Mayflower Hotel in Jacksonville, Florida.
I haven't done any work on my scratch build design, but I started on the store-bought kit just to see how things go. I have some early observations on Lunde Studio kits; but before I make any comments, I'd be curious to hear from others who have worked with them (especially the N-scale kits).
ROBERT PETRICKI started on the store-bought kit just to see how things go. I have some early observations on Lunde Studio kits; but before I make any comments, I'd be curious to hear from others who have worked with them
Hi Robert,
I am contemplating using a couple of Lunde Studios HO kits on my new layout. I will be interested in hearing what you and others have to say.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
hon30critter ROBERT PETRICK I started on the store-bought kit just to see how things go. I have some early observations on Lunde Studio kits; but before I make any comments, I'd be curious to hear from others who have worked with them Hi Robert, I am contemplating using a couple of Lunde Studios HO kits on my new layout. I will be interested in hearing what you and others have to say. Dave
ROBERT PETRICK I started on the store-bought kit just to see how things go. I have some early observations on Lunde Studio kits; but before I make any comments, I'd be curious to hear from others who have worked with them
Hey Dave-
I'm trying to organize my thoughts and opinions about Lunde Studios. I hope I don't come across as too overly critical, and I hope everyone takes a broad look, and I hope others chime in with their observations and experiences.
I only have first hand knowledge of their N scale kits, and very limited at that. I have two: Ashbury Hotel and Juno Watt Electric Company. (Aside: I like the Ashbury name, but the Juno pun is a little too cutesy Allen-esque for me; but I digress.) They are part of a downtown line of office and commercial buildings that is a little more upscale than their DPM predecessors. And a little taller. They fall into the eight-to-ten-story range. I don't know the proper architectural term for their collective style. They appear to be typical 1920s and 1930s low rise skyscrapers. Some Art Deco and Beaux Art decorations and motifs. Terra cotta mosaics and scroll work under the windows and around the corners and whatnot. Crenellated roof terraces and egg-and-dart dentils. When paired with the low-rise two- and three-story DPM buildings, they give the sense of a (then) modern progressive town turning itself into a small city. Main Street USA on the move forward.
The Lunde kits are a little more finely detailed than the DPM kits. The brick work and stone work and the window sills and lintels are sharp, almost crisp. The scales and proportions seem about right. N scale, remember! But . . . the tilt-up wall sections are warped (not ridiculous, but not straight either), and adjoining sections are of slightly different size. The size irregularities really show up in the back-of-wall applique window details. The irregularities most likely come from the manufacturing process. From what I've read, the kits are made by rubber mold copies of the original pieces and parts and are cast in room-temperature liquid polyurethane resin. The parts are cleaned up and de-flashed somewhat after removal from the mold, and some are actually machined to a reasonable tolerance. But there are still some irregularities, some noticeable. I don't know how lenient I should be about this.
Notice the kits are polyurethane? That means they can only be assembled using CA adhesive. Not my favorite adhesive. Sticky. Messy. Even the slow stuff is pretty dang quick. I prefer styrene and ABS plastics so I can 'grind down' the solvent welded joints. Others may disagree.
Anyhow, the N scale kits are nice and I see no reason the HO versions wouldn't be as well. But I am looking for more input from others.
BTW, I will add a similar post asking similar questions regarding CMR structures. CMR (Custom Model Railroads), not CMR. I have a couple of those.
I have an HO scale Lunde Studios kit of the Falcon Tower building. I have inspected the parts, and it looks very good. I plan to use the kit to build two buildings, but time will tell.
I built an N scale Magnusen kit of the Victoria Falls Hotel, and had no problems assembling it with the Super Glues of the 1990s.
ROBERT PETRICKHey Dave- I'm trying to organize my thoughts and opinions about Lunde Studios. I hope I don't come across as too overly critical, and I hope everyone takes a broad look, and I hope others chime in with their observations and experiences.
Thanks for sharing your observations. Your cautions about warped walls are well appreciated. Although problems of that sort don't preclude me from buying the kits, it's nice to know what I might be in for.
