BC Rail Takla Subdivision in HO Scale

[legostudios34]

There is now some color around the Takla sub... light areas are going to be grassy while the darker areas will be densely forested. A screenshot of this location is attached to see the approximate tree and grass layout I'm going for. This is modeled from the scene at MP 257 from a photo in Northern Light.

I've made a few conifers using skewers and coconut fiber following Luke Towan's video and so far they don't look overly impressed. Should work well enough as mid-ground trees although I'll likely look into better solutions for the foreground ones - I saw some of the Woodland Scenics value conifers at my LHS today and they didn't look bad. If I order from MB Klein I can get them for $1-2 a tree depending on height. The large number of Supertrees I have made in the past will work as background trees for filler.

Still have a bit more work to do with the static grass - needs a second pass after the current glue dries and I can vacuum up the sideways fibers. After that I'll hang the backdrops and get to painting.

You may ask why I'm doing the scenery before laying the track and ballasting: the biggest reason is that my LHS sells scenery supplies but not ME Code 70 track 😂. But I think it will work well. Doing scenery first means no masking off the track to work, and once I lay the track I can ballast it, then fill in with brush up to the ballast.




Baxter Barnes

[legostudios34]

The soup express pays another visit to the Dease Lake Extension...

I had the day off work today, so I decided it was time to tackle backdrop painting. My previous layouts featured no backdrop at all (the FEC) or just simple hardboard painted blue-grey (DM&E). This is my first time painting a backdrop, and other than my Bob Ross imitation a couple weeks ago is my first time painting anything real (with a brush at least - I'm reasonably proficient with an airbrush and masking tape)



Baxter Barnes

[BCR 570]

This is progressing quickly!  Interesting to see scenery before track; will be nice to see trains rolling through it.

Tim

[legostudios34]

This is progressing quickly!  Interesting to see scenery before track; will be nice to see trains rolling through it.

Tim

Thanks Tim! This is the first time I've ever done scenery before track, but the track arrived after I made a trip to the LHS for scenery supplies, so it went in that order. In the past my layouts have been the other way around: the Plywood Pacific for months before any scenery happened. I think I like this approach a lot more as it means I get scenery done and laying track is a reward for working on the scenery instead of getting distracted putting trains on the layout.

I can supply a train rolling through the scenery:

Due to an extreme log car shortage (aka I currently have none), the only trains to and from Minaret are currently supply trains. Here, a B36-7 and a C36M lead an empty boxcar and trailer back to Fort Saint James. The boxcar carried some machinery parts and the trailer was filled with groceries for the workers at the Minaret camp.

I need trees! That's the biggest thing holding me back on further progress now that the track is in and wired on this section. Ordered some conifer coarse foam today so hopefully tree production can resume soon.

(I know the C36s never ran to Minaret, but I own one and like the way it looks with my B36. So I'll run it 😂)



Baxter Barnes

[BCR 570]

Some time ago I saw kits for the NSC log cars at Central Hobbies, but if you are modeling the later era you will want the 71' bulkhead flat conversions.

Tim

[Cajonpassfan]

Man, you are *fast*
Looking good!
Otto K

[Bob]

This is really moving along!  You certainly do not waste time.  Do you have one of those Multi-Max Oscillating saws made by Dremel ?  That does a really nice job of shaving styrofoam and leaves chips that are much easier to clean up that the dust produced by the rasp. Got this idea from Gary Hinshaw's thread, and am really happy with it.  After using this, I do make a single pass (or a few) with a hand-held rasp to give a rough texture that plaster and hydocal can stick to more efficiently (or at least I think that is true!).  Bob

[legostudios34]

Thanks for the compliments y'all. I'll have to look into that Dremel saw - sounds a lot better than my rasp.

Baxter Barnes

[craigolio1]

This is really moving along!  You certainly do not waste time.  Do you have one of those Multi-Max Oscillating saws made by Dremel ?  That does a really nice job of shaving styrofoam and leaves chips that are much easier to clean up that the dust produced by the rasp. Got this idea from Gary Hinshaw's thread, and am really happy with it.  After using this, I do make a single pass (or a few) with a hand-held rasp to give a rough texture that plaster and hydocal can stick to more efficiently (or at least I think that is true!).  Bob

Indeed, good call about the multi max. I have one but never though to use it for cutting foam. I’ll give that a go on tbt next module I build.

Craig

[mark.hinds]

I'm logged in to Railwire, but I can't see most of your images (all those after "Reply 3").  FWIW, you might want to check your image hosting site.  It may only show images to people with permissions/accounts associated with it.

MH

[legostudios34]

I've been having no issues with the images on multiple devices whether logged in or logged out. Not sure what's going on on your end.

I have minimal updates to report on layout construction. I've been busy with work and grad school lately (I do experimental mechanics research and that requires lab work so I can't really work from home). I have finished acquiring all the lumber I will need to finish framing the layout. Planning to start on that over the weekend.

Baxter Barnes

[legostudios34]

An employee at my university tested positive for COVID-19 last week, so my classes are now online and my research is suspended (can't do experimental solid mechanics from home...). That's given me some time to work on the layout. Thanks to a friend giving me some spare 1x4s from his layout, I've finished framing the rest of the main layout (with the exception of the staging yard). Hopefully will get the legs built and backdrop mounted tomorrow. These sections will get a layer of 2" insulation foam on top of the plywood, I don't need much scenery depth below track level for these scenes.



Baxter Barnes

[Philip H]

(can't do experimental solid mechanics from home...)

Well you COULD . . . but maybe you shouldn't

[legostudios34]

Well you COULD . . . but maybe you shouldn't

I don't think a Kolsky Bar will fit in my Civic to bring it home...

Baxter Barnes

[Philip H]

I don't think a Kolsky Bar will fit in my Civic to bring it home...

Baxter Barnes

But have you tried?