Link to Building the Rock Ridge Railroad Part 1
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/267882.aspx
I guess you have to cut and paste the URL ina browser window.
As you no doubt remember, back on May 21, 2018, I was about to make a wood texture in styrene. If you don't recall, I was planning to build a freight house that was kinda sorta like this.
Where we left things way back when, it was looking like this...
I suppose you are all wondering what happened and why there was a 2-year hiatus. To be honest, I don't remember. I do know that about that time, it starts getting hot in the garage here in Arizona. Let's just say life happened.
So along about a month ago, I took over the family dining room table.
For some reason, I didn't consider taking pictures of the progress so we can jump right to the end. I will say that letting the styrene sit for two years was not good for it. It was warped to crap. But I had a lot of work on the texturing... Needless to say, if I would have done it over, I would have done it over. Still, I managed to get it pretty straight except for one corner. I'll put a nice tree in front of that.
I don't know if this would be considered stratch-built or kit-bash. I used the roof, the sliding doors, and the crane from the kit.
Next I took out up a Muir models kit of a lumber yard/retail outlet. I picked it up as a part of a bunch of models. I had trouble finding the parts I needed. Then I noticed that the instructions were ticked off one-by-one until the person was about 3/4 of the way through. What he sold me was what was left.
So I put that away and built a Campbell's kit.
I have to say that I'm not that fond of Campbell's kits. In this case, shingles were applied to cardboard. The shingles had an adhesive back and you applied water to the cardboard. That was a pain, and I ended up switching to Elmer's glue. I pressed each piece as finshed it, and left them under weight overnight. The Elmer's glue walls were fairly straight. The roof which was treated with water could be used to play horse shoes.
A couple of days ago, I started an engine house. I have been taking pictures of my progress. Maybe I'll start posting that one later today. Today is my 30th wedding aniversary. I have to go clear the table. My daughter is picking up Tai food to celebrate.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
Chip:
Great to hear from you again, and welcome back.
The buildings look great.
When I build Campbell kits with shingle roofs, I use plastic shingle roof material to replace the cardboard and paper.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
SeeYou190When I build Campbell kits with shingle roofs, I use plastic shingle roof material to replace the cardboard and paper. -Kevin
I'm learning. Besides I thought it might be fun to build it as it was intended.
SpaceMouse for President!
We need him now more than ever...
Hey, Stranger!
I figgered you went on another walkabout and we just had to wait until you popped up. It only seemed like forever.
OvermodSpaceMouse for President! We need him now more than ever...
LOL! I'm still trying to figure out what happened to the hand-basket after our trip.
selectorI figgered you went on another walkabout and we just had to wait until you popped up. It only seemed like forever.
With me things just go in cycles. Like I've been writing novels. This spring I took the rot out of the front and rear decks, rebuilt the stairs and added lattice below them. When I do these things, I don't do anything else. Same with other things. Now I'm cycled back around. I'm waiting for the heat to recede so I can get back into the garage. I'm at the point where I need to lay the track and cut out the grade. And I only have half my turnouts built. But once the track is down, the structures and scenery will go quickly. I've got more than half done, but I figure I'll rebuild some of my earlier stuff.
Hey, he's back! The more things change, the more they stay the same - after 7 years in this house I FINALLY got my basement done and started on a layout.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
rrinkerafter 7 years in this house I FINALLY got my basement done and started on a layout.
Cool Beans! You have a link to your layout post?
Since links to threads don;t usually work, I just made an update so it should be near the top now. In this section of the forums.
I read through it. Took an hour and a half, but I did it. Do I get a cookie?
Only if you also read all of Dave's Rotisserie thread. I only have 5 pages so far, he has 17. There's also my one of just the finishing of the basement, which has tons of pictures on demolition and the new walls.
Well, the engine house is finished...
So my next project is going to be a a Muir combo kit: a jail and an 1890's house. Here's a photo from the box cover.
There's good news here. I opened the box and all the parts were sealed in plastic. I've gotten a lot of craftsman's kits on eBay, and none have had their parts still sealed.
I read a little about the project. It seems that the buildings are from the mining town of Randsburg, CA--which is about one day by sidewinder from Death Valley. Look at that picture above. See the forest of pines. Nope, nothing but tumbleweeds if they care to stick around. Both buildings supposedly still exsist. So I looked them up. I had no problem finding the jail, but the house was elusive.
So I have two problems. The first is with the jail. I just can't imagine people going to all the trouble to build an adobe building in the middle of a town centered around Rock Ridge Lumber Mill.
My plan is to pretty much junk everything and build the jail out of styrene.
The second problem is with the house. Too much fru-fru. I mean what were they thinking.
Also, the house is built on a hillside, and that is why it is half-a-story off the ground. I'll have to re-orient it to match all the other houses on my layout. So believe it or not, I'm going to attempt to stick as close as I can to the plan.
