What did you do on your layout today?

Howdy Folks! Back from a much needed week of R&R in the New Hampshire Mountains. Spent the week mountain biking, hiking, golfing, and eating .

Lot's of train related things to do up there. Unfortunately I was the only one interested so I only saw them from the road. For anyone interested there are two scenic RR's in central NH, one on Lake Winnepesaukee, and the other in Lincoln. (more info here ).

Up the road in Lincoln there is a small amusement park, Clarks Trading Post , that runs a Climax Steamer in the Summer. Again- a drive by .

Finally we found this guy sitting on the side of the road. This Porter was preserved from the fleet of what was once the largest logging railroad in New England, the East Branch and Lincoln. The sign says that over 1 billion feet of logs were hauled over this track from 1893-1947.

Everyone is doing great stuff as usual.

Congrats on the final track install Elliot!, Mike- great she shed- gotta keep the CEO's happy!

Bob

RSJB18 posted:

Howdy Folks! Back from a much needed week of R&R in the New Hampshire Mountains. Spent the week mountain biking, hiking, golfing, and eating .

Lot's of train related things to do up there. Unfortunately I was the only one interested so I only saw them from the road. For anyone interested there are two scenic RR's in central NH, one on Lake Winnepesaukee, and the other in Lincoln. (more info here ).

Up the road in Lincoln there is a small amusement park, Clarks Trading Post , that runs a Climax Steamer in the Summer. Again- a drive by .

Finally we found this guy sitting on the side of the road. This Porter was preserved from the fleet of what was once the largest logging railroad in New England, the East Branch and Lincoln. The sign says that over 1 billion feet of logs were hauled over this track from 1893-1947.

Everyone is doing great stuff as usual.

Congrats on the final track install Elliot!, Mike- great she shed- gotta keep the CEO's happy!

Bob

Bob - So glad you enjoyed our beautiful state.  28 years ago we moved up here from Danbury CT after taking a job in the Boston area.  Kids and grandkids still down in CT.

There's another scenic railroad in N. Conway and the best ride of all, a cog railway up the side of Mt Washington.  Now using homemade biodiesel from wood chips in a NH designed biodiesel cog locomotive.  A coal fired cog steamer makes the first run of the day.  I've hiked up, took the auto road and gone up the cog numerous times and it never gets old.  Sometimes it snows during the summer up there.  We live in the "flatlands" of southern NH near the coast, but an easy 2 hour drive and we're in the White Mts.  Only a 20 minutes and we are in the gateway to Maine.  We lay low during the summer months, but from Sep -May, it's great  - not as many "tourists" -LOL.

Matt. We were in Waterville Valley. Our third trip up from Long Island. Decided to switch it up from our usual Lake George N.Y. trip. I didn't mention the Cog on Mt. Washington but yes definitely the best of them all. 

Bob

Got motivated and weathered 7 more cars,  4 hoppers, 2 cabeese, and a woodside boxcar...   Still working on 3 of them after sealing them all with dullcoat, but here's 5 that are RTR.....   

Didn't want to overdue these make them "rust buckets",  managed to work with washes made with Burnt Umber washes, mixed with some other shades of browns/reds....

Chris, very nice weathering job. They add to an already great scene. Hope the PT and the home exercises are getting you closer to full recovery......Paul

Paul  thanks very much..  Definitely making progress, still in the "stretching only" phase but each day I notice that I have more range of motion which is the goal right now....   

chris a posted:

Got motivated and weathered 7 more cars,  4 hoppers, 2 cabeese, and a woodside boxcar...   Still working on 3 of them after sealing them all with dullcoat, but here's 5 that are RTR.....   

Didn't want to overdue these make them "rust buckets",  managed to work with washes made with Burnt Umber washes, mixed with some other shades of browns/reds....

 

Chicken soup for the soul.  Love the N6b, so much it's worthy of a close look.  All the weathering came out great.....just the right amount of aging IMO.  Well done, Chris.

Bruce

Chris,  I like the weathering on you cars.  Weathering is a skill I have not attempted and need to learn.  Did you use any reference sources on doing the work you did?

Too many cars get overdone, making them look like the cars are no longer service-worthy.  Your cars are perfect: still easy to read, with a coat of grime from several trips from the coal loader to the city electric plant.

