The Housatonic RR in N scale

[Cajonpassfan]

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The conifers are made by "Architrees."  I have about 300+/- of them.

The deciduous trees are primarily those cheap neon green wire trees from China.  They come 10 to a bag. I collected a bunch of them a little at a time over the years.  They come mashed together in a plastic bag.  I spent 2 full 8 hour days, shaping them with tweezers and re-flocking 1,800 of them, one by one while we had no power after tropical storm Isiais.

Ah, thank you, that's what I thought, I've done that too with a few of the Chinese cheapies. Frankly, I think the overall massing effect is quite effective, certainly more than goodenuff for now. I'd throw in a handful of more detailed "specimens" in a few key locations and call it done (well done)!
Otto

[Pomperaugrr]

Ah, thank you, that's what I thought, I've done that too with a few of the Chinese cheapies. Frankly, I think the overall massing effect is quite effective, certainly more than goodenuff for now. I'd throw in a handful of more detailed "specimens" in a few key locations and call it done (well done)!
Otto

Oh, as I have said to Ed, there will be Super Trees eventually.  I want to finish with the major scenery projects.  Industries/customers will be done next, then the delicate Super Trees.  For now, the massed trees will be sufficient, as I don't want to damage anything when I remove the big buildings to be detailed and weathered, then reinstalled. 

[LIRR]

great work, well done...........

[motofavorite]

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The conifers are made by "Architrees."  I have about 300+/- of them.

Sometimes it seems like I only learn about nifty things after they're gone. Reading about Architrees, I poked around on the Internet and eBay but I could not find them. Do you know whether they are still in business or how to find them? Thanks!

[Pomperaugrr]

Sometimes it seems like I only learn about nifty things after they're gone. Reading about Architrees, I poked around on the Internet and eBay but I could not find them. Do you know whether they are still in business or how to find them? Thanks!

I have not looked for them recently, so I honestly don't know if they are still available.  They were being sold on ebay.

I had been collecting trees for many years, small batches at a time, knowing how many I would eventually need.  I don't think I have purchased any trees in at least the last 4 years or so.

[JeffB]

Current progress:  I have been trying to take about an hour each evening this week to work on scenery.  Last night I advanced toward the diamond by the Canaan, CT Union Station.  I touched up some ballast and did a little work on the overflow parking area by the station.  There is still more to do here, especially at Becton Dickenson, on the left.  I will then push across the diamond and do some detail on the background scenery past the station.  The actual station was rebuilt after a major arson fire in 2001.  It is currently owned by the Historical Society and houses a museum, micro-brewery and a couple of retail shops.
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Wonderful!!  Very well done.  I live about 45min SE of Canaan/N. Canaan and the station has been a popular road trip for years, when I just wanted to go out for a drive on a nice day.  Been doing this for the last 25 odd years, but never really paid much attention to when they took the crossing out at the back corner of the station. 

Does anyone know when this was done?  I want to say that at some point over they years, I recall seeing the crossing in place when looking down the line towards NY, but my memory could be playing tricks on me. 

Sadly, with the hobby shop down the street (Berkshire Hobbies) now gone, I don't get up that way much these days, but it's certainly a very cool station.  The "Y" is pretty compact, a lot smaller than you'd expect.  The turnout/switch for the north leg of the "Y", closest to RT44 (not the one closest to the McDonald's end of the "Y"), is a pretty tight turnout.  Wouldn't be surprised if it was a #6 frog...  The lead of the turnout and the point rails are really short for a modern Std gauge turnout.

JB

[Pomperaugrr]

The diamond that was once used by the Central New England RR and the original Housatonic and later the New Haven in Canaan was removed about 8 years ago,  It was retained by the Canaan Historical Society and is some what on "display" behind the eastern wing of the station, that now houses the micro brewery.  It is to the side of the driveway into the overflow brewery parking area.

There had been plans to build a caboose motel on the western side of the diamond on the old CNE tracks, but it was never finalized.  There were about 12 cabooses parked there years ago, while the water tower was still there too.  That is all gone now. The only CNE trackage still in use by the Housatonic, is the track to the east of the wye at the station.  It serves Specialty Minerals, which is usually switched by the HRRC up to twice a day.