It's been 4 days since I started my jail and I thought it was going to be a quick project.
I decided I didn't want adobe and for some strange reason, I thought it should be made of wood. I got this far.
I thought it looked like a storage shed that might be found on a modern house with a horse property.
I didn't realize it at the time, but what was bothering me is that no one in their right mind would build a jail out of wood. A crow bar and a sledge could get a guy out of there in about 2 minutes flat.
So I started over.
This is what I ended up with.
I'm going to have to start using a different camera. My phone washes everything out. I painted every stone and you can't tell from the photo.
Anyway, going to start the house. I already cut out the walls and sprayed them with Dullcote.
I already hate the kit. Sheeze.
Hi Chip,
The second attempt at the jail looks much more authentic! Nicely done!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
hon30critter Hi Chip, The second attempt at the jail looks much more authentic! Nicely done! Dave
Thanks Dave.
SpaceMouse I didn't realize it at the time, but what was bothering me is that no one in their right mind would build a jail out of wood. A crow bar and a sledge could get a guy out of there in about 2 minutes flat.
Actually there are prototypes for wooden jails
Log jail
Bodie California
Another wooden jail
And another
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
DSchmittActually there are prototypes for wooden jails
DS,
Great pics, but with the exception of the log jail, they seemed pretty flimsy. All relied on a hasp and lock on the door--which may be effective at keeping people in, but not so much for keeping cohorts out. I guess if they suspected cohorts, they'd post a guard or a Sharps in the trees.
Still, the stone jail fits my town better than my wooden jail.
SpaceMouse Still, the stone jail fits my town better than my wooden jail.
I agree. Nicely done model. Much better than your wood jail.
Chip,
I have to comment on the roof of your stone jail. It looks great! The two layers of roofing and the uneven edge are really effective! They look very realistic.
DSchmittNicely done model. Much better than your wood jail.
Hon30critterI have to comment on the roof of your stone jail. It looks great! The two layers of roofing and the uneven edge are really effective! They look very realistic.
Thanks guys.
Well, the Muir Models kit is done with the finishing of the house. Let me start by reminding you what the house was supposed to look like. The house is the one on the right.
I changed it a little.
I made the deck bigger, lowered it closer to the ground, deleted all that awful trim, and added the flower boxes.
Now I know why no one in their right mind makes HO scale wood flower boxes.
The reason for the flower boxes is because I didn't use all that awful trim. The cutouts for the windows were over-sized, out of square, and depended on you using the trim to make things right. I had to put pieces of wood back into the walls to make the openings so you couldn't see through them. The flower box covered a big gaping hole below the window on the right.
But I digress. Here's another shot.
Next I'm going to scratch-build a livery stable. It will be near the front of the layout, so I will add more details--and I'll make this one run-down.
Nice looking little cottage!
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
Cottage? So far it's the biggest house in town.
Thanks.
I've got to read you one of the instructions for the 1890's house:
Muir Models Instructions Frame all three walls using #3. Keep the top plates down far enough so that the roof rafters will rest on them and come to the top of the wall. There should be a stud at each corner and one in the middle of each wall. Paint the walls Depot Olive.
That's it. No diagram.
Built another house today.
Tomorrow I start framing my livery stable. I think I'm going to start a seperate thread. Anyway, here's the framing plan.
Materials are once again popsicle sticks and coffee stirrers.
Homeowner has some money, both by having a dog house in the first place and then by matching it to the real house.
Great job on the buildings Chip
TF
rrinker Homeowner has some money, both by having a dog house in the first place and then by matching it to the real house. --Randy
Very astute. It belongs to Douglas "Duke" Ridge who owns the Ridge SIver Mine. He'd been living in one of the buildings at the refinery, when he decided he'd let go of some of his profits and move into a nice place. It's got a nice sized bedroom and he has an office in the loft. You won't see it until the light is on, but he has velvet drapes and a stained glass window. His girlfriend Sally McPhearsen added a lot of suggestions to the design. Duke doesn't know a dresser from an armoire, but he new he wanted something nice. More will come out when it is landscaped in.
(And it is part of another backstory.)
TF--Thanks
Well, the livery stable is done. You can see how it was made on this thread:
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/284028.aspx
You're going to have to cut and paste it.
Next up will be a retail lumber outlet--kinda like an 1890's version of Home Depot without the toilets and microwaves. This will be the last structure I build for a while, although I'm planning to add the Bear Wiz Bear Brewery if I can make it fit. I will have to compact Home on the Range Depot a little to make it happen.
Anyway, after the lumber outlet I'm going to switch over to making turnouts. I've let it be known I'm just doing structures until it's cool enough to work in the garage. I really, really want to start laying track so I can run some trains.