Introducing The PistonBroke Line

[sgtcarl1]

So...have you blasted through that fuse box,yet???

[OBJack]

Thanks for the comments guys, you sure know how to humour an old man, I do get a bit worried at times though, when I write stuff up like I do that I might offend the real modelers among you, but having only found this hobby a while ago I don't really know much about trains or modeling, until 24 months ago I had never entered a forum, or even knew they existed for things such as this.
I only found out by chance when trying to find a track plan of sorts.....any sorts......at all.....any how...any way...
I know I need to get out more.
Then it took quite a while of being a "Lurk" :? before plucking up enough courage to join one.
As for model RR I did'nt know Jack..........
..........about flexitrack, about DCC, about modelling products,about how tos, and terms like bashing, kitbashing, what a 2-8-4 was,or 0-6-0, and you realise the list goes on. Oh, The money I've wasted so I guess this is my way of having a blast and enjoying the ride.
So thanks for your support iis612, I appreciate the comment.

All your feed back :hey: is a boost to the ego and is sure to prolong my enthusiasm for the journey.
I do love the learning and the practical hands on bits.... like when the sparks fly ....or when something actually works or looks how it is meant to..... and wonder why I didn't stumble upon the hobby years ago. I find it very relaxing....most times.
Boy oh Boy, I seem to rabbit on and get nowhere,...Sooo...

....while you are sleeping..............well at least some of you........I will attempt to give a shareholders view of this weeks update of the progress on the Pistonbroke RR.

So...have you blasted through that fuse box,yet???

Ahhhhh Carl,... alas, Just as I had quietly and unobtrusively managed to place the double-bed matteress over the face of "The War Office" so she couldn't hear what I was about to do, She twigged that something was amiss,and we had to abort the plan (at great expense to the management I might add), although she assured me that it would have been a greater travesty had the mission gone ahead. Ah well that's marraige Give, Give, Give, Give, then give in.


I had better post a few Pics for those that can't read
We tried our hand at building a tunnel a while ago, its not finished because I want to make some alterations, but it was a learning thingy,

Here goes

The two outside walls & entrances

And

Some inside walls

Paint the inside & put some card over the top

A bit of lattice work and plaster cloth stuff

Then coated that with some plaster of paris..... I think

If only I could buy (steal?) more Realestate This edge would be the Ocean

Track has Ballast and the rocks are forming

And

South end

All the colours of the rainbow at the moment before the final wash to tone them all down meld them together

North entrance

I cut a hole in the top to get at stranded trains

Which I hope I can camouflage later

Just about there

And

I want to put this flashing lighthouse on top

But it may lose its keepers hut

and I will have to flatten the top somewhat I think

Anyway here is where we are at the moment

I still think the blasting Idea would have worked. Then I would have had a real tunnel

OK,
If your computer is not all glued up after downloading all this junk and is still running, then you have the opportunity to join us at the next general meetin' of the Pistonbroke Line.
There will be no warning when,
So stand by.

Outback
Jack

[Will_Annand]

Looking good Jack, I like the lighthouse and Keeper's house up there. I think it will be one of the focal points on the layout.

The rockwork looks good from here as well, glad you made the escape hatch so yu could reach in. Sure as heck that is where a car will jump the tracks and get stuck, never fails.

[Charlie B]

Jack,
I have been following this thread since you started it, and I'm so impressed. Great work.
You are an inspiration to all of us that are in the armchair modeling phase.
Charlie

[tetters]

I love the light house. Sure to be a focal point on your layout Jack. You are doing some pretty fine work and don't worry about the so called experts we all have to learn our own way.

Someone has a quote in their signature that says, "I've learned more from my mistakes, then from listening to the advice of others." Truer words have never been spoken. Keep up the good work!

[Trucklover]

Jack that is absolutely BEAUTIFUL work on that mountain!!! Im blown away at how realistic you have made that look!!

[iis612]

Jack,

I meant no disrepect in my previous post. It was intended as a compliment. I truely do enjoy your presentation.
For someone who makes the claim to know nothing of model railroading, you have one gorgeous layout. I am glued to your thread, waiting for each update.

Matt

[OBJack]

Thanks Will and Charlie for the comments. You sure got that right about the derailment thing Will, and "Murphy" is the guy who causes them, so if we find him, we won't need those hatches.
Armchair, wheelchair, highchair, anychair, is a good modeling phase Charlie............. s'long as it isn't an electric chair, I think that would be the stopper. hock:
I'm glad you think the mountain is sweet Josh. I have great difficulty with colours, it still needs more work I know, but we move on, think about, it and have another go later.

