The LIRR Industrial Service, Inc. shelf layout

[OldEastRR]

I guess you guys just don't see it the same way I do.  The straight shape of the branches and the angle they protrude from the larger branches look unnatural to me.  Those should be more organic looking. Hard to describe.  But if you like it, that's all that counts.

I guess last night seeing this same write-up in 3 different threads, I didn't realize I already commented on it in one of those other threads.    Actually I had a feeling that I did comment already but couldn't find it. Shame on my for having a "senior moment".  I've been having them more frequently lately.

I've been making/experimenting with tree construction my layout to make both dead trees and very tall (but scale) ones over 60' high. I use plastic sprues from structure kits (because those are usually long) and a soldering iron to graft different lengths at different angles to a main trunk. To make curved branches, I hold the soldering iron close to the place I want to puyt a bend until the plastic softens and I can curve the sprue into what Peteski would call an organic shape. You could easily do that to this tree, to make the totally straight sections of branches curved.
To make dead trees I use Plastruct tree armatures  https://plastruct.com/search?page=1&q=plastic+trees, which come with lots of bare branches with many twigs, every one with curves. They come cast in a 4-points axes  (N-S-E-W) version but putting them into hot water will soften the plastic so you can bend branches to make a naturally spread out look. You could also use the soldering iron method but be careful.
The plastic armatures are 3" tall. There are also wire armature bare trees, but I haven't used those types.
And the Plastruct plastic frames are at an amazing price right now, A pack of 5 for less than $3. The website has a whole load of trees on sale, you can get
some multi-packs  (3-5 trees) for under $4. Thing is they don't list dimensions or scale.

[Lemosteam]

Updated the swingset to have lateral supports to the side based on some online pics.



Built a see-saw for the kiddies too. Just basswood strip stock with wire tee handles and a bent pivot bar and painted it Testors yella’:



Calling these done.



Here they are with the swingset on the layout:



Also, I chopped up a Monroe Models scrap pile to fit into the scrap barge. The last space in the barge (left end) will be in action with a smashed car from Rasputen hanging from a magnet on the crane above the barge.

[Lemosteam]

I added a climber for the playground to go with the other equipment:



Finished wiring the east end structures for the scrapyard. Need to wire up the yard lights too, but I need to wait until I put the dirt down in the area.

[Lemosteam]

Well the LIRR IS is now mounted back on the drawer slides atop the wall cabinets. It is not seated against the wall yet as some lighting wires were damaged during re-installation so they need to be repaired. I am really happy with all of my progress since making the mental decision to toss my fears and get off my a$$ to work on it. Still have so many things to do, such as vehicles, yard equipment, aggregate piles, rusty waterfront dirt, vehicles paint remnants on the scrap piles, and painting & cabling the crane, paint and assemble the barges & tugboat, and of course a backdrop.
 






I also repainted all of the Monroe Models junk pile castings with thinned Testors rust as they were very lightly painted.

[chuck geiger]

John can I get permission to cover this build on my podcast?

[Lemosteam]

After surgery and a vacation, lol, I am doing some minor work in the scrapyard.

First I added magnets to the scrap piles, and matching screws in each piles’ permanent location. This is to allow cleaning and regathering of the eventual dirt surrounding them.



Next I experimented with some colors of vehicles, tires, and various scrap pieces, with an overwash of rust to tone the colors down as if the pile has been collecting rust, especially by the saltwater channels of Long Island.

[peteski]

Next I experimented with some colors of vehicles, tires, and various scrap pieces, with an overwash of rust to tone the colors down as if the pile has been collecting rust, especially by the saltwater channels of Long Island.

That looks pretty decent.  I would have probably added some more spots of actual paint colors on the cars, so the surfaces are not completely rusted, but that is a personal choice.  What  I think would look really good is some black wash to settle in all the deep shadow areas.

[Lemosteam]

That looks pretty decent.  I would have probably added some more spots of actual paint colors on the cars, so the surfaces are not completely rusted, but that is a personal choice.  What  I think would look really good is some black wash to settle in all the deep shadow areas.

