Chris333: thanks for the tip on the Dedeco Ultra Thins. I will check them out! Anything to keep the gaps as small as possible! As for the Great Stuff: I know many of you are shaking your heads at me, but I'm really not as think as you dumb I am Never having used the stuff before, I did work on the lift-out mountain down on the floor away from all trackwork to see how'd it work out. Not sure if I like the stuff yet: we'll see how it carves and shapes and takes paint in a little bit (need to finish trackwork and ballasting in the tunnels first before gluing down the mountain to the base foam). And, as the Great Stuff was a "once-use" product, and I did use the whole can on what you see, I'm going back to clear laytex caulk for the final attaching. I think the Great Stuff is good for using on all these scrap pieces of foam, and all their gaps, but ideally I'd carve single pieces for each layer that match up more to the final desired shape. I just don't have that much foam lying around for this project (the straight pieces you might see in the background lying around are for my shelf layout that'll follow this one). Bob: thanks for the ideas about the switch being mounted away from the turnout. I'm a little leery about having it too far away / more parts to break. Though if it was away, I guess I could use the larger switch (see first idea). Problem is I don't actually have space "under the layout": even though you see some 1x2's propping up the plywood, I 'm using this layout as practice for my shelf layout, which will not have anything under it, so I'm pretending that there's nothing below the plywood. The width of the HO pcboard tie I use for the throwbar actually covers up the gap in which the switch slides, so I don't think any ballast will creep down there. The main concern is if the switch fails over time (how many throws until thrown out?). Though if the switch does fail, I could solder some thin jumpers from the point rails and then cut the ties so that the blades provide the contact / power for the whole center unit. I might put some electrical tape around the switch & attached to the styrene base to create a little barrier for moisture creeping in from the sides, unless someone else has a good idea. Otherwise, I'm hoping the same scenicing precautions we use around throwbars and points will do the trick! I'm hoping GorillaGlue will bond the switch to the styrene: that bond needs to be rock solid. Any other ideas? Thanks!
Given the lack of space under the layout then it sounds like a very good idea. From what I understand about Gorilla glue you get a stronger bond if you keep the layer thin. bob
Yes, use gorilla glue sparingly, it has a tendency to expand. Ive used it to build sitting benches out of oak and locust logs for legs, It expanded enough I returned the lag screws I was going to use to secure the legs in place. I never though about using it for a fine detail hobby like model building or railroading. Interested to see how it works for it now.
I usually use Gorillaglue to firmly attach the styrene bases to the ties, and then underneath to attach the styrene to the base foam (while using laytex caulk to attach the rest of the track). I am a little apprehensive about using something with the word "expanding" in it next to the slide switch, as there's not a whole lot of room on the sides: A thin blob will work and not expand, I think, but then I worry about the shear forces working the switch off the styrene plate. Perhaps CA? That's usually a bit more brittle when dry. I'll try the Gorillaglue and test it out before installation: worst case scenario is that I have to get a new slide switch and styrene part, and try a different bonding agent. Unless anyone has a better suggestion that GorillaGlue?
After a weak week of not being able to do anything trainish because I was in the doghouse (“You know, I could probably fit a layout in here, too… would have to be a folded dogbone, of course”), I finally got some real work done. Finished wiring & cutting up the #6 3-way turnout. Found a small slide switch at Radio Shack: The outer two wires will go to the stock rails, the middle black will deliver the power to the log frog. Great in concept, more difficult to put in practice than I thought. Turns out the spring-loaded Caboose handthrows (202S?) I normally use didn’t have enough “umph” to shove the slide switch all the way over and make a flush point connection, so I had to use a rigid Caboose throw (105R). Problem: it throws too far, so I carved out more of the hole in the throwbar for the handthrow pin to allow some travel space: Seems to do the trick. GorillaGlued the styrene base to the turnout, then the handthrow to the styrene. Soldered the point rails the throwbar last to ensure everything was traveling and ending up in the proper place. Then I soldered the wires to the stock rails and to the frog. Here’s the seemy underbelly of the beast: With the glamour shot of the finished fixture: So far, so good, except my dremel disk took a little chunk out of a side rail. Gotta get those ultra thin disks for the next project! (Does anyone make a cutting disk that’s ½” wide or so? That’d be lovely!) And so on to the installation!
