Ann Arbor RR Mt. Pleasant Branch

[faraway]

You integrated the layout very nice into the room. It looks like room and layout have been together forever. I wonder how carefully you are working not ruining the sensitive floor.

[fast car]

Dan,

Super job on the basement layout. Very neat and tidy. Does the Lake State run into to Cadillac, MI? Whatever local that also is based in Cadillac
runs into Traverse City, with flat cars of lumber for a wholesale lumber supply warehouse in Williamsburg, MI.

Larry

[dgaken]

You integrated the layout very nice into the room. It looks like room and layout have been together forever. I wonder how carefully you are working not ruining the sensitive floor.

To be honest, preserving the floor has added a few hours to the project already! When possible, I do projects on a workbench in the basement, but otherwise employ drop clothes and a great deal of care!

[dgaken]

Dan,

Super job on the basement layout. Very neat and tidy. Does the Lake State run into to Cadillac, MI? Whatever local that also is based in Cadillac
runs into Traverse City, with flat cars of lumber for a wholesale lumber supply warehouse in Williamsburg, MI.

Larry

Thanks, Larry! The Lake State trackage north follows the old Detroit and Mackinac route closer to the Lake Huron shore. The line to Cadillac is owned by the State of Michigan and is operated by the Great Lakes Central (who, like the LSRC, has new blue paint on their locomotives). Both are very cool operations!

[jonte]

I'm afraid, Dan, all I can add is: 'splendid!!'

Thanks for sharing and best of luck with the build.

jonte

[dgaken]

I’ve begun construction on some of the major industries on my HO scale Huron & Eastern layout. This four-foot structure will be loosely based on the General Motors plant in Bay City, MI. The plant is adjacent to the OmniSource Scrap site next to the Saginaw River.

My version is constructed with a wood core. The hollow center houses a hidden staging track. The exterior is comprised of pieces from Walther’s Lakeview Warehouse. Stand off details, roof details, and weathering are needed.

I began by using DAP all-purpose adhesive to affix a single strip of bass wood to the layout's backdrop.
HO Layout Construction by dangaken, on Flickr

The next step was to create a wood core.
HO Layout Construction by dangaken, on Flickr

I created a mock up of the structure and test fit the pieces from the Walther's kit.
HO Layout Construction by dangaken, on Flickr

Here is how the plant looks now:
HO Layout Construction by dangaken, on Flickr

[Tyson Rayles]

Nice looking flat, I like the color combo.

[fast car]

Dan,

Very nice job. It looks like you cut the windows out of the wood but I don't think that's the case. Did you seal the wood core?

Larry

[dgaken]

Dan,

Very nice job. It looks like you cut the windows out of the wood but I don't think that's the case. Did you seal the wood core?

Larry

Thanks, Larry! The window are not cut out, but there is a bit of a space behind them to give them some depth. I laminated the wood with some styrene before applying the pieces from the Walther's kit. Where the windows and door are located I cut out portions of the styrene and simply put black paper on the wood. It's only about 1/8", but the depth creates the impression that there is an inside space.

I did not seal the wood core. To be frank, I didn't even give it a thought. I should have, as the thinner roof piece is already warped from the adhesives. I may have to replace it.

[fast car]

Dan,

You should be ok if you seal the inside of the wood. I read where Lance Mindheim is using the PVC like product called AZEK from Home Depot so he doesn't have prime or seal the framing material. It is all white in color and cuts easy with a power miter. It is in the same isle that their loose finished pine boards are located. One side is smooth and the other is wood grained.

I used this material on the structure below. I cut out the loading dock doors by cutting from the top down and then covering with .060 sheet plastic. This can also be seen in detail in on Lances website under Progress Photos 2013,


<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.lancemindheim.com">http://www.lancemindheim.com</a><!-- m -->

Larry

IMG_0187 by roadman2013, on Flickr



IMG_0197 by roadman2013, on Flickr

[dgaken]

Larry, these photos look great.

This was my first attempt at anything like this (previous layouts had simply used kits, or at most spliced kits end to end). I think I might try it again now that I've spent some time with the materials.

I like what you've done. I presume the downspouts cover seams in the .060 sheets? What are you using for the caps on your walls at the roof line?

[faraway]

That is far beyond my shoe box level! You are building great contemporary structures

[fast car]

Dan,

I'm just using "U" shaped channel from Plastruct that slides over the .060 plastic sheet. Its mitered in the corners and glued with adhesive. Yes the brass downspouts are covering the seams. In some cases I fill the seams with light dry drywall mud, usually the stuff that goes on pink and dries white.
Lances website really shows how to do this in detail.

Reinhard,

You do great work. I'm just basically copying what Lance is doing to see if I care for the method. Its not hard and Lance's pictures are detailed enough to copy. I haven't had an original idea in years.

Larry

[dgaken]

Dan,

I'm just using "U" shaped channel from Plastruct that slides over the .060 plastic sheet. Its mitered in the corners and glued with adhesive. Yes the brass downspouts are covering the seams. In some cases I fill the seams with light dry drywall mud, usually the stuff that goes on pink and dries white.
Lances website really shows how to do this in detail.

Reinhard,

You do great work. I'm just basically copying what Lance is doing to see if I care for the method. Its not hard and Lance's pictures are detailed enough to copy. I haven't had an original idea in years.

Larry

Thanks, Larry - I picked up some of the PVC board that Lance uses, thanks for the tip! My first impression is that it will work very well. It's quite sturdy and very straight. At Home Depot they only sell it in 12' lengths (at $22 for the 12-foot board), so I've got enough for a few of these plants if I continue to mess up!

[dgaken]

That is far beyond my shoe box level! You are building great contemporary structures

I have to agree with Larry, the modeling work that you've posted here is first rate!