Modular Nickel Plate Road in Bellevue

[btrain]

Time for a little update on the railroad.

It's been ages since I've been an avid model railroader, and with that I learned an important lesson that I shouldn't start a thousand little projects at once. Trying to keep track of all the little bits from kits has driven me crazy and has tired me out (not on the verge of burnout though).

Despite all that, the track is glued down on the first module along with it painted, bullfrog turnout controls are installed, and US route 20 with the art deco subway prove to be a really nice centerpiece for the module. A few more buildings, along with some dirt side streets should help complete it for the time being. This weekend I hope to start track laying on the next module that will feature the roundhouse and west end of the yard.



Part of the slow progress of the layout is a little 1:1 railroading that I've been doing on the side. Once or twice a month I'll venture out to the shops of the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society. Last week was safety training class for engine crew and car hosts. The shop was really busy getting the engine prepped for excursions this summer. One of the projects that I have been helping out with is the refurbishing of the "A" tank or the auxiliary tender for 765. This past Sunday I was putting a coat of paint on the brake rigging and helping to install parts of it on the truck.

[btrain]

This week I've been screwing around with the static grass applicator and landscaping the southern half of the downtown Bellevue module. The streets are all done, along with the fancy pedestrian barrier for the subway.  This week or next (i'm busy photographing high school graduations and outstanding seniors for my newspaper) I'll start ballasting the track. It's been a bit frustrating finding the right cinders for ballast that dominated the railroad scene in Bellevue. I tried Arizona Rock and there's way too many red flecks in it for my taste, and the Scenic Express has too much sand in theirs. I'm going to try some Woodland Scenic, or blend it with the others and see if I can get the right effect.



I also soldered copperhead ties from Fast Tracks to the end of the modules that border the current one I'm working on. After watching @M.C. Fujiwara 's video on how to make butt joints (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM1H0URvKX8) I attempted to do the same as well. After a few tries with a Dedeco cutting disc, I was able to make some clean cuts. It should be noted that the disc is very, very fragile as you cut into the rail, but once it warms up you'll be able to put slightly more pressure on it. Also when soldering the rails, It's ideal to put something heavy like a paint can to help give you a smooth even plain from one module to the next. Also Gorilla super glue is very good at holding up to the heating of the iron. 

[btrain]

Summer is slowly making its presence know here in northern Ohio. And as much as I love the 1:160 world, I love the real world even more this time of year, so the layout has been crated up and put into storage. The downtown Bellevue module is almost done, but it needs a few more houses on the northern end, along with a scratch built Wheeling tower, shrubs, and bushes.

I'll probably start working on the layout again in September or if a cold fall comes early. If any of you are at Cedar Point on Mondays, feel free to stop by the railroad and say hello, chances are I'll either be on the engine or in the shop.

[Chris333]

Nice progress.

Have you seen the NKP O scale modular layout that goes to local shows?

[btrain]

Thank you, Chris! I don't think I have. Would it have been at Railfest up in Kirtland?

[Chris333]

I saw it at the NTS in Cleveland.
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[btrain]

That's a pretty slick layout, it's given me a good deal of detail ideas.

[Chris333]

When I got home from the NTS I scaled it down to N and it was close to 2x4' in N 

[btrain]

Getting back to the layout after a long summer break. I've started to lay down track for the western yard module. Everything seems to fit fine. Where the jewel boxes are will be the roundhouse. The gray barrel will be a coaling tower and the locomotive servicing area. Behind the water tower will be the Kellogg & Sons grain elevator.

I was wondering for those of you that have modular layouts, do you leave buildings glued onto the layout, or do you just do that for trees and small buildings only?

[nickelplate759]

Is that a roughed-in legless cylindrical coaling tower sitting on the turntable leads?  If so, I'd love to know more about how you plan to turn it into a complete model.

Regarding removable buildings vs. not.   My preference is to fix them to the module unless the building is so tall that it is unstable when the module is moved.  Remember that removing the buildings and transporting them separately will also risk damage to them - they aren't necessarily any safer that way.  Consider a lightweight cover for you module to protect the structures and scenery.

[seusscaboose]

I saw it at the NTS in Cleveland.
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that is Jim Canter's modular layout

he takes it to the shows

proto 48

[seusscaboose]

Getting back to the layout after a long summer break. I've started to lay down track for the western yard module. Everything seems to fit fine. Where the jewel boxes are will be the roundhouse. The gray barrel will be a coaling tower and the locomotive servicing area. Behind the water tower will be the Kellogg & Sons grain elevator.

I was wondering for those of you that have modular layouts, do you leave buildings glued onto the layout, or do you just do that for trees and small buildings only?

I assume you're talking about the power house, roundhouse, yard office and roundhouse

I would keep all 4 removable

they're gonna be big
and custom
and you don't wanna break them

you hit the trackplan on the head...    I wanna see how you do the yard office

also...  you might have room for the FGE office and siding in there as well (extra points if you kniw where it should be located ) 

[btrain]

@nickelplate759 The coaling tower is the N Scale Architect Somerville Junction kit.

@seusscaboose I think the only building I might add that I forgot to mention is the yard office. It will probably be between the roundhouse and the water tank. If things look to clustered between in that area, I might skip building it, but if I do construct it, I'm thinking of just using the office portion of the Walthers freight house kit. I was also debating about putting the Walthers machine shop in the same area instead of the yard office, and paint NKP on the smokestack just like the powerhouse had. 

Haha, I have no idea where the FGE office was. I'll take a guess and say it was southwest of the ice house?

[seusscaboose]

You are correct about the FGE


For the smokestack can you use HO or O scale decals?

[btrain]

For the smokestack can you use HO or O scale decals?

Oye, that's a sharp idea! Beats painting brick by tiny brick.