Been awhile

Sorry for the delay in posting, got a new boss and he is keeping me running.

Some layout progress on Forks Creek


Can't believe the amount of castings this is taking.

Some more work on the Section house


Printed plans and glues to matt board. Cut out window openings first and test fit. Then add wood.


Here is a shot of wood added and one window cut out.


Here battens are added and window fit.

I like this way of building, can line wood up precisely and no measuring of windows. Side benefit, wood rarely pulls up compared to measuring out and cutting.

That's all for this week. Hope to get some modeling time Sunday. Did acquire Yehuda's Heating from FSM. Will go with rest of structures in West Denver. Also have a 2-8-0 #71 C&S coming in Saturday. Looking forward to it. Will need re-motor and DCC added but needed more 2-8-0 pulling power.

Thanks, comments and advice always welcome.

Cameron

Monday Update - Firehouse / bridge

Monday Update

Spent time on mountains around Forks Creek. Built cardboard Web and put in plaster cloth. Still a ways to go one section is hard to get to.

More work in West Denver. Ordered material for stone retaining wall where track descends behind yard. Worked more on making trolley disappear in Denver.

Idea I'm needing advice on is using the Fire House (decreased in width) some trees and an overpass to make a space where trolley cannot be seen. Also have a billboard if needed.

Here is a mock-up with 2 shots:

Pardon the crudeness of the mock-up trying to see fit and angles. The cardboard strips are the proposed overpass.


A little closer and another angle. Trolley is back there but difficult to see. Flock on trees, some clutter and I think it will disappear.

Now here is where I need advice: What type of bridge? Wood, metal or concrete? Any photos or plans you could point me to? Time-frame just before US enters WW1 so 1917-18.

Also more general question? Is the bridge & Fire House the right approach, are there better options?

Thanks for all your help Cameron.

Scratch build update

Scratch build update.

Did not like the door, so made one from styrene and wood. Added trim and windows. secured some battens to see how it looked.


Sorry a little blurry. Will begin using a real camera.

Looking a little better I think.

What do I use for a door handle?

Comments, advice?

Thanks Cameron

Monday Update

Monday Update

Worked on the area behind the movable mountain, laying roadbed and track, more fill-in rock work. Nothing to really take pictures of.

However - decided to jump in with my first scratch built structure (besides decks, etc.).

A MMR friend had suggested building the wood sides on poster board. I tried that and had issues with getting windows measureds properly. So copied plan (C&S Section house from Harry Brunk) and then fixed copy to matte board with spray adhesive. Then with a steel ruler cut out walls.


Here is side view of structure with base walls.


Front view, taped together to test space on layout.


Matched plan to wood size I had 2x10. Cut to length using Micro Mart chopper then soaked in BIS Silverwood. Nice color and alcohol based so warping not a problem. Love the color. Tried contact cement to attach boards. Seems to work well.


Windows and doors cut-out and a wash of Red oxide craft paint 50-50 with 91% alcohol. Picture shows redder than in real life.


Door had to be trimmed to cut away top as will use wood trim. Painted with rattle can plastic primer white. Window and door cuts followed advice and cut small and then filed out to fit. Got some flex files and they worked great. Looks like a little more filing needed on 1 side of door frame.

So far happy with progress, a long way to go but half the battle is getting the confidence to try it.

Need 3 of these, so I'm sure I will get lots of practice.

Thanks Cameron

Brick color Deux & Trolley test

Brick color Deux & Trolley test

Only had a few hours so focused on 2 areas, coloring brick cobblestone and testing the auto reverse for the Trolley.

Thanks to Karl O's excellent work in his Yehudah thread I received most of the items he mentioned. First tried the photo Flo and red brick hobby paint. Karl is right it works great as a thinner.


This is Red Brick acrylic paint thinned 50-50 with Photo Flo. The light circle area is where I did not wait long enough to test the white & black "hockey puck" tempura paints mixed with photoflo for cement lines.

Next on to the Minatronics auto-reverse with 5 intermediate stops. Got a great deal on e-bay. It arrived yesterday. Read the instructions (I know lost my man-badge). They could have been better, but usable after rereading.

