Progress has been steady on the layout. I relocated the test loop so I could start putting up the sky. There is conduit on the basement walls so I'm pretty much framing a wall over that stuff so I don't have to remove it. No insulation and no footer or header (I think those are what they're called). I just attached the vertical 2x4s to the ceiling joists. Masonite will then be attached to the 2x4s AND the ceiling. It will bend upwards like a coved ceiling. I'm hoping this will create the illusion of a sky. I had to do something to compensate for the layout being 48" off the ground. I didn't want the ceiling to be just....there. So this will help alleviate that.
The table will be built out of roughly 4x6 foot sections that will be bolted together. So I'll probably build the perimeter tables first that go along the wall so I can reach it to build my hills to hide the curves at the end of the layout. Then I'll work my way out from there. I'm bummed it'll stop me from getting the loop completed for a few months (I assume) but I know it'll save me from crawling all over the table and whatnot.
I also decided on 4000K lights. I already have some shop lights in the basement and I felt like they're doing a good job. I'm going to go with T8 sized LEDs. I already have some fixtures that just need the ballast bypassed. But it also will give me the chance to upgrade to 5000K if I decide 4000K wasn't enough.
My 0-6-0T came in and I was disappointed at first but I'm starting to like it as the days go by. The starts were jumpy but they're smoothing out. The short distance between the rollers makes me hesitant to buy another though. I have so many switches in the yard and stuff so we'll see what goes.
The stoves, dust collector, and furnace body are done printing. Finally. Now the ducting to connect it all has to be constructed. But I'm taking a break from that and jumping over to the open hearth. Plastruct had nice columns but I would have to modify them because I want to include overhead cranes in the open hearth. So I designed my own and they're on the printer now. I based most of it off of old Valley Mold (now Ellwood Engineered Castings) where I used to work. Things are coming along with that. I haven't figured out how to print nice rivets. I'm thinking dabs of glue or paint might be the answer there.
I pre-ordered a 2-10-10-2 and an RS3 from the new catalog. The 2-10-10-2 is totally unrealistic for my region and time period but I don't care because it's cool. I guess the Virginian had a 2-10-10-2 for big coal drags but those never came to Youngstown. The RS3 is a sentimental buy. I bought a conventional RS3 as a kid back in the day. It was the first locomotive I ever bought with my hard earned money. It has some drivetrain issues but I saw they had the same engine (a Southern) available in the new catalog so I scooped it up! I'll either repair the old one and upgrade it to ERR or I'll make it a dummy unit.
That's what's news! I'm going to go watch some Youtube tutorials on painting skies.
