To summarize from a previous thread... I am building a fictional rail line based on CN/CP operations in British Columbia. The theme is transition era with steam being the primary form of traction, and water and mountains. A big inspiration for my layout is this movie:

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In fact I hope to recreate some of the scenes.

Progress today is this.... since revamping my track plan I have decided there is no reason for my layout to have this small tunnel underneath the terminal. So I've taken out the planks of wood rising it up to drop the terminal down.

Before:



after:



you can see how much it dropped by looking at the paint swipes across the wall... hehehe


I think I'll start expanding the bench work next weekend...

Moving on from the Zealot topic... I'm migrating it over here.

Status so far:

I'm taking three models. A Bachmann Lt Mountain, a Con-Cor 2-10-2 USRA, and a Con-Cor J3a Hudson, and transforming them into three of my fav Canadian Locos:



The Canadian National U1f Mountain 4-8-2



The Canadian Pacific T1b Selkirk 2-10-4



The Canadian Pacific H1a Hudson 4-6-4/Royal Hudson


So far i've started work on the U1f as my light mountain is a guinea pig for the two Heavy Mountains which are a better fit for the U1f class. Progress so far is the running boards, and a repaint. I also modified the cab putting a back on it, but will be modeling it closer to the prototype using styrene.

Pics!




Now however, the nose is giving me a bunch of issues... I've fashioned one out of brass, and a few out of epoxy... But so far nothings been working out. Heres my progress on that!:


my brass cone


brass cone making the mold for the epoxy....using cardstock. Maybe I should try styrene next?


epoxy in the card stock cone...

Guess what?

The epoxy deformed the card-stock and didn't make it into the shape I was hoping... too much heat from the chemical reaction I'm guessing.

So... this is my new plan!



I attached the brass cone (badly) to my drill and started it up to file away the excess so that it will fix. So far... twenty minutes of drilling and I'm half way there! Gotta let the battery charge.

After acquiring a work train that had been heavily painted with an aerosol can, I decided I would try my hand at painting and decaling some rolling stock. I tried to remove the thick coat of paint with 91% alcohol, but after quite a few hours of soaking, it was barely showing any progress at removing the paint. So I tested a bit of paint remover on the presoaked car and had great results, with no damage to the plastic. However hock: much to my dismay, when I put another car in that hadn't been presoaked, it took a bit more time in the thinner to remove the paint and I ended up melting the plastic. Fortunately only one car really took the damage, but the other cars now have a whitish discoloration on them. My question is this; can I continue on with the project and start painting, or do I need to take some further steps into trying to repair this?

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Hello all...

Thanks to everyone over the past year on the "other" board who gave me ideas and inspiration on getting my layout going... those who may remember, my wife and I were putting an addition on our house and one of the "benefits" was a new train room... we had a smaller raised ranch style house with very little space to build a train, well suffice to say, I finally got the room (and it is still not enough, but I digress!).

A little about me... I am 38 years old and live about 10 miles south of Buffalo, NY in the Village of Hamburg. I have been into model railroading since I was a kid... I built layouts growing up with my dad and have enjoyed the hobby in one way shape or form since. During the day I am a software engineer and at night enjoy playing roller and ice hockey while not working on my trains. (There is more than one way to let off steam in this world! ) .

About my layout... well right now it is a pine and plywood jungle with most of the track in place. The goal is to model autumn in New England... lots of color. I originally wanted a double track, however, space did not permit that without resorting to 18" radius curves which I was dead set against doing... and double track is not seen in much of New England anyways. The layout is a sort of dogbone shape... my main interest is to work on scenery, not operations so the train going in a "circle" is OK with me. Along the back wall there will be a spot for a "downtown" area with storefronts and some light industry. Along the left side I expect this town to continue converging into a more rural setting. My thought is that loop of track will be enclosed in a tunnel. On the right side, I have placed a couple of bridges and I am not sure what I am thinking as of yet for scenery. Finally, there is space in the back corner for staging / a small yard. The layout is controlled by a Digitrax Super Chief system and I am also playing with JMRI on an old laptop connected to the Loconet via a Locobuffer USB.