Pretty simple, install track wires, install minimum of 2 sensors, connect to wall brick for power (included, --- wire is negative). The sensors require 2 holes drilled, provided wire to be soldered to sensors (no polarity). Shrink tubing provided to cover joint. You might want to use a smaller size if you have laying around. A little slow to get shrunk well.


Maiden run. Using a Bachman DC Trolley. Bowser has a new model out that has sound, may try to get one of those later. Only installed 2 sensors since not 100% sure of positioning. Sorry for so-so picture. Trolley ran from point to point and stopped at sensor for assigned time. Had some issues related to speed and track needed cleaning so a little CRC fixed everything. An important note, depending on speed (and I suspect loco or trolley being powered, there is an amount of coast past sensor, be prepared it can be 6" or more if going fast. No Layout diving allowed!

All in all a good day. Learning more each day on brick cobblestone (called setts). Carving seems to be the way to go for me. If you have straight or 90 degree Monster Works cobblestone is excellent and a lot less work (guesstimate, you could lay 10 ft of Monster Works and paint in 2-3 hours. Hand carving would take me (I'm slow) better than 10-15 hours for same section.

The Trolley works really well. Have not changed stop intervals, but adjustable from 1-25 seconds with all 7 programmable. This allows you to customize each stop. In my case Trolley will stop at Grocery, Houses, Synagogue and merchant area. The plan to hide the reverse behind Fire house is still an option, but also considering a bridge over tracks also.

Thanks Cameron

Something new - for me at least.

Something new - for me at least.

Struggling with the cobblestone so some nice folks suggested I try carving the cobblestone. So here is the results of my first try (after test on workbench). Used molding plaster.


First section with forms in-place and test fit of building.


Forms in place for track section and other side of street.


Carved raw plaster. Used steel ruler with forms having marks for each sett line. Forgot to re-wet plaster so got some chipping. Some areas ended up a little low but makes it look like it is older and less maintained.


Here is method of marking and used #11 xacto blade backside to scribe.


First attempt at coloring, used weathering powders, then a glue coating. Not too happy with result will need to try something else.


A view on what is will look like. Trolley rides on HO std gauge with Hon3 for main line. Planning on using a dirt strip with sparse grass and weeds where you see board fence. Plan to displace some boards where kids slip through to watch trains.

For a first attempt I pretty happy with carving. Color needs work.

Using Minatronics to power with some intermediate stops (photo cell activated). so need to place photocells before I complete all cobblestone.

One thing I have noticed, biggest impediment to trying new techniques is fear of messing up. Learning to try on workbench and then give it a go. Only way to learn and get better.

Think I will try Terra Cotta as base color and then use some techniques I saw on the forum (Yehudah build using Monster Works brick) to make lines and vary color.

Advice always appreciated.

Thanks Cameron

Moving Mountains - Tuesday Update

Moving Mountains - Tuesday Update

Friend at work suggested I make the fore mountain on the Black Hawk track removable to allow work on Turn-out etc. Decided to give it a go. First try was to big to manage and by having to lift and turn meant high risk of damage to scenery and rails.

Redesigned using a smaller slide out section. First step was to cut the black board out from existing underlayment. This assured a key like fit and a largely invisible seam. Tested blackboard and it would do for base if I added support. So used left over l-girder, flipped upside down and secured from beneath. Then made 1x2 risers for masonite backing to attach to and hold up the card board webbing. Added webbing and covered in a double layer of plaster cloth.



























































Here is plaster cloth covered mtn roughed in.


Roughed in Mtn in place with Masonite fascia (to be painted black, though I like the carpet idea).


Covered plaster cloth with Sculpt-a-mold. Debating adding casting as they will not be mostly visible. This is the view heading upgrade to Black Hawk from Forks Creek. Nice and tight valley like the prototype.


Further upgrade. Here is the location of the turn-out (to be installed).

Lots of scenery and painting to go, but so far happy with the result.

Feedback \ improvement ideas always appreciated, this is a very knowledgeable group who has helped me a lot.

Thanks Cameron