Seaboard Central 2.0

[GaryHinshaw]

Looks really slick Dave!  Now I'm trying to remember: are you one of these guys that never weathers anything?  This scene cries out for signs of aging.

[Ian MacMillan]

Skewing the testle was a great idea!   

IF only someone had suggested it! 

Looks pretty good Dave.

[davefoxx]

Thanks, guys!

Gary, I haven't done much weathering, because that's usually down on my to-do list.  I'm hesitant partially because I'm colorblind and lazy, but, primarily, I want to get a layout that looks reasonably complete and then I'll go back and weather my rolling stock.  However, things like structures and bridges, I do plan to weather during construction when access is best.  So, I will modify the color of the wood to create a more creosoted look and add NBW castings and rust streaks here and there.

Because I did skew the plate girder span, I have to go back and rebuild its steel supporting structure.  The ME bridge kit did not allow for skewing, so I had to cut all of that off.  Even if I hadn't built the kit first, I would not have been able to make use of that bracing.  But, I have some styrene lying around somewhere, so I'll scab something together.  It won't be too visible, so it only has to give an impression of there being more under there than really exists.

DFF

[davefoxx]

Planted the bridge this weekend.  What you see is lightweight joint compound used to create the fill under the bridge piers.  I did one side of the track at a time, so that I didn't mess up the other while test-fitting the bridge.  I took my time sculpting the hills to the proper slope under the bridge, so that the trestle bents were just below the surface with none hanging.  The "mud" on the left side of the tracks is still very wet and will get one more coat to tweak the slope.  The hill under the bridge on the right is almost dry and almost ready for paint and foliage.



You can see here how I shifted the drainage ditch on the right side of the track to between the trestle bents where it then drains into the lake:




Hopefully by next weekend, I will be able to get the track on the A&R relaid and run the first train out on to the trestle for photo ops.  For now, the bridge is still not permanently installed, because I still have to touch it up and detail it.  I'll solder the approach track to the bridge track before installation to prevent a kink where those rails meet.

DFF

[Scottl]

Dave, it looks excellent.  I like how the trestle fits into the topography and the drainage between the bents is a nice touch.

I`m wondering what your thoughts are about the slopes behind the abutments.  At the top the abutments stick out to the side quite a bit.  My thought would be to build out the upper slopes so they blend together a bit more.  Just a suggestion.  It is looking very nice, and the bridge combo is particularly well done.

[M.C. Fujiwara]

Looking good!
I like the ditch between the other bents.
Just don't forget the nut/bolt/washer details before you install!
They're a bit of a PITA but definitely worth it for such a signature scene!
Grandt Line HO 1" or 2" NBW are good for the cross supports (cut the heads off and use woodglue to place), while GL HO 2 1/2" square are good for horizontal crossbeams.

[davefoxx]

Dave, it looks excellent.  I like how the trestle fits into the topography and the drainage between the bents is a nice touch.

I`m wondering what your thoughts are about the slopes behind the abutments.  At the top the abutments stick out to the side quite a bit.  My thought would be to build out the upper slopes so they blend together a bit more.  Just a suggestion.  It is looking very nice, and the bridge combo is particularly well done.

Thank you.  You're right, and the abutments are one place I'll do further tweaking.  If you look close, you'll also see that I forgot to paint the back of the abutments.     But, it's just as well, because I'll have to touch up where I got joint compound above ground level.  What I'm doing now, though, is letting the first layer of compound set up, so that I don't disturb it when I go back and try to form the final shape.  The first layer goes in pretty thick and takes a while to dry, especially in the basement, and the pre-Hurricane Sandy weather isn't helping.

[davefoxx]

Looking good!
I like the ditch between the other bents.
Just don't forget the nut/bolt/washer details before you install!
They're a bit of a PITA but definitely worth it for such a signature scene!
Grandt Line HO 1" or 2" NBW are good for the cross supports (cut the heads off and use woodglue to place), while GL HO 2 1/2" square are good for horizontal crossbeams.

Thanks!  There's some NBW details in the bridge kit, but I admit that I haven't really checked them out yet to see how well they will work.  I do plan to install some, though.

[M.C. Fujiwara]

I know the NBW are a PITA, but very worth it:



The HO 1" NBW are on the bents, and the HO 2 1/2" square (or O 1" square) are on the Truss sides.
They really "pop", especially in photos.
And much easier to install on individual bents and before bridge is installed in scene 
Very groovy scene coming along!

[Scottl]

Those NBW really take wood structures to the next level.  Great for photographs!

[davefoxx]

Update:

The scenery forms have been roughed back in, the track reconnected, and the bridge is now permanently installed.  Works great, but, unfortunately, this is the end of the line on the A&R . . . for now:


The fascia has been patched and painted.  My wife and I chose a green that seems to complement the scenery color:



The Digitrax UR92 duplex receiver has been installed into the finished fascia with a clean look.  I'm really enjoying running the layout without having to plug the throtttle in, even when I'm acquiring different addresses (locomotives) or consisting locomotives:


Finally, here's where some experimentation worked exactly as planned.  On my previous HCD layouts, the wires hung below the table where they could get snagged when working under the layout or moving the layout.  Here, I decided to bore into the door and run the wires in the hollow space inside the door.  Worked great.  I used a hole saw I had in the tool box to bore the holes.  By drilling in the right spot, I was able to pull the wires from the back of the UR92 without coming below the bottom surface of the door.  Then, I fished the wires to emerge near the command station.


I still need to run feeders to the separate sections of track.  I plan to bury the bus wires inside the HCD, too.  With the hole saw, I can bore a large enough hole so that the solder connections will be inside the door.  Oh, and since soldering over one's head is not fun, I may roll the layout on its side.

DFF

[MichaelWinicki]

Props to your wife for the fascia color.

It's complimentary without being distracting.

[davefoxx]

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

[Dave V]

Looking awesome Dave!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Looking awesome Dave!

What he said!

Do you have a plan for representing kudzu?