I hope others will comment on their experiences with the Lunde kits.
hon30critter ROBERT PETRICK Hey Dave- I'm trying to organize my thoughts and opinions about Lunde Studios. I hope I don't come across as too overly critical, and I hope everyone takes a broad look, and I hope others chime in with their observations and experiences. Hi Robert, Thanks for sharing your observations. Your cautions about warped walls are well appreciated. Although problems of that sort don't preclude me from buying the kits, it's nice to know what I might be in for. I hope others will comment on their experiences with the Lunde kits. Dave
ROBERT PETRICK Hey Dave- I'm trying to organize my thoughts and opinions about Lunde Studios. I hope I don't come across as too overly critical, and I hope everyone takes a broad look, and I hope others chime in with their observations and experiences.
Here's a photo of several typical wall sections showing front and back views. Keep in mind this is N scale, and as such the details are pretty good. Sharp edges to the cornices and balastrades and parapets, and pretty good alignment. Pretty sharp (and not too much over-scale) brick engraving. Some corners are sharply mitered at 45 degrees, and some are 90-degree square. Several use tabs-and-slots for alignment.
Like I said, N scale. I assume the HO scale buildings have as much or more detail and that they are just as carefully fabricated. I suggest you go ahead and get a kit or two. And, of course, post photos of your adventure.
Good luck.
ROBERT PETRICKHere's a photo of several typical wall sections showing front and back views. Keep in mind this is N scale, and as such the details are pretty good. Sharp edges to the cornices and balastrades and parapets, and pretty good alignment. Pretty sharp (and not too much over-scale) brick engraving. Some corners are sharply mitered at 45 degrees, and some are 90-degree square. Several use tabs-and-slots for alignment.
Thanks for the photos.
I believe that the window frames are separate moldings. Is that correct? That's one of the main reasons for my interest in the buildings.
Do they have provisions for building larger structures out of several kits?
Still throughly enjoying this thread.
Cheers, the Bear,
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
hon30critter Hi Robert, Thanks for the photos. I believe that the window frames are separate moldings. Is that correct? That's one of the main reasons for my interest in the buildings. Do they have provisions for building larger structures out of several kits? Dave
Yes. The window frames come in single sheets that are applied to the back (inside) of the wall sections. Assembling the wall units is a little maddening for a coupla reasons: 1) the windows are applied on the back (blindly), 2) difficulty lining up an array of 20 or so windows due to Item Number One immediately preceding and due to some slight distortions of scale and dimensions mentioned in a previous post, 3) expanding on Item Number Two . . . there are no tabs or slots or bumps or ridges or alignment nubs to help positively seat the window frames on the back of the wall section, and 4) personal problems using CA adhesive (also mentioned in a previous post).
In fairness to Lunde Studios, they do make provisions to mitigate some of the scale and assembly issues by adding scored lines to the sheet so that the windows can be broken apart into smaller unit arrays. And in double fairness to Lunde, the issues and distortions I'm talking about are not all that bad. They were a little more pronounced in the Juno Watt building, but even then the kit was certainly not poorly fabricated.
What I 've done is fabricate window frames similar to how Cornerstone or Atlas or Kato design their kit windows or how Grandt Line or Rix or Pikestuff fabricate their aftermarket window frames.
I did a quick informal calculation regarding time and material and decided that a two-by-two array of four window frames was the most efficient way to produce these things. But even so, there are a lot of these units required.
Thanks for the additional details. I'm assuming that you are using your laser cutter to make the replacement windows.
Obviously there are still lots of molded in details that will have to be painted separate colours. I guess that's when masking tape becomes your friend.
hon30critter Thanks for the additional details. I'm assuming that you are using your laser cutter to make the replacement windows.
Yes. Laser cutting the frames was a little quicker. Milling them on the micro-mill would have produced slightly smoother results but would have taken longer and required much more hand loading of the blanks, etc. It was a trade-off decision.
Painting is not my favorite activity, and I'm not very good at it. A much-welcomed trend in commercial scale models these days is that Atlas and Cornerstone et al are offering kits molded in three or four colors, greatly lessening the need for painstaking detailed painting. That suits me fine because I'm not overly finicky about following prototypical color schemes; close enough is close enough.
