Seaboard Central 2.0

[davefoxx]

I'm liking your street work, especially the wood grade crossings.  I'll be needing a few of these on the CH&FP.

@wm3798,

I hand-built those from individual wood ties and stained them with diluted india ink.  I've used Blair Line laser cut wood crossings before, which are okay for straight crossings, but their curved crossings look funny to me, assuming they even have the radius that you need.

The only real challenges to this project in my case were: (1) the radius of the track added complexity to weaving in each tie (it's a 10" radius track), and (2) carving up the ties on the outside of the rails to clear spike heads and fit tightly against the Code 55 rail.  I just took it a tie at a time.  Now that I think of it, the crossing in Southern Pines was complicated by the road crossing a turnout close to the frog!  Nothing's easy, it seems sometimes.

Thanks,
DFF

[davefoxx]

You and me both.  This is really the golden era of n scale.

Great to see you tweaking your track plan to make the most of operating.  Few HCD layouts inspire me particularly but you have really made a convert of me.

@Scottl,

Thanks!  It's funny, because someone tried to call me out once, saying that my layout was no longer a HCD layout due to the expansion.  Arguably, it is a larger layout composed of separate HCDs, but the original HCD is still hiding in there and fully capable of being a stand-alone layout with the removal of four screws and cutting several rails.

DFF

[Scottl]

LOL.  Did they take away your HCD badge?

[Rich_S]

I finally ordered and received one of those S&S Hobby Products stencils to do the R_XR markings in the street.

The result:


DFF

Dave, Your streets and sidewalks are top notch. The added details like the R_XR markings in the street are the icing on the cake. You've probably mentioned it before but my CRS is kicking in again, what color do you use for the asphalt street and what color are you using for your concrete sidewalks? For the lines on your roads, are you using the Woodland Scenics Road Striping Pens?


Edit: I guess it's time to schedule another appointment with the Optometrist. Looking again at your attached photo, it looks like you are using colored pencils for the highway stripping 
 

[chuck geiger]

Bitchin'

[davefoxx]

Dave, Your streets and sidewalks are top notch. The added details like the R_XR markings in the street are the icing on the cake. You've probably mentioned it before but my CRS is kicking in again, what color do you use for the asphalt street and what color are you using for your concrete sidewalks? For the lines on your roads, are you using the Woodland Scenics Road Striping Pens?


Edit: I guess it's time to schedule another appointment with the Optometrist. Looking again at your attached photo, it looks like you are using colored pencils for the highway stripping 

Thanks, Rich!  Yes, I use yellow and white colored pencils, as suggested by DKS.  The asphalt is merely a spray can of Rustoleum gray primer.  The concrete (another DKS recommendation) is Testors' Flat Light Aircraft Gray spray paint.

DFF

[davefoxx]

Bitchin'

Thanks, Chuck!

[wm3798]

Forgive the murky image... I used a Sharpie paint marker and free-handed my RXR.  I don't like the 10' image the stencil makes.  Looks too truncated to my eye.  Likewise, 20' is a bit of a ... wait for it... stretch .  So I did mine at 15', and like it just plenty!  And if I don't like it, I'll just put a vehicle on it!

Lee

[davefoxx]

This morning, I took care of the mundane task of replacing ties under all of the rail joints on the trackage in Aberdeen.  It's a monotonous job to sand off the spike heads, so that the ties will fit under the rail joiners.  That finished, I painted all the track you see here up to the ballasted track at the far end of the layout.  Since I no longer have Floquil Grimy Black as an option, I'm using Rustoleum Dark Gray Primer to paint the track.  It's a decent substitute:



Unfortunately, I've got to replace a garbage disposal this afternoon, but, if time allows, I'll start putting down ballast.  The plan is to use different color ballast for the A&R and the SBD trackage.

DFF

[davefoxx]

Minor update: Some ballast.


DFF

[chuck geiger]

DFF - Do you build up the landscape and put the styrene on top of it? I am building one
road and it blows, tore it out, tried using foam core board for the road and bass wood for sidewalks and
shoulders curbs. The prototype has the new kind of grade crossing with the concrete and rubber.

[davefoxx]

DFF - Do you build up the landscape and put the styrene on top of it? I am building one
road and it blows, tore it out, tried using foam core board for the road and bass wood for sidewalks and
shoulders curbs. The prototype has the new kind of grade crossing with the concrete and rubber.

@chuck geiger,

For the most part, I build up the landscape and then set the styrene road.  But, I've used cork roadbed and styrene in places to shim the road to its final height.  Where necessary, I used lightweight spackling to fill the gaps at the road's shoulder.  Don't feel bad for having to tear out your first attempt at a road.  The current styrene street through Aberdeen is my third or fourth attempt.

DFF

[C855B]

...  Don't feel bad for having to tear out your first attempt at a road.  The current styrene street through Aberdeen is my third or fourth attempt.

Aberdeen city council meetings must be loads o' fun with the constant construction on Main St. ... torches and pitchforks by now.

[davefoxx]

Aberdeen city council meetings must be loads o' fun with the constant construction on Main St. ... torches and pitchforks by now.

On the bright side, the Town of Aberdeen and its citizens only own six sedans, one box truck, two flatbeds, and one fire truck at present.  So, traffic tends to be light.   

DFF

[Rich_S]

Minor update: Some ballast.


DFF

Very Nice  Don't stop now