They just replaced the turnout north of the station, as part of the grade crossing reconstruction.  It actually forms a bit of a "gantlet" where it crosses Rt 44, so there are actually 4 parallel rails crossing the main road.  They then diverge to become the eastern and southern legs of the wye.

I live about an hour and 10 minutes south of the Canaan station.  I try to get up there once or twice a year.  I have also collected enough dolomite dust and small pieces from the actual Specialty Minerals to use in my modeled Specialty Minerals scene.

[JeffB]

The diamond that was once used by the Central New England RR and the original Housatonic and later the New Haven in Canaan was removed about 8 years ago,  It was retained by the Canaan Historical Society and is some what on "display" behind the eastern wing of the station, that now houses the micro brewery.  It is to the side of the driveway into the overflow brewery parking area.

There had been plans to build a caboose motel on the western side of the diamond on the old CNE tracks, but it was never finalized.  There were about 12 cabooses parked there years ago, while the water tower was still there too.  That is all gone now. The only CNE trackage still in use by the Housatonic, is the track to the east of the wye at the station.  It serves Specialty Minerals, which is usually switched by the HRRC up to twice a day.

Thanks...  I do remember the collection of cabooses and I'm glad was wasn't imagining things regarding the diamond crossing!  I'll have to check my collection of photos.  A few of the times I drove up there, I took a lot of pictures each time.  Just need to find the folder for them.

I'll have to make another trip up there and check out the diamond.  Maybe as soon as this weekend.  The wife and I might be heading up Rt44 into the Rhinebeck area of NY on a day trip and it would be a good opportunity to make a pit stop.

JB

[Pomperaugrr]

That sounds like a fun plan.  Are you going to the Aerodrome in Rhinebeck? 

If you make a stop in Canaan, take a ride up to the Specialty Minerals plant on Daisy Hill Road.  It is 2 minutes from the McDonalds. There may be some local switching on Saturday morning, but you won't see much activity on Sunday.

[JeffB]

That sounds like a fun plan.  Are you going to the Aerodrome in Rhinebeck? 

If you make a stop in Canaan, take a ride up to the Specialty Minerals plant on Daisy Hill Road.  It is 2 minutes from the McDonalds. There may be some local switching on Saturday morning, but you won't see much activity on Sunday.

That wasn't our intention, but that's a fantastic suggestion!  Didn't know that the Museum was there, but will definitely have to check it out, thanks for pointing it out!

There's a few restaurants in Rhinebeck that we like.  We also do a mansion tour in the area when we're up there.  It's a nice day trip for us from central CT.  We also do the Catskill area on some trips out that way.

Been up past Specialty Minerals a few times.  Never stopped to look around because of concern with trespassing, but I will have to check it out.  They have a good amount of track in place along the old CT Central line.  Thought to hike in from Rt44 at one point or another, but again, concerns with trespassing always stopped me from doing it.

JB

[Pomperaugrr]

I just finished the old concrete station platform in the Cornwall Bridge scene.  I added some more vegetation to help it fit in.  Now on to another area, as yet to be determined. [ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[Pomperaugrr]

I was able to do some more static grass, undergrowth and grass tufts north of the Canaan station and along Rt. 44.

Here is NX12 rolling through the new scenery done over the last few weeks.

[chuck geiger]

Pomp do you have a tutorial or thoughts on scenery process, I might have asked already.

[Pomperaugrr]

Pomp do you have a tutorial or thoughts on scenery process, I might have asked already.

Hi Chuck.

I don't really have any tutorial.  I just use commonly available commercial scenery products.  My trees are mostly the cheap Chinese made ones from Ebay, which I shaped and re-flocked.  I use various commercially available static grass tufts, along with home made ones, different brands, colors and lengths of static grass, a variety of colors of ground foam and some fiber fill with fine ground foam on it.  Riprap is leveling sand from Lowes and some of the deadfall is a dried plant based oil absorbent material I found many years ago at an auto parts store.  The gravel around the Cornwall Bridge station is sanded grout.  I just mess around with the colors and textures until it looks right to my eye.  Everything is held in place with Woodland Scenics Scenic Cement, diluted with alcohol and I use white glue for larger items, including grass tufts.  I may tone down some of the bright greens with an airbrush some day, but I will wait until I upgrade my room lighting this summer.

[chuck geiger]

Specifically fiber with ground foam, thanks.