Kevins layout progress thread

[Tyson Rayles]

Looks good!

[KevinKrey]

Well since I started my layout, it's just been taking up a corner of the basement sharing space with other stuff. Over the weekend I finished closing in the train area with some walls and now the layout is completely in its own room. Just a little paint and I can start painting some backdrops

[KevinKrey]

I got around to doing some more work, I got a bit of track ballasted, added a bit to my gravel yard, and finished a highway that runs through the layout. I was all prepared to post photos but I'm having some difficulties with that now. :|

[KevinKrey]

Well I have some photo or off that I've actually touched my layout again!

This first photo shows two spurs, one for a factory and one for a fuel dealer. The parking lot needs to be weathered and the structures for the fuel dealer are not yet complete. The mainline and interchange track/passing siding are abnormally close to the siding running in the foreground.



The next photo shows the "North" end of the siding which will serve as an interchange track. I need more trees for on the hill. Not happy with the ballast in this area at all. However the photo does make it look worse than in person.


Third photo shows looking south down the main where the siding to the aggregate facility on the layout meets up. This scene is far from complete.



The final photo for now shows the rail car loading bin and the rail car dump on adjoining tracks inside the aggregate facility.

[Catt]

Lookin' good from here.

[Charlie B]

Kevin, you have come a long way. It's really looking grand. Keep us posted.
Charlie

[scribbelt]

Hello Kevin very nice work on the layout, I really like the rock formation in the quarry.

Please keep the updates coming

[KevinKrey]

Thanks guys! Final update for today, got my tank car unloading platform done, and the storage tanks placed.

[doctorwayne]

You've really made some progress, Kevin, and it's really lookin' good, too.

Wayne

[e-paw]

Looking good so far.

[KevinKrey]

One issue I've been having is lots of my track is within close proximity to my backdrop. This doesn't leave me much room to make a convincing feeling of depth. On about fifty percent of my layout I've used hills to conceal the backdrop. By looking through photos I've realized in the region I'm modeling there is actually lots of really large flat open areas that are simply heavily wooded. So on one side of my layout I tried experimenting with painting some trees into the backdrop and then a narrow stand of trees between that and the track. I placed trees on a small part and I think it looks pretty convincing.

[doctorwayne]

There's some good info on backdrop painting HERE, HERE, and HERE.

Wayne

[Mr Fixit]

A feller could get lost in those woods.

Kevin, just a suggestion, fence around the loaders dump pit with concrete walls or large blocks to create a surge bin, so the operator can build up a back log of aggregate for the conveyor to work through while he goes about other tasks around the plant. The reason I say large concrete blocks is often these sort of places will pour large blocks to make "building blocks" [cubes or rectangles] that can be stacked and that are safe to load material into but that can be moved around by the loader if things change. Concrete walls on the other hand would require less concrete but would require engineered footings and walls to be built.
Consider also that aggregate is very heavy, what size is the head bin at the top of the conveyor? Is there even a head bin?
You may need to add extra structural support columns for the head bin house.
How are the rail cars to be moved during loading to ensure maximum but equalized loading?

Also what scale are you working in and what did you use for your aggregate pile?

Mark

[KevinKrey]

Thanks for the links Wayne. Love Gary's work!

Mark I'm modeling in ho scale. The loading bin was something I threw together one night really quick out of boredom. Not the happiest with the whole aggregate facility from a operating realism standpoint. The pile is simply gray course ballast from woodland scenics. I think I'll add a fines pile under the car unloading conveyor. I also think it would look better if I add "spilled" material on tops of the rails which wouldn't have such a clean ballast look in real life. As far as the loading of the cars I'm thinking of possibly removing the loading bin and having the loading be a job the front end loader would do.

[Ralph]

Looks real nice Kevin! You do neat work!