Grain Terminal Build


The former geologist in me found that very interesting, Rico. I'm also very impressed they stood it back up and it's still in use. And they did it without hydraulics, just horses, steam and screw power.
 
Tom - I always love seeing a layout with huge industrial structures on it! I lived in southeast Michigan the first 13 years of my life and developed a lifelong passion for steel mills and the lakeboats that served them. My dream was to model an industrial river scene like that of Buffalo, NY, which had both a steel mill but also lots of grain elevators lining the waterfront, like their "Elevator Alley": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grain_elevator#/media/File:Elevator_Alley.jpg

...of course this was decades before I was mature enough to understand the impracticality of modeling a busy Lake port! 🙃 Had to settle for a steel mill only...

BTW - if you're still looking for ideas on realistic-looking concrete-colored paint, I can show you what I used on a coaling tower: Krylon Ultra-Flat Khaki in a rattle can. in normal lighting it looks a lot like aged concrete - and no acrylic "sheen" whatsoever.

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(The glare from the incandescent floodlamp makes it look more pale than it actually is...)
 
Tom - I always love seeing a layout with huge industrial structures on it! I lived in southeast Michigan the first 13 years of my life and developed a lifelong passion for steel mills and the lakeboats that served them. My dream was to model an industrial river scene like that of Buffalo, NY, which had both a steel mill but also lots of grain elevators lining the waterfront, like their "Elevator Alley": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grain_elevator#/media/File:Elevator_Alley.jpg

...of course this was decades before I was mature enough to understand the impracticality of modeling a busy Lake port! 🙃 Had to settle for a steel mill only...

BTW - if you're still looking for ideas on realistic-looking concrete-colored paint, I can show you what I used on a coaling tower: Krylon Ultra-Flat Khaki in a rattle can. in normal lighting it looks a lot like aged concrete - and no acrylic "sheen" whatsoever.

View attachment 123020

(The glare from the incandescent floodlamp makes it look more pale than it actually is...)

Thanks Ken. I had the wife stop at the hardware store as our Fleet Farm is not restocking rattle cans. Before reading this post purchased the Khaki camo. Will try it tomorrow .

in 2013 planning the layout I thought long and hard about Elevator Alley in Buffalo. But then I realized I wanted something I knew which was the Chicago Southside around the Ford Assembly plant and the Calumet River. Didn‘t have the room then. Finally settled on the Valley Sub in Central Wisconsin’s currently owed by CN. I lived there from 1976 till retirement in 2014 and was extremely familiar with it.

I know concrete colors after basically every pour can be different. Everything I have mixed has been too dark IMO. Hopefully the Camo flat Khaki works. If not I have a bunch (too much) paints supposed to be here Monday.

TomO
 
Thanks Ken. I had the wife stop at the hardware store as our Fleet Farm is not restocking rattle cans. Before reading this post purchased the Khaki camo. Will try it tomorrow .

My LHS stopped selling spray cans of hobby paints because in the city where he has has his shop has strict rules governing the display of the paints to prevent shoplifting and heavy licensing fees. It's ashamed that the hobbyist and dealers are the ones being punished because of the actions of a few. How far will a Tester's can of paint go when a vandals are painting a side of a building or box car?

Greg
 
Pictures of the ultra flat camo Khaki paint on the silo. Thanks to Ken I am happier with this color. Much happier even now then when I first painted it this morning. The spray can overwhelmed my paint booth vent which shocked me. More paint tomorrow after I inspect it again. The can sprayed very nicely.

TomO

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Yep I think they look the same. Now after dropping that set of silos I have to glue them back together and I may need to putty the break line if it doesn’t tighten up. Thanks again Rico.

I now need to do the other silos finish off the tall scratch elevator complex and then finish the bash of the headhouses, create the conveyors, decide where on the layout this all goes and run my fiber optics to light it all up.

TomO
 
The frustration as mentioned in this morning’s Diner has been alleviated. I decided on one of the original placements and I can live with this one:

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Over the next few days I will install the LEDs above the complex and add the valances. I cut down the wet/dry silos from 12 to 4 and you can see where they be placed. Adding the concrete roadways and laying the track will happen over the next couple weeks. My paints expected on Monday are still not here and UPS now only says picked up where they were showing the Monday delivery. Still having fun!

Thanks for following along
TomO
 
Another what was I thinking moment. I dislike painting but usually I can create something I like. I have been playing with colors that look like concrete, on sample pieces of styrene. Friday, I decided time to do the elevator building’s scratch portion. Hand brushed the prime and looks good. Friday night I take the finish color and start sponging it on. Thought it looked great a few hours later before I hit the sack. Yesterday Terry asks why I screwed up that pieces of the grain thing you are building. Said I didn’t. Turns out I was sloppy in my sponge work and about 15 of the 21 windows have paint on the glass. I never noticed.

I popped the windows and frame (thanks canopy glue) then I tried mineral spirits on a q-tip. Tried a knife blade and it is not working. So,
what do you guys use to remove paint from model glass.

The rest of the building I have covered the windows and will be sponging on yet this afternoon.

TomO
 
I think you'll end up replacing the glass. It's hard to remove most types of paint without leaving a residue on the glazing. I keep the clear plastic packaging from items I've purchased and can cut them into pieces for window glazing. This avoids purchasing new window glazing.

Great job on the complex.

Greg
 
Rico, Greg, Willie. Unfortunately you confirmed what I figured. They were so nicely done to, all the sash was nicely painted and I ruined them. Good thing, I actually have more then enough to replace them.

Thanks
TomO
 
Hello

back at it as the glass has been replaced in the Elevator building. I put some 1/2” dry wall down for the base of the complex, when I get it glued today I will post a picture. At the bench are the 4 wet/dry bins to complete the main structure. I started remembering what a PITB these are, but slow like the tortoise , the animal guys not the switch mechanism. Also, received some weathering paints from Vallejo that I tell myself is for the grain cars but will appear on the sides of the silos and elevator. Back to having fun again on this project.

TomO

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