Beer distributor almost done... Now to put it in place... Next I’ll build a real loading dock and finish the landscaping around it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Well, I worked on a loading dock. Have to get the beer off the cars and to the customers, after all. I had some balsa wood left over from making lumber loads so that was what I used. The underneath braces are notched for the track ballast. Looks like enough clearance for reliability without looking too out of scale. I sanded it smooth and gave it the same grey paint as the building base. A few details, and the foreman is looking for his next delivery... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Nice looking dock. What about adding a ramp between the dock and the car door so the forklift doesn't fall into the gap?
I’ve started to cut in the uncoupling magnets and they seem to work pretty well in tests. Three done so far. I’ll try to get the other three I have on hand tomorrow. Looks like I could use a few more but I’ll finish these first. These are in flush with the rail tops. I might try setting the others deeper for batter looks. I don’t think they hide easy though. I was watching some online auctions and just won 4 boxcars at a decent price so the rolling stock fleet continues to grow. I’ve gathered a decent selection of regional road boxcars, a handful of coal hoppers, a handful of tank cars. Still looking for a few more covered hoppers and a few flatcars and gondolas to provide some variety. Wouldn’t mind a few mechanical reefers either. I’ve pretty well settled on what comes next. There’s a small alcove in my “office” that has shelf brackets already. I can put in a small point to point with a central loop for continuous running. I’ve considered integrating this shelf layout but it won’t fit without dominating the available space. Fortunately most things are held down with Elmer’s glue so can be recycled. That isn’t happening right away but it’s the next step between this shelf switching layout and my post-retirement room-sized empire. Anyone have any ideas on explaining some Chessie “Sleeping Kitten” power on my line? She Who Must Be Obeyed has a favorite railroad and it’s gonna be a part of things! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
I would set the Micro-Trains couplers at the height of the gauge like you're currently doing. Setting them too low may cause poor operation. I disguised mine as a road crossing, but it looks like that is not an option on your layout. As for the Chessie Power on your branch. Railroads from time to time lease power, they could just be leased units.
In fact, I did plant one deep enough to cover it up, and it doesn't work as well as the others. Oh, well. This layout is about experimenting and learning. Chessie is starting to look like an interchange with either run-through power or lease or trackage rights...
Chessie power could be justified by an emergency reroute due to parent line storm damage or other obstruction. Occasionally I see CSX six-axles on the KCS Gulfport Branch. Also following Hurricane Katrina, a large increase in foreign traffic was seen on NS between New Orleans and Birmingham due to the closure of CSX between New Orleans and Mobile. Though routing of Chessie traffic out onto Cape Cod might call for some highly creative imagineering.
Well, the alcove layout is starting to look like something. Some scenery, fascia with control jacks, a pretty final layout. It’s still likely I’ll make a few changes but running a few trains so far it seems to be working fine. First try painting a sky background. Still needs a few coats and some blending to get rig of the Edward Munch brush strokes. Masonite fascia are glued in place with wood glue. Might need to use wood screws but the first one I did seems solid. First lame attempts at carving foam. Ah well! The upper track there will go to the bookshelf layout in the future. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
