East Terminal & Newburgh

[Schraddel]

Yeah Lutz,

you know we allways look forward and double Mainline getting in focus.
It would not be that I take FLATS in the main, but who knows what happens.

Unfortunally we had no meeting this year, so we hope to next year.

Hello,

that is really a pity but we take Covid 19 seriuosly here.
Flats is indeed an industrial area and therefore not suitable to take mainline traffic. Hardy and i had some discussions about there and both we are still  practice the rules of civilized discussion culture are able to work out a consensus in peaceful manner without instigating a civil war
But Flats Extension was then built to mainline standards (for emergency purposes only).

How Flats Extension innitial was planned was posted 22nd October, 2020 and here is what it looks after actual realisation:

There are 2 tracks with Code 83 rails now running from end to end of the module. Their centers are 50mm apart.
They are connected by the means of 2 Atlas Code 83 #8 switches. To get there the cork roadbed was complemented and revised. The tracks were just nailed down here.





After nailing the missing sleepers were completed. For this i took pieces of scale lumber because i detected this is an easier task than  whittling plastic sleepers.





After cutting the sleepers in suitable lenghts, thes were fastened with white glue to the roadbed.
First wires for uninterrupted current supply appeared. At least all the rail joiners will take only the mechanical part of the connection of rails.





So here we are. The overlaying tracks will be later cut flush with the module ends.





Here is the beginning of a further example of my archaic switch actuators.

And from now on, i have not any more pictures taken of the progress until Flats Extension was operable. This was caused by compassionate grounds.


Lutz

[Schraddel]

Hello,

the public premiere was then at the SWD meeting in Ubstadt 2019:


The tracks were ballasted and weathered.





The module Flats Extension from above.





Detail photo of switch and transition to module #5.





Detail photo of legs and leg holder. The legs are 2cm x 2cm wood profile and the leg holders are made out of aluminium square tubes with inner measures of 2,2cm x 2,2cm. 





Detail of switch actuator.





The whole switch actuator. There is a push-pull rod which which a) actuates the electrical double toggle switch and b) by the means of the rocker both switches simultaneousley. Also both frogs are juiced with the correct polarity.





The first presenting of the plastic pellet facility in public.





The new refrigerated warehouse of Flats Cold Storage.


Lutz

[Schraddel]

Hello,

during the convention when Flats was set in modern era this disturbed me:

There is a gap where i had placed the tanker-trailer truck.





Back from the convention, i purchased a Pikestuff Kit from Rix which my dealer had in stock. This was the so called Tri-Star Industries kit for a modern prefab building.



After some experimentation, try and error i came out with this.
Only 4cm deep this will be a new warehouse for MFG Autoparts.
As told, some old industries disappeared and some new business turned up. Here MFG Autoparts has aquired the estate of an former bygone company for the expansion of their own business.





Included in the warehouse are the offices for the chief storekeeper and the forwarding agent.
Both rolling shutter gates are primarly for fork lifts running into and out of the warehouse. For the safety of pedestrians there are separate doorways. So the traffic is strictly separated and the risk of accident significant lowered.





So the company MFG Autoparts is now expanded. The buildings are still loosely set.





After doing some paint job, i decided not to paint the panels. They will keep their plastic look as the panels of the prototype are overcoated with plastic in real. Just the same prefab factory buildings are here in EU already established too.





I purchased two modern forklifts too. They are from Wiking and represent the newest modells of Still. Especialls the big one with it's 4 forks is impressive.


Lutz

[Tyson Rayles]

Looking good!

[tetters]

Nice work Lutz. The modules look great.

[Schraddel]

Hello,

still some messing around with modern era outfittings:

This is made out of the leftovers of the Pikestuff kit.



In spring 2020 Jürgen visited me and made some weathering for me, while i repaired and upgraded some locos for him:


























The traffis is lazy rolling aside the rush hour. Nobody is speeding or making forbidden turns and Sheriff Buford T. Justice Jr. Jr. is bored to death.

Note the bridge railings were exchanged for new ones in concrete. I hope these will be more durable than the iron ones mounted before.


Lutz

[Tyson Rayles]

Overpass and road look great!

[Schraddel]

To make overpass look great again and to overcome the cat hurricane, i started a reforesting program:


















I treated this all with hair-fixing spray, the cheapo sort for concrete type hairstyle. Since then the cats showed no interests.


Lutz

[Schraddel]

Hello,

the next chapter starts here. This time Flats is moving into the past. Several years ago i purchased the brick building of the Middlesex Manufactoring plastic kit from Atlas.
The kit bashing begun when i painted the walls somewhat brick coloured and the windows in a dark green. The windows and doors in the kit all were coulored in a very bright red.

Because of the limited available space this Atlas kit has to be converted into a background building. So no kit building by manual as usual here again.


Mounting the loading doors and window sashs. The letters are marking how the parts of the kit has now to be connected.





Some walls were connected and the joints reinforced.





Futher progress.





Corners were made and the windows glassed.





A first impression with lose arranged wall elements.


Lutz

[BR60103]

Lutz: I bought one of those maybe 4 years ago. Or more. It's now sitting against a backdrop with most of the walls taped together in one long piece. I don't really have space to make it as designed.
I like the corner you made.

[Schraddel]

Hello,

put it onto the layout a have a look:




A otherwise flat backgroung building with a projecting part.





Adding a loading dock to bridge the gap between building front and track.





The whole arrangement.





A small loading deck for truck loading was added.





And the most significant, an entrance for the varnish.

Still all is loose, so changes can easily be made.


Lutz

[Schraddel]

Hello,

testing:


Two 40' boxcars, loadings dock shifted to the right.





Three of them, still no problem but this is the limit.





Loading dock shifted left.






Three boxcars. A little bit ugly because the coupler of the car on the left is just above where the track begins to curve.


Lutz

[Tyson Rayles]

Impressive structure!

[doctorwayne]

Impressive structure!

I agree!

I've always admired that Atlas structure, and finally got around to buying one.  I'll be butchering it a bit, too, in order to make it into part of the Hepworth Furniture Company, a icon from my childhood memories.

Wayne

[Schraddel]

Hello,

thank you.



The overlook. Note the highway overpass is temporarly not there. There are changes in planning stage to reach still further into bygone eras.





My idea for transporting this building. The smaller part can be stacked into the bigger part.





I made some vent pipes out of suitable cast frames.





Some time-honoured chimneys beside rather modern vents. The big one is from Walthers, but lacked a driving motor for the fan. So i made one out ouf a piece of round stock.





And as of now this business has name: Hausheer & Son Ship Chandlers.


Lutz