Peter Borcherds April 27th, 2008
I have started work on the paving for the intermodal yard. So far I have started installing the supports for the styrene – I am using 5mm foam posterboard for the support strips as this puts the styrene at a level just below the top of the rails, which means I can clean the rails without scraping the paving…
Have a look at the Scenery page for the latest photos. I will be finishing off the support strips later today and then will start shaping and gluing the styrene down. Once that is all down I can put a layer of paint on…
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Peter Borcherds April 22nd, 2008
I have just started the first layer of the scenery, the ground cover. A second layer will go over this (bushes, weeds, rocks, etc), then I will lay the ballast so that it all blends nicely.
Have a look at the Scenery Gallery to see the first bit of scenery on Rochelle Intermodal.
The first section I am working on is the ground between the main tracks and the edge of the layout. The space between the main tracks will be ballasted, so no use putting any ground cover there. I will add some bits and pieces after the ballasting has been done there, but nothing drastic…a few weeds and other detail bits (old ties, parts fallen off trains, etc).
At the moment I am looking at getting a mix of Arizona Rock & Mineral Co ballast which will be close to the colour of the ballast at Rochelle (a mix of Chicago North Western Pink Lady and CSX/SP grey). It looks like Caboose Hobbies in Denver stocks it, and I am hoping to go to Denver at the end of May, so will bring back some ballast from there. I will only be able to bring back a bit at a time, but at least I can then get started on the ballasting.
I am also about to start laying the concrete apron for the intermodal yard. I purchase sheets of styrene yesterday, along with strip wood for support, and I will hopefully be able to start on that over the weekend.
Right, time for bed…I would rather stay up to do some more scenery work, but some of us have to work…no fun 🙁
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Peter Borcherds April 17th, 2008
Finally I have the conservatory to myself again…the modules are back up and I have started work on painting & weathering the track. I have started with the yard tracks as they are firstly wooden sleeper tracks, and secondly will be mostly hidden by the concrete apron of the yard itself. I have airbrushed these tracks with Pollyscale Roof Brown, and will be painting the rails using the brilliant Rusty Rails Painter from Joe’s Model Trains – I’ll be using the ‘Brown Rust’ paint for this.
The main tracks are going to be more of a challenge as they have concrete sleepers. I am trying to work out the best paint to use to simulate concrete sleepered track…suggestions have been made to use various shades of grey…I’ll be experimenting with a spare piece of track to see what I can come up with…
One thing I do need is prototype reference photos of concrete track – I’ve found lots of photos of wood sleepers, but not many of concrete sleepers…if you have some photos in your collection please pass them my way! Ta!
In the first (and only!) photo of this update you can see I have started to install the Hayes Wheel Stops on the yard tracks. I am just test fitting them at the moment, so they aren’t glued down yet. I am using the Tomar Industries white metal Hayes Wheel Stops.
Hopefully I will get started on the concrete tracks soon – in the meantime I might get started on the styrene base for the intermodal yard apron.
Another update coming soon!
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