Cumberland Station TTrak and Other Adventures

[chessie system fan]

Lookin' good!  But please muddy that water a bit!  The water's only a foot or two deep, not a continental shelf drop-off deep blue.

[chessie system fan]

It looks like the water is a little seasonally different and also dependent on the weather in the photo.

The Narrows - Will's Creek by Lisa Sheirer, on Flickr

D025 With A GP15... by Al Moran, on Flickr

CSX B245 Wills Mountain Cumberland, MD 3/30/19 by richthomp1225, on Flickr

070623_20 by akmyers83, on Flickr

Western Maryland Scenic Crosses the Box Trestle Bridge by Brandon Fiume, on Flickr

WMSR - Cumberland, MD by d.w.davidson, on Flickr


And one more.

https://flic.kr/p/2otPm3d

[wm3798]

Those are very helpful, thanks.  I'm going to be working on the bridge abutments next.

As for water color, I agree, it's a little too blue and dark.  I was going for the look of the GP15 picture.
I started with a forest green, which looked a little too green.  I'll monkey around with tinting the next layer of Mod Podge with some mud.

I also collected up some shale from around my property to work on the river banks.  Looks like there's a bit of a beach there on the far bank.

I'm not sure when the exit ramp was installed under the west bridge, but I'm leaving it out on this one.  When the bridge was double tracked, I don't think it was there.  (the era of the scene will be somewhat in flux... I'm modeling the arch bridge as abandoned since it won't be functional anyway, and it will add visual interest.)

Lee

[MK]

Lee, it looks like dam broke!   

[wm3798]

I knew I had this shot somewhere.


I took this from the vestibule of the Allegany Central train (predecessor to the WMSR) in 1989.  This is the abandoned and overgrown look I'll be going for.  From this shot, I think I got the water color pretty close!

Lee

[wm3798]

Starting to work on a yard to feed the TTrak beast, as well as the Hi Rail  layout.


Now to wait for the glue to set.

Lee

[John]

That looks like a cassette case

[wm3798]

It is!  It's a bunch of tapes from my dad's collection.  He would hang out on the porch and record Hot Jazz Saturday Night off of WAMU, then listen to the shows in the car driving back and forth to work.  There's some great stuff in there.

Best part is the case is flat, and heavy!  Glue should be set now... better go check on it!
L

[wm3798]

I suppose this falls into the Other Adventures category...


Thanks to @ChristianJDavis1 I have come into possession of a hassle of bridge bits, which turn out to be Z scale.



The good news is they are a good fit for 9.75" radius snap track.  (I am not in the market to add Z scale to my inventory just now)

I'm thinking a couple of pizza box layouts may be in the offing, with hopes of having a couple to be available in time for N Scale Weekend in September.





With appropriately diminutive N scale rolling stock, I think they will work out just fine!  Stay tuned for further developments.

Lee

[wm3798]

Project boxes for 5 battery throttles have arrived.


I can start working on the subassemblies now, using the pile of components bestowed upon me by DKS some years ago!

Lee

[wm3798]

Back to the Wills Creek modules.  Working on fabricating some bridge abutments.



abutment.
The middle pier is where the modules split.
Debating whether the styrene finish should be split, or work as a cap to cover the split.  Thoughts?


Lee

[wm3798]

Also, my WMRHS Blue Mountain Express arrived this week with a timely article including photos of the original construction!


The Kato bridges are a bit off, but the overall flavor is good enough for this project...

Lee

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I meant to reply to your progress in my own thread, but figured it'd be more appropriate here.

I love how this is coming together!

[PiperguyUMD]

I love getting my Blue Mountain Express! It hits the same way as getting a Model Railroader in the mail when I was a kid.

[wm3798]

More bridge work at the west end of the Narrows. 

Abutments and pier build and painted with a base coat



And the state highway bridge is properly supported.

Next to weather the concrete and start working on the earthworks the new construction will be set in.

Lee