I bought a package of 110 lb. heavy paper (card stock?) a while ago. I intended to use it for making paper mock ups of scratchbuilt structures (for which it is excellent by the way) but I have also found that it is great for drawings that will be handled multiple times. It would be perfect for car cards and way bills.
I have an HP 7520 printer which handles the heavier card stock quite nicely. It will also print double sided without having to touch the paper.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
hon30critter I bought a package of 110 lb. heavy paper (card stock?) a while ago. I intended to use it for making paper mock ups of scratchbuilt structures (for which it is excellent by the way) but I have also found that it is great for drawings that will be handled multiple times. It would be perfect for car cards and way bills. I have an HP 7520 printer which handles the heavier card stock quite nicely. It will also print double sided without having to touch the paper. Dave
Hey Dave -
I'm using 65-pound card stock for both the folded pocket car cards and the slip-in waybills. I got some the other day from that Amazing Prime online retailer.
I searched that website, and the numbers were all over the place: 60-pound, 80-pound, 140-pound, 175 gpsm (grams per square meter), 273 gpsm, etc . . . even some odd gauge designations (regarding thickness, I suppose). Utterly confusing. You'd think there would be some correlation between pounds and gpsm, but there isn't. Also, it appears that poundage for card stock is different than poundage for cover stock.
Adding to the confusion is the official paper weight specs on the official HP printer technical support website. Completely unhelpful. The site says the max weight for my printer is 40-pound cover stock, which is about the specs for my company fancy letterhead.
The HP website also maintains a user forum as a source of helpful advice. No comment. Some users brag about ignoring the specs and using 120 pound stuff with no apparent issues . . .
Anyhow, I just took a wild guess and got a small 75-sheet pack for $6.99, including free 2-day shipping (five calendar days). Not too expensive in the overall scheme of things. I'm not too enthused about the idea of tossing away 74 sheets if necessary, but I'd be even less enthused about tossing away 249 sheets from a full pack.
The card stock is a little light, but I think it will serve the purpose, and it appears to feed smoothly. Plus, I can always find another use for it if it doesn't work out. Fold up paper buildings and intermodal containers come to mind . . .
Robert
LINK to SNSR Blog
Here're a couple of photos showing the car cards and waybills printed on 65-lb card stock. The first shows a full sheet of 12 waybills printed front and back (though only one side is visible in this photo, duh) with two cut out and flipped over. The second shows a full sheet of 6 car cards (front side only) with four cut out from a different sheet with two folded into position to form a pocket (though not yet taped).
EDIT Looking at the image, I couldn't help but notice someone misspelled 'PLUG'. Dang!!
ROBERT PETRICKLooking at the image, I couldn't help but notice someone misspelled 'PLUG'. Dang!!
I actually mispelled a city once when I was decalling a freight car once. Dang!
Your card look great. Do you have somehing built into the side of the layout to hold them? Sorry if I missed the answer if you posted it earlier.
My printer said I had to change the settings for cardstock, but I never figured out how to do it. I just ran the cardstock through on normal paper seting, and had no problems.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
SeeYou190 Do you have somehing built into the side of the layout to hold them? Sorry if I missed the answer if you posted it earlier. -Kevin
Do you have somehing built into the side of the layout to hold them? Sorry if I missed the answer if you posted it earlier.
Hey Kevin-
I'm doing all this stuff off-the-cuff and writing it up as I go along. But yes, I do have a plan for some sort of car card boxes, and I don't think I've mentioned it yet. I'm also working on an overall Operations Narrative. I'm not sure how I'm gonna post that because it is about two pages in MSWord format and includes some highlighting and bullet points. I'll figure it out later. Maybe a paragaph or two at a time with circles and arrows . . .
One issue I had in my previous limited operating experience on other model railroader's layouts was that the car card boxes stuck out into the (narrow) aisles and always drew a crowd around them.
My layout has wide aisles, so that will help a little, but I don't want the fascias to be too overloaded with stuff. Most of the card activity will occur on the lower level yard, but there will be several small boxes placed on the upper level in the vicinity of and within easy reach of the various yards and industries.
