Track upgrade for Sweethome Chicago

Thanks Randall. As the man said - 'Life is a long song'

I've started repairing the scenery that was ripped up in the track realignment and am progressing slowly(for me). I'll be doing some before-and-after photos when the work in done, so be patient.

First up is the area near the scrap yard. It now includes a Bar Mills house and a rainwater run-off and the area will be heavily overgrown.




Next up is the area that had been a grade crossing, with the taxicab garage. The crossing has gone and the area is due to be a car salvage/repair lot.




I intended to build trestles for the tank car track but time was against me, so I plumped for industrial arches to carry the track.




The tanks themselves have all been repainted black and will be repositioned once the arches have been repainted.




More to come....................


Jon

 

The team track is almost complete having had the fence re-erected and a new crane ready for installation




While everything was progressing nicely, I thought I'd do one last piece of demolition work and reduced the size of the power station so I could increase the white warehouse to accommodate 2 freight cars at once.




So, to finish up, here are a couple of overall views showing the progress so far.






Jon

 

It is some beautiful trackwork, Jon. Some of my friends asked if it was handlaid. I see a three-way turnout and two double-slip turnouts. Really nice. :thumbs_up:

 

Amazing how quick you get things done Jon. Sure is good looking

 

Flash, the trackwork is Peco code 75, so if you look closely, you'll see English-style rail chairs instead of spikes. You can't really tell the difference from 'normal' model-viewing distance.

Next layout will have the Peco American-style code 83 track.

Jon

 

Jon,

you think about a next layout ?????

Wolfgang

 

I have a few in the pipeline, all small-ish.

The next one will be a modern timesaver/Inglenook for my son's flat/appartment, using some of the modern diesels i have accumulated.

Other longer term projects include -

An O gauge narrow gauge set in the trenches of North Eastern France in 1918.

Re-doing and extending my existing English snowscene Hudson Road, with DCC and sound.

An HO dock-scene set in Germany in 1945-46.

Another HO American layout based on Alexandria during the Civil War.


Should keep me out of trouble for a while.

Jon

 

That's a collection!
I want "only" to finish my railroad.
I spent quite some time for running trains. For me, operation ist the point. And operation a good running layout which looks good too is top.

Wolfgang

 

I have been working on extending one of the industries to accommodate at least 2 freight cars, and building up the scenery at the front. The old building at the front is a Bar Mills kit.










Now for some trees and bushes


Jon

 

Thank you for the pictures. They give a lot of ideas.

Wolfgang

 

I have been busy adding the basic scenery, which for me is the best part of modelling a scene, where a model starts to take on its own identity and I get an idea of what the finished scene will look like.

First was the rustic fencing and the culvert (the WS, N gauge masonary culvert was just right)





next job was to add some trees and some shrubbery (Ni!)








Before adding the smaller details I need to get the other three boards to the same level of scenery, starting with the road in the last photo, which is on the next board along to 'Wicked Wandas'

Jon

 

Very fine looking vegetation with a multiple of different type trees or shrubs. It's very realistic. Looks snakey in there! :thumbs_up:

 

'This week, I have been mostly working on' the grade crossing.

I have finally made a start on the scenery on the next board along from the scrap yard and 'Wicked Wandas'. I even managed to find a use for a couple of freight car kit boxes along the way.

First up, I glued card to raise the level of the road to just under rail height. The road itself is made from a plasticard sheet of 4mm-ft bricks, to give the appearance of cobblestones (or whatever they are called in the US)




The sheets were embedded with Das modelling clay, painted and grass tufts added to hide the edges. I also cut away a few bricks to simulate wear and tear.







It is hoped to get the wig-wags operational.

Now for the team track

Jon

 

Thanks Alan.

I've been beavering away on the scenic parts of the layout to get at least the basic scenery patched up for the NMRA show next Saturday, and have ben working from left to right.

First up is the freight agent (as yet unnamed) and a revamp of the REA building.










Note the new position of the 'not-so-portaloo'.

Jon

 

Continuing to the right, I made a start on the last board, which as it happens, needs the most work doing to it. I started working at the back so as not to damage any recently fitted scenery.




The building that had been at the back had to be altered to fit the smaller space caused by the additional track cutting right through the old site.

I started by modifying the part of the building that stands on the board to the right of the one I am working on - hencethe flat white edge at the baseboard joint.




The rest of the modified factory then butted up to the joint.



I was never happy with the colour of the mortar, being too light for a sooty trackside location, so I took the opportunity to repaint it to look more grimy. (Note to self - it is far easier to repaint buildings before gluing and ballasting them in place - Durr!)




Jon

 

Moving forward in the scene (I'm a man on a mission), I planted the fence for the Fuel and Oil Co and added some bushes - this is what I worried about damaging if I had started at the front and worked backover.






Finally a couple of shots showing how the new scene is taking shape





NB - the track exiting the scene through the backscene will be heavily disguised - more on that later.

Jon

 

Most of it has - sort of.

I managed to salvage most of the Silflor grass and the WS foliage when I lifted the track and ballast.

As I have 'replanted' it, mixing it in with newer stuff, I noticed that it has weathered - probably through a mixture of Halogen tubes and natural sunlight (only when at shows)

Jon

 

Finally drawing to a close with the scenic upgrade on Sweethome.

Here are the last 2 areas that got a recent makeover - the fuel and oil company and a park area, that will accommodate some down-and-outs - and a soup kitchen.

First up, the Fuel and Oil Co









Jon