getting back into it~

[UP2CSX]

Is there any way you can move that right hand edge of the table away from the wall about two feet? You are going to have a terrible reach problem on that corner if you don't make some kind of aisleway now.

 

[Airslide]

the corner is about 5 feet from the wall/corner. right now i have easy access to all 4 sides and i will have to keep it like that way until it's complete. landscaping and all. you cant really see it in the photo. my camera is a dinosaur. I was considering the reach issue though. ultimately, the length end of the table will be against the wall with the clouds. the remaining 3 sides will have easy access.

 

[Airslide]

ok, so i have had the oportunity to work on my layout a little here and there. I toned the layout plan down considerably since i first took interest and figured once i get this one done, I can expand it or start a much bigger one. As I have already said, this is more of an experience thing for me right now. not to mention i have lured a couple of friends into the hobby as well they have been coming by to see what im up to and are talking about cleaning out their attics/basements and may join the ranks.

i got the main line roadbed down (i was actually about 2 feet shy) and part of one of the sidings.

some photos of the progress - sorry about the poor quality.

the spur will be a sand/cement yard. I just ordered a walthers conveyerbelt kit which should be here by the end of the week. I am going to try and fit it between the main and the spur. i didnt really figure the bottom load grate into the equasion before i laid the roadbed... my son was helping me this weekend and insisted on installing the trees and grass in that little corner. I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions about anything household i could use for sand. real sand is obviously too coarse to replicate the real thing.

a modest attempt at a scratchbuilt house. its finished now and ill be using fine black sandpaper for the roof. this is my second one. its getting a little easier, but im still not satisfied with the results. went looking in michaels for styrene and everyone was looking at me like i was crazy. i have seen styrene sheets (brick and siding) but i cant seem to find it now. does anyone know where i can order just raw sheets of brick or siding styrene for HO?

the tacks are what will eventually be a warehouse loading dock. the kansas city and ventura county around to ensuring allignment as the track is laid before the adhesives dry.


i am also looking for rr crossings suggestions. has anyone ever used joint compound for the road between the rails? seems like it would look good, but probably hard to do, and very messy. I saw some wooden 'old style' ones in another thread and might go with that.


stay tuned....

 

[OldGettysk]

I like it so far . wouldn't recomend joint compound for crossings though ! I like the Blair Wood Crossings myself but I model the pre seventies so there wasn't to many modern crossings .

 

[Rotorranch]

Airslide...not sure exactly where in Terminus you are. Bob at Riverdale Station should have some styrene sheets. The Hobby Stop in PTC had a pretty good selection of styrene the last time I was in there. Allison's or Rob-U-Town in Newnan may have it. There's also The Hobby Shop in Stockbridge.

Used to be a great place on Peachtree Ind. Blvd. called "Gandy Dancers", but last time I called there, no one answered the phone.

Atlanta Trains is still around, too.

Rotor

 

[Airslide]

i remember going to gandy dancers, years ago - before i got back into the hobby. just looking for patches then. last time i rode marta that far i didnt remember seeing it. and when i google search hobby shops in the metro area it dosent come up. im assuming they are out of business...with gas at 3.25 i wont be going out there any time soon.
ill check riverdale station next time im there. thanks for the tip(s).
lol, terminus..nice touch.

as for the blair wood crossings, i am modeling mid 90s and so i kind of figured those were no longer around. i know where some real ones are but they are mainly on unpaved roads back roads and are extremely rough. worse case scenario ill just have to buy a couple.

also wondering how you go about uncoupling cars. ill have a small 4 lane yard for car storage. seems like im always having to take the car off the track to uncouple it safely. i checked on some mechanical devices that install under the track, but i dont think i need that for a 4X8 layout. is there an easier, manual way of doing it with the car(s) on the track?

 

[Rotorranch]

also wondering how you go about uncoupling cars. ill have a small 4 lane yard for car storage. seems like im always having to take the car off the track to uncouple it safely. i checked on some mechanical devices that install under the track, but i dont think i need that for a 4X8 layout. is there an easier, manual way of doing it with the car(s) on the track?