The boxes will not attach directly to the fascia, but will be be supported from the underside of of the benchwork and bolted (with large removable wingnuts) to the 2x4s that make up the major framework. I'll post photos and info on the design and construction of the boxes as I get there.
Thanks for your input.
As mentioned in my previous post, this is an attempt to copy-and-paste the rough draft of my operation scheme. I don't know how this will show up on anyone's screen, and I realize that the narrative is a bit . . . umm . . . wordy, so I apologize in advance for any problems or inconvenience.
Here's a sketch showing the lower level of the layout drawn to scale. The purpose of this exercise is to work out the official designations of the various features of the North Shore Yard so that my operations narrative and car cards and waybills can be worked out. The sketch shows the trackage as it is installed today using Kato Unitrack. There can be (and almost certainly will be) more iterations in the future.
The heavy line is the mainline and is designated as the Lower Main. It is 4.94 scale miles in length (including helix trackage) and is demarcated with mile posts as shown in green on the sketch. Mile Post 0.00 is at the turnout where the mainline diverges from the upper level.
The light lines are the various yard tracks. They are labeled with their official designation, and the number shown in red indicates the number of standard 65' cars that can be safely stored on each block of track. A few more could be stored, but I don't like the idea of things being so tight that coupler slack needs to be taken out to squeeze in one more car.
Mainline traffic can bypass the yard entirely. There are six points of access to the yard from the mainline (MP 2.08, MP 2.62, MP 2.93, MP 3.15, MP 3.52, and MP 4.94), and these points are labeled with Yard Limit signs to clearly demarcate the domain of the Yardmaster.
ROBERT PETRICKAs mentioned in my previous post, this is an attempt to copy-and-paste the rough draft of my operation scheme. I don't know how this will show up on anyone's screen, and I realize that the narrative is a bit . . . umm . . . wordy, so I apologize in advance for any problems or inconvenience.
Hi Robert,
Your operations narrative shows up just fine on my desktop.
I am impressed by the amount of thought that you have put into your operations. My goal is to simply be able to run trains on my own layout. Formal operations are a distant thought. Perhaps I have that the wrong way around. You already have me thinking of how to add a separate yard as a wing on my layout.
Cheers!!
I've done a little work on the narrative. Mostly correcting place names and syntax, but I've also fleshed out the paragraph regarding locals and turns:
A new scratchbuilding project. This one is inspired by another thread started by a new member. In that thread, the OP is looking for advice and info to accurately scratchbuild the power plant at a Cleveland Electric Generating Station in Ashtabula, Ohio. His plant is different, but similar in style and era.
My project is in the very earliest stage of the scratchbuilding process: researching the prototype and making design decisions. I will try to update in real time as I go along.
This is the power plant at the Buffalo Bill Dam near Cody, Wyoming, just a little ways down the road from where I live.
Here're a coupla photos:
One thing I pointed out in that other thread is that these buildings would not look out of place on any college campus. Different era; different considerations regarding construction costs.
Following up my previous post. One of the first places to start research is Wikipedia; keeping in mind all the caveats associated with that site.
At the bottom of Wiki articles is a list of references and links. One such link lead me to this YouTube video: Buffalo Bill Dam Video
With a firm belief in the Educational Fair Use principle, here are a few screen captures from that video.
Starting with the workers inside and estimating their height and weight and knowing that the handrails are 42" high, I can start working out the dimensions of the windows, and from that the overall dimensions of the building.
Just getting started. More to follow.
I estimated that the individual window panes of the cathedral windows are 15"x18", and from that got this:And from that, extrapolated to this:
Still a little rough and in its early incarnation, but something to work with.
I cut out a few test pieces to see if this idea is gonna work.
It should work, but Holy Cow, we're gonna need a bunch of little 1:160 window washers to clean off all that fuzz!
Here's a photo of the base plane of the front wall for the Shoshone Power Plant. I usually don't call these things anything, but I suppose base plane is a reasonable descriptor. It is flat and unadorned and will serve as the base for the built-up wall section. The architectural details and fenestration, such as copings, corbels, cornices, pilasters, eaves, railings, balustrades, fascias, friezes, etc will be applied onto the top (front) of the plane. Other details, such as windows and depressed or incuse carvings, will be applied to the back of the plane. The goal is to end up with a tilt-up wall similar in nature to those found in commercial building kits. Four walls and a roof . . . voila.