So here’s a wide view of the layout as of now: Soldered the three tracks off the 3-way, jumpers and feeder wires and then installed the whole kit & kaboodle with caulk for the track and GorillaGlue for the styrene bases of the turnout handthrows. Had to dig a little bigger hole than normal for the slide switch underneath. I put a piece of electrical tape over the slide switch, but I’m still worried about water & glue leaking down there when ballasting, so I might put a little spackle to seal up the channel for the frog feeder wire. Otherwise I’ll just have to be moocho careful around the area. (Worse comes to worse: the slide switch fails and I wire up the point rails to power the frog). Off the 3-way, the far left track services the cannery, with the other two being for the single-stall engine house and for the water / coal / engine service (haven’t decided which will be which yet). To the right, at the base of the mountain, will be the company houses. Removed my temp bridge (sad: no more watching the trains go roundy round while I work), carved out a little more dock area for the cannery on the left, spackled the seawall and sealed the space between river-base foam and the pink base layer. Added a short section of “land” for some piers and rock wavebreak on the left. The cork strip in the center of the water is where the main piers will be connecting the simple lead-up trestle (left) to the Howe Truss with counter braces on the right that will allow the slim fishing boats in from the river to the cannery. Am designing the span from some picts and plans of prototypes and am going to do it in wood: want everything to be late 1800s / early 1900s even if I run things 1930s/40s. If it’s totally odd then I’ll redo the bridge in iron later. At bottom right you’ll see the fitted stone abutment / wall I carved out of pink foam coved with a thin layer of spackle. I’ll probably add some protruding stone support columns along the side, like the prototype pict I have. Not sure how it’ll turn out, but worse comes to worse I sand it all down and fit a better looking rock wall over it. Right now the stained timber is drying for the retaining wall around the harbor, and as soon as the harbour spackle dries I’ll paint the river bottom and foam that’ll be behind the retaining walls “tuxedo” black. Then I’ll just glue the retaining wall timbers and pier posts directly to the foam. Also started building the gorge: Hydrocal rock molds caulked to the pink foam. Takes many moons to dry, but works. Also started shaping the lift-out Storage mountain, though am having serious thoughts about caulking that in place: so much easier to scenic. Already painted and ballasted with cinders the insides of both tunnels. Started created the face of the tunnel on the opposite side: [Looks like the Great Stuff nuclear waste facility above is leaking again!] Trying to go for this look: That’s the Greene Point tunnel on the way to Astoria from Portland. Lovely rockface, with pine chiahead top. Have tried carving rock straight from the pinkfoam, but result was a bit too porous for my taste. Will probably use spackle and rock castings to sculpt the rock face, unless someone has a good material they like to use. Haven’t seen Sculptamold much around my part of the S.F. Bay Area, but, then again, I haven’t really been looking, either. Once I get the mountains carved a bit and caulked down to the base layer, I’ll cut some masonite fascia panels to hold in the wire guts that are spilling out everywhere. Should look “decent” soon! Any comments / critique very much appreciated! Stay warm! (hmmm… gotta insulate this doghouse…)
Well, track is 90% laid down. Just need to finish the trestles / bridges for the mainline and the dock for the coal / ore unloading. So in the process of staining & building the piers & bridge. While waiting for that to dry, I started building the retaining wall around the harbour area. Before: During: After: The boards are 1/16" x 1/16" basswood, the piers are 1/8" dowling. The white stuff is caulk, which I am hoping will also help prevent major wicking when I pour the thin layer of Magic Water that will be the Columbia River. Most of the wall won't be seen too much, as the decking for the cannery will overhang the back and some side about an inch or two. Will look better then, plus with some ground cover coming up to the boards. Currently finishing the carving of the stone abutment on the right, will paint soon. Also in process of scenicing the Gorge: Rocks look darker here in the photo. Combo of pink foam, light plaster rock castings, and lightweight spackle to fill the gaps. Once the paint drys I'll attach the mountain on the right and have a go at that. Building the Howe truss bridge and approaching trestles will take a minute, so it's nice to be able to work on some scenery and other projects between steps. Anyone have any good suggestions for cleats and ropes? Was thinking of painting / dying sewing thread.
Sea Port Model Works has n-scale bitts, bollards, cleats & other nautical items. Try to find nylon thread at the craft or sewing store to use for rope - it will not have the "fuzzies" that normal thread has. Sea Port Model Works
Thanks, Paul, for the info: will definitely look into the nylon. Added details & more retaining walls to the harbor: Also been washing my cut stone abutment with india ink alcohol, with mixed results, but will post picts when it looks pretty. The bents for the trestle and howe truss bridge are coming along: Grandt Line doesn't make N scale nut n' bolt details, so I just take the smallest HO part, cut the bolt off and glue the head on. Looks ok to me. Also finished up all the internal wiring, including running wires to the future mine, cannery and engine house sites so I won't have to rip up any completed scenery when I finally get around to scratchbuilding the structures. Cut, fitted and painted (first coat) the fascia: 1/8" hardboard from Home Depot ($2 for a 2'x4' panel). Paint is flat acrylic black from ACE. I had sprayed the four panels in my jerry-rigged paint booth (garage with door open), let them dry, then realized I had painted the wrong side of one panel. D'oh! Is drying now. The toggles are flathead for rail power (so engines are not "hot" for DCC, or power blocks for DC: layout is wired for either), and roundhead for the (future) lighting of the mine, cannery and enginehouse. Trying to plan ahead! Next step is to slip in some wax paper and use lightweight spackle to bring the land up to the fascia (which must remain detachable for wiring). And then the Bridge on the River Columbia!
Finally got my truss bridge and trestle all put together and installed on the layout, so I can finally run some trains again. While building it, I had just finished covering the trusses with nutboltwasher details (GrandtLine HO ones): when, at the next trip to the LHS, I thought I'd finger through all the other Grandtline packets, both HO and O. And voila! Found some nice bolts with square thingies on them, which match the prototype picts I have much better: I put PC board ties every 10 ties or so on the decks, installed them to the layout, then soldered the track to the deck. Only after everything worked and I test fitted the trusses did I glue those on. Still haven't put on the piano wire cables yet: gotta let the glue dry! But was too excited about having it up and trains running again after almost a month. So a couple pictures: Hmmm... need to stain the pcboard ties, too. And put the ladders up the truss sides. Looks like I jumped the gun posting picts. And a the NW2 gives you a video "tour" of the layout so far. You can see I've painted the foam and installed some rock casts, though it's a bit dark to see the stone abuttment / retaining wall at one end of the bridge. (next time) Things are moving!
I am very impressed by your layout, which is a real masterpiece Thank you for presenting a detailed building report.
Thanks for the compliments! Masterpiece? hmm... most the time I feel the pieces are mastering me Like the piano wire I used for the support cables: don't have to weather any rust on it as the blood from my pricked & skewered fingertips seems to do the job. Got the outter wires on: Used smallest styrene "channel" strips for the metal things above & at bottom of the wires. Put a number 79 pin vise bit in my dremel to get the holes. GorillaGlued the wires to the bottom plate, then put GorillaGlue under both plates to attach to bridge. I like how it works with the wood & wire better than CA. Also started building the first ladder: Though mixed right now on the results. Seems a bit chunky. Might scrape it off tomorrow and see what to do. Also tried to "wash" the pc board ties, but not much happened. Maybe will try some grey/brown paint, or use dremel sander to peal off copper layer. They really don't stand out that much, unless the light hits them a specific angle. Something to dull them down, I guess. Any suggestions? Thanks again for all the comments!
WOW!!!!! How did I miss this thread?!? Your woodwork is fantastic, and very inspiring!! I have been looking for some ideas like this, portside ~1900 modeling. I can't wait to see where you go with the scenicing! Wish I had an idea for your shiny copper problem, I am a stock tracklayer and have 0 knowledge of PC board ties... but I'm a fan of everything you have done there so far!!
Thanks, Ratonman and EMD F7A! Still got a bunch of detailwork to do on the bridge, and I haven't put on the inner wires yet. Was busy most of today helping the wife prepare for the temaki sushi party (roll yr own) we had tonight. My 9 year-old daughter surprised me by taking me to the "Train Store" (my LHS) and letting me pick out whatever I wanted for my birthday. While the Athearn 4-6-6-4 Challenger was tempting, we decided it was "too big" for both our layout & her wallet I wanted to get something special that would remind me of her, so we decided on the SP "Rosie the Riveter" boxcar from Deluxe Innovations. She thought it looked cool, and even more so when she found out the Rosie the Riveter story (especially since we're close to both Port Chicago and Richmond). So here it it, along with more shots of me bridge: While the layout I'm working on now will eventually be more earlier 1900s, she can still use "our" Rosie boxcar on the layout we'll build together later this year: mid-coast California in 1949/50. We can do it! Feel free to point out any boo-boos or suggestions for the bridge: I'm still learning this stuff, and protolanced it by basically trippling (and widening) an "A" frame bridge from an old MR. Still working on the pcboard ties, too. Happy Sunday, all!
This is the first time I've paged through this entire thread... and I'm very impressed. Thanks for sharing all the details with us as you go.
I'm interested in your method of painting track..so you just slogged on some brown latex house paint? Most everyone else I've read uses spray paint, but that's really not an option for me, so the brush-painted track is looking like the way I'll eventually need to go.
I'd say track painting is something I need to work on, as so far I definitely haven't spent the time thinking about it or working on any technique. [Guess I'm using the "when I get that airbrush..." excuse.] As there's going to be cinders, ballast & dirt on & around the ties, I haven't (so far) wanted to invest too much time in the painting. But there are problems with my "technique" (or lack of) and I'll be working on that next layout. I found a can of "Black Tuxedo" acryllic laytex interior paint at ACE. It's a greyish black that works well as a base for both dirt and rock (and river bed). It's a bit dark: when I run out of this can, I'll look for something a little lighter grey and maybe a little more brownish in the "botched bin" of paint. I just slother it on over the track, then dip the brush in water and brush over to help it spread & flow into all the nooks and crannies. I DO NOT paint near the points / throwbar, and I oil up the throwbar, the ties the points travel over and the handthrow before painting. After splathering the paint over everything, I take a flat piece of masonite to scrape off the tops of the rails. I used to use a q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol, but I found that the alcohol dripped down the sides of the rails and washed away some paint. Here's a recent painting of the top end of the 3-way turnout: You can see that it doesn't opaquely cover everything: you can see a bit of the pc board, the wood or the plastic flextrack ties show through. [Just noticed one of my wood filler ties is caddywhompus! oops!] Sometimes I go back and dab a bit more paint on the pc board ties if they're still too shiny. The problem with laytex acryllic paint is that it doesn't "grab" the metal very well, and a slight scrape will peal off a plasticy piece: You can see a section that either got scraped off or I missed painting right in front of the ore car. I'll go back and dab some paint there when I do touch-up work for the whole layout soon. But, as you can see with the semi-finished cinder ballasting job, the black tuxedo does an alrighty job as a base coat, and seems to "tie" a lot of the scenery together. The other downside is the turnout issue, as a largish chunk stays unpainted near the points. Here you can compare the points of the foreground turnout with the nicely coated flextrack siding in the rear: I'll go back and, with a small brush, touch up as much as I can with slightly, slightly thinned laytex around the throwbar, but some shiny shiny rail will peak through. The benefits of my method is that track is painted very very quickly, and you can run trains the next day or even start ballasting right away (thin tacky layer of ballast over the wet paint). Some dudes like to handpaint rails and ties. Not me (at this point in my modelling "career"). Next time, I think I will try spray painting. I picked up some "grimy black" floquil spray paint and will see how that works. But that's another layout The thing is: no matter what paint you use, the rail tops will still be shiny shiny, as you need the electrical pickup. I've seen, somewhere, a weathering "bath" that darkens the WHOLE rail while no losing any electrical conductivity. Will probably look into that too. But so far, the black tuxedo fits my "good enough" for this party!