I have Kadee electromagnets for the layout. As with most things on my RR, they aren't installed yet. I like the idea, and hope it works OK. I also have Kadee magnets, but haven't used them yet, either.

I also have a hand held magnet uncoupler. I forget who makes it, maybe Rix? It works OK, but you have to move the cars by hand.

I think most folks on this forum will suggest bamboo skewers for uncoupling.

Rotor

 

[Airslide]

ok - i have been working on my layout a little here and there since the last time i posted and am starting to see some progress. thought id fish for some feedback and criticizm (constructive or otherwise).

the LaFarge plant is near completion. I do not plan to keep the excavator in the scene. It is not even close to scale. i used real sand but plan on adding more with a finer sifter. some of the grains are too big.

sorry, but i dont have a SLR yet so the shots are kind of blury. maybe ill get one tomorrow.

final roadbed for the yard will get glued tonight. the grandparents are babysitting *YAY* the inside track will house some non operable F units i have. sort of a dead track with non operable power kind of thing. i kept thinking there is a better way to make the yard leveled with the main, like the roadland scenics roadbed sheets, but i went with individual roadbed instead. also been working on my handpainted graffiti skills.

i just bought my first structure kit today which is the walthers merhant row. Even though i am modeling a later era (early-mid 90s), i want to model this structure to look like retro buildings i.e. cafe's, barber shop, maybe a jazz club even...havent decided on the actual stores yet. I was looking for some instructions on how to paint the bricks to make them look like brick. i got some tips from another thread, but im unsure how to start. any help is welcomed. Ill be fine on the cils and window panes, but getting the brick to that dull aged state is what im missing. any help is appreciated. as well any other feedback is welcomed.

 

[Airslide]

well, i have made some progress with the merchant row kit. I saw a model power citybank building i want to get. it looks a little toyish compaired to the walthers kits. but a lot of the walthers stuff does not fit within my era. I tried to paint the merhant row in bright colors to give it gentrification look, as if the buildings were recently remodeled and have now become "retro"

here is a weathering project i am working on. amazingly i found a prototype with the exact same numbers as a railbox car that I have. I immediately knew i was going to try and replicate it. it also gave me a chance to try my hand at doing some hand drawn graffiti. here is the protype and the model, in progress. im strongly considering purchasing an airbrush to complete this and other projects.

I have been trying to locate some more modern industrial park type warehouse buildings that started becoming fairly common in the 1990s. nu-line has these and they are perfect. exactally what i am looking for.

but they are out of stock on these items. However, the more I look at these structures, the more I think i could scratchbuild something similar and just buy the gates doors and skylights. has anyone ever used these or built anything similar?

 

[OldGettysk]

Looks like your plan is moving along nicely !!!

 

[UP2CSX]

Looks like things are coming along. Nice job on the Merchants Row kit. As far as the modern warehouse/factory, you can scratchbuild one using sheet styrene and door and window parts from Plastistruct. I don't know where you checked for the Nu-line kits but check some other site like www.modeltrainstuff.com since they may still have some in stock.

Edit: See http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/product_p/541-0004.htm. Pikestuff makes some nice kits and the one shown looks like what you need. It would be tough to scratchbuild the same thing for $12.

 

[Airslide]

well after two years of "getting back into" the hobby i have been reluctantly forced to take another hiatus. the time and finincial committment is out of reach at the moment.
i have reduced my layout to storage and a small workspace. i have been working on some weathering projects and will continue for the next few years.

most recent project:

i also want to take the time to begin realistically planning my actuall layout. i have a 23X22 space to work with. there are however 3 doors, furnace and utility access and a small crawl space door. anyone have ideas, suggestions, thoughts, photos etc., of layouts that pass doors. i was considering maybe a drawbridge deal. is that feasible in HO? here is a crude diagram of the space, it is a 2 car garrage the previous owners converted to a livable space.