Picked up a Bachmann E-Z Mate under track uncoupling magnet to try with my Kato Unitrack. Had to shim it up to fit lush with the underside of the track. With a little practice and patients. I was actually able to get pretty good at it. This is the first time I have every tried uncoupling magnets on a layout and I think I am going to enjoy them. Now just have to order a few more.
Uh oh! Now you've done it! I see an injury on the job!!! OSHA, fill out forms, pee in a cup, drug testing!
Ah, no OSHA issues here. Once that brakeman finished his "under car inspection", the road foreman made sure he understands that cat naps are not allowed. Over on another track, the M8's are loaded and just need to be tied down before shipping out. These are great and easy kits from a fellow TrainBoard member,
Next quick freight car project is underway. This UP reefer is going to get a makeover to match the BNSF reefer. Didn't take long at all to get the car ready for new decals. No pic yet but the decals are complete on one side. Hope to get the other side done tomorrow morning and hopefully by late afternoon, I can seal them with a flat finish clear coat. Had hoped to get more done today but the wife had a few light duty honey do's and by then, the knee was aching so it was propped up and iced.
Next up is looking for a new tunnel portal. Think this one will work but ill have to figure out how I cam make a base for it so that it is high enough for tall cars. And some work on the sub roadbed for the streets heading into town.
Instead of worrying about matching the stone work at the bottom of the legs, you can build up the ground when you scenic that area for the portal to sit on. The portal will start higher up and thus give you more head room.
BNSF Fan, Looking good. Cut a small piece of n scale cork roadbed to fit under each leg of the portal. that will raise it up, should be high enough to clear high cars. Carl
I'd agree with Carl, a bit of cork or card to get it to the right height, can be disguised with some scenic work later. Alternately you could try some modelling clay and score the stone effect to match.
Did some odds and ends things on the layout last weekend and about have all the new sidings together and the feeder wires run though the layout for those new tracks. Hooking them to the bus wires will have to wait until I can get under the layout again some day. For now, all the turnouts work and 95 % of the track has power. This may be the first layout I have ever done that was at that point on the switches and track. Have to admit, I am having more fun with this smaller basic layout already than I did with my former bedroom sized layout. Also, ready to see the pink foam ground start to go away so started painting tome base coat for the scenery last weekend. Hope to do more of that today.
Your layout is looking great. Does your layout have two layers of two inches of pink foam and one layer of blue one half inches of foam? If so that's right at sixty feet of N scale elevation. That's enough to model a small canyon. Looking forward to seeing your progress and photos. Joe
Thank you Joe. There are 2 layers of the 2 inch pink foam but no blue foam. That bottom layer is actually 1/2 inch wafer board. There are some pics of the layers going together at the beginning of this thread and somewhere along the way is where I started carving a creek bed that is one layer deep.
A little more pink gone. Used the last of this brown that I had. It's old enough I'm surprised it was still liquid. Need to hit the bad mix paint section at Lowes and see what more I can find. Also, while at a non MRR craft store, I got really good deal on some cheap lighting for some buildings and a few rocks that may end up in the creek bed. The whole lot was the same price as the regular price of one package of lights.
Not much progress on the layout the past few weeks. Other family issues and that darned knee bothering me more as well have kept me away. Here's what I have managed to do. Put down a small area of scenery material in part of the section I had painted. Drilled some holes and placed some building lights. Tested the lights before placing them but can't get under the layout to get them connected to the power bus. Blasted knee...…... And put the buildings back in place Working on the sidewalks this weekend and the streets as well.
Lookin' really good BNSF FAN. Glad to see scenery and the "224 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL" white Santa Fe letters atop the building. VERY cool. (I worked at Santa Fe's corporate office there exactly 40 years ago this summer as a college kid). Do the letters light? I sure hope your knee feels better soon.
I always thought that this sign is pretty neat. It has the circle and cross logo that goes with it. It came loose while in storage and I haven't reattached it just yet. Unfortunately the sign does not light up. Would be really cool if it did. Thanks for the well wishes on the knee. For a while seemed like it was getting better but has been acting up again the past few weeks. I know it will get better but not soon enough for me.
Managed to get down to the layout for a little while this morning. Installed the sidewalks in front of the buildings and did some work on the main street. Painted the sidewalks for the other side of the street And also started on the road that will run down the edge of one side of the layout.