I love the light house. Sure to be a focal point on your layout Jack. You are doing some pretty fine work and don't worry about the so called experts we all have to learn our own way.

Someone has a quote in their signature that says, "I've learned more from my mistakes, then from listening to the advice of others." Truer words have never been spoken. Keep up the good work!

The support is gratefully received Tetters, When referring to the real modelers, I meant those who actually know what they are talking about, and not like me who doesn't know an Athern EMDE8A from a Kato EMD GP35 (if they exist) but just enjoy the hobby at face value. Oh, I do try and learn this stuff, but I really like the challenge of the hands on modeling, and the electrical ideas, both of which I had no previous knowledge, and seeing things work that I have created.
So I guess I will just keep going this way until someone kicks me out.

Jack,
I meant no disrepect in my previous post. It was intended as a compliment. I truely do enjoy your presentation.
For someone who makes the claim to know nothing of model railroading, you have one gorgeous layout. I am glued to your thread, waiting for each update.
Matt

Hey ya Matt,
No, no, no, no, no, ....I took it as a compliment, a very warmly received compliment, I took it as someone who can see where I am coming from.
With no disrespect to the rivet counters, I can't be more specific with my hobby because I don't know where all the rivets are! :oops: but I still love what I have found, want to be upbeat about it and have some fun with it, and not get bogged down in technicalities of which I know nothing about.
If you like it, stick around buddy, 'cause I ain't goin' anywhere. Well not for a while anyway.


Jack

[Spitfire]

Jack, you are making incredible progress here! Way to go!!!!! I only wish I had your dedication..

cheers
Val

[iis612]

Jack,

Thank goodness. I was really worried that I came off the wrong way. Your layout really is incredible.
I saw in one of your earlier posts that you have trouble with colors. From the pics that you have posted, I don't see it that way. I think your colors are spot on. But, with that being said, we artistic types seem to be our own worst critics.
I can't wait to see more.

Matt

[LynnB]

You sure made that look easy Jack.

[Russ Bellinis]

I like it Jack. If you are stuck on how to hide the access panel for the tunnel, you could build a flat terrace over the access hatch and move the lighthouse keeper's house.

[OBJack]

Good evening/ morning, Boys and Girls,
Very nearly missed the deadline for this lesson on ol' Jacks futile attempts to create a working RR.
Our ISP has been down all morning, and so the Master has been very Tichy, and "The War Office " has stayed well out of reach. But all is now right with the world, and order has been restored

Another bit of scenery for you this week, another 10 minutes out of your life put to no useful purpose, and another heap of ASCII characters confusing the motherboards of computers everywhere.
It is up the cliff face end of the layout (notice how each part of the Pistonbroke has its own unique name) that I am trying to create a valley between the unfinished River below the cliffs,.. and maybe, put a little mine on the hill that this will create.
Famous last words, 'cause nothing here ever finishes the way it was meant to finish.

Here is the realestate

A few bits of foam offcut

Hey you hafta work with wot you got

Then its out with the sticky stuff

Then I bevelled the edges

Which I saved and used here....... along the side

Here's one I prepared earlier

Then threw some wet plaster clother over it bind it all together

And add some brown looking stuff

Then "The War Office" planted some shrubs and a few rocks

The layout police flew over to check on progress

Up the far end of this picture you may be able to see the end (at the moment ) of this hill.....

Now I am going to sow that to pasture and sink a water hole

Drought times ....No water in that dam yet.

And plant a few sheep

and of course the fencing contractors have been busy

Something has happened to the Mouse thing this end, I can't finish the post at the moment so will log off and come back and see if everything else comes back with me.
OK ...back again ....
Must have been "The WarOffice " giving me a tactful hint that the "Honey Dos" are still pending.

Here are the last photos

Better make that the last Photo "The War Office " says she has a surprise for me, so had better go........
......... Also my ear is hurting ............
......where she has hold of it.



Little
Jack
Horner


is now sitting in his corner

[Charlie B]

Hi Jack,
That is just one fab layout. I have been following along, just lurking, but I figure I had best let my interest be known so you keep posting the progress.
Charlie

[LiveSteamer]

Jack the layout is amazing. Keep up the great work you are doing.