The Canal Line

[Ed Kapuscinski]

What did Josh use on @Ed Kapuscinski Conrail caboose for the vandal screens ?

I think the ones that came with the kit. @bbussey were they custom etches?

[Wutter]

You know, originally I thought no etching could be fine enough for me to consider adding the vandal screens, but in looking at the GMM shopping carts, I think it could be done. But I have yet to find anything commercially available that seems fine enough for my tastes..Any ideas?

And railings...hmm..If I can find some good eye bolts for the corners maybe...I do enjoy a good challenge!...

Although, if I didn't give my Laconia rebuilds this treatment, there's not much hope for the NE5s!..Although those need these things too......

Try some nylon teabag mesh and see what you think. its paintable and super see-through; kinda like what you use on the steam generator mesh.

Genset shown with mesh in the side panels which are about the same as the window size. (click to zoom into panels)

[coosvalley]

I think the ones that came with the kit. @bbussey were they custom etches?

While those are not quite as fine as the prototype, I think they are acceptable.
Something like that, but sized for the cabeese I'm working with would be perfect.

http://s3.amazonaws.com/rrpa_photos/70371/B&M%20C-41%20Fresh%20Concord,NH%2012'17'72.jpg

These would be tougher, as they are away from the body a little bit....An etching with 4 corner posts you bend in would be perfect .

http://s3.amazonaws.com/rrpa_photos/15210/0645.jpg


Alas, I'm not overly concerned that my cabeese don't have them, I can just model some broken windows this way! But if the option was available, I would add them.

Try some nylon teabag mesh and see what you think. its paintable and super see-through; kinda like what you use on the steam generator mesh.

Genset shown with mesh in the side panels which are about the same as the window size. (click to zoom into panels)

This looks promising!.. I will give this a try! Thanks!

[peteski]

You know, originally I thought no etching could be fine enough for me to consider adding the vandal screens, but in looking at the GMM shopping carts, I think it could be done. But I have yet to find anything commercially available that seems fine enough for my tastes..Any ideas?

Your thought was correct.  I don't think there is commercial etching which can truly represent the vandal screens in N scale.  All the available etchings have openings which are too large and the wires represented by etchings which are too thick.  For a very good reading I recommend this thread (especially a very informative post from Bob on the fist page).  The discussion is about chicken wire grilles, but vandal screens are very similar.

[bbussey]

I think the ones that came with the kit. @bbussey were they custom etches?

Designed specifically for the KV kit.

[coosvalley]

Your thought was correct.  I don't think there is commercial etching which can truly represent the vandal screens in N scale.  All the available etchings have openings which are too large and the wires represented by etchings which are too thick.  For a very good reading I recommend this thread (especially a very informative post from Bob on the fist page).  The discussion is about chicken wire grilles, but vandal screens are very similar.

On the one hand, yes, I agree nothing will be fine enough to be completely "in scale", but OTOH, I do think the KV caboose example is acceptable, to me at least.

[coosvalley]

I added some ground cover to the canal bottom. I used some WS ballast I had leftover from my old Coos Valley layout, since I had no other planned use for it, having decided to use real rock ballast going forward..(note to self for the future-the mix is 1/2 dark brown, and 1/2 black/cinders, plus a few spoonfuls of dark brown unsanded grout)

I am not sure if it will even be visible once the water is poured, but I already had the materials, and I didn't want to risk the bare painted plywood being visible...Plus, now, I won't be as likely to use the canal bottom for item storage!

[andyl913]

I added some ground cover to the canal bottom. I used some WS ballast I had leftover from my old Coos Valley layout, since I had no other planned use for it, having decided to use real rock ballast going forward..(note to self for the future-the mix is 1/2 dark brown, and 1/2 black/cinders, plus a few spoonfuls of dark brown unsanded grout)

I am not sure if it will even be visible once the water is poured, but I already had the materials, and I didn't want to risk the bare painted plywood being visible...Plus, now, I won't be as likely to use the canal bottom for item storage!

The pictures are looking awesome! I've been following this build for a while. What did you use for your retaining walls?

[coosvalley]

The pictures are looking awesome! I've been following this build for a while. What did you use for your retaining walls?

They are made from vinyl flooring tiles, there is more about them somewhere in the first couple pages of this thread.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Plus, now, I won't be as likely to use the canal bottom for item storage!

I don't know why, I bet the locals do!

[txronharris]

didn't want to quote the pic because it's up there a few times, but damn, that's an awesome looking layout. Following the progress from the beginning to now has been a real treat. Looking forward to seeing how the water looks with your ballast experiment underneath.

[coosvalley]

didn't want to quote the pic because it's up there a few times, but damn, that's an awesome looking layout. Following the progress from the beginning to now has been a real treat. Looking forward to seeing how the water looks with your ballast experiment underneath.

Thanks!.I'm looking forward to the water too...Though, my wallet is not, I need something like 12 bottles!

Anywho, I shot some pics of Geeps...









I also made some purchases, the freight houses are to be combined into one structure for the left rear track. I wasn't in a hurry to get to these, but with the closing of Monster Modelworks, I figured I'd better grab them.

[Tom L]

Who's winterization hatches did you use on those Geeps?

Thanks
Tom L

[coosvalley]

https://www.shapeways.com/product/UUFW5YU2M/gp-winterization-hatch-large-n-1-160-6x?li=shareProduct

These are sized just like the ones from Sunrise.

[central.vermont]

Joe what did you end up using for the screens in the Winterization  Hatches?

Jon