RRTrainman wrote: Tom Bryant_MR wrote: Well, this will be different. What happened! You were going along so good. Oh by the way how much dynamite was use to excavate your rolling hill side.
Tom Bryant_MR wrote: Well, this will be different.
Well, this will be different.
What happened! You were going along so good. Oh by the way how much dynamite was use to excavate your rolling hill side.
Dynamite
For the rolling hillside it only took a putty knife working my way under the edge all around. Sections of it I could then pull away. It was only foam, newspaper and paper towels soaked in plaster. There was only a very thin layer of scenery. I salvaged all of the rock work and most of the trees. And I am salvaging all of the TO's and some of the flex.
As far as "going along so good". Yes I agree I was making good progress for the nine months I had in it. But, as I indicated, I started deviating from my plan of having this as a lower level staging only track and started scenery work and was working on some buildings/businesses. Once I had put the first module of the upper deck in place I realized that the distance between the two decks was way too small to enjoy either the scenery or the new operations I was anticipating on this "no-longer-a-staging-only-deck". So, rather than continue on and in the end be saying if I had it over to do again, I bit the bullet and took the axe to it.
I also realized from Don Z that my track work could be much better. I made the mistake of using the rolls of cork one can get from Hobby Lobby and other places. It was a little too thin and each piece had to be custom cut and fitted ... a real PITA for curves.
I am much, much happier with my new plan. It still retains the Taylor yard and I have gained a TT and RH for Smithville which really existed anyway.
This will be better.
Spent some time this evening clearing the ROW for the new track plan. The track you see is all that will remain. And for those who might attempt this - 1) Very hot water will dissolve the glue from any existing scenery/ballast, then simply scrape up with a putty knife, or I used a wet/dry shop vac. 2) A tool called a tile remover made quick work of scraping off any left over cork, glue, hot glue etc.
New plan is in my SIG.
Regards,
Tom
Don Z wrote:Ray,That's a great looking wall! Did you use some sort of form to pour the wall in place? Care to share some of your secrets with us? Once again, great work! Don Z.
Ray,That's a great looking wall! Did you use some sort of form to pour the wall in place? Care to share some of your secrets with us? Once again, great work!
Don Z.
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Research; it's not just for geeks.
Tom Bryant_MR wrote: Well, this will be different. I took most of Oct off from work and really poured myself into getting my lower level staging yard completed as shown in this first shot. Note the hills in the background and I did say lower level staging. Because I had started scenicing (is that a word) several had made comment that it was a shame to cover it up with a deck above it. Here, my friend and partner in crime, Don Z, are tearing out some track to make way for a business on this lower level staging yard only. If I'm going to use it in operations, it has to have some businesses! Okay, now for the punch. As can be seen in this next photo, the upper deck, temporarily positioned, looks like ... well, you know. I was not pleased. In it's original position, just below the brown line on the wall, it was too low and just absolutely hid too much of the lower level staging and the scenery work I had done. Poor planning on my part. Yesterday morning I tore out all of the existing scenery. I've spent the last week or so on converting what was to be a lower level staging only yard and turn-a-round to a new single decked plan. This time I planned all the businesses, down to their footprint, and have purchased all of them with exception of the new Walther's creamery in Elgin. This time I was able to put in the diamond in Elgin (rather than as an after thought) and a week ago I met an ex-Katy engineer who remembered the TT and roundhouse in Smithville. He told me it had 11 stalls and has the track plans. The BIG module in the middle with the TT and roundhouse is just over 10ft long and a little over 5ft wide! http://home.austin.rr.com/tomsandy/Garage.pdf My friend Don Z is helping me (actually I'm only sort of like "Tim the toolman") and is without a doubt and bar none absolutely the best at benchwork construction and track laying. We are building the new modules sections in his garage. Pictures forthcoming in next few days. You will be amazed. Regards,
I took most of Oct off from work and really poured myself into getting my lower level staging yard completed as shown in this first shot.
Note the hills in the background and I did say lower level staging.
Because I had started scenicing (is that a word) several had made comment that it was a shame to cover it up with a deck above it.
Here, my friend and partner in crime, Don Z, are tearing out some track to make way for a business on this lower level staging yard only. If I'm going to use it in operations, it has to have some businesses!
Okay, now for the punch. As can be seen in this next photo, the upper deck, temporarily positioned, looks like ... well, you know. I was not pleased. In it's original position, just below the brown line on the wall, it was too low and just absolutely hid too much of the lower level staging and the scenery work I had done. Poor planning on my part.
Yesterday morning I tore out all of the existing scenery.
I've spent the last week or so on converting what was to be a lower level staging only yard and turn-a-round to a new single decked plan. This time I planned all the businesses, down to their footprint, and have purchased all of them with exception of the new Walther's creamery in Elgin. This time I was able to put in the diamond in Elgin (rather than as an after thought) and a week ago I met an ex-Katy engineer who remembered the TT and roundhouse in Smithville. He told me it had 11 stalls and has the track plans.
The BIG module in the middle with the TT and roundhouse is just over 10ft long and a little over 5ft wide!
http://home.austin.rr.com/tomsandy/Garage.pdf
My friend Don Z is helping me (actually I'm only sort of like "Tim the toolman") and is without a doubt and bar none absolutely the best at benchwork construction and track laying. We are building the new modules sections in his garage. Pictures forthcoming in next few days. You will be amazed.
4x8 are fun too!!! RussellRail
Some trees I started making from plants and weeds,,
,
many are unfinished
Tom Bryant_MR wrote: Update on new construction. Yesterday, Don Z and myself completed all three new modules for my garage.Overall dimensions are 63 inches wide by 128 inches long. This portion is sitting on two 1x4's with one 1x4 dado'd and the other 1x4 glued and fitted into it like a "T" - a modified L girder if you will. All three pieces are now sitting in place on my garage floor. Next will be to get the legs built and all three platforms raised to proper height to match the existing RR. Again, thanks to Don Z for the excellent craftmanship. Regards
Update on new construction. Yesterday, Don Z and myself completed all three new modules for my garage.Overall dimensions are 63 inches wide by 128 inches long. This portion is sitting on two 1x4's with one 1x4 dado'd and the other 1x4 glued and fitted into it like a "T" - a modified L girder if you will.
All three pieces are now sitting in place on my garage floor. Next will be to get the legs built and all three platforms raised to proper height to match the existing RR. Again, thanks to Don Z for the excellent craftmanship.
Regards
Tom, you didn't tell me you wanted legs for your new benchwork!! Thanks for the compliments regarding the carpentry work.
Must be nice to have a friend that is a very talented craftsman
I've seen diningroom tables that didn't look that nice
Great Work
TerryinTexas
See my Web Site Here
http://conewriversubdivision.yolasite.com/
Update on new construction. Yesterday, Don Z and myself completed all three new modules for my garage. Here are some pics of the first one.
This is where the town of Smithville will reside. That one curved 1x4 is a single piece !
This side took a full 8 ft + 1x4 to get the radius needed for the bend. This is where the Smithville TT and RH will go.
Overall dimensions are 63 inches wide by 128 inches long. This portion is sitting on two 1x4's with one 1x4 dado'd and the other 1x4 glued and fitted into it like a "T" - a modified L girder if you will.
All three pieces are now sitting in place on my garage floor. Next will be to get the legs built and all three platforms raised to proper height to match the existing RR.
Again, thanks to Don Z for the excellent craftmanship.
C&O Fan said:
I got to visit Tom Cobb's layout today on the Houston Layout Tour
I nicknamed it the Lone Tree Pacific since it has so little scenery
I felt sorry for him so i gave him a tree i made
It's an industrial switching layout depicting the SP here in Houston
the building represents the Kroger Warehouse There are some other really neat buildings
on the layout
========================================================Actually Terry a lot of industry areas are tree lees.
Mr.Cobb has a good start on a very nice looking industrial switching layout.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
soumodeler wrote:I started on the dirt road for my layout and all I have left to do is the crossings. I am still trying to decide what method to use for the dirt. http://www.trainweb.org/mgr/dirtroad.jpg (I still don't know how to post pictures)
It might be a browser problem (esp. if you're using IE7) - Here, allow me:
-Ken in Maryland (B&O modeler, former CSX modeler)
Soumodeler - How about if I make it a working link for you... http://www.trainweb.org/mgr/dirtroad.jpg
I have a couple projects to show you guys. First a N scale trunout I hand laid.
Second a section of hand track hand laid,
Third, my Gp30 which is now a high hood.
-dekruif
You can view more photos in this album
http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2099871364
Everyone thanks for the great photographs! I'm just trying to learn this new camera ( Canon power shot A540 ).
Here is my first try in black and white mode.
Also I here is one in Sepia.
You can also swap colors of an object. So many options on this camera, (not like my old Pentex K1000 35mm), but I like having instant photos and being able to edit & crop.
All you fellows are doing wonderful work. I just hope that you are all having fun, and not getting too run down...Art? Are you remembering to breath?
I have ballasted, weathered the roadbed, and weathered the rails over the past week. I am in the process of scraping the rail tops clear and sanding them with 600 grit. You find quickly how less than smooth is the surface of new track. I have to go back, after some intense scrubbing, and actually pick 1/2" long thin strips of paint off the railheads with a fine metal point due to linear grooves.
I hope to have some pictures for next weekend.
Keep coming with the pictures, guys. I need to keep pumped up.
Man that's a lot of great work
Sure hope it fits !
Great pics guys. Alan, I love your terraforming and Terry, great trees.
I put the last bent on the trestle. Yes I am building it upside down. My there are a lot of sticks in a trestle. This is all scratch build out of walnut strip wood. I still have all the bracing to do on the back side, and need to finish the lake and stream behind the trestle before I install it.
Let's start of with a fantasy photo of a CNW Bigboy.
Here's my MStL F3.
SPEED TRAP.
I have been working on 9 of the 12 stalls of my roundhouse, worked the bugs out of my Walthers 90' turntable, and finished ballasting my 12-track stub-end yard.
The big white area next to the roundhouse is the future site for the Walthers machine shop. I still have to weather/age the roundhouse, but I figured I'd show you what I've been up to so far.
Last week I finished my yard tracks
BNSF AC4400
CGW GP7
Still building mountains here.
This is picture of MOW Shay #7 coming out of the mountain that grew up last night.