The building has been partially assembled and I added the applique 'texture' details to the walls (pilasters, copings, and corbels, etc).
The joints need some work and there are some solvent weld splotches here and there, but some 600-grit sandpaper and maybe a little squadron putty will clean that up.
ROBERT PETRICKThe building has been partially assembled
Robert, that is incredible. Excellent work.
Please feel invited to share updates of this project in Weekend Photo Fun.
I hope to see more.
A+
I wanted to look at the prototype and the model close together, so I combined portions of two of your posts. That is simply incredible workmanship.
Rich
Alton Junction
Hey guys, thanks for the kind words.
Regarding Weekend Photo Fun . . . WPF is one of my favorite go-to threads. It always provides a lot of inspiration and encouragement, not to mention sheer enjoyment. But there is also a little intimidation. The photos posted there are great: great layouts, great modelers, great work.
I always feel a little uneasy when seeing wonderfully completed scenes fully detailed on fully scenicked mature layouts. I get that same sort of feeling when standing in front of the seventh grade geography class giving my book report and then discovering that I'm in my underwear.
My layout is a coupla years old, and I've done a lot of work on it, but it is nowhere near complete. Not even close. I don't think there is even one square inch of the layout that could be classified as complete. I make a little progress every day, and things are moving along. It is starting to look reasonably good, and one day it might start looking pretty good; maybe even really good.
But for now, any photos I take will only show a work in progress, and photos of work in progress make me a little uncomfortable. I can see the fully completed structure or scene in my head, but the photos never match that image.
Nevertheless, per Kevin's suggestion, I will take my turn in the barrel and try to post photos to WPF showing what I'm working on, whatever state whatever project is in at the time. We'll see how it goes.
ROBERT PETRICKWPF is one of my favorite go-to threads. It always provides a lot of inspiration and encouragement, not to mention sheer enjoyment. But there is also a little intimidation. The photos posted there are great: great layouts, great modelers, great work.
Honestly Robert, I think you should rank yourself up there with the great modelers! Your creativity with modern cutting machinery is amazing. It does not matter that your layout is not complete. Your work is an inspiration!
Weekend Photo Fun is also for works in progress, layout updates, and new purchases. It is fun photographs being shared on the weekend.
What could be better?
hon30critter ROBERT PETRICK WPF is one of my favorite go-to threads. It always provides a lot of inspiration and encouragement, not to mention sheer enjoyment. But there is also a little intimidation. The photos posted there are great: great layouts, great modelers, great work. Honestly Robert, I think you should rank yourself up there with the great modelers! Your creativity with modern cutting machinery is amazing. It does not matter that your layout is not complete. Your work is an inspiration! Dave
ROBERT PETRICK WPF is one of my favorite go-to threads. It always provides a lot of inspiration and encouragement, not to mention sheer enjoyment. But there is also a little intimidation. The photos posted there are great: great layouts, great modelers, great work.
+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.
Robert, I'll second what the others have said. I just started building my first layout two years ago Nothing is finished, and the things I have built are nowhere near as nice as your stuff.
Given that, I still post things on WPF. It's nice to get encouragement from people who have modeled a long time.
York1 John
hon30critterHonestly Robert, I think you should rank yourself up there with the great modelers! Your creativity with modern cutting machinery is amazing. It does not matter that your layout is not complete. Your work is an inspiration! Dave
I totally agree. Well done.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
Here's a photo showing the skeleton frame of the Tainter radial gate that goes at the top of the spillway of Boysen Dam in the Wind River Canyon peninsula. I may or may not (depending on how the paint job turns out) replace the 1/4" wood dowel trunnion with a short length of 1/4" ABS tube.
Recently, I've been scratchbuilding the turbine building for this vignette, and this item is part of Part B in that effort. Here are a coupla photos (posted a long time ago) of the rough draft blocked-out mocked-up scene, using cardboard and matboard and whatnot to set the stage. Since I started on the turbine building (pretty much out of sequence and not actually on my current agenda), I needed to get started on replacing the cardboard and pink foam with the more-or-less permanent construction in this area. I will add a few work-in-progress as-is photos to the next Weekend Photo Fun thread when it gets started.
