Trenton Transportation Company

[peteski]

He controls the horizontal... he controls the vertical...

Ain't that the truth!  Resistance is futile. DKS has us all under his control.  It's ok as long as he uses his powers for good, not for evil....

[jpec]

DKS,

Forgot to ask you yesterday...what did you use for the roof covering on the building that houses the battery pack?

Jeff

[DKS]

Jeff, it's masking tape, with dark grey paint and several different washes.

[VonRyan]

Not that my photography is any good, but I though I would share a few of my favourite shots that I took of the miniature masterpiece.



And proof that DKS is a god among men:



-Cody F.

[bbussey]

David,

How did you achieve the paved-over cobblestones on the bridge?  I reviewed the early pages of the thread but didn't see the answer, as the bridge surface was complete in the first photo in which it appeared.  I know you normally use sanded black styrene for roads but this seems to be a different technique.  Thanks.

[DKS]

I wanted to achieve the effect without having to start from scratch. I found some ancient bridge abutments that had the right stone pattern, but because of the size and shape of the abutments, I had to piece several chunks together to get enough for the bridge. To disguise the piecing, I smeared on Squadron Putty, which achieved the look of asphalt patching. Once the putty was dry, I sanded it down nearly flush with the stone surface, then painted everything.

[DKS]

Folks who attended the Rail-B-Q got to see the layout in operation--including its completely self-contained power supply and control panel.

For the benefit of everyone else, here's the control panel:



The water tank in the foreground is the throttle, the larger vent to the left of the tank is the direction control, and the two rows of small vents throw the turnouts (they're just pushbuttons).

The power supply (8 AA batteries) is hidden inside the larger building. The two switches control main power and building lights.



One FAQ was how long the batteries last. Answer: I really don't know, since I've not run the first set down yet. The layout ran most of the day at the Rail-B-Q, and barely put a dent in the batteries. So I think the layout could run quite a long time indeed.

[davefoxx]

I'm so glad that I got to see this layout in person at the Rail-B-Q.  The controls are ingenious, and I bet most (except Chris) would never have guessed what those rooftop details are.  Fantastic job, as usual, DKS!

DFF

[Lemosteam]

Now that's just Fargin' AWESOME! (5 asshats for DKS)

[jpec]

Not that my photography is any good, but I though I would share a few of my favourite shots that I took of the miniature masterpiece.



Hey, I make a good backdrop! Finally found my purpose...

Jeff


And proof that DKS is a god among men:



-Cody F.

[basementcalling]

The power supply (8 AA batteries) is hidden inside the larger building. The two switches control main power and building lights.



One FAQ was how long the batteries last. Answer: I really don't know, since I've not run the first set down yet. The layout ran most of the day at the Rail-B-Q, and barely put a dent in the batteries. So I think the layout could run quite a long time indeed.

So batteries supply power to what? Track? DCC system? Little miniature crew men? Slow from the fumes from the deck stain today, and the sunshine.

[DKS]

The batteries power everything: throttle (DC), switches, and lights.

[chicken45]

My dad actually freaked out when I showed him the pictures of the TTC.

[glakedylan]

David
that is epic
how ingenious!
wow...

thanks for sharing
superb idea and glad the batteries are holding up
how cool is that!

Gary

[GimpLizard]

Folks who attended the Rail-B-Q got to see the layout in operation--including its completely self-contained power supply and control panel.

For the benefit of everyone else, here's the control panel:



The water tank in the foreground is the throttle, the larger vent to the left of the tank is the direction control, and the two rows of small vents throw the turnouts (they're just pushbuttons).

The power supply (8 AA batteries) is hidden inside the larger building. The two switches control main power and building lights.



One FAQ was how long the batteries last. Answer: I really don't know, since I've not run the first set down yet. The layout ran most of the day at the Rail-B-Q, and barely put a dent in the batteries. So I think the layout could run quite a long time indeed.

Damn, that's clever. You never cease to amaze me, Mr. Smith. One observation though... shouldn;t there be a track diagram on that roof? So we know which buttons activate which turnouts.