The Ralston Midland

[UP2CSX]

Great looking track work and layout so far. I kind of like switching puzzles too if I have the room. Looks like you did a good job planning for your grade, somethng a lot of modelers don't. The only thing that makes me cringe is that section of grade that curves right to the edge of the layout. That's prime territory of a derailment and you best engine in pieces on the floor. I'd think about some kind of above grade retaining wall or even decorative fencing to keep your train on the tracks when the inevitable derailment occurs.

 

[Walschaerts]

Yeah, we're actually working on the edge of the layout Wednesday night. We're going to basically build a wall in that area, and have all the scenery slope down towards the grade/track. Nothing special, just a plywood strip to make the edge of the bench work look a little neater.

 

[Walschaerts]

Last Saturday's goal, clean up the tangle mess of wires....

Turntable control box

Wiring behind control box. The blue power pack on the leg of the benchwork provides power to the table.

MRC Prodigy Advance

Main feed wires, wish I had a staple gun so i could attach them to the underside of the bench work but I had to settle for tape.

 

[Walschaerts]

Since my dad was away we fired up his saw and made a few strips of wood to cover up the exposed edge of foam.

We liked how it looked and plan on "dressing up" the edge of the whole layout in the near future.

The strips where cut out of the other side of the 4X8 that made up the part of the bench work for the engine terminal.

A similar set up will be used to protect trains from falling off the bench work coming down the grade. The wood will be build up a few inches to provide protection.

Corner

Side

I have one question though, what would you do with the space between the edge of the foam and the plywood? Suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Rotorranch]

I have one question though, what would you do with the space between the edge of the foam and the plywood? Suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Shrubbery? Bushes? Weeds? Rocks?

Rotor

 

[Alcomotive]

[/QUOTE]

Main feed wires, wish I had a staple gun so i could attach them to the underside of the bench work but I had to settle for tape.[/QUOTE]


Best not to use staples, them things can get into the insulation of the wires if you are not careful it can cause shorts and what not....

 

[UP2CSX]

The trim piece will look good and is something you really need to keep trains off the floor. As far as the gap, just get some leftover foam, cut it to about the right size and shape, and jam it in there. Use Rotor's suggestions to cover it up and it will look fine.

For wire management, these clips at http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...&cp=2032058.2032237.2032317&parentPage=family work great. The adhesive is super strong and you can run multiple wires through each clip. They snap open and closed so it's easy to add another wire to the bundle if the need arises. Much better than staples, which don't always hold very well and can be the source of mysterious short circuits that will drive you crazy.

 

[Walschaerts]

Tonight's goal: Cut cardboard strips

Well since its a holiday weekend the we decided not to get together this weekend, but of course progress does not stop on the Ralston Midland! Enlisting the help of my brother we cut around 70 strips of cardboard.....fun huh?

One of my friends who is helping with the layout works at burger king and picked up a few boxes.

My brother helping me cut the boxes into strips. (had to pay him $10 though)

Pile of about 40 strips, ready to be glued to the layout.

 

[Walschaerts]

Next: glue the strips onto the layout

Some of the strips are used to finish off the mountain/ tunnel in the corner of the layout. They will also be used to make the hill running behind the mine and the mine yard.

Cardboard netting behind coal mine yard.


Reading though the forums earlier today I read about using masking tape to cover the cardboard netting and to see how the finished mountain will look. Well to keep the long story short, I went through 2 rolls of masking tape and I'm still not completely done.

The hole in the top of the mountian is the access hole so we can reach any derailments in the tunnel. The hole at track level is for the tunnel portal.

Freight coming out of the tunnel.

 

[Walschaerts]

A few of you where concerned about the track curving along the edge of the layout, well we cut a strip of plywood and screwed it to the layout. This is not the finished product yet. We plan on cutting the wood to the dips and hills of scenery when we get to this part of the layout.

So I hope this will prevent any trains from hitting the floor. Well that's it for now.

 

[sparkyftw]

nice build.

I hope I can get a group of people that will help in the building of my layout. My friend said he is on board, but its going to all be learning for us.

I wish I had a whole room to devote to that (or even a corner)

 

[Walschaerts]

Got around to covering the mountain with plaster...

Tunnel portal and retaining wall in place....I finished off the sides of the portal with plaster.....

My new GP-7 pulling a coal train through the newly installed tunnel portal....

 

[UP2CSX]

Glad to see you're still at it. Nice plaster work.

 

[Walschaerts]

I know its been over a year since I made my last post. Things on the railroad have been moving along...somewhat. Since all the track is in place we normally end up running trains more so than working on scenery. With in the last year, we added a few new industries to the railroad.

We replaced the cement company that occuiped this siding with a shipping company. I was really into watching Home Improvement at the time so I named the company "Binford Shipping"

 

[Walschaerts]

One of the guys was really interested in running refers for some reason. So I told him if he built the icing station I would lay the siding for it to go on....

The siding, a little bridge to add interest.

The icing station

People hard at work.

 

[UP2CSX]

Glad to see you're still at it. I often wonder if people who don't post for a while have lost interest or are just hard at work on the layout. Nice ice house and platform. What company made the model?

 

[Walschaerts]

I did manage to work on some scenery in the past year. I focused my attention to the large mountain in the corner of the layout. But before adding any trees ballasted the track running around the corner.

Then I started adding trees, which are made out of poly fiber puff balls

More trees, notice I repainted the rocks. I think I gave them a more realistic color.

The tunnel portal, and more trees. The ones in the foreground are super trees. This was the first batch I ever made, gonna try a different approach the next time around.

Another view, added some ground cover.

 

[Walschaerts]

So pretty much that's it. As you can see not much was done. We did rip up and relay track in a few different areas on the layout, just because it was too tricky to have fun operating, or cause I looked at it and didn't like it for some reason.

The roundhouse and backshop remain untouched.

The New River Mining Company filled with coal hoppers waiting to head to the power plant in Ralston or else where on the vast Pennsy system.

My wireless controller I received for X-mas.

Pennsylvania Railroad K4 exiting the tunnel (before I repainted rocks)

My GP-7 working in the cement company yard. This is one of the areas that we tore up. The cement company has actually been removed from the railroad...

 

[Walschaerts]

Well that's pretty much it. Now that I'm beginning college I'm not sure how much work well be completed in the upcoming months....or years. But the other guys that I'm working with have started air brushing their rolling stock and locomotives, forgot to take pictures before I left, but they are looking pretty good. Guess I can always draw up more plans when I'm not studying....Any questions, just ask!

 

[Trucklover]

WOW looks like you have made some nice progress and some good looking modeling!!

One question though, how the heck did that forklift get up there on the ice platform? I see stairs on either side of it

BTW Jim, i think the Ice Platform is the Walthers kit, but dont quote me on it lol