Portola Valley RR

[Chris333]

Not the center pier, the center upper bridge support.

[Noah Lane]

Ahhh, gotcha.  Well, it seems like one or the other  ..if there's a pier, no upper cross member; if there's no pier then use the connecting piece to make it look like a single bridge span.

After looking up several Northern California truss bridges and their respective lengths, it seems like it could go either way.

[Noah Lane]

Here's the latest on the PVRR:

I painted all of the ties and spike heads with Floquil Roof Brown paint pens.  I want to further "dirty up" the road bed prior to (or after) ballasting, I just haven't decided on the best method yet.  I plan to paint the rails using Neolube.  I'm open to any suggestions on making my track look less-Unitracky. I generally want it to look like track you'd find in Northern California.


I cut the styrene for my road. I kinda hate that it's the token straight-across-the-layout road, but whatevah. Pretty much nothing about my layout isn't a direct copy from someone else's idea.


I'm using 0.030" black styrene from Evergreen. I'm wondering if I should use 0.060" instead (like DFF did, for example), because now would be the time to change it.  Any thoughts on this?


Here's the first turf/rock I'd ever done.  This is the underbrush, I will apply static grass over this. I'm attempting the California golden hills look, but a bit greener in the riparian zone.


I decided I will use a pier in the center of the two [inline] Kato double truss bridges.  I won't use the piers pictured unless they're hidden. I plan to make piers out of Quikrete via Ian Macmillan's tutorial.  I'm also in the process of weathering these, and my two girder bridges.


I did some rough grading work in preparation for the wharf scene.  The 'wall' here will eventually be a weather-beaten cement wall with wood mixed in, and some ice-plant like foliage spilling over the top of it, below the ballasted track.  Towards the right of the 'wall' I plan to make the track come in on more of a levee.  There will a road that enters the wharf from the right, and I'll have a small parking lot behind the buildings.


Can anyone direct me to some good resources or photos of scratch built piers (pier as in wharf or marina)? I built this Micro Trains Large Pier, but I'd like to do something a bit more substantial -or perhaps add on to it.

[Noah Lane]

Quick update from the newb....

I finished painting all of my rail ties and spike heads, and then applied Neolube #2 to the rails.  This is a crappy photo, but you get an idea of what it looks like. I'm quite pleased with the results. 



I'm currently testing the waters and learning the joys of.......ballasting.

I first bought the Woodland Scenics Ballast against other's recommendations. I thought "scale aggregate is scale aggregate, right?"  I was incorrect.  I found that the WS ballast is like little beads. Almost like, I dunno, poppy seeds or something.  I purchased a single bag of Arizona Rock & Mineral ballast, and was much more pleased with the aggregate quality. However, the type I purchased was far too dark for my needs. I'd like to find a ballast that resembles what I'm used to seeing in Northern California -medium dark gray.

I've been practicing my ballast technique off of the layout on test strips of track. I was under the impression that ballasting was kind of a wam-bam-thank-you-mamm kind of job. That's what many youtube videos and other tutorials led me to believe. Well, I have decided I will take the approach of doing only 15-20" at a time, and cleaning off each individual tie with an 18/0 brush. I then applied "scenic cement" using only a drop at a time (not flooding the ballast). After it absorbed, I do a final scouring for bits that have stuck to the rails.

This is Arizona Rock & Mineral ballast. Too Dark. But I like the aggregate texture.


Here is Woodland Scenics light gray and cinders mixed together. Looks like crap. It doesn't blend well, and the texture stinks.


I added decking to the MTL Large Pier. Although, as I said before it likely won't end up on the layout, so I might eBay the thing. I still plan to scratch build my own pier to contour to the shore, and have something more substantial to house the various wharf structures.


I weathered and painted my Kato bridges using Floquil grimey black and rail tie brown. I still need to add some rust to the bolt plates and little filthy details like metal-scratch graffiti.


Finally, just for the heck of it. I snapped this pic after Sunday brunch. It's the Southern Pacific bridge in East Sacramento (notice the logo).

[Philip H]

Nicely done.  I switched to AR&M Ballast years ago, and between it and colored sanded grout you can get real aggregate that works.  AR&M has a lot of their product sold by railroad name, so if you can find a prototype ballast blend you like chances are they have it.

