Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Building the Rock Ridge Railroad Part 2

20450 views
163 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Monday, August 24, 2020 10:09 PM

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!

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Rimrock, Arizona
  • 11,251 posts
Posted by SpaceMouse on Monday, August 24, 2020 5:29 PM

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.

Chip

Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Rimrock, Arizona
  • 11,251 posts
Posted by SpaceMouse on Wednesday, August 19, 2020 6:26 PM

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. 

Chip

Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Thursday, August 6, 2020 3:29 PM

 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.

                            --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Rimrock, Arizona
  • 11,251 posts
Posted by SpaceMouse on Thursday, August 6, 2020 7:53 AM

I read through it. Took an hour and a half, but I did it. Do I get a cookie?

Chip

Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 10:57 PM

 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. 

                        --Randy


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Rimrock, Arizona
  • 11,251 posts
Posted by SpaceMouse on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 7:53 PM

rrinker
after 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?

Chip

Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 6:35 PM

 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.

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Rimrock, Arizona
  • 11,251 posts
Posted by SpaceMouse on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 6:30 PM

selector
I 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. 

Chip

Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Rimrock, Arizona
  • 11,251 posts
Posted by SpaceMouse on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 6:23 PM

Overmod
SpaceMouse 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.

Chip

Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
  • 23,330 posts
Posted by selector on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 6:18 PM

Hey, Stranger! Smile

I figgered you went on another walkabout and we just had to wait until you popped up.  It only seemed like forever.

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 5:58 PM

SpaceMouse for President!

We need him now more than ever...

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Rimrock, Arizona
  • 11,251 posts
Posted by SpaceMouse on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 5:52 PM

SeeYou190
When 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. 

 

Chip

Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 5:05 PM

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.

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Rimrock, Arizona
  • 11,251 posts
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad Part 2
Posted by SpaceMouse on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 4:43 PM

 

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.

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!