In this week's edition of WPF, I switched on the Way-Back Machine and posted a few photos of one of my first scratchbuilt buildings from 2010. The thing about nostalgia is that once you start taking the buggy ride down Memory Lane, it's kinda hard to stop. So, I'll try to just do this once and post some photos of the first long-span bridge I scratchbuilt (also in 2010).
This is a to-scale (completely uncompressed) N scale model of the Limeville Bridge over the Ohio River between Limeville, KY and Sciottoville, OH. The main span of the bridge is 1550 feet and there are approach spans on both sides of the river. That works out to 9'-8" for the main structure with 32" approach spans on the Kentucky side and 24" approach spans on the Ohio side. Overall length of 14'-4" from abutment to abutment.
Robert, that bridge is simply amazing. You are truly finding the best ways to use the potential of N scale to capture the immence nature of the prototype. That is truly grand.
When I design a building or structure, constructability is always a major consideration. No sense designing something that can't be built or something that I do not have the tools or the talent to assemble. In general, this means incorporating tabs and slots or ridges or pins or slots or dados or alignment marks or something to help assembly and to help insure that the parts go together properly or that parts can be held together in place long enough for the adhesive to set up.
The project at hand is fabricating and assembling concrete pipe stanchion piers to carry a pair of large irrigation water pipelines from the pumping plant at the base of the dam across an alcove of the Wind River and into a bored tunnel in the sheer rock wall of the canyon opposite. The materials used include gray 0.120" sheet acrylic, white 3/8" butylene tubing, and white 3/16" butylene tubing.
Here's a still life photo of the various pieces and parts in various stages of assembly. A completed stanchion stands (oddly enough) in the center. The large white tube will represent the 60" diameter water pipelines, and the small white tube has been sawn off like a hot dog or carrot into little stubby round pins that insert into the blind hole of one outer part and completely through the central part and into the blind hole of the other outer part. Trusty X-acto saw to the rear.
On another thread I mentioned that it is time to begin preliminary design of a laser-cut structure for my layout, with the idea that some members who have experience with structures of that type would chime in with helpful comments and suggestions along the way.
I suppose the thing could technically be called a scratch-build . . . I have a laser cutter/engraver and will provide the CAD/CAM support to facilitate the design plans and fabrication, and I'm hoping others will share their thoughts and experiences learned through the builds they've previously worked on. I'm hoping they can provide insight into issues (problems, challenges) they've encountered with materials and techniques and with sequences of construction and whatnot. The idea is that I will cut out a particular piece or part from some particular material and build it up and incorporate it into the body of work and see what's what. If it works, fine; if it doesn't, fine; try again. An ongoing experimental laboratory of sorts. Keep the good ideas and toss out the less-than-good ideas.
They say a camel is a horse designed by committee. Might be interesting to see what sort of camel comes from this.
ROBERT PETRICKHere's a still life photo of the various pieces and parts in various stages of assembly. A completed stanchion stands (oddly enough) in the center.
Well, I can tell by that photograph that you put a lot more care into your scratchbuilding projects than I do.
That is very neat and precise fabrication.
I've ordered two N Scale laser-cut kits from American Model Builders as discussed in that other thread. The Country Barn and Silo. They should arrive this week. When they do, I will do a still-photo version of an unboxing video.
In the meanwhile, I am working out the design for an N Scale scratch-built Maritime Museum for my layout that I plan to cut out and fabricate using my laser cutter/engraver.
Meanwhile to the previous meanwhile . . . here is a doodle sketch showing front, side, and rear elevation views of a big-city church I scratch-built about ten years ago, and which I intend to build again in the near future. I know Mel has an interest in CAD drawings and whatnot, and I will be happy to share them with him.
The church has a footprint about 8.5" long by 3" wide at the nave and about 5" wide at the transcept. The steeple is about 8.5" high. A little larger than most N Scale commercial kits, but the prototype takes up an entire city block so I had to do something . . .