I have four more to do. The newer stuff will be down at the receiving end by the office.

[Lemosteam]

Capturing the photos for posterity in the layout thread. I took these photos while on July 4th vacation in Duluth Minnesota. We rented a pontoon boat nearby, and while cruising through the harbor, due wast of the Duluth lift bridge, I came across this scrapyard. What a find! It was served by boat and rail, and provided great reference to paint my scrap heaps.

A local old timer told me once that Duluth proper, was originally an auto scrap heap, right on the west end of Lake Superior, with only a Burger King back in the 70’s. It is now a really nice place with its centerpiece being the lift bridge for the lake to the harbor. We saw many freighters com and go.













And what a cool surprise, check out the cool repurposed boat helm for the scrapyard office! Wished I had seen this sooner.
 










Also took thes pics of local Tugboats in the harbor and at an ore dock park, which is similar to the model I will be building.

[Lemosteam]

Continued work painting the rest of the scrapyard piles, barges, and crane flat car. I painted lettered and weathered the LIRR IS scrap barge and filled it with painted scraps, mostly automobiles. Then I air erased the crane and flat car for repaint. The car got PRR MOW gray, while the freshly mounted and cable strung crane received a nice shiny coat of black. The crane will get an IS badge, and both will be weathered later. The car hanging from the grange has a magnet embedded in the casting, and the crane has a magnet for loading scrap. This crane may see double use in the aggregate yard by using a magnetic claw bucket, but I am thinking of another idea as well. I added magnets to keep the barges (and tugboat) secure in the water, in case I vacuum the layout.

























And finally a couple of “night” shots:

[peteski]

Looking good John!
As for the cool looking helm office, layouts are never complete - there are always changes to be made. 

[Lemosteam]

Adding some digging equipment for the LIRR IS aggregate yard.

Finalizing the design of a Bucyrus RB19 excavator based on measurements of the pewter model from Railway Express Agency. I wanted more than one for the layout, and I also wanted them posable for various locations in the aggregate yard.





The idea is to allow various assembled positions of the cab rotation, lift arm, bucket, bucket arm bucket arm trammel, and dump plate; glue them in place, paint and then add cable. All pivoting locations need light hand drilling and short brass or PB pins, or they can just be glued in position.

Some additional pics of the test build.

Interior reels set in place with cad removed.


Closeup, of floor and reels.


View of cabin shell:


View of assembled kit:

[OldEastRR]

The electromagnet on the flat car crane needs a cable from the magnet to a cable reel halfway down the side of the boom. the cable can droop prototypically. The generator to power the magnet could be in the crane housing, or a separate detail piece (with fuel tank) on the flatcar.

[craigolio1]

Well it has been over a year since I worked on the LIRR IS because I became discouraged with the capstone solution above. I have since decided that it will be good enough.

I have taken advantage of some down time during a weeklong hospital stay with my daughter for EEG testing (nothing serious) by casting thousands of individual stones to be glued on the styrene strips. The strips will then be glued to the top of the walls.





I have also purchased ballast material and some structures to be used for a backdrop flat



I have decided that the crossover and switch to the LIRR IS off the PRR main should have a small interlocking tower located about here or a little farther down.



So I made this berm wall foundation extension for the tower.



So, at least monetarily, I am committed ( or should be!).

Those individual stone face castings are of huge interest to me.  I have a need for something just like that.  Did you make the mold your self or is that something I can buy so I can make my own such castings?

I’m not opposed to getting some RTV so I could make my own mold if needed.

Thanks.

Craig.

[Lemosteam]

I hate rigging. Finished up the first prototype print of the Bucyrus bucket shovel. Did I mention how much I hate rigging?

Need to pick up some black number decals for the four additional units still to be built.







Some pics on the waterfront. Decided to move the small office to the other side of the gravel road. Trying to decide if I should install concrete down low up front and across the tracks for loading/unloading of barges.