G'Day All!
This is my latest works in the wood shop! I was laying some more cork on the staging for tracks 7 and 8 and was finding that I was having to stretch a bit to reach the track centrelines towards the rear of the 3ft tables. I decided that I needed some elevation to make the job easier to lay track and also to lay the Woodland Scenics Incline set plus the cork roadbed and track 9 for the 2% grade.
The timber used for the main platform and 'legs' are actually Pine stair treads. Each tread measures 48 inches x 9 1/2 inches x 1 3/4 inches. I did have to cut down the length to 44 inches due to split timber and out of square ends but the end result is a VERY stable platform for me to stand on. The stud pine at the ends measure at 1 3/8" x 2 3/4". The triangular gussets - possibly Oregon - are 1 1/4" x 6" cut at a 45 degree angle. I used galvanized countersunk chipboard screws 10gx75mm and 10gx100mm. A total of 56 screws hold the entire platform together.
As you can see I'm a bigger than average guy so the platform is perfect for me. I would much rather over engineer something by 50% than under by 10%.
That's all for now. Take care and be good to each other!
Cheers!
Stew.
G'day!
When I was marking the centrelines for the staging I realised I had to come up with some way of marking the lines for the 90 degree curve in my staging yard. I thought about making a tramel with appropriately spaced holes for a pencil or marking pen. That didn't appeal to me as I would have to find a 'centre' for the tramel and that meant a juggling act with the tramel and my camera tripod then trying to mark out the lines without bumping the whole assembly while reaching into two and three foot deep table tops without ending up in intensive care! Giggles abound!!
I did make the tramel but instead used it to mark out the centrelines on a large sheet of 1/2 inch cardboard and then carefully cut along the lines. The minimum radius is 30 inches with each successive radius 60mm wider. The cardboard isn't big enough to cover an entire 90 degree curve, but by overlapping one template with the next I could markout the lines in one go. They worked very well but I found that they could easily be bumped if not secured somehow. I ended up nailing one in place while I held the other while marking the lines. I regret not shooting video of all this as a picture (or video) is worth a thousand words.
Different curves could be used together to make varying radii, transition curves, reverse curves etc. Very cool I think! The whole set of curve templates were a one off use but individual or pairs of curves might be used again. Considering the work in hand cutting these curves I won't be discarding them! Maybe I could make custom or standard sets to sell on ebay? Who knows?
ANYHOW!, that's all for now. Let me know what you think!
Cheers!
Stew.
G'day!
I've been watching some weathering videos on YouTube over the last few weeks and I decided to 'dirty up' some roofs on boxcars plus a flatcar, covered hopper and a gondola. A few of the boxcars have been previously weathered using an airbrush to give a 'dusted' look but I'm not finished with any of them just yet.
The Milwaukee covered hopper certainly needs the top to be finished but I'm happy with the results so far. The roofs are definitely on the 'heavy' side as far as rust goes. I won't be doing all the roofs to that extreme, there will be variety in the fleet. The side-on shots are of boxcars that were airbrushed for road grime. Some bogies and wheels still need painting, rusting, grease etc.
I'll be weathering some more cars soon so keep a look out for more posts. Let me know what you think.
Cheers for now!
Stew.
G'day!
This series of pics show the completion of track work for the engine shed. I've used soldered brass models of the Hayes Bumpers (by Tomar Industries) at the end of the tracks for more strength than plastic ones to make sure any possible runaway engines don't make it onto the track behind them.
The small depot will serve the small yard on the main layout and also this end of the staging if I decide to operate the staging as an active yard. I will be detailing the shed both inside and out. Lights will also be installed for 'night' operations. A maximum of six locomotives can be 'on shed' but four would be easier to manage.
That's it for now. Keep a look out for my next blog update.
Cheers!
Stew.
G'day!
This post shows the addition of an engine shed to this end of the staging. The track that it runs off will be an additional run-around track that will run down to the other end of the staging. I'm thinking about building a larger engine depot where I can display more of my power instead of it being packed away. Depending on how I want to run the staging I will be able to stage up to seven trains maximum.
The engine shed is a Pikestuff kit. It originally had two doors at one end and the other end blank, but I wanted to be able to 'run through' so I cut two extra doorways and added my own trim with Evergreen styrene strip. I will be painting the shed but for now the moulded colours will do. Can't wait to get more tracks down and stage more MRL engines!
Cheers for now!
Stew.