As to the dock - I might be interested in transplanting it to the Bayous of South Louisiana . . . PM me if you don't think it can find a home on your pike.

[Chris333]

WS ballast is made from crushed walnut shells. It works fine, but sometimes floats away easier than real rock. 

With the roadbed track you don't have as deep a space between the ties to fill with ballast. That will add to your wham-bam time, it's almost like painting ballast.

[garethashenden]

For the dock I would look at Model Tech Studios, they have a whole section on waterfront structures and details. http://modeltechstudios.com/nscalewaterfrontkitsanddetails.aspx

[Noah Lane]

Phillip- I ended up using the UP/Silverton/WP Bold Gray mix, which came out to the exact color I was looking for.  I found that AR&M ballast dries much darker than it is in the package.  As for the dock, let me confirm that I won't be using it, and then I may be up for a trade...if you're interested? Let me know what you might have. I really need Centerbeams and other equipment or features for my logging/lumber industry.

Chris- I think I'd heard that somewhere else. Yeah, IMO, the AR&M looks more like real ballast. But I'm sure the WS is fine for many people.

Garethashenden- It's funny you should mention that, I just bought several details from Model Tech Studios. In the future, I'd also like to get a few of their boats to berth at the wharf. I wish more companies got into the wharf features like they have.

Here is my stash of Model Tech Studios, MTL, and other goods I have for the wharf scene:


Here's the test piece of track I ballasted using the AR&M UP/Silverton/WP Bold Gray:


I finished applying the Neolube #2 to my tracks. So the layout is now ready for ballast:


Today I went to the International Railfair in Roseville, CA. The HUGE score of the day was the N-Scale Architect Long Valley Lumber kit (retails for $145.99). My wife noticed it at a booth and said "haven't you been looking for that." Well yes, I had! I thought it'd be perfect for the main industry on the PVRR. But it was just really pricey.  Well the tag on it was $65!  I said "I'll take it!"  Then wife says "hey, it's in the '50% OFF' section"  So I got the normally pricey kit for $32.50 OUT THE DOOR!!  Needless to say, I was like a kid on Christmas morning for the rest of the afternoon 

[Noah Lane]

Hello gents, it's been a while since I updated. And truthfully, I haven't gotten much done because of travel, surgery, life, etc. I finally got some work done this past week. Unfortunately, the lighting sucks for these pics but you can get an idea of what the noob has been doing.

I extended the tunnel for a few reasons. I had previously applied Woodland Scenics ballast here and wanted to cover it up. I also thought have a bit longer tunnel to hide trains for a tiny bit longer duration. Plus, it broadened the hill some. I still have to build retaining walls on both sides of this section of road.


I put down a coat darker brown, using cheap hobby paint. This will work as a better undercoat than the light brown earth tone I used for the interim. This pic was from last week before i finished painting everything.


I got back to ballasting. And ballasting Unitrack sucks. I use Arizona Rock & Mineral UP/WP. My method of application for ballast is very time consuming -about a foot per hour. Maybe I'm OCD, but I clean off every tie with an 18/0 brush, and apply scenic cement one drop at a time using a small hobby eye dropper.


So these pics are crummy, but I did my first static grass on the layout. Woohoo! This is kind of a big deal for the kid
If you ask me, scenery is a but tougher than some tutorials lead you to believe. That probably has to do with my complete lack of experience


I planted one of my Fujiwara speaker wire oaks trees to see how it looked on the golden grass. This lighting doesn't do it justice, but I'm pretty happy with how it's going



I also started messing with my grade crossing for styrene roads.


So I know it wasn't much of an update, but hopefully the layout will see lots of progression over the next few weeks. I have 16 days off for Christmas Break so I hope to get a lot done! I have two short trips planned to Lake Tahoe and Santa Cruz.

Cheers
Noah the noob

[Philip H]

Excellent progress.  The ballasting came out just fine - now all you need is some light weathering down the center of the track for grime and oil, and you're done there.

Your MC oak (which I'm writing up as a new subspecies that botanists need to look out for) came out nicely as well.  the root structure just begs for a figure of a kid reading a book while his or her dog naps nearby.

