Weekend Update - 7-19-2009

[GaryHinshaw]

Finally finished up one of the N Scale Kits 53' spine sets and took some shots under my new basement lighting:



(still need to work on depth of field...)  Same set loaded up:



and a detail shot of the B unit:



(taken earlier under poor lighting).  Those are the (great) MLE hitches BTW.  I also added a few other details and lowered the ride height.

-Gary

P.S. Still need to add the details to the end platforms (brakewheels / stirrups / hand grabs) but the stock method seems too fragile, so I'm experimenting with (and soliciting) some alternative ideas.

[James Costello]

Smokin' hot Gary! Where's the drool smiley?

Love the conspicuity stripes around the weathering too. Nice.

[sizemore]

-Gary

Got some more pics of the layout Gary I'm digging the scenery!

[diezmon]

Made a lot of progress on the layout this week.


 

ooh.. tell me about your dirt roads   How'd you do the brush down the middle??

[tom mann]

Gary,

Let's see more photos of those trailers!

[GaryHinshaw]

Thanks for the comments guys.  I'll try to take some closer trailer shots tonight and post them, maybe to a weathering thread.

Tim, you'll laugh when you see what went into this Hollywood back-lot scenery.  These pictures were taken on the module that is the test bed for my Tehachapi pike.  It's mostly pink foam beyond the trackbed and access road, and there is a lot of crap stored on it now, so I literally took a few Silflor mats and layed one flat in the foreground and draped one over all the crap in the background to hide. it.  But it is actually pretty close to the look I'm going for!   ;D

-Gary

P.S. edude, you continue to amaze with your eye for scenery.

[tehachapifan]

That spine looks great, Gary! You did a great job on everything including the piping and weathering! Hitches look great too!

For attaching the end grabs and brake wheel stand, I found that just using ACC works quite well. I have not had either fall off my 48' spine thus far but I don't think they would survive a significant bump. I did solder a set of end grabs on my 53' spine which came out strong but I don't like the resulting solder "blobs" (I don't think stainless steel is very conducive to soldering). Plus, I wouldn't let a soldering iron anywhre near the cast portion of the car as it would easily melt (I put the grabs on before attaching the end platforms).

Russ

[wm3798]

One thought on fragile details...  I would hold off on them until you have enough layout built that you don't have to be handling the equipment much.  Even storage could threaten them, because there will be times when you want to sit there in a dimly lit room taking them out of their jewel boxes and fondling them...  A sure way to snap off critical parts!

Lee

[Caleb Austin]

Thanks guys.

ooh.. tell me about your dirt roads   How'd you do the brush down the middle??

The roads are Highball products "Fine light earth" glued over a plaster base. The grass on the road was made by brushing a line of white glue down the center and then static grass was dabbed on. The excess was vacuumed up after it dried.

[GaryHinshaw]

That spine looks great, Gary! You did a great job on everything including the piping and weathering! Hitches look great too!

For attaching the end grabs and brake wheel stand, I found that just using ACC works quite well.
Russ

Thanks Russ.  Of course you blazed this trail for me.    Re the end details, I've been thinking about an etched overlay that would wrap around the end platform and provide the lip that is missing from the current model, like in this shot.  It would also have the brakestand and side hand grabs as part of the piece (and .008 holes for end grab irons).  And I know just the guy to make it for me.     (Might be a good excuse to teach myself the trade too.)

Lee, I completely agree about having a layout to minimize car handling.  As they say in the satellite business, the safest place for this bird is in orbit, where no one can get their grubby hands on it.  I need to work on my layout some more.

-Gary

[sizemore]

Thanks for the comments guys.  I'll try to take some closer trailer shots tonight and post them, maybe to a weathering thread.

Tim, you'll laugh when you see what went into this Hollywood back-lot scenery.  These pictures were taken on the module that is the test bed for my Tehachapi pike.  It's mostly pink foam beyond the trackbed and access road, and there is a lot of crap stored on it now, so I literally took a few Silflor mats and layed one flat in the foreground and draped one over all the crap in the background to hide. it.  But it is actually pretty close to the look I'm going for!   ;D

-Gary

P.S. edude, you continue to amaze with your eye for scenery.

The ballastwork looks great and that dirt road, really looks good what did you use? I'm still waiting on my S&S order...they cashed the check 3 weeks ago.

[ednadolski]

I literally took a few Silflor mats and layed one flat in the foreground and draped one over all the crap in the background to hide. it. 

Looks great Gary.  Which kind of Silflor is that?

Thx,
Ed

[Iain]

I figured out that I CAN do a layout, and I started acquisition of benchwork materials.  Nothing to show yet.

Somehow I think it will be in the shape of a row boat . :

Dude...

[GaryHinshaw]

The  S - for the road I used the Smith & Son fine soil, which is available from Scenic Express, though it now seems to be sold under their own house label, rather than the Smith & Son label.  To apply it, I made a paste of plaster, dirt and water (to a spreadable but not wet consistency) and "paved" the road with that.  I was hoping that would look like a parched worn summer season dirt road, but not quite, so I misted it a bit and sifted some loose dirt over it and pressed it in.  It darkened a bit more than I hoped, so I'm still seeking the perfect method, but it's not too bad.  lashedup and envirodude (among others) have some very nice roads that have been described here too.

BTW, the Smith & Son ballast is also now available from Scenic Express under a house label, "Express Scale".  It has the same stock number as the Smith & Son, but it's not listed on their web site right now.  I picked up a quart in Timonium a while back.  The Penn-Ohio #50 grade is showing as out of stock on their web site right now, but if you hit the Buy Now button on the linked page it gives you some special instructions for ordering items that are not yet listed (if you get tired of waiting for S&S).  I'm not sure what, if any, relation this has to the Smith & Son business, but the product is definitely the same...

Ed - the Silflor mats in the pictures are the short and medium length autumn mats.  However, I don't like them for two reasons: first they are too green for California grass, especially the medium one; second, I was never happy with my ability to apply the mats to a large area (like Caliente) without the seams being obvious.  I've been much happier with static grass applied with a Grass Master (or equivalent).  No seams, subtle color variations are possible with blends, etc.

Cheers
Gary

[tehachapifan]

That spine looks great, Gary! You did a great job on everything including the piping and weathering! Hitches look great too!

For attaching the end grabs and brake wheel stand, I found that just using ACC works quite well.
Russ

Thanks Russ.  Of course you blazed this trail for me.    Re the end details, I've been thinking about an etched overlay that would wrap around the end platform and provide the lip that is missing from the current model, like in this shot.  It would also have the brakestand and side hand grabs as part of the piece (and .008 holes for end grab irons).  And I know just the guy to make it for me.    (Might be a good excuse to teach myself the trade too.)

Lee, I completely agree about having a layout to minimize car handling.  As they say in the satellite business, the safest place for this bird is in orbit, where no one can get their grubby hands on it.  I need to work on my layout some more.

-Gary

I've actually pondered making the very piece you speak of. Not sure if there would be enough of a market to justify the couple hundred that would be produced per batch though. Honestly, I think there's you, me and maybe one or two other guys that are into detailing spine cars to that level.

Russ