Newcomer-Layout

Ok, just found this very good website, if you need US-bridge details: http://johnmarvigbridges.org/cgi/index.html
Now I have to change my bridge bearings, because there are no roller, just plates:

 

I see that this thread has been up for a while, but am glad to have found it -- it has served to clear-up a mystery about something that was defying my capacity for understanding. I had not realized that for power-routed turn-outs, the power only gets cut to one of the two rails. Now that I know this it makes complete sense, and I totally get the *unexpected* results that I was seeing with some of my test layouts. For most of the situations I was setting-up, everything worked as I expected it to, and no problems. But for others, I was seeing things work in ways that made me think `huh... that doesn't seem as-advertised...' And now, thinking back on it, I know that what I've been seeing is this phenomenon of opposite-connecting rails meeting and completing a circuit. Good to know!

And nice set-up, BTW -- it's actually a bit similar to what I've got planned for my first permanent layout.

 

Hi all,

here are some pics of the current status of work, made while being part of the annual train show in Emleben /Thuringia.

Side of grain elevator and interchange track:


Depot, freight house and team track:


New bridge and stock yard:


Water tower and controls:


Beauties at the station....

 

The track laying looks very realistic. Of course the landscape too.

 

Hallo Ronald,

dankeschön and great work on your website!

Hi all,
I began work on creek side cutting the embankments out of foam. Because the creek is bending there will be two types of embankment: steeper on outside bend, gentle slope on inside bend. Should look something like this:



Before this I let grow weeds around the siding for "eastbound" trains unlike the main tracks to the left and right side.

 

Hi all,

got to make some progress on my little "water project".
After cutting foam I applied plaster to embankmants and glued a layer of fine sand:


Then I added some stones and water plants, thighted the creek ends by dough and poured woodland scenic water. All seemed to be ok:



But then I realized sections in the creek which showed a kind of milky water, not only near the ends but in other areas. I replaced the whole creek bed only to see the same result:



To find out what happened I made some tests now. They revealed a chemical reaction of the Woodland scenic water with the white glue I used for the creek bed. After some research (and removing the creek bed again...) I decided to attempt a method for water modelling used by a Swedish fellow "Marklinofsweden" using simply toilet paper, white glue, acrylic paints and water based clear varnish, complete non-toxic:







Finally I could put in the creek bridge. To the moment I am working on detailing the embankments, then add bushes and trees:

 

Looks very nice. Thanks for all the progress pix. I will be referring to them, for sure. When I get a bit more time I will read the entire thread. Two thumbs up!!! Jim.

 

Hi all,

for the "US-Convention" in Rodgau, Germany next weekend I wanted to make some substantial progress in scenery.
I finished the creek area, planted trees (modified Heki and Woodland scenic) and still more bushes.
Then I added the beloved telegraph poles. These poles are Atlas N-scale (thanks JoeS). I removed the top bar and shortened the poles a bit.
Looks like I can think about buildings now.

 

It's amazing how some of the little details really bring the scene alive!

Great work!!

 

Last monday I tried my first laser kit, a stock yard.
At first I painted parts with black pencil and then with mixed powder colours for some weathering.
It was an suprisingly easy task to assemble the kit, now ready for some cattles and a cowboy...

 

Wow!!
That looks great!!

 

Hi, thank you all for your kindly words.

While looking at the last picture I wonder, how cattles arrived at such a small stock yard in the fifties.
Was it still done by horse, dog and cowboy or already by truck?
So do I have to add an unloading ramp?

 

I decided to add a small ramp for unloading from pick-up.
Some cattles are waiting now for shipment with the next local freight.



I plan to use the empty space in front of the stock yard to add a truck ramp for loading of stones, gravel and pulpwood into gondolas.
Something like this:



So I made some measurements and a mock-up:

 

Nice prototype photo. I don't think I've seen a loading dock with ramps at both ends. That is some serious humping going on in the pic. They did all the loading/unloading by hand. We've come a long way from hard work. . It's going to look great in that space. Nice point of interest. Jim

 

Keepin' warm up there in that Minnesota winter loading those logs into that NP gon, oh yeah!!

 

Great job!
...Where is that stock yard kit in stock?

 

Jim, really like the stock yard, is it a kit or scratch build? I have one planed on my Boston Mountains Sub Division layout for module 06. It will be interchangeable with an oil refinery to add interest and variety during operations.

Thank you for posting.

Joe