[M.C. Fujiwara]

Yes, nice roots on the oak.

On the next one try breaking the skewer core in a couple spots after you wrap the wire around it: that helps get rid of the ramrod-straightness that feels unnatural in oaks.

It took me a couple of oaks to figure out why it looked funny, so those "viagra woods" I had already made I planted at a slight angle (usually out of a hillside) and then adjusted the roots and branches more horizontal for a more natural look.

Looking forward to seeing your forest 

[Noah Lane]

Phillip- Thanks man. I plan to dirty up the track a bit. But first I'm going to touch up the paint on the ties, and neolube on the rails.

MC- I toats agree with your recommendation. That was the first oak that I did. I snapped the skewer on the second and third trees that I made. But I wasn't crazy about how either of those came out for other reasons. I figure all three will eventually sit behind other, less endowed trees. So yes, this one is place temporarily, just to see the juxtaposition with the oaks, ballasted track, and goldenish static grass.

Also, I need some solid advice on the creek area where it goes back into the "canyon" area. I don't plan to have many rock outcroppings on the layout, except in this riparian zone. That said, I realized I made the creek/river bed very narrow -probably too narrow. I'm thinking rock faces will have to be very steep and made with thin material.  I'm also thinking the eventual static grass in this riparian area should be greener than the golden/honey color.  I figure I'll have to carve away some foam, and still need abutments on the girder bridges.

Can you throw an eyeball on the pics below and maybe drop some wisdom on me?  Having almost no experience with this stuff, executing what I have envisioned is a challenge.

[Philip H]

Since you had said that you were interested in loosly setting yourself in Northern California, I let Google do the walking:

http://www.norcalfishingnews.com/news/show_photo.php?main_id=1197&type=p&media_id=1047&section_id=1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SalmonCreekEdit2774.jpg

http://www.westernrivers.org/projectatlas/goose-creek/

http://baynature.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/ggnra-MuirBeachLagoon.jpg

http://smallstreamreflections.blogspot.com/2012/01/hope-mystery-and-ghost.html

Having done stream restoration work in the PNW (!)  what you are looking at is tree-lined riparian habitat with gravel bars that emerge from the river at low flows but provide fish spawning habitat during spring floods.  If you take the "step" back on the one side of the creek all the way under your bridge abutments you'll have an excellent platform for the trees, and you can add grout to the vertical face to simulate exposed dirt.  Some of your AR&M ballast can be use for a gravel bar or two.  Then all you need is a lonely fly fisherman with his float boat tied to a nearby tree.

[DKS]

Also, I need some solid advice on the creek area where it goes back into the "canyon" area. I don't plan to have many rock outcroppings on the layout, except in this riparian zone. That said, I realized I made the creek/river bed very narrow -probably too narrow. I'm thinking rock faces will have to be very steep and made with thin material.

You may want to consider using Cripplebush Valley rubber rock. David Gray has used it to great effect, especially considering his humble beginnings.

[Noah Lane]

Phillip- great suggestion. I realize the benefit of working off of photos of actual areas. But sometimes when I sit down to work on the layout, I completely forget about it. Now at the scenery stage of my layout, it's much more important to work off of prototype photos. That first pic you posted of the American River is practically behind my house.  The American River was my playground growing up -still is!  Goose Creek is certainly gorgeous, however my layout won't have many pine trees. I do like the gravely shoreline, and that what I had in mind.

Google image search: "Little Yosemite Sunol"  That's down by Fremont, CA. It's pretty close to what I have in mind: a rocky creek canyon amongst oak tree-lined golden grass hills.

David- I think those rubber rocks would be perfect for this application. I think the granite would look right.  It seems that I could order a 10x20" Granite (or maybe limestone) and would have plenty to complete the scene. Of course, I'd cut the thing to use in smaller pieces.

One thing I've recently learned: achieving realistic landscaping is not that easy at all. A Woodland Scenics tutorial would lead you to believe that "you can't screw up." Oh yes, I assure you, I can!

The last 10-25% of a building layout, the finishing touches, is what separates the experienced guys from the rest. Most of the work I've done so far can be achieved by anyone who is a bit handy and does their research. From here forward will be very challenging for me. But I'm stoked to take my time and learn