Man I made a lot of moves during my career, the majority using contract movers. Several times having to put stuff into long term storage. I don't want to go through that again. But you're young. You probably have a few more ahead of you during your career. It seems like more of an adventure when you're young.
Ed M: Great looking layout, love it. ...and as for painting rails, I realised right form the start that I would be painting the track after laying and ballisting. Ok I could have painted the track first but only if I used enamel or mineral based paints. But I use water based paints that would get washed off during the ballisting process. So, here is the first section of track to get the "treatment". Ok, there is so much to do on the layout that sometimes I just get overwelmed especially with the more complicated sections e.g. the bridge sections and river! So I just started doddling with some scenic matterial and paint brushes. I really like the way the static flock grass looks, and will be buying some more in a few different shades from the LHS. The thing I like about using water based paint for the rails is being able to wash it off if you are a little heavy handed. Also, it is a breeze to wipe off the top of the rails.
Cleggie: Looks good! Remind me to invite you north when I need some scenery done So I said: Surprisingly I have (Monday night) got one of these done! . Big Fat DCC-Ready<tm> bus wires all trimmed and screwed down and set to go. Carefully colour coded and noted which wire goes where on the timber where it will be unreadable with the layout in place. Now the workbench could do with a clean-up, but hey - it's progress! Right now I'm just a little too tired to work out what I'm going to get done before Tuesday 26 February, probably one or more of: Cut fascia to hide the framing, wiring and most of the command station pile Paint fascia Hang sockets for cab bus off fascia Backdrops - cut and hang I need to find a way to stop a 2.4m long strip of 85mm wide (3mm thick) hardboard from snapping as I cut it, or it's going to be a rather messy fascia - enough glue and no one will notice right? Only 31-32 days to go people! Good work so far and now back to it!
I've finished wiring Diamond Valley. All turnouts have their mechanical actuation. Here's the first test run over the last segments: Wolfgang
This building has a small peaked roof on the center section. I knew I would lose it, so I did. Thus, I made another one this weekend so I didn't post on the party thread while trying to make a replacement. Today I began to paint the track side portion of the building. When I removed the building to paint it, I found the other, old peaked roof section under the building where I put it so it wouldn't get lost. Maybe I will just sell it on TrainStore. Here is the work so far today. I am using the Fotheringill method for the brick mortar.
Not as much progress as I had wanted since a lot of time has been spent dismantling and returning the room back to its bedroom state. I did manage to get the 1x4 frame around the door, legs of 1x4's temporarily attached and the frame painted and legs painted: Hopefully progress will improve as the next few weeks pass.
Back walls painted with artist acrylics and weathered with washes. Final photo for tonight. I will probably add some chalk for weathering at the end.
Good plan!!:thumbs_up: I tell myself that, too, but too often I don't follow through. My goal is to run trains at least 30minutes a day, every day. Just 30 minutes. It is therapeutic. Still, tomorrow is another day and we can all do better. Wolfgang: I was watching your FREMO modules and I thought you were getting there with the track work all done. But if you need scenery too, you have a lot yet to do before the convention! (I'm slowly catching up on everyone's progress on the Layout Party.) I just reviewed the whole thread. Hemi was going great, tunnel portals and everything, then, all stop. If he can even get two pieces of his layout back up, that will be a great success for the party! :thumbs_up: I think Cleggie and Another ATSF Admirer have the most to do. Wolfgang has a lot, but his is all in two (three?) modules; it seems more workable. Perhaps "lucid" is the word. I don't see how you other guys are going to get it all done, but any progress is good at the Layout Party! Hope to see rrfan's street or park area this weekend.
Still painting the outside. Seems to be going fast now. This is the front side of the building. Before: After:
For a FREMO meeting you need an operable module. If it has scenery - better! With a module like Diamond Valley it's good to test the possibilities and function at a meeting. With my old station Naumburg it took years until it was "finished". I started building in 1987 and in April 1993 I finished it with the engine shed. In this "construction time" I participated in 18 FREMO meetings with my - still unfinished - module. Wolfgang
Worked on some details for the roundhouse including a oil tank some various detail items like oil drums, cage containers, pallets, tanks, piping, etc... Also added the rest of the roofing to the top and ran some Dullcoat over it Also added some new windows to the roundhouse that I made using transparancy film and Excel spreadsheet for creating window frames. I also created some new decals with Southern and Norfolk Southern logos using decal paper and my ink jet printer. Decals and windows New roof added, photo taken before trimed and Dullcoat added.
Nothing to report for me, I spent most my spare time working on the TB Server. Hopefully I will get some time this week and next. You are all making great progress, my congratulations to all party participants.
Fotheringill paints the brick a solid color and then uses a wash or other color to flow into the "mortar" spaces. He wipes the brick clean very lightly and leaves the other color in place for the mortar and lets it dry. I couldn't find a reference, but I have seen him describe it. Maybe he uses Durham's Rock Hard Putty for the mortar? In any case, that is what I did and it worked better for me than wiping a thick mortar color over the brick color and letting it "scrape off" into the mortar spaces. Maybe some others have different methods.
Friday, 23 Feb 2008 and time for the Layout Party thread update for me. I have almost completed painting the trackside of the building. I also painted the roof, but it needs a lot more detailing. This is my favorite part...adding detail things that make the building unique. I need to scenic the area in the foreground all along the track, too. Notice that a vine has quickly grown on the building along the tracks. Heh, heh... Hope we see some more progress pictures this weekend. These Layout Party pictures can also be posted for Weekend Photo Fun. :thumbs_up:
