Sunday 24-June Update

Sunday Update - Got alot done!

Got a solid 6 hours in and made some progress on scenery. Want to finish this section so I can use it for the AP Program towards MMR.

The Oscillating saw came to the rescue doing the Elk Creek bridge abutments. The flush cut and being able to precisely control depth was great. Also go my wet mount rock molds in so tried them out.


This is a Central Valley Pratt Truss bridge I kit-bashed to make 2 bridges out of 1 kit. Had to make molds of a few parts to get it to work. Planking added to make walkway. Abutments are castings made from a abutment I had. Had to be shortened. Bridge still needs final paint.


Up close of downgrade abutment, Noch flexible stone retaining used on the far creek bank.


Bridge ready to be removed and creek prep'd for resin and bottom.


Creek prep. Used burnt umber to provide more depth and added Arizona River rock to shallow bank.


Here is the creek under the Elk Creek Bridge. Added Burnt Umber for depth and Arizona River rock to shallow areas. The abutments are washed with rock color, need to add india ink wash to show stones. Noch flexible stone seen in far bank. There is a drop to the right where there will be some rapids.


Here is the creek looking upgrade to Forks Creek. As before Burnt Umber for depth and Arizona Rock on banks.


This is the downgrade creek from Beaver Brook.


Here is Beaver Brook. The Brook has a wooden flue with small bridge where it meets creek. Used craft work to build abutments. Arizona Rock used in brook bed. Use walnut stain as a "creosote" covering.


Got the wet mount molds in, really like them. Here is a shot of 2 molds in-place. Using Woodland Scenics Hydrocal.


Here is the result. On left bottom is Woodland Scenics molded rock hot glued on. Above and to right are wet mount.


Here is my 1st attempt at Hanging Rock, an iconic landscape highlight of the Clear Creek.

All in all a good day. The Arizona Rock still must be brushed off to remove loose pieces. Lots more work on creek before any envirotex will be added.

Thanks Cameron

Scratch-building C&S Section House

Here is the beginnings of my new scratch-build project. Larry a MMR friend has offered to mentor me through my MMR process and this is going to be my first effort.


I am amazed how helpful and giving people like Larry, Keevan, Scoop (Laurie) and many others are.  Great group of folks.  Thanks guys!

Had not done casting since I was a teen, so was a little leary, but it worked out well. The C&S Section House kit, long out of production, from Model Masterpieces is providing the plans and the master for my foundation castings. Making the mold was the hardest part, used wire to support master in mold box.


Here are the molds, also molding a bridge abutment at the same time. Estimating the casting resin was giving me fits. Finally got to where I have enough molds I cast an extra whatever with any unused resin to not waste.

Using the Micro-Mark kit and it has been very good (based on my limited experience).


Here is the results. I was very pleased. The abutment is nice and the foundations will count towards the scratch-built portion of the structure.

Thanks Cameron

Sunday Update

Sunday Progress

Still working on redoing the section of Clear Creek from Beaver Creek to Forks Creek. Cutting the new creek was turning into a real chore, so off to Home Depot to find something better to cut the creek with.


This is a Milwaukee Oscillating tool. Really good reviews and takes cutting accessories from most manufacturers (Bosch in particular). Never used one before so I made sure I could return it. Wow, did it work. Came with a wood blade and it made short work of the blackboard. It can cut up to 3" depth and it cuts flush and gets into tight places. Just what I needed. 5 stars in my book.


Posting 2 pictures to show results on the oscillating tool cutting the creek. This is #1.


Picture 2. Easy to control, let tool do the work and don't force. This is a much better choice than the Dremel, tried it in store and was not as powerful.


After cuts made used Rigid Wrap from Dick Blick Art Supplies to make creek contour. The Rigid Wrap does not seem to be quite as good as Woodland Scenics Plaster Wrap, but is close enough and 1 pack is about 5-6 times more material. Net, much less expensive and I use alot of it.



Here is the creek now on the right of the track going upgrade between Beaver Brook and Elk Creek.


Here is the newly oriented Elks Creek. Bridge is in-progress. Don't have alot of depth for section house and water tower, but should be just enough.


Here is the long section of the reworked creek from Elk Creek to Forks Creek.

All in all, very happy with the change. the orientation is more aligned to prototype and it eliminated 3 non-prototype bridges that were going to cause operational problems. Also began adding the roadbed. Since it is N-scale I allowed a small gap between to make the roadbed fit the track better.

Thanks Cameron

Friday Update

Friday Update

Wanted to post 2 pictures showing what I've been working on during the week. Will post more in Construction forum.


New building under construction called Barkeep's Tavern. Named after my mentor, this is Bar Mills Saulena's Tavern. Nice kit, going for some interior detail. Red line on photo is added so as not to offend someone.


Here is more interior detail. Next step will be adding bar stools, some tables and chairs and patrons. Also have pictures to put in windows.

Thanks Cameron

Golden Update

Golden plan was really bothering me. The more I learned; the more it bothered me. So redesigned Golden to place roundhouse across from Coors, also moved Coal mine to west of town. This is much more in-line with prototype. Any thoughts?


This is the revised.  Click to enlarge


This is the original:  Click to enlarge


Thanks Cameron

Sunday Update - Best Laid Plans

Sunday Update

Well, as they say "best laid plans". The curve on deck 2 in the middle peninsula had to be redone. Will post pictures later.

The issue was the 2 bridges the creek was needing. I could not get a good straight section to build the Pratt Truss steel bridges. This was corrected by moving the creek to the outside of the creek eliminating the 2 bridges. Checking the Colorado Central book, this is more prototype, only issue is Elk Creek will be seen from the back, not from, this should provide a different prospective then more commonly seen.


Here is the new view, note creek on outside of 180degree turn on left.  Click to enlarge.


This is original.  Click to enlarge.

The change requires adding to mountain, filling old creek and cutting new. All in all about 16' and 2 turn-outs need to be changed.

Also looking at roadbed in Prototype pictures. Seems there is a little raise for roadbed. So will add N scale cork roadbed over black board. This has advantage in that it makes lining up bridges easier.

Thanks Cameron

Neat building material

Friend (Keevan my mentor) recommended Micro-Mark Textured brick and stone sheets. These look really nice. Also MonsterWorks Brick on Basswood. Here are Micro-mark sheets. Tried to show texture but pictures do not do it justice.


Brick


Brick Lintels


Stone

The texture in real life is very nice. Will try these for scratch building and see how they compare to MonsterWorks.

Cameron

Weathering update

Weathering update

Some friends on HON3Chat gave me some advice on weathering and this is my first attempt to use that advice. Here is a Banta Model Works (Bill is great)storage boxcar kit. Will need to buid several of these. May try a scratch-build of it next. My last efforts seemed heavy handed, I am going back and adjusting these some. This kit I diluted all paints at least 50/50 to use. More like stain than paint. I think it looks much better. Then used Inkahol (india ink and alchol) mixed to weather. Will add soot & rust later.


Front view. Windows a wash of white diluted, sides red oxide diluted. Light Inkahol wash.


3/4 view


Back view.

Flash makes weathering hard to see. I really like how wood shows through. Also roughed wood up with wire brush.

Feedback appreciated.

Cameron

Feedback please!

Hoping to get some constructive feedback on 4 of my structures. Want to do the Structure AP and need to hone my skills. Here are the photos, sorry for the quality.


A stand-in for the Golden Depot until I can scratch-build one.


Yard Office by Bar Mills


2nd view of Yard Office


Forks Creek Main Bridge


2nd view


Forks Creek Pump-house



Let me know what I over did, what I can improve.

Thanks Cameron

Sunday 3 June Update

Sunday 3 June Update

The weather here has been hot! Broke 90 2 days in a row. Finally rain Friday and temp dropped to low 80's. A little easier to motivate myself to work on the Layout.

Forks Creek is slow going having to build the bridges. So switched to down grade from Beaver Brook. The creek turn was not working to hide the overhang. So backed up and added a rule#1 element, a short tunnel. While C&S Clear Creek had no tunnels there were some steep cuts. When highway built, it has many tunnels so the use of a tunnel to bypass an eroding roadbed would be a reasonable item on the line. Hope my C&S friends will forgive me. Here are the photo's:


Looking downgrade from from Beaver Brook towards new tunnel.


An up-close look at the tunnel roughed in.


Here is my sons BlackStone 2-8-2 peaking through the tunnel, used it to verify clearance.

While waiting for layers to set, started an area that you can still see on google maps, the Tough Cuss Pass. This is a sharp turn to allow track to pass between solid rock walls. Unfortunately Google maps will not do a street view of it so basing on books I have. Here is how its looking:


This is the pass from the creek (aisle) view. A lot of sculpt-a-mold still to go.


This is looking upgrade from Magpie through Tough Cuss Pass. You can see the tight turn needed on the prototype to navigate.


Here is my wife's 2-8-0 peeking through the pass looking downgrade.

All in all a good day, also managed to do some moving of items from old layout room to new room. Son helped alot by putting up some more insulation on 1 wall and a 24" by 14 foot section of roof. Got a turn-out control (bullfrog) installed and tested. That was my first Turn-out build that is now fully operational. Still need to power the frog.

Thanks Cameron