Free-moN: At Home & On The Road

[seusscaboose]

Everything M.C. does is nicely done. And he is fast. Funky Monkey is a layout making machine.

agreed...  but it sure is fun watching the progress!

[M.C. Fujiwara]

Thanks for all the props and suggestions (even the crappy ones  ).
When inspiration (s)hits I'll decide what to model.
No hurry: it's totally ok to have an empty lot for a little while.

Inspired by DKS and his very fine twisted cable/chain on that little car of his, I thought I'd give something similar a go for the support cables of the awning on Unnamed Industry loading dock:





That's 3 of the 7 wires of 22 gauge stranded spun in a drill until tight, painted and then CA'ed to the awning and to Grandt Line rectangular NBW details mounted on the brick.

Up close it looks a bit thick for the job, so next time I might use 30 gauge wire or just 2 strands of the 22.
From a couple feet away it looks alrighty and "good enough" for now:



Still debating about putting up an awning on the trackside loading dock:



Probably will, though this one will be of weathered corrugated metal.

'Bout time for some more dirt, ground foam, static grass & bushes!
Thanks for looking.

[DKS]

M.C., delighted to know I contributed to your really sublime-looking industry...

[M.C. Fujiwara]

Oh, I frequently find myself thinking "What would DKS do?"
And then I remember that I don't have your casting or drafting or _____ skills so I crack open another beer and try to slap something together that looks at least decent from one camera angle 

Two days until the show and almost at the point where I can bring these two 2', 45 deg modules with at least a basic scene, minus moocho details.

The local watering hole finally opened up:



Seems as though the barkeep might have had a few before sign-painting.
(Either that or he's as poor a speller as me  )

But at least one "industry" on the modules now has a name.

Behind the Loose Caboose you can see my latest loco acquisition, Central California Traction #60 (GP-7), which I hope to be my first successful foray into diesel detailing.
As of now it's still new outta the box:



though I'll put in MT 905 Z scale couplers before the show (that much I know how to do).

The freight house on the other module is almost done:



Though I really need to do something about the brightness and brown-ness of the "concrete".
Really stands out when you put the modules together:



As soon as the ground cover / static grass / ballast dry I'll add more tufts and bushes and maybe a few trees.
Eventually there'll be another small building across the tracks from the freight house but I'm not going to be able to get to that before the show, methinks.

Anyway, any/all comments, feedback, suggestions appreciated!

Thanks for looking.

[alcors110]

hot dang that looks good , love your work

[M.C. Fujiwara]

Thanks!

Does anyone have suggestion for types of vents and other roof details for this one:



So flat, so lonely...

Maybe some of those disco-ball spinning vents?
I guess I could actually look at some pictures... 

[DKS]

Actually, most freight house roofs are pretty boring.

Loads of reference images here, and you'll notice most all of them are devoid of details--

http://members.trainweb.com/bedt/indloco/err28.html

[C855B]

I can envision a lone T-vent or conical cap for a flue pipe from a potbelly stove in or near the foreman's office over on the right. Otherwise, like David said, not much else.

[Hornwrecker]

If the building has running water and is hooked up to a sewage system, it is going to need at least one vent stack.

[Lemosteam]

The plumbing vent could be on the side of the biulding near a corner. 

What about some industrial fans on each facet of the corrogated siding on the track side?  I think the roof should look flat and lonely, pretty rough side of town no?

[Dave Schneider]

M.C.

Great job on the bricks! This has to be one of the nicest brick "paint jobs" I have ever seen. It is hard to keep up with all of your wonderful tutorials. Have you produced one on this method somewhere?

Thanks and best wishes, Dave

[M.C. Fujiwara]

Great job on the bricks! Have you produced one on this method somewhere?

Haven't done a video, as it's pretty simple.
Here it is:
 1) spray wall pieces with spray paint (red oxide, boxcab red, rail brown, whatever)
 2) let dry
 3) brush on cheap-o white craft paint diluted with water (this will be the mortar)
 4) let dry
 5) brush on stain from "Big Jug O' Stain"
 6) let dry
 7) brush on some weathering powder / chalks (if necessary)
  it's already dry!

I still have one more (smallish) brick building to build for the freight house module, so I'll see if the video gods are in a good mood when I get to it 

[M.C. Fujiwara]

We had a great time running trains yesterday at the Great Train Expo at the Craneway Pavilion at the Richmond Marina (part of the old Ford plant), and then watching the Richmond Pacific switcher shunt some cars around the waterfont right outside.
http://www.greattrainexpo.com/shows/2013Richmond.html

Here's a teaser trailer:

The building is full of great light and great layouts, from scales Z to O, so come on down today and check it out (hey, free parking!).
Hope to see you there!

Today will be filming day, so later I'll post photos and video of the whole layout, including our newest module: Nils' 8'+ "Bridge O' Wonder"!!

[M.C. Fujiwara]

Here it is, in all 10 minutes of it's 1080p glory: the Silicon Valley Free-moN layout at the Richmond, CA Great Train Expo, January 12 & 13, 2013.

Can't wait for Nils to finish his 8'+ "Bridge O' Wonder" module!
Even after couple months' work it's very nice & dramatic

We had only about 1/2 our members and modules, so if you come to the World's Greatest Hobby show in San Mateo, CA March 2 & 3, 2013 you should see SVFMN in all of it's full-length glory 
http://www.wghshow.com/sfo_info.html

Thanks for looking.

[C855B]

Amazing, M.C. It is very hard to tell that it's N. Now what I want to see is a vid of Nils packing, transporting and unpacking that bridge module. What a monster! Heavy, bulky AND super-fragile!

Oh... something that flashed in my mind while watching, a missing detail on the shoo-fly module - yellow boards. Mandatory in construction zones for speed restriction demarcation.