The LIRR Industrial Service, Inc. shelf layout

[Zox]

Still working on the color of the berm wall.  I like the grey, but would prefer something a little more granite (whiter).  Any thoughts?

Apple Barrel has a medium-light gray that's actually called "Granite Gray," that is lighter than the gray in your picture (although color-matching with photos is always a tricky thing). If you have a Michael's store locally, they'll probably have it in stock.

[Lemosteam]

Thanks Zox!  Lots of Michaels here in the Detroit area.

[Lemosteam]

The stonelayers have been making great progress.  Finished the extension berm wall on both sides, test fit a tunnel portal, and started along the LIRR grade and between the LIRR grade and the PRR berm.  The PRR will be mighty on high!

By the way, the PRR used an 18" high x 24" wide berm wall cap, slightly overhanging the wall by 1".  I want to simulate this.   The balast will fill in right up to the cap. 

Any ideas on what I could use?  The thought of casting another 70+ stone caps makes me ill.      Scale styrene strips with scribed stones?  Uggh.  thoughts and ideas appreciated!







Thanks for looking!

[M.C. Fujiwara]

For the "cap row" on top of the cut stone wall on my Mt. Coffin & Columbia River I cut a strip of pink foam (same as the wall), spread a thin thin layer of lightweight spackle, carved the spaces between the stones with a few strokes and presses of the hobby knife, and painted:



You could probably use foamcore and rip off the top paper layer if you don't have pink foam.

Or a long strip of balsa foam would be easy to measure, cut and then carve the top with a knife or dremel.

Just thinking out loud.

[Hornwrecker]

... and the award for the longest stone retaining wall ever attempted by an  goes to...

That is looking good, John.  I like the idea from MC about the balsa foam. 

I'm wondering if it might be possible to make a stamp to impress the stone surface details; something made from a piece or more of the cut stone wall, then cast an impression out of low melt alloy with a handle embedded into it.  I've got quite a bit of low melt for tubing bending, and can figure a way to make one for you, if you want.  WS cut stone retaining wall?  I might have some to 'speriment with.

Nice seeing you and your boys at the train show Sunday.  I escaped with only buying eight freight cars.

[Lemosteam]

M.C.  thanks for the ideas!  I was thinking some form of wood as I think it might be more durable.  Since most of the berm wall is on the extension (thanks again for that idea!) I will be lifitng it out frequently and a soft material like balsa or foam will damage easily.  Basswood however might be flexible enough and hard enough to withstand that.  I could carve in the stone details and then glue that to the top of the wall.

Bob, LOL!  Thats a creative idea for the stamp, although it could be done similarly by heating the iron and woodburing the details into the wood.  Great seeinig you and Joey U Boats too!  It was a great show for me personally.  Found lots of little things for detailing the layout.

[svedblen]

I think styrene is a good idea. And it need not be that tedious to scribe. I've done it myself, with a razor saw, and as far as I can remember it was not very tiresome, even if I did about 6 to 7 feet. Pics are here:

http://threeyardsyard.blogspot.se/2012/11/retaining-wall.html

Admit  it is H0, but should easily scale down to N.

[Lemosteam]

How's this basswood cap, reasonable?

[chicken45]

OOh!

[M.C. Fujiwara]

Nice carving.
As to "reasonable" I dunno: got a photo of the prototype?

[Lemosteam]

Filled the channel with 1/2" foam for a more shallow water pour.  Gonna get some thick dark olive drab for the Hudson silt.  Also experimenting with bridge height and seawalls.





I knew there was a reason I wanted those drawer slides!



Berm Wall Finished except for the stone cap.  Still deciding on a solution.



Track is not laid, just wanted to see what the LIRR I.S. grade looks like alongside the PRR main.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I really digging this.

That wall is gonna look awesome when it's all painted up and weathered.

[Dave V]

I love how well the wall all fits together.  Looks like there will be no seams when it's painted.

For the retaining wall, just go with pics...  A rusty brown will probably be you best bet.

[Lemosteam]

Nice carving.
As to "reasonable" I dunno: got a photo of the prototype?

MC best I could find is this from a Scenic Express website.  Page claims this to be a PRR proto design. $14.50 apiece.  No N scale version.  Glad I made the mold!  Sheesh. the berm would have cost me several hundred dollars as long as it is.  9 feet per side. 

The cap stones in the image appear to be about twice as long as a given stone in the wall.  I made my carving at about 5 scle feet per stone.  Maybe 4 feet would be more proportional.  Going top try styrene too.



Another image from Doug Nelson on TRW shows no capstones at all but I'm not sure if its a sidewall or berm wall although one can see railhead in the image.  The internal PRR drawings definitely state that an 18" x 24" stone cap is required.

[Lemosteam]

Ed, thank you and we'll see- I might have to have a fellow  come over and show me the ropes.  Never done any weathering prior and I hope I can get it right.

Dave, thanks.  I am really surprised at how, for the most part, the stones aligned from panel to panel using the castings.  The three foot rule makes them disappear altogether.  Can you recall what base color you used on the stonework in this incredible picture?  It is the exact color I have been looking for.