Marmion Valley - HOn30 2 x 4 Layout

[Chris333]

Was trying for Russia Iron, not done yet. Used this as a guide:
http://www.nn3.info/H_R-RI/R-RI_e.html
http://loggingmallets.railfan.net/sub/paint_and_finish.htm

[timgill]

So does anyone know a way for me to strip the paint residue off the model without destroying all of the CA'ed bonds I used to glue the thing together?

[Chris333]

You could try the old 91% alcohol bath and tooth brush. I have ruined models with too much weathering and stripped them to start over.

[timgill]

You could try the old 91% alcohol bath and tooth brush. I have ruined models with too much weathering and stripped them to start over.

Thanks, I shall try...

Did you etch a new frame for your loco? I really like that.

[Chris333]

Thanks, I shall try...

Did you etch a new frame for your loco? I really like that.

Yeah new rods too:
https://picasaweb.google.com/ErieChris333/HOn30#6039600869274390450
Pain in the a$$hat though.

[timgill]

Yeah new rods too:
https://picasaweb.google.com/ErieChris333/HOn30#6039600869274390450
Pain in the a$$hat though.

Oh geez!

[timgill]

So, I spent the better part of an hour soaking the parts for the 0-4-0 in 91% rubbing alcohol and scrubbing away with a toothbrush. Luckily, this cleaned up all of the "disaster paint," and also had the benefit of stripping the factory paint from the frame/cowcatcher/cylinder parts. This gave me a nice "blank slate" to work from for attempt #2 at the paint job.

This time I primed everything with a big rattle can of Rustoleum 2-in-1; surprisingly enough, this primer is smoother than the model master primer I used before, and also adheres better to the brass and white metal parts. Much cleaner (and tougher) base coat.

Rather than screw up things with the airbrush again, I got some Tamiya rattle cans to work with for this coat. The base color is Tamiya Semi-Gloss Black, which gives a nice muted sheen that will hopefully accept decals well.



As you can see, I also went ahead and painted the tender as well.



I'm pretty happy with how this is turning out so far. The smokebox will be painted with Tamiya Gunmetal. It has a nice metal-flake additive that looks a lot like graphite in the tests that I did. I'm hoping to mask and paint the smokebox tonight; still deciding whether I should mask and spray, or decant some of the paint into a container and brush paint it on.

[timgill]

Getting closer! Painted the smokebox and brass trim today, and added some decals.





Dreaming of a future scene:



Decals:



Some more tenative hacking at the landscape:

[Chris333]

I like 

[timgill]

Stacking and hacking.










A long ways to go, methinks, until I get some contours that I am happy with. It's a work in progress.

[timgill]

I received a Funaro and Carmelengo "Short Rio Grande Caboose" kit in the mail. This is my first resin craftsman kit, and I expect it to really push my modeling skills.

Trimmed all the parts from the flashing/molding, and they are ready for a scrubbing:



(If it's more topically appropriate, I can start a new thread for this caboose build elsewhere, since this doesn't technically apply to the "layout")

[Chris333]

I recently built a Funaro and Carmelengo HOn30 boxcar. Mount Blue make some nice laser kits as well.

[timgill]

Tracklaying has begun!











As you can see above, we will soon need a bridge. Here's a reference shot of the type of low trestle I will be using on both short bridge areas:



I decided to start assembling the bridge deck using full-length crossties. I drew up a quick template on cardstock after measuring the bridge span.



Double sided tape holds the ties in place as I arrange them. They were stained with Minwax "Special Walnut," since I had some of that left over from a full-size 1:1 scale woodworking project. You can see the two PC ties hidden in the middle which will serve to keep the rails in gauge and also connect the deck to the rails themselves.

The stringers are clamped in place:



Waiting for both stringers to set, then I will remove it from the template and attach the runners along the outside edges.

[ednadolski]

I scratchbuilt a small HOn30 0-4-0 a while back:

Hoo wow that is some nice work!   

(Hey that almost looks like Tom's fake 12" diameter coin!  )

Ed

[ednadolski]

Tracklaying has begun!

Nice! Is that code 40?  (I can't tell, it's hard for me to judge size in HO scale pics)

Ed