Weekend Update 11/28/10

[Philip H]

Yes, but unlike Lee's, that cooler on wheels makes the beverage service more accessible due to portability - no bottle tossing required when you can just roll it!

[wm3798]

While you schlubs were toiling away in your cubicles, I enjoyed the spoils of my Sunday-Monday weekend...  I went back into my design program and revised the Company House plan to work with the specs of the Tichy windows and doors I scored at the Timonium show...  From there, I was able to "systematize" the construction of the houses...

First, I print out the elevations at 1:160, trim out the necessary parts of the image, and apply them to the styrene to be worked...


Tichy says their windows are 30" x 62", and by golly, that's right on!  Anyway, this new addition to the neighborhood has a blank back, so I moved around the kitchen door and eliminated the rear bump out.

The other advantage to using the drafting program, was the ability to quickly whip up the hip roof as a single piece using score lines.



Here you see the neatly assembled building, ready for the paint shop.  I used strips of masking tape cut to 3' wide, to simulate the tar paper roofing.



And finally placed in the block with the original house, which was all laid out by hand.  There's a noticeable difference in how uniformly the second one was built...  Although for the hollers of West By God Virginia, the first is probably more accurate!

Anyway, doing everything by hand, including the front porch on the first house took about 8 hours, including the painting and final weathering.  Using the computer to layout the second house allowed that one to come together in about three hours, from first cut to gluing on the chimney and glazing the windows with gloss Mod Podge.

I started spreading some spackle to smooth out the roads in town, applying it over the Sculptamold base.

Lee

[conrail98]

Yes, but unlike Lee's, that cooler on wheels makes the beverage service more accessible due to portability - no bottle tossing required when you can just roll it!

It also has a catch below the can opener and there's a fridge by the helix that's well stocked.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Lee, were those company houses all still occupied in the late 60s? If not, it might be fun to do some of them as abandoned.

[wm3798]

That had crossed my mind...

[Ian MacMillan]

I reached a milestone this weekend on the layout. Mainline track 1 was completed through the staging yard and now makes a complete loop on the layout. I have been busy wiring the last two BDL168's tonight to try and get the first train to complete the layout. During construction of the west end staging it was found that the planed duck under where the staging enters the west end of the layout was not going to work. The duck under was right at the bottom of the stairs, and while no problem for myself and operating crew, for open houses it would be a nightmare...so it was changed and after seeing Daryl's video that he posted last week, the track was routed around the staircase wall, through a tread, and under the stairs, onto the layout.

I also went on the Tour de Chooch on Saturday and spent most of the day on John's (MEC_Fan) layout. I'd have photos but I left my camera there!

[central.vermont]

I also went on the Tour de Chooch on Saturday and spent most of the day on John's (MEC_Fan) layout. I'd have photos but I left my camera there!

Yeah, but I bet you don't show the group moon shot!!
You'll only get it back when we're done with it. ;D ;D ;D
Jon

[John]

Yeah, but I bet you don't show the group moon shot!!
You'll only get it back when we're done with it. ;D ;D ;D
Jon

I'm thinking a "where's Ian" video  :

[seusscaboose]

ran old school steam at Turf Valley

First, the MA & PA was used to test some V&T motive power prior to delivery out West (seen here at Bel Air, Md)


and then, after sticking around for a while, we caught the local MA & PA cruising through.

[John]

I didn't realize the MA&PA had a 3 track 200 lb mainline 

[seusscaboose]

alternate reality...

but the station is dead on.

[SAH]

Steve, it is on DeForest Rd down by North Rd. Still Warren, but only 2 houses away from Niles boundary line.

I went to school with a couple of folks who lived in that area.  Lots of small bungalows and such.  A nice neighborhood back then.  I haven't been through there in YEARS.  The photo leads me to believe the neighborhood still looks good.  And it appears you have a basement.   Well done.  Will the Niles layout come back to life?

[Iain]

I did this:



BLMA grabs and ladders on the ends, GMM brake wheel, brass PSC brake hoses, MT Z couplers (Shanks are too short, I'm going to next size up), and Fox Valley wheels.  I still have to add uncoupling levers.  Weathering is (mostly) acrylics.

I wish someone made ribback wheels in N.  I know of the old MTs, but I would like finer scale a la the Fox Valley or BLMA.

I also rode out to Concord to see a friend, and from there up to Spencer to get reference photos of this wee beasty:

[John]

Nice work .. much improved since the Phol Gul days

[MEC_FAN]

Had 125 people come by the layout Saturday for Tour De Chooch including Mr. MacMillan who hung for most of the day. Great group of people and a good time!!
Jon we'll hold Ian's the camera hostage until he gives us a scenery clinic!!