UP SD40-2's NEW Layout

[Charlie B]

Deano, I am so sorry to read that your sister had died. I will pray for your sister in law. We all need to pray for a cure to this tragic life ending disease. 
Charlie

[UP SD40-2]

Thank you so much, Ed, Don and Charlie

Sadly, we found out today that Dawn has stage 4 cancer  , I wont be saying anymore on this, but thank you guys.

[tompm]

Deano

Deeply sorry for the loss of sister and we will keep your sister-in-law in our prayers.

[UP SD40-2]

I have been slowly building the barn, and just this week got back into the farm area, honestly, how could I have a Wisconsin based layout without a Dairy farm  . Sure, the small town edge was ok, but this really goes much better with the rest of the layout. A few pics here of the start of the farm...








This side of the layout has no hills or elevation of any kind on it, its just flat, plywood central, SO, I plan on making a hill in this area to make it a bit more interesting. Still playing around with some ideas, but in my mind I can see it, I think it will be a great addition   .

ALSO, I have decided to build a 2'x9' add on that will be packed with a lot of switching opportunities   . That will happen sometime down the road a bit, have to clean an area in the basement for my wife's project. This will give me some time to really put thought into the area, I for sure want to put a big grain facility in, and have thoughts on a couple other industries. 

Well, thats all for now, I'll post more as I get further along   .

[tompm]

Nice job on the barn and the dairy farm. Curious to see how it turns out.

[ezdays]

Neat, I love that milk truck too...

[UP SD40-2]

Thank you! , Tom and Don  

Well, some progress has been made since my last post, but first, I have acquired TWO NEW engines, YAY! 
First one is a Milwaukee Road SD40-2 with the rare Hiawatha emblem on the front hood, I love it! Honestly, I try and keep my layout set in about the 2006 time frame, so it kinda puts this engine out, but I'll run it with my Wisconsin Central engines, as if it was never painted, NO weathering on it though, I really want to keep it nice.


Second, I added a NS Dash 9 as barrowed power on my UP trains, I really had no barrowed power, and I see NS on UP trains often, ALSO, my Wifes father and Grandfather work for NW and NS, so it made sense to add that road...




AS for progress on the farm project, I got the barn and silo painted. Painting ended up being a challenge as NONE of the colors I had were the exact colors I wanted, so I ended up having to mix EVERY color on this whole project, like for the barn I didnt have anything close, so I took candy red and magenta and mixed them to my liking, it was like that for everything on this project. I wanted the barn to be weathered but not dilapidated, I mean I wanted wear, but yet a well kept working farm. 
After I paint on the barn was dry, I took a red scotch bright pad and with down stroke motions, I took away some of the paint to make it look like the paint was fading, the I weathered it giving it a worn look, but not horribly bad. the white trim had turned grayish and chipped off from time and weathering. I really couldnt find any paints to simulate the limestone look I wanted for the lower rock work, so I did best as I could mixing various colors to achieve it, I think the whole think came out ok, you be the judge on that.

I also done the plastering work I needed, heres some progress shots of the area/ work so far...












I thought I had enough room to do the Farm area without getting to close to the tracks, but it just didnt work out, it was hard to compress it but this is as good as it gets for that, it will have to work. Next up is all the ground cover, gravel, dirt, grass and some trees, I'll post the progress as it happens. 

Till next time...

[tompm]

I love those locos. The Milwaukee unit looks awesome. I would make an exception for that loco even on my sort of anthracite based layout.

The barn, the silo, the foundation; what can I say they look perfect. Great job!

[Schraddel]

Hello Deano,

yes there is some progress to be seen. Finding a place for the barn is also a barn find


Lutz

[Tyson Rayles]

Been awhile since I checked in on this thread. The layout is looking great!

[cn nutbar]

Hi Deano---some really great additions to your beautiful layout.Your new locomotives make perfect sense especially with the personal connections to family---my Leetown Division is a personal connection to my family's heritage.

[UP SD40-2]

Thank you so much guys!  

I have a couple more pics of the NEW Scale Trains, rivet counter edition, Milwaukee Road SD40-2   

My research skills are horrible these days, for the life of me I can not find anything about why the Milwaukee had a small number of SD40-2's with the Hiawatha logo on the front. I have seen many Pics of these, NONE ran any kind of passenger service that I had seen, they all carried freight, have no idea what the significance of the logo is on these few engines.
 

[tompm]

Deano

That is one sweet loco.

How does it run?

[TMo]

Ever thought about an eye-height layout? Before you get too far, it would be my only major thought. Running trains right past your nose is pretty darn cool and the photos ops are special.

[doctorwayne]

An eye-level layout is good for viewing but sometimes not so good when you're working on it.  My around-the-room layout is approximately 1/3 eye-level, and 2/3 not, but still viewable at near eye-level when following the trains on rolling office-type chairs.

The depth of the upper level at the end of one of the layout's aisles was also an issue, as the reach-in for painting the rails was out-of-reach, even when standing on a step-stool. 
I solved that issue by using a step ladder, which allowed me to paint both the visible side of the track and the not-normally-seen backside of the rails, while laying atop the the layout. 
I do, occasionally, take layout pictures with the camera on-layout and facing the aisle-ways, too.

When I want to take eye-level photos of the lower level, I simply adjust the camera's tripod appropriately, and likewise if I want to photograph on the upper level (which is only 1/3 "done").
Adding the partial upper level did make it difficult to photograph aerial views of the main level, without getting the support system also in the frame.

Wayne