Weekend Update 3-16-08

[chuck geiger]

Working on the Fresno side of the new layout. I should be putting up the benchwork/support, but I keep getting stuck having fun with scenery and working off the photos. There is a canal that runs through the scene and I bent 00.20 styrene to form the base. Between the grain elevator and the canal will be another elevator warehouse and on the right side of the canal is now a Chevron station. I replaced it with an older station. The only trees and real lush scenery is by the gas station on the canal bank. Tivo this is too much fun.

[wm3798]

Is this Weekend Update? Or just some new pictures you're throwing at us? 
Lee

[inkaneer]

I went to the NMRA Division II train show at Lakeland Community college in Kirtland, Ohio.  This show has been a regular on my schedule for several years.  This year the show was disappointing to say the least.  Very little N Gauge stuff and lots of O scale.  No clinics which, in the past, I always found interesting.   They did have an unfoprtunate event there that caused them to scramble.  The main gymnasium was not available for the show.  The story I got was that the college baseball team was practicing in the gym and in the process one of the sprinkler heads was hit and the resultant deluge ruined the wood floor making the room unuseable.  Still there were some N gauge venders that were not there and those that were all seemed to have the Kato GS 4 and the Daylight cars and little else.  I manage to bick up some cork roadbed. 

[Iain]

Is this Weekend Update? Or just some new pictures you're throwing at us? 
Lee

It is now.

[Ntrainz1]

Some stuff from the last couple weeks:

Gas storage tank


Garage



Body mounted couplers, removed some lettering, chalks


Bob.

[dclyde]

I spent the past week in Clearwater Florida caring for my ill elderly parents.  Both are doing much better but I miss my trains and working on our layout.

I also had to miss the BANTRAK meeting this weekend.

Dave

[ljudice]

NS Toolcar from MTL box - yes, I know it should be an ACF car, not a PS...  Also needs more weathering...

[wm3798]

Well, I don't think anyone will mistake me for Rich Yourstone, but I had fun messing around with this yesterday.


I got frustrated trying to find a compressor I could afford, so I ended up using some spray bombs I had laying around.  Pullman Green by Floquil is a pretty close match for the green, and the yellow is something called "Sun Yellow" I got from Wal Mart.
The front of the cab got a little messy when the black sharpie I used to highlight the window gaskets ran like bad mascara when I dull coated it... Oh well, live and learn.
I got this in a swap for some decoder installs, and spent (too much time) yesterday painting it.  Still needs some touching up and some details, but generally I'm happy with it so far.

It doesn't look bad from normal viewing distances, but I don't think it'll be starring in any more close ups...  Perhaps a little weathering will be the ticket...

In other (unfinished) news...

Well, the employees are gradually recovering from the recent tour by the brass hats.  Here's the MY tower operator waving off the Office Car on its way to Connellsville.


I've been working on a passenger consist.  It will serve as an office car special, occasionally as an excursion behind the steam engine, and perhaps as an anachronism in regular passenger service from Elkins to Cumberland when I get to that point.  The lettering for the cars is on its way.  Should have it in time to finish this project up this week.




Lee

[Erik W]

Here's where I am with the scenery I've been working on.  Forgive my photography; the lighting situation is not adequate for good photos at this point.  That'll change soon.  The color rendition in the photos isn't accurate either.















Erik

[Ryan87]

Erik,

Layout is looking awesome! Love the ground cover.

[pfs]

Erik,

Layout is looking awesome! Love the ground cover.

Ditto x2

[Hyperion]

No pictures, but tonight, after many, many years of collecting locomotives, buildings, rolling stock, and doing some painting and kit-bashing for the heck of it, I'm finally starting to build an actual layout.  I bought the lumber earlier and, with this week off, I hope to get the benchwork done shortly.

[Dave V]

Erik...

Spectacular.  Draw-dropping.  Holy freakin a$$crackers!  That's really sweet!

The rockwork looks awesome too!

[ai5629]

I have a dumb question for those more technoligically versed than I.  How do you attach photos to your posts?  I took some pictures with my digital camera, and tried to attach them.  The board told me the files were too large.  Any help is appreciated since I would like to share when I can.  Thanks.

[3rdrail]

Your photos need to already be on the web. Suggest you get a Picasa album from Google and put your photos on there. Once you've done that, you can just copy and paste a link from Picasa.