A major milestone has been reached on my Pacific Wilderness Railway - the track is down! So how come a small 7 ft. x 10 in. N-scale shelf layout is taking so darn much time?? Things started rolling again after I sunk the trestle piers into the ground and got the trestle fixed in place. For the track I am using Woodlands Scenics roadbed and Atlas Code 80 flextrack with Peco turnouts. Photo 1: Trestle and piers fixed in place Photo 2: Track fixed onto trestle Photo 3: Malahat siding at left end of layout Photo 4: The yard area Photo 5: The view through the harbour bridge Photo 6: The current task - painting the track. A (dark) shot showing the dark primer coat (acrylic) on the ties applied with a fine Micro-brush. Second step will be a dark wash to (hopefully) bring out the tie grain detail. The third step will be a lighter dry brush coat for highlights on the ties. The last step will be to paint the rails with a brown DecoColor opaque paint marker. The next task will be adding the ballast and trackside details. Plans include 7 switchstands, 2 searchlight signals, 2 instument boxes, miscellaneous RR signs, and guard rails on the trestle and bridge. [ 17. August 2002, 18:08: Message edited by: Gerry M ]
Gerry, The layout is coming along nicely. I love the trestle it really sets the scene. I see you were able to post the pic obviously webshots has disabled the reposting of pics from there site?
Very good Gerry. You obviously take track laying very seriously! It looks great. I just tend to pin it down, spray it dark brown, ballast, then airbrush to tone down the ballast Still seems to take too long
Here are the earlier construction photos of this small layout... Woodlands Scenics method used with foam risers and profile boards. Plaster cloth and Hydrocal rock castings. Acrylic washes over the whole layout to get dark shading into the nooks and crannies. Fleckstone spray paint used in the gravel areas, particularly the yard. I thought this would provide a good base for the ballast and undergrowth.
Gerry On trainboard when we give our highest rating we say WOW. Your layout really looks great and thanks for the instructions.
Re the Fleck Stone paint, it is made by Plasti-kote and is a multi coloured textured spray paint. I used #9445 Gotham Gray. Photo #2 above is the colour out of the can. Great for N-scale gravel areas. I found it in a Michaels craft store...
Using the Woodland Scenics foam construction is giving you a very good looking railroad in a very short time.... But I am debating with myself if the track on foam business can work in the long run.... I am very dubious that it will. The first time you go to mount a switch machine I think you will have second thoughts.... I MIGHT buy using 1/8" thick wood spline as a subase for cork roadbed.... but I am afraid that the Woodland Scenics roadbed directly on foam may prove to be too squishy altogether.... As I am using Code 55 (which is rather flimsy rail to begin with...no matter if you are using Atlas or MicroEngineering (or handlaying) and I like the support a 2" high 1/8" masonite on edge five wide spline with a 1/8" masonite cap gives. The 2" high roadbed on top of thin plywood gives a solid foundation and enough elevation above the plywood for most scenic relief.... I am not saying you are wrong for using this method.....you are the one with the good looking layout modules and I still have a pile of lumber in my garage.... but I am concerned about the stability of track on foam..... just something to think about as we advance the way we do things.....anybody have any thoughts, experience with Woodland Scenics layouts? How does the hydrocal hold up over time as a stabilizing factor for the track structure? Any problems? How do you solve the switch machine mounting issue? I will be starting to build layout sections this week and as soon as I can figure out how to put up a "parking" page for digital shots I will post progress photos of my techniques to the group. Charlie G&S Rwy Co
Your point regarding switch machines on a foam base is a very valid one. In my case, that was not a consideration because on our little local prototype operation, all the switches were thrown by hand by Mr. Conductor (see attached). I only have 7 turnouts on my 7ft shelf layout and I'll be throwing them all by hand, just like the prototype operation. The biggest reason however, that I went for the Woodlands foam method was to get some terrain relief in this small layout. My biggest concern with many layouts I see, is the over-all flat look. I am making a very conscious effort to model the terrain first and then carve the right-of-way INTO it rather than ON it. I am hoping this approach will result in a more realistic over-all look.
