The New Northern Central

[wm3798]

What about the remains of a roof?

Lee

[Ed Kapuscinski]

What about the remains of a roof?

Lee

Ok, now THAT I like and hadn't thought of. Thanks.

[Jesse6669]

Not even sure if I'll include the actual track because I don't want to waste the Code 40 flex but the idea is definitely to make it obvious where it would've been.

Just a thought but if it's abandoned track that doesn't need to be powered, it could be 3D printed pretty easily.  Probably make it 100% to scale with 100 lb or even lighter rail. 

[Philip H]

Just a thought but if it's abandoned track that doesn't need to be powered, it could be 3D printed pretty easily.  Probably make it 100% to scale with 100 lb or even lighter rail.

Not only printed to scale but with rail pieces missing, and bolt plates and broken ties . . . .

Now I want some . . . 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Just a thought but if it's abandoned track that doesn't need to be powered, it could be 3D printed pretty easily.  Probably make it 100% to scale with 100 lb or even lighter rail. 

Fantastic idea. Got an STL??

[dem34]

I mean, unpowered, buried in weeds. You could very easily just use Evergreen I beam profiles over .040x.060 Strip ties and .010 tie plates. Just give the I beams a quick pass with a file to round off the top

[Point353]

That's the plan! Not even sure if I'll include the actual track because I don't want to waste the Code 40 flex but the idea is definitely to make it obvious where it would've been.

You could buy just the rail: https://handlaidtrack.com/product/17-040-c

[wm3798]

3D printing seems to take the simplest modeling tasks and turn them into a complete ordeal. 
Keep it simple.  Take a piece code 55 you already have, paint it, push it into the scenery base, and cover it up with weeds and debris.  Cut a few ties out and roughly space them, which you've already done to great effect on other projects.   

No one will be able to tell what the rail height is, fewer will care.  It will take you about a half an hour to accomplish.

Lee

[Scottl]

I agree, just scrap track suitably weathered will be very effective.

I had a few cosmetic tracks on my last layout.  They were useful for filling the scene and posing trains on during photography.  The Canadian Pacific mainline was 20" of unpowered code 55. 

[wm3798]

Like this!

[DeltaBravo]

No Lee, this is Ed, he needs to step up his game and hand lay his track with real wood ties and then weather the heck out of it. 

[Jesse6669]

Fantastic idea. Got an STL??

I will... gimme a few.  What size rail?  I'm going to go with 100 lb. PRR to start..

[Jesse6669]

This is pretty accurate scale 100 lb. per yard track.  It's an 8mb STL file... it's not too gnarly, no texture on the ties, and basically "brand new" looking track (but if it's buried in dirt, who cares)..  Also I used 6-hole joint bars, not sure that would've been used on 100 lb. siding rail.   Anyway it didn't take long to put together and the basic shapes are done and can make changes easy enough.   Tie texture will be a pain and add a lot of size, but adding some randomness wouldn't be too hard to do.   

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ok, now do something beat a$$ looking!

I like this idea.

[dem34]

Ok, now do something beat a$$ looking!

I like this idea.