Here are some pictures of the "first 30 days" of work on the layout:

   
   
   

I have been having the devil of a time logging on to this forum with Internet Explorer. Most often my computer locks up and I end up re-booting. Not sure where the exact problem lies because it was working fine at first, and this is my wife's laptop while the "big boy" is in the shop being de-Chernoblyed, but I downloaded Firefox and viola` - zee problem she is sol-ved!! Plus, there are some serious problems being talked about regarding Internet Explorer which Microsoft has yet to fix.

(Firefox also comes with a sorely needed spellchecker for me, as well...)

The blue is really nice. A lot more relaxed than the drab old white of Zealot...

Looking forward to being a newbie, but with the new colors!

Hi, Folks!

Thanks to Lynn (wickman) I was able to find this place. The post containing the link disappeared before I could see it. The link he just posted will probably disappear soon as well.

Anyway, glad to be back among friends. I have found this to be one of the most peaceful, friendly forums on the 'net. Good to be here.

Tom

I still can't post a picture from our Gallery: I can put a working link into my posts, but getting the actual picture there is what I want to do. Personally, I almost never click on links, and I don't want other people to have to either, as it makes it difficult to follow a "how-to" or an illustrated "story".

Wayne

How about everyone going back to your profiles and if you haven't listed where you are from do so now. It really means a lot to me and others to, I know, to know where someone is from. Thanks very much.

Bob Collins
Council Bluffs, Iowa and before that Rolla, Missoui and before that.................oh never mind, you get the drift!!

Hi All,

Getting used to the forum here and look forward to being here

Here is my layout in N scale using the NCE procab.

After almost three years and a house move i made a start in earnest on my N gauge layout 'MORGANTH', the boards having been ready for some time used for a workbench whilst chipping my loco collection.



The plan came from a search on the net for a layout to fit the size of board i have ......



Living in a one bedroom flat the layout lives in a corner of the bedroom in an L shape its main dimensions are 6ft X 2FT6'' to the right of the door with a curved section to finish 2ft long at the door end the other board at right angles 6ft X 2 ft an extension in line 4ft X 6'' will bring it also to 2ft 6'' wide where the boards meet being removable if needs be in the future.



Board 1 has the majority of track planned though more will be laid to have a give a good intermodal area, with the upper level leading across the part finished bridge which i have covered with wood planking to the mine..... now the search is on for track with guard rails for the double track bridge.





For the backboards a rock theme is emerging as a good base for scenics with storage tracks the lines passing a waterfall in the corner a large pool under the bridge onto the mine and its storage yard, passenger locos will share the route.

The line at the front of the board here with the turnout serves two purposes ..........



1. To lead on to the turntable and double engine house and fuel pad as i need to turn the 'Big Boy' locos around somewhere goinginto a small storage yard space, a shunter working next to the turntable will add more interest after cars have been left there from the mainline.

2. A programme track very handy for set up and testing.


All in DCC using the NCE power pro, with three auto reversing modules.





The board after cutting out for the enlarged turntable now 12 '' in diameter it was lined with 80 thou black plasticard sheet 30mm deep strips, a second layer of plasticard was applied with more contact glue the joints staggered, after a sanding inside the lining i smeared a thin layer of PVA glue around to give a key for the two layers of plastercloth applied to give a smooth finish and cover the joints in the plastic a wet sponge helps to smooth the cloth.



I decided to build a tunnel towards the upper level from polystrene for weight lessenning and speed of construction it will form scenery at the end of board one it looks basic now but a covering of plastercloth once the basic shape has been formed with the hot wire cutter.



After covering in plastercloth.

The backboards had polystyrene block cut thin applied, after using a chisel to dig bits out ( messy process ) this is the result.



Covered with plastercloth worked into the nooks and crannies well with plenty of water and the handle of a paintbrush a good covering of pigment/paint and it will be ready for dry brushing to pick out the details.



A trial fit of the bridge though it will go a lot further towards the corner still at an angle.



To finish a few snaps up against the rockface which has recieve its first coats of pigment though an overall covering of white is on the cards.
I couldnt resist runnig my Kato Southern Pacific SD40 - 3 with Con Cor bilevel cars by it.











One of my latest conversions to DCC Kato/Con Cor U-50



One of a pair of Kato PA1'S in my photobox.