UP SD40-2's 2021 Do Something Challenge

[UP SD40-2]

THE CHALLENGE CONTINUES...

I been researching old water towers, and found most of the old ones like I have were on cement pedestals and have long grass around them from neglect now. I ended up cutting the base away and reglued the cut out pedestals back on the tower, painted them the same cement gray I use on the layout and weathered them, the pic below only shows I cut them out, not painted or weathered yet. I also repainted the black rubber road crossing pieces, they look so much better flat black. 
 

I had bought two wig wag kits that were not the same as I needed, but I am going to use some parts off them to help out making the wig wags, here's what comes in the kit..


Here is what I am using from the kit, the brass(?) parts bent when I breathed on them, making them unusable...I am almost totally not even kidding on that one. So yeah, here is what I am using...


I always swore I was NEVER going to go with static grass, I had tons of flock I had collected through the years so I never needed to do anything more...guess who is doing static grass now...THIS GUY!
Cripes, yes, I took the leap, and decided to learn it on this challenge. The back area I am doing is kinda hard to take pics of so this really is the best area to learn this static grass process. I did the area around the Diner first, before I realized I should be taking pics. I used 2mm grass in hopes it was short enough to look like a cut lawn, I think it worked out GREAT in that area.


Once I had done that area, and found it wasn't that hard to work with, I then started pulling up all the trees and brush, and taping off the track...
 





After that, I put 2mm and 4mm static grass in the water tower area, and the thin strip of grass buy the road to United Transfer got 2mm, 4mm, and 7mm grass on it...


The rest of the areas got tall 7mm grass, WOW, what a difference it realy makes!






I bought medium AND light grass thinking the mix would be great...I wasnt quite happy, a bit to light still, so while the glue was still wet I sprinkled two darker "saw dust" greens over the grass, then fanned it into the grass so it wasnt on top of it, HUGE IMPROVEMENT! No pics of that, going to wait for all the glue to dry before any more pics are taken. I plan on going to Rockford to pick up some dark grass this weekend.

SO, thats all for this installment. 

Till next time...