Killashandra - Irish Nn3

[Lemosteam]

In my best pool-side The Graduate voice:

"Just one word... Grout."

"Sir?"

"There's a great future in Grout."

In a crisp British butler's voice:

"Would you prefer sanded or un-sanded grout with your trackage sir?"

[timgill]

I second trying out unsanded grout. Available in lots of colors. That said; be careful in how you handle the application process. I've had some unfavorable results with the grout reacting with alcohol and various adhesives; also, can be brittle once set.

Another great alternative is in this video; using dry tempra paints to mix the groundcover colors you want, a la "zip texturing." An old(er) technique, but really allows flexibility in color grading:

[VonRyan]

So it's about time that I post some progress photos... Especially since these were taken before I left for Bedford:





Many thanks to @Lemosteam for the awesome castings which solved the lengthy "small bridge dilemma" that was plaguing progress for the longest time.

The interior wall of the bridge didn't go as well as I would have liked, but the thin Slater's stone sheet worked as planned, just that I suck at things and there are some gaps under there. So that means no taking photos that may reveal the shoddy job I did under there.


Anyhow, here are a few recent photos of some more progress:






I finally finished putting the capstones on the lefthand abutment, meaning that now both bridges are 100% finished.
And of course, that means that I can complete the ballasting of the trackage, which of course is an important milestone. One which I would have liked to have completed before I went to Bedford, but ultimately that didn't happen.
I also finished the terrain around the small stone bridge and painted the bare white spackle the usual Duncan "Medium Brown".
Once I have the trackage 100% ballasted, I shall turn my attention to rolling stock. I need to order up some tophat bearings to install in the sideframes of my Peco wagon kits so that the Marklin wheelsets will actually roll rather than slide along. Although, I may look into Fox Valley's Z-scale wheelsets since I suspect that they have a much nicer look to them.




For the layout to actually be at a point where the land contours are finished, supporting infrastructure is finished and installed, and the track is almost completely ballasted... It's quite a humbling sight. Being that I'm one who doesn't finish many of the projects that I start, it is quite a change of pace watching various stages of my layout reach completion.

And just in taking that latest overhead shot, it served to remind me just how invaluable The Railwire community has been to me not only in regards to my modeling, but also my life.



Until next time,

-Cody F.

[Lemosteam]

Those were my pleasure to make for you Cody!  Can't wait to see it ballasted...

[Chris333]

Very nice. Can't wait to see some scenery!

[peteski]

I've been lurking in this thread - things are going well!

[chicken45]

Looks great! Slow, but steady!

[160pennsy]

So it's about time that I post some progress photos... Especially since these were taken before I left for Bedford:

And just in taking that latest overhead shot, it served to remind me just how invaluable The Railwire community has been to me not only in regards to my modeling, but also my life.

Until next time,

-Cody F.

Cody F,

Thank you for posting these updates and showing us your progress. Any chance of seeing this portable Nn3 layout at Danville, VA in about 3 weeks? I know a guy who has this "Grassinator thing" (home made static grass machine) and various bottles of 2mm/4mm flock...You know, they somehow could find their way up to Danville and maybe help you out with the scenery when your not running trains on the ENL layout...You know what I mean?

[VonRyan]

Cody F,

Thank you for posting these updates and showing us your progress. Any chance of seeing this portable Nn3 layout at Danville, VA in about 3 weeks? I know a guy who has this "Grassinator thing" (home made static grass machine) and various bottles of 2mm/4mm flock...You know, they somehow could find their way up to Danville and maybe help you out with the scenery when your not running trains on the ENL layout...You know what I mean?

[trucker_voice]10-4 good buddy![/trucker_voice]
I'll have to check with my mechanic to see if my Jaguar is up for the drive. I suspect that gas in my 19-20mpg car would be cheaper than Amtrak, but it's a matter of whether or not my car can take such a long drive.
I'm taking a night-class Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday so that rules out hitching a ride with other NJS members, so if I get the go-ahead from my mechanic then I'll just drive myself down on Friday.
Of course... It probably is too late for me to register for Danville...

[VonRyan]

Very nice. Can't wait to see some scenery!

I've been lurking in this thread - things are going well!

Looks great! Slow, but steady!

Thanks all for the support!

Other than finishing the ballast, doing the dirt road, and doing the riverbed, my knowledge of scenery in regards to what I have planned is quite limited.
I've never done static grass before and other than glue and a magic wand with the pin, I don't know what needs to be done for it. I've been looking for a write-up on the proper procedures for what to do, but google has been no help.

Luckily, I can also fill my time with working on detail parts like some switch-throws and a horse-cart (which I still need to get a horse for... And an appropriate-looking bloke to hold the reigns). Once the goods platform has a layer of dirt, I can build the necessary cattle pens and start looking for some cattle and farmer figures.



When it comes to figures and vehicles, I like things to be in a "resting" position as It looks more realistic as opposed to the figures looking like they have been paused mid-motion. That way, the train moving through the scene becomes more believable and it's realism is enhanced as now it is not the primary focal point, but rather it is an attractive part of a complete work. A single actor on a much larger stage.

[MVW]

Luckily, I can also fill my time with working on detail parts like some switch-throws and a horse-cart (which I still need to get a horse for... )

Oh, no. It seems as if you've got the cart before the horse, Cody. 

Jim

[VonRyan]

Oh, no. It seems as if you've got the cart before the horse, Cody. 

Jim

Why... Yes, I suppose I am 

Although right now I am assembling a couple extremely tiny and fiddly point levers.

[160pennsy]

I'm taking a night-class Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday so that rules out hitching a ride with other NJS members, so if I get the go-ahead from my mechanic then I'll just drive myself down on Friday.
Of course... It probably is too late for me to register for Danville...

No need to register as the 2015 Danville Old 97 Rail Days is not a convention...just the usual Eastern N Lines layout, Sat cookout, etc...

http://dsc.smv.org/events.html

[VonRyan]

No need to register as the 2015 Danville Old 97 Rail Days is not a convention...just the usual Eastern N Lines layout, Sat cookout, etc...

http://dsc.smv.org/events.html

That shows how long it's been since I've been down there. The last and only time I've been to Danville, they were still doing ops sessions on the ENL layout. I was back during my freshman year of High-School. So that was back in 2009.

I'll run my Jag to my mechanic's on Tuesday and see what he says about whether or not it can survive the long haul.
If he says no, I'll see if I can swing taking the train. Should be interesting considering it is the weekend the Pope is in Philly.

[VonRyan]

I put a couple tiny detail parts together yesterday.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

These are etched-brass point levers made by Shire Scenes. They are built from three tiny pieces of etched brass.
For each one I've made (two), I've lost that many in flying parts.
Thankfully they don't need to be working point levers or I'd have lost all sanity by now.

Here's a comparison photo with a Nickel:

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

I won't be installing them on the layout till the scenery is done. The last thing I need is to damage one of these fiddly little buggers.
Nonetheless, I'm quite pleased with them. It's little things like this that will ultimately make the layout whole.