Marine Drive Overpass Diorama

[BCR 570]

Thanks; I'll look for some next visit to Home Depot.

Tim

[BCR 570]

Cardboard Contours (cont.)
I got the next five layers glued down today.  As they get progressively smaller toward the top and rear of the diorama, I have to resort to push pins rather than weights in some areas to hold the layer down flat:




Here is the diorama with layers representing 26 through 30 metres above sea level now glued down in place:




Six more layers to go; mostly small areas in each rear corner.

Tim

[wm3798]

Curious, will this be able to function as an operable module?
I'm sure you've considered this, but what accommodations are you including for wires, connections, intermodule attachment etc.

Because you know you're going to want to...

Lee

[BCR 570]

Hi Lee

Good question.  No plans for attachment to other modules or operations; if it goes to shows it will be as a static display.

I will be supplying power to the rails as the requirements for this certificate include points for lighting, so will want locos on the track to light up.

I will also be supplying power to the roads to light vehicles on them, and for street lights.


Tim

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Hi Lee

Good question.  No plans for attachment to other modules or operations; if it goes to shows it will be as a static display.

I will be supplying power to the rails as the requirements for this certificate include points for lighting, so will want locos on the track to light up.

I will also be supplying power to the roads to light vehicles on them, and for street lights.


Tim

I'm SURE it wouldn't be that hard to adapt it to fit in a Freemo setup. It might be worth it just to have the option.

Oh, and also, yes, the stuff mentioned above is the stuff I was talking about. Foxxy turned me onto it and I love it.

[BCR 570]

Thank you Ed; I see our Home Depot carries DAF lightweight spackle so I will pick some up next trip.

Tim

[BCR 570]

Cardboard Contours (cont.)
I got the final six layers glued down today.  The right rear corner of the diorama tops out at 33 metres above sea level:




The left rear corner goes up to 36 metres above sea level which is the final layer of cardboard.  The push pins are holding the cardboard down while the glue dries:




Here is the complete diorama with all of the contour layers now glued down in place, offering an accurate replica of the actual terrain:




Next step will be to trim the cardboard flush with the styrofoam in a few areas and round off the back corner.


Tim

[Lemosteam]

This is simply outstanding Tim!

PM your mailing address and I will donate some of my extra pivoting bridge shoes for the diorama if you are interested.  They look like they would fit well from the bridge images above.



Here they are installed on my elevated structure:
 

[BCR 570]

Thank you John!  I will take you up on your kind offer and will send you a PM.

Tim

[BCR 570]

Hi Ed:

Got this at Home Depot today; is this what you were thinking of?




Tim

[Ed Kapuscinski]

That's the stuff!!

You're gonna love it.

[BCR 570]

Site Visits
One of the reasons for choosing this particular location was its proximity to my home, which facilitates site visits when desired.  I recently acquired the drawings for the adjacent overpass over 31st Street which I can include on the diorama.  It is a triple span pre-cast concrete box girder bridge built in 1975 to replace trestle work.

This is the view looking north up 31st Street towards the overpass:




and this is the view looking in the opposite direction south toward the water:




Up on the grade, this is looking east (railway south) back towards North Vancouver:




and in the opposite direction, looking west (railway north) towards Squamish:




In this last view the Marine Drive overpass is just around the corner and the guard rails across both spans are continuous.


During another site visit with a friend on Saturday, we happened to arrive shortly before the daily CN train came along, one big diesel and one boxcar.

Crossing 31st Street:




A few seconds later, crossing Marine Drive:




I notice new things every time I go there, so more visits are planned!


Tim

[BCR 570]

PM your mailing address and I will donate some of my extra pivoting bridge shoes for the diorama if you are interested

Bridge shoes have arrived - thank you John!

Tim

[BCR 570]

Cardboard Contours (cont.)
I have completed some final adjustments on the cardboard contours.  The sheets of cardboard were overhanging the styrofoam in a few places so I wanted to dress it back flush.  Along the front edge it was only one or two sheets and I was able to sand it flush with a wood block and some 100 grit sandpaper:




At the left end where numerous sheets were overhanging, more horsepower was needed to trim them back.  So back to Philippe's garage where we used his belt sander to dress the left end:




The same technique was used to round off the rear corner flush with the styrofoam:




And so this first phase of construction comes to a close with the styrofoam foundation and cardboard contour levels completed and ready for the scenic base:




I think I will try and tackle the roads next.  Those are something I have been eager to learn how to do.  I am thinking of balsa wood strips as forms and sanding them to the slope of the road, smoothing in the Dyna Patch compound to match, and then removing the balsa wood strips.  (I tried the lightweight spackle but after eight hours it is still soft to the touch.)  After the roads are in I will tackle the sub-roadbed for the railway.


Tim

[mat82]

Simply WOW!