Erie Canal Branch Mini Layout N scale

[Chris333]

"Infrastructure"



All the curbs are down, all sidewalks are glued in place. Everything is painted. I really doubt I will add markings to the road because I don't think there were any back in the 1940's.

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Oh and that huge box for my strip styrene. I went to Hobby Lobby today to get primer and they now carry Everygreen, even had the size I needed. I could have just drove a mile and had all this done days ago. Oh well.

[samusi01]

Just drop some yellow stop signs around. Or you can find the 1930s or 1940s editions of the MUTCD and try to figure out things from there…

[Cajonpassfan]

Wow, that film is a gem!!! Inspiration for many a mini-layout!
Otto

[Chris333]

Adding grab irons was fun. Yeah keep telling yourself that.



There is a missing vertical post that goes in front of the door. Just leaving it off right now while I work on it.

And I will be using 2004 couplers inside a 1015 box. This is not needed, but if I mount the coupler lower it give me more meat to screw into.

Also I gave up on double worm reduction. It would have worked, but when I moved the vertical motor back .040" it made the vertical worm rub right on the center wheel flange. And I wanted to let the center wheel have some side play for sharp curves.  So I'll be able to fit a 40 tooth gear on the lay shaft and a 8 tooth gear on the horizontal motor. That will give me an even 100:1 ratio. I can live with that. 

Still 3 worms though    what do I win?

[davefoxx]

Still 3 worms though    what do I win?

[Chris333]

LOL oops I posted the above to the wrong thread 

I'll keep it here though to keep those extra votes   

[bbussey]

Nope it is 3D printed wall sections that I already had. I just shaped them to fit and pushed or pulled a few random bricks to make it look beat up. The curb is part of the print.

It never occurred to me to 3D print a cobblestone surface. Tried laser-cutting but the edges are a little rough, especially with black styrene. I might try this for the Brooklyn module. I’ve already decided to use a portable scanner to get the contour of the street tracks more accurate.

[Chris333]

It never occurred to me to 3D print a cobblestone surface. Tried laser-cutting but the edges are a little rough, especially with black styrene. I might try this for the Brooklyn module. I’ve already decided to use a portable scanner to get the contour of the street tracks more accurate.

Ha that is why I asked you about the sanding the cobbles. But some digging found no cobble roads in this area, they were all brick. BTW I did try using the air eraser and looked the same as sandpaper.

[wm3798]

It took a second to see that the Newark video was NOT a model!  Tremendous resource for details, gasoline stations, warehouses and houses!
I always try to include some clapboard structures in my city scenes.  Not everyone could afford a brick mason! 
Thanks for sharing that.

Lee

[pwnj]

Adding grab irons was fun. Yeah keep telling yourself that.


...

Holy crap, Chris. Those boxcabs and this layout are insane! Now I think I'll have to start another boxcab project...

[Chris333]

Still plugging away



Need to cut a backdrop board, but it has been 0 degrees outside and ain't nobody got time for that!

[Scottl]

This layout has so much character.  Love those box cab builds too.

[muktown128]

Chris,

This really looks good.  DKS Manufacturing Co is great name for the Vulcan Manufacturing kit-bash 

[OldEastRR]

Just goes to show that a plan looks like a dinky, toy-train track arrangement when just drawn on paper can be made to look very realistic if one uses the right scenery.

[Chris333]

And this is the main loop disappearing into a building. yep.





I thought about putting in a fake turnout leading straight to a rollup door, but I thought that would just create more attention to that area.