I have twenty Union Pacific Trainman coal cars that I need to renumber and weather.  My computer screen saver is a Big Boy pulling a coal drag.  I would like to do these before I do my Pennsylvania and Norfolk Western H21a cars.

A few in-process photos would be helpful: step-by-step.  Also an equipment list (Spray gun, compressor, paint manufacturer and colors) would be very helpful too.  My local Parma Hobby Shop closed two years ago, so all my supplies are purchased on-line.

Oh, I bought four more packs of Preiser 65602 Unpainted Seated People (#134-137) to paint as I fill my evening as I act as the caregiver for a family member.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

RSJB18 posted:

Matt. We were in Waterville Valley. Our third trip up from Long Island. Decided to switch it up from our usual Lake George N.Y. trip. I didn't mention the Cog on Mt. Washington but yes definitely the best of them all. 

Bob

Welcome back Bob!  We went to Lake George in 2012.  We hope to go again.  New Hampshire would be great.  We will probably have to wait until we retire.  Thank you for the train photographs!

took a few photos of my train cave...

John Rowlen and John:   Thanks for the positive feedback..   Yes, I always spend some time trying to find color photos of the subject cars.  I was surprised that I couldn't locate many decent photos of H21a hoppers.   Also watched some PRR movies on youtube...   

John Rowlen: I'd suggest if you're just starting out ..... work with paint washes, made up of inexpensive Acrylic Latex Craft paints mixed with water and a drop or two of alcohol to act as a "wetting agent" to stop beading...   I have been mixing mine by counting drops and generally 30% paint, 70% water is a good place to start.   

This diluted Paint Wash with Burnt Umber (50%) and Nutmeg Brown (Apple Barrel #20521E) 50% plus water is all I did on these hoppers...  So I mixed like 5 drops of each paint color, then added about 20 to 25 drops of water.     The only photos I would end up showing is the original new car, and the finished product.... It was one step.... On 1 or two of them I may have gone back and hit a few areas with a 2nd coat of the same wash in "spot" areas...  Then I just sealed them... No powders, no airbrush, no india ink,,,,  

I'd get just the basic colors for weathering, burnt umber, a medium brown ( like the Nutmeg brown mentioned above), raw sienna, white and black.  Mix it in small quantities and go to it.....  If you do something you don't care for, you can wash more than 90% of it off with dish washing soap, water and a toothbrush and start over.   

After the wash dries, I seal it with Dull Coat and then decide whether I am going to do more with Pan Pastels, or the small air brush.    If you have an old cheap freight car around, use it as a test model, try one color wash on one side, and a darker or ligther wash on the ends or the other side... It really doesn't take any artist skill to apply washes, just coat the surface with the car laying on it's side, let it dry..  done.... 

The wheels/trucks,  I spray oxide red primer ( my preference is Krylon MAXX, Red Oxide)  in an old tuna fish can, and brush it on the wheels and trucks, then when it dries, I cover it with a wash of India Ink and alcohol all the wheel trucks shown were done this way...  I prefer using spray paint primer because it's much thinner, wont detract from the detail and dries very fast.   Hope that helps motivate you to give it a try, it's worth it..

I have attached some single straight on shots of some more of the hoppers for you...

John,   At the risk of "explaining too much" I will describe what has worked for me in the 13 to 14 cars I have recently weathered,   I try to choose wash colors that will depict the base color "fading out" so same color family, slightly lighter.  This way the wash stains the lettering and makes it look like the under body paint is showing through the lettering....   I can always add some more of the burnt umber or charcoal black to the base wash mix to make certain areas around reinforcing angle iron or doors darker to create shadows....    I did a Great Northern woodside car that was medium to dark GN red, for that car my wash was in the red family using a color called barn wood red...    Chris a

Bob, It sure sounds like you had a great trip! Nice to see  you back though!

Chris, The cars are looking Great! I think if you keep stretching, then the next thing you know you will be doing 14 cars a day! By the way great tips on weathering cars, I love it when I check things out and learn new things! Thanks again!

Gandydancer1950, Great looking train cave! Very nice, clean and neat! I can only hope mine will reach that spectrum someday! LOL

gandydancer1950 posted:

took a few photos of my train cave...

