BNSF - Ponderosa Subdivision

[chuck geiger]

The base rocks are foam that is cut to shape with small saw, then with an Xacto knife, you make vertical and horizontal cross cuts and knock out the notches, then come over with a small wire brush. Next is a coating of Spackle or joint compound. Spangler tutorial worked great - Stickawa Canyon from start to almost finished. He recommends a cheap Black acrylic paint wash, the dry brush darker to lighter main scenery colors. I will take some professional pictures with better lighting so you can see all of the colors in the rock. The base is desert sand colored tile grout, then sand and ballast (all buff colored). Using the WS I have on hand, will paint some of the bushes more desert color. You can take a sprig of static grass and stick into glue spot like small tufts. More coming today on this.

[chuck geiger]

Looking into some different phone poles. Maybe Osborn Models or something more prototypical.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

These aren't bad, but the insulators kill them.

Otherwise, the scenes look great.

[rodsup9000]

  I agree with Ed. Other than that, the scene is very good.  Really like the way your ballast turn out.

[chuck geiger]

Thanks boys - Been waiting on some Ed comments. He loved the last layout and hasn't taken to this yet. New poles coming...Funny same poles from last layout. Samsung G9 is pretty discreet phone camera and any tight shot picks up flaws, like all MR photography. The minute you blow this ***** up, the more you see, like ballast stuck on the sides of rail, ballast in bushes, smears on paint, insulators as big as a fat Chips Pit Beef sandwich (local Baltimore reference) These are the contenders:

https://www.osbornmodelkits.com/images/3099-n-utility-poles.jpg
https://www.osbornmodelkits.com/images/rra-3068.jpg
http://www.blwnscale.com/blwphotos/nsn-utility2.jpg
http://original.trainlife.com/public/article/1000000/1000/147/127777.jpg
https://www.showcaseminiatures.net/n_scale/n_scale_century_foundry_accessories/

The ones on the layout now...I think the double ones are vibe killers.
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j28/chuckgeiger/IMG_5784_zps647152e1.jpg
https://tinyurl.com/ycogfjhk

What are your thoughts?

[chuck geiger]

Trying this in the interim - Same spot.

[nkalanaga]

By the BNSF era a lot of the lineside pole lines were gone, so you might be able to leave them out completely.  Or, in other cases, replace the cross arms and insulators with one black "telephone" cable.

[chuck geiger]

So just a pole and a line?

[davefoxx]

So just a pole and a line?

Chuck,

The safest thing to do is go find videos or photos of the area in the era that you're modeling to see what the actual situation with the line poles was.  You'd be surprised on how much information can be found on the internet.  As they say, "Internet, not just for porn anymore." 

Keep up the good work!  Looking good!

DFF

[wazzou]

http://www.blwnscale.com/blwphotos/nsn-utility2.jpg

What are your thoughts?

I'm pretty sure these don't exist any longer since they were made by N Scale of Nevada, long, long out of business.
Personally, I prefer the ones offered by Showcase.

[DKS]

How about modeling disused poles? No insulators (or wires) required.



Photo by Lee Weldon.

[chuck geiger]

Chuck,

The safest thing to do is go find videos or photos of the area in the era that you're modeling to see what the actual situation with the line poles was.  You'd be surprised on how much information can be found on the internet.  As they say, "Internet, not just for porn anymore." 

Keep up the good work!  Looking good!

DFF

There are no poles...A side is really Marias Pass (Not as a highball main) - BNSF Montana as Ponderosa, MT and Barstow, CA as The B side as Dirt City, CA - Thanks DFF.

[chuck geiger]

How about modeling disused poles? No insulators (or wires) required.



Photo by Lee Weldon.

DKS thanks, great idea.

[chuck geiger]

I'm pretty sure these don't exist any longer since they were made by N Scale of Nevada, long, long out of business.
Personally, I prefer the ones offered by Showcase.

Bryan you are right sold to Brooklyn Locomotive Works and no inventory on those.

[chuck geiger]