The Mayflower Hotel in Jacksonville is (was) a dark red brick masonry structure with natural tan sandstone trim features and details. The image on the cover of the Lunde box is also red with tan trim. My model will more or less follow those colors. The window frames will be painted nutmeg (kinda dark coffee brown like a nutmeg, surprisingly), the brick walls will be dull Tamiya red, the ground floor rusticated stonework will be a dignified shade of Sahara tan, and the cornices and balustrades will be left unpainted in their molded color of creamy white. The design of the building will make masking rather straightforward because the different building sections are clearly delineated. I think I read in the product literature that Lunde specifically designed their structures to incorporate this ease-of-painting idea. Also, some of their models are molded in several colors and require no painting at all.
So, we'll see.
ROBERT PETRICKLunde specifically designed their structures to incorporate this ease-of-painting idea. Also, some of their models are molded in several colors and require no painting at all.
That's good to know.
Haven't posted lately because I've been a little busy. Normal work, house work, yard work (this is what might be called 'spring gardening season' in the high desert), and a little layout work. Layout work has been mostly ballasting (not very photogenic) plus working out my Car Cards and Waybills operation system (also not very photogenic, but I'll share what I've done so far).
These are just a few skeleton views of unassembled and unfolded sample car cards and waybills. The sizes are just about exactly the same as the kits from MicroMark. Unfolded car cards are 6" by 2.15", and 4.25" by 2.15" when folded into a pocket. Waybills are 3" by 2". The images of the cars are actually printed upside down on the other (back) side of the card stock so that they show right side up on the front of the pocket when folded and assembled. Skeleton view.
The AAR designations are probably not right because that car identification system is completely confusing, but I'll figure out something.
Progress.
The card system is interesting to me, primarily because I have a very limited understanding of operations. Reading them in detail has given me a little bit better understanding of the process, and it has caused me to study the potential for operations on my new layout. I have to confess that my primary goal so far has been to just get trains running around the layout and spotting a few cars here and there. This may cause me to rethink the industries on my layout.
Thanks
hon30critter Hi Robert, The card system is interesting to me, primarily because I have a very limited understanding of operations. Reading them in detail has given me a little bit better understanding of the process, and it has caused me to study the potential for operations on my new layout. I have to confess that my primary goal so far has been to just get trains running around the layout and spotting a few cars here and there. This may cause me to rethink the industries on my layout. Thanks Dave
Hey Dave -
I've operated on a few layouts and I've used a few different schemes. I am not an expert by any means, nor could I even be considered very experienced. What I'm trying to do is take the limited knowledge I have and do a little research and try to come up with a scheme that's appropriate for my situation.
Car cards and waybills seems to be a good place to start. It's fairly simple, straightforward, user-friendly, and easy to learn. There is no hard time limit on any given session. You can simply stop where you are and pick up where you left off the next day or the next week.
It's also pretty forgiving in that one mistake by one user or a couple of mistakes by several users will not gum up the works and bog down the system for everyone else.
There's a kind of self-correcting feature where lost cars and lost cards and lost waybills can be accounted for and rejoined and put back into service when they are found.
There's a kind of inventory control feature that I'm engaged in right now by making a roster of all rolling stock. When the system is actually deployed, by simply checking the car cards you can know where the car is located on the layout (or where it should be located) or whether it's in a shoebox or storage bin someplace.
A lot of possibilities. It looks promising. And it's a fun activity and diversion to be engaged in at this particular time. There's always more ballasting to be done.
Yesterday, I posted an image of a skeleton view of car cards and waybills. The image showed the unassembled pieces superimposed on each other to work out the relative dimensions and show what is seen and what is hidden.
Here are two sheets camera-ready to go to the printer. I have an HP Inkjet printer that prints on both sides of the paper. The layout of the 'front' side and the 'back' side is arranged and aligned to give the final card the look that I designed. Those thin red outlines do not show up on the print. I only put them there to show forum readers the letter-size sheet edges.
The front-and-back printing process is done internally to the printer. In the old days, such an operation required that the first side be printed, then paper taken from the output tray and flipped over and loaded into the input tray, and then the second side prints. All the while hoping that the paper is aligned and that the sheets are fed in the proper reverse order. Let's hear it for modern technology!
Based on the sizes I chose that I (more or less) copied from the MicroMark store-bought system, I can print six car cards on a single 8-1/2 by 11 sheet of paper. The smaller waybills can be printed twelve at a time per sheet. I'll post images of the waybill layouts later.
If I were to use any sort of operating system for my planned one-man layout, it would be a card based system.
Your idea looks good Robert.