It's all very well done.  It looks like your favorite color is ORANGE!

decoynh posted:

gandydancer1950 posted:

took a few photos of my train cave...

It's all very well done.  It looks like your favorite color is ORANGE!

yes- orange is an excellent color.

Nice to see the train room (and you), have fully recovered from your flood.

Bob

Yesterday I lubed 5 locomotives, changed out locomotives on all 3 mainlines, and ran trains.  Had BIG fun!!

gandydancer1950 posted:

took a few photos of my train cave...

Thanks everyone!

briansilvermustang posted:

 

 

 

Nice Brian! LOL

Today l finished, dullcoated, the AMB grain elevator.  I am happy how this turned out, with the bashing and two tone gray.  I began this model while l waited for parts for the spillway for the Carolina Craftsman Kit water mill.  I bashed it, too, adding an overhead flume.  Mill is also looking good, and l need to get back to it.

GANDYDANCER1950 --- Nice 

Ran trains, took some photos, enjoyed the time YUGELY!  

nothing exciting but placed some people underground.

                                     somebody got tired early last night...

Poor girl! To much trains and not enough ICE CREAM! LOL

                       gotta make an ice cream run...    more ice cream !!

briansilvermustang posted:

 

                       gotta make an ice cream run...    more ice cream !!

 Well done, sir! 

poor pup, still say she needs a conductors ball cap.

This is Woodward Ave. Dream Cruise week in Detroit. The Ferndale Police have a new truck to fit right in. Seems they have already caught a pair of drag racers, and pulled them over on the dead end street between the Hobby Shop and Used Car Lot. 

After a long day finally being back to work (no comments from you Paul 2 about how great the retirees luncheon was) after my summer break I was able to start putting some of the pieces to my first subway station in.  I have many more items going into the station that are complete so hopefully by the end of the week station 1 will be done. 

Bryan, good start on the subway station!!  Will there be a subway stop at the ballpark??

Paul 2, the retiree luncheon sounds like a great idea!

Bryan, how could believe that of me that I would say you missed a great luncheon followed by a great time at John's house. I did not get home till after 6:30. But even though you had to work😢😢 at least you had time to work on the subway. It is looking good Bryan.........Paul

Yes the subway does under the ball field but haven't figured out where i want to install an entrance up top.  The subway line does head out from underground near the fields so maybe around there I might put a ramp.

Paul since you got home that late you should have stopped by with my shirts since you had to pass my exit....a true train friend would have done that. Lol

You are absolutely right Bryan. But I was only a passenger and the others did not want to stop at your house LOL besides I did not have the shirts with me.....remember got your back Jack.....oops I mean Bryan

Subway ride to the ball game!  Excellent!

Bryan, Very nice looking work on the subway station..   I rode alot of NYC subways decades ago.  An excellent job with the details and depicting the feel of the subways.   

GandyDancer... I have been meaning to tell you the Train Cave is really well done, looks like a great room to relax in, run trains, and turn back time with all the Post War items..  

Today was a hanging out day with the grandchildren.

The grandchildren ate breakfast with grandpa in the train room.  We watched several train videos from YT & ran a few trains.

We had great weather today so we left the train room.  Off we went, walking to our community beach. Grandma showed up with lunch. We tried to built a diesel locomotive out of sand. Grandma was our ride home and they both took a nap.

Gary

Decided to take some time and do some additional weathering steps to these 2 Woodside cars...  Definitely a learning process....   

Looks like a very productive day, Gary!!

Looks like a very productive day, Chris!!

Chris A.

Thank you for taking the time to explain the process you used on the H21a Hoppers.  I will buy supplies and give it a try after I finish my NYC Dining Car and Coaches.

I finished adding Seat Backs to the Dining Car Floor Cubes and touching up the Seat Paint.  (Testors Flat Red Earth and Flat White)  The table bases have two coats of Flat Red Earth and Table Tops have six coats of Flat White.

The people are painted and need grinding and cutting to fit under the tables.  The men often lose the outside (exterior facing) leg to get them under the table.  The floor is often littered with legs and plastic debris.  It gets rough on my feet if I don't vacuum.

Sincerely, John Rowlen