Rainier Great Western Const Update

RGW Feb 19, 2007

  1. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

    67,558
    22,733
    653
    Great to see a SNCT box car on your work bench. Big fan.... :)
     
    RGW likes this.
  2. VinceP

    VinceP TrainBoard Member

    1,927
    2,022
    44
    Nice work one and all .
     
  3. Joe Lovett

    Joe Lovett TrainBoard Member

    1,608
    4,575
    62
    You guys have been busy!!! I particularly like the tip about trimming trees on the back, will definitely do that on my layout.

    Thank you for posting your progress.

    Joe
     
  4. RGW

    RGW TrainBoard Member

    2,018
    2,436
    64
    We found that a Dremel was not the best way to trim the branches, it melted them, just use good, strong scissors.

    We use Grand Central Gems for our pine trees, so yours might be different.
     
  5. Joe Lovett

    Joe Lovett TrainBoard Member

    1,608
    4,575
    62
    I'll keep that in mind, Thank you.

    Joe
     
  6. RGW

    RGW TrainBoard Member

    2,018
    2,436
    64
    Well, I've finally completed Black Diamond town hall! Well, not quite, but almost. The building is done except for the roof safety fence and then we get to motorize the revolving door, which will be no small feat. There are also some very small gaps that need filler, but otherwise the structure itself is complete.

    [​IMG]

    I completed the front with window tinting material to simulate reflective glass. The roof has the antenna for fire and police as well as a satellite dish and solar panel (after all we are energy conscience, aren't we?).

    [​IMG]

    Glad to have this one behind me. On to finishing the Shell Station.
     
    RailMix and BoxcabE50 like this.
  7. dalebaker

    dalebaker TrainBoard Member

    1,605
    1,865
    45
    Hey Michael, Walthers make a nice little motorizing kit for some of their kits. I use one on my oil well on the layout. Turned sideways with some extra gearing it ought to turn about right. You guys are pretty shape engineers there, I bet you have it revolving in on time! The building is pretty impressive!

    Dale
     
    Joe Lovett likes this.
  8. RGW

    RGW TrainBoard Member

    2,018
    2,436
    64
    Thx Dale. I'll look that up. Been researching servo motors last couple of hours.
     
  9. RGW

    RGW TrainBoard Member

    2,018
    2,436
    64
    As a follow up to our Tuesday work session, the true highlight was Wain bringing in the yard panels for us to ogle over. He has all the holes drilled and all of the tortoise (red) and routing (green) buttons installed. He also set up a component display in the garage so we could witness the components doing their thing; switching a tortoise, then have the bi-color LEDs switch. It was fun to watch. Here are three panels.

    Franklin

    [​IMG]

    South Seattle

    [​IMG]

    Seattle Pasco

    [​IMG]

    We are all excited to begin installation.
     
  10. VinceP

    VinceP TrainBoard Member

    1,927
    2,022
    44
    Nice looking panel's.
     
    txronharris likes this.
  11. txronharris

    txronharris TrainBoard Member

    1,081
    475
    36
    First class work right there.

    Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
     
    RGW likes this.
  12. RGW

    RGW TrainBoard Member

    2,018
    2,436
    64
    Vince, Ron, thanks for your interest in the RGW. M
     
  13. RGW

    RGW TrainBoard Member

    2,018
    2,436
    64
    Lots of work on the RGW last evening. Rey was detailing flat cars and weathering anything he could get his hands on. Scott was busy working on the tunnel liner. We found a while back we had a pinch point inside a hidden loop, so to address that we cut an opening in the fascia to expose the area. We are now making it a run-through viewing spot. First move was relocating track away from the edge to get more clearance. We tested our longest cars in opposite directions to assure clearance.

    [​IMG]

    Scott prepped the area last week by adding homasote along the back side. Then began working on the tunnel liner.

    [​IMG]

    He used contact cement on the Chooch liner and attached it to black styrene. Last night he installed it.

    [​IMG]

    Doug used the nice weather to go outside and start creating our pillow batting bushes. You can find our method in an earlier set of posts, but we take pillow batting, stretch and form it in place on the layout. Then paint it black, and add Olive and forest greens. We then hit the entire piece with hairspray and dump ground foams on it. Finishing it off with a second dosing of spray. It makes for great low height 3d ground cover.

    [​IMG]

    Ed made great progress on the speed detector. It fits like a glove. Now the fun part, drilling the sensor holes under the track.

    [​IMG]

    I put together a mock-up of my idea to automate the revolving door at the Black Diamond town hall. It's not sophisticated, but a hat tip to Dale Baker for the heads up on the Walthers motorizing kit.

    [​IMG]

    After using blue tack to hold the gear in place while the epoxy dried, we gave the mechanism a spin.



    It's a bit noisy, so will experiment with different power sources, lubes and eventually soundproofing if necessary. Really pleased this came together so easily. Thanks again Dale.

    That's it for now. Thanks for checking in.
     
    dalebaker and Joe Lovett like this.
  14. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

    67,558
    22,733
    653
    WOW. Those pillow batting bushes look absolutely fabulous! Nice work! (y)
     
    RGW likes this.
  15. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member

    2,626
    5,747
    69
    Yea, me too. I am gonna use this for some brush on my MRR, a cheap easy way to make brush.
    Thanks.
     
    RGW likes this.
  16. RGW

    RGW TrainBoard Member

    2,018
    2,436
    64
    Got news! Wain sent over an email and pictures of our Megapoints system running our turnouts. He successfully completed a full circuit of 4 tortoises run by activating push buttons on the panel and the LEDs changing aspect color. Another red letter day on the RGW. Soon we'll get these babies on the layout and have full functionality of the entire railroad.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    dalebaker, gjslsffan and BoxcabE50 like this.
  17. RGW

    RGW TrainBoard Member

    2,018
    2,436
    64
    The last few work sessions have been "more of the same". We've been concentrating on our specific projects and making slow, but steady progress. Ed has been diligently adding the speed recorder in the NE corner. It's a tough location to drill from underneath the roadbed so it's been a challenge.

    [​IMG]

    Reynold has been working on coal hoppers. I've never seen anyone more meticulous when working on couplers.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Scott continues to add details around the layout, here's a custom logging truck heading to its next load.

    [​IMG]

    Then the track inspector makes a stop at the Rainier Anthracite mine.

    [​IMG]

    Doug has been busy with the pillow batting foliage. Here he's locating some for review by the fellas for proper "fit". I think they look great.

    [​IMG]

    Yours truly decided to tackle the hanging baskets in Black Diamond. Here you see them, hanging on a jig I put together. They have the chain in place, the foliage base threaded through the chain and clamps holding the foliage in place to develop the proper "hanging" angle.

    [​IMG]

    Next week we add the darker ground foam and hopefully the multi-closed poppies.

    Onward.....
     
    Last edited: Jun 15, 2018
  18. Colonel

    Colonel Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

    8,721
    1,110
    119
    Thanks for the update really enjoy seeing the layout progressing


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
     
    RGW likes this.
  19. RGW

    RGW TrainBoard Member

    2,018
    2,436
    64
    Thanks Paul, your interest means a lot. Love your liftout. M
     
  20. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

    67,558
    22,733
    653
    Love it all, especially that logging truck. Brings back a lot of memories! (y)
     
    RGW likes this.

Share This Page