I never ceases to amaze me it is Z scale and LIRR! BTW, your kind words about me as super-expert are quite excessive. Folks Like Doc, Dave Keller, Art Huneke, John Scala, J.J. Earl, Al Castelli, Dave Morrision and others are the true experts. I'm more like a towel soaking up the info and wringing in out on the web site. BTW, The checks in the mail John. ...
Hi ho! Over the past few months I’ve worked on the crane for Sims scrap metal yard, the base for the rest of the roads, the crane and cobblestone street for the transfer company and the J. H. Rhodes shipping company, with my main focus being J. H. Rhodes. The entire base area of the J. H. Rhodes was done with Monster Model & Laserworks N scale Cobblestone Interlocking Sheets http://monstermodelworks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=24&products_id=95. They are easy to use, very well made, easy to paint and although they are N scale they work great in Z. The building for J. H. Rhodes was bashed from three Artitiec Z scale Warehouse kits # 5305101 http://www.zundmeer.de/html/artitecb_2.html with a scratch built roof and roof details (the skylights and roof access were scratch built). The J. H. Rhodes crane is from the MTL #799 90 931 Canning Plant Kit http://www.zscalemonster.com/mt/799-90-000/799-90-931.jpg I liked the crane cab that Model Tech Studios has in N scale http://modeltechstudios.com/nscaleindustrialbrownhoistcranewithoperatorscabkit.aspx and so I scratch built it in Z using parts from a Luetke Modellbahn’s Tool and telecommunication booth #74505 http://www.luetke-modellbahn.de/shop/product_info.php?cPath=94_132&products_id=524 and then attached it to the MTL crane. Next I think I‘ll work on the roads to complete the area prior to me working on the Sims scrap metal yard. Till next time. Enjoy. John
I enjoy the updates. Nothing wrong with going slow taking your time and making it look right. Well done!
I just completed three coil cars for my layout, they are: IHB Evans 100-Ton Coil Car – kit bashed using Ztrack coil car covers, a cut down Robert Ray 60’ Centerbeam Flat Car, decals from that kit and custom HARBOR decals from Dan Pikulski of Dan’s Resin Casting http://www.dansresincasting.com/Decals.htm Reading 50' steel 15 panel fixed end gondola with low cover – kit bashed from a 50’ Marklin Reading gondola with the cover cut down to fit from the top of a Marklin 50’ Boxcar with the smallest HO scale eyebolts from Grandt Line #5085. NYC 50' steel 15 panel fixed end gondola with curved cover – kit bashed from a 50’ Marklin NYC gondola with a curved cover cut down to fit from Stonebridge Models #6701. I’m pretty pleased with how they turned out and now have three one of kind freight cars for my layout. I love coil cars, they are really neat looking freight cars that add uniqueness to a layout. Additionally I’ve been quietly working on my layout: Completing the Morris Park Yard water tower which was a challenge because not only did I have to scratch build it but I needed to make it a low-relief building to fit against the backdrop. Finishing the SIMS Metal Scrap Yard, the Penny Bridge station hut, the retaining wall on the left side of the layout, the main road and lastly adding something that I had no clue how to do – the backdrop. Enjoy! John
NICE junk yard ! Love the green sludge in the river with the barge. That building under construction at Morris Park is a great idea and l like the angles at the water station. The NYC covered gon looks fabulous.
John, The layout really looks terrific, once you see all this detail it's easy to forget just how big this layout actually is. THIS is what I love about layouts this good and this size. Thanks for sharing these photos. John Ztrains www.ztrains.com
John, It's come a long way from your inspirational 2’x3’ Harbor Valley Shunting Layout plans! Five more areas to complete on the lower level of the layout then it's on to the city portion upper level on the left side of the layout. I am really proud of the backdrop. I never did one before but the backdrop and instructions from Bill Brown of Larc Products http://www.LARCProducts.com and guidance I found in Model Railroader Magazine really helped me successfully pull it off. Bill Brown's peal and stick backdrops are easy and VERY well made! It really adds a lot to the overall layout. John
John, Did you order the backdrop building CDs? If so what one would you recommend for 1940's style buildings? Sweet progress!
Thanks John, Makes me think we should be making more track plans available on a regular basis. Looking forward to seeing more progress on your layout. John Ztrains.com
Just goes to show that the common oval, offset or distorted just a bit can virtually disappear with that curves and angles of the scenery and structures around and within. I saw the article for MC Fujiwara's 'fold up' switching layout and it looks great. Then, I saw it at this year's Iron Horse PCR-NMRA Convention and I swore it was Z, not N !!!