Last night we again concentrated on a couple of projects. Ed and Scott started working on our switch controls. We use miniatronics dpdt toggle switches to activate the tortoises. Scott spent the evening punching, then drilling our faceplates. Meanwhile Ed started wiring the toggle switches. No pictures at this time, but trust me it's time consuming work. Wain and Bob were working on the turntable all evening. The diamond scale table has intricate directions, some of which generated much debate. Not sure how much got accomplished, but it was a debaters heaven back in the SW corner most of the night. Wain brought the RIP shed foundation in, complete with freshly painted service wells. It's pretty cool. Doug and I rectified a long standing "joke". A while back we put in a curved fascia to give us more room along the south wall. Problem is our access door to the staging yard no longer cleared. Not real swift putting in the fascia without checking the clearance. So last night we trimmed the door so it fit. Our car man Reynold was working on grain hoppers and flatcars. He decided to build himself a train on a passing siding. By evening's end it was way longer than this picture, as Scott decided to keep adding cars. Fun stuff. More next week.
Last night was a busy one, scenery and dust flying everywhere. Let's start with the scenery. Doug really hit the upper line tunnel portal hard and the results are really taking shape. Our recently acquired trees from Mike O'Brien's Xtrains really complement the pine trees we use. He also started installing the steps up to City Hall. Yours truly hit the scenery along the Maple Valley line. I put down clump foliage, vine material and replaced three pine trees with Xtrains trees. And looking the other way: As for the dust, next post has that detail. Before I end this post, here's a shot of Scott's grain train. Fun times.
Ed has been working on switch machines, first task is to drill holes for the actuating switches. In the Boeing part of Renton we have seven switches. We cover the holes with desk grommets. The switches are Miniatronics dpdt and are mounted on 3x3 aluminum plate. Final assembly looks like this: We use a simple method for routing the turnout points, throw the switch up for points away, down for points toward you. One last item, Bob temporarily installed i-beam guardrail. We all decided the beams were too wide, so we'll be going with 1/8th beams to do the job. Looking forward to next week.
What a neat solution! Have never seen it suggested. About how much do those hole covers cost, apiece?
Scenery really helps give a railroad the 'wow' factor. The vision begins to become clear of the dream in your mind. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Last night was a short one for the superintendent, Dr gave me strict orders to stay off my feet due to bronchitis. I followed that pretty well, but hey, the crew was working so I had to chat and go see once in a while. Bob was working on the guardrail in the lumber mill. The revised dimensions of the posts were on the money. Here are a few being test fit. Another bonus was that Bob completed the kiln's lumber carts. These look fantastic. We also were treated to another of Bob's projects, the second cell tower. Scott went back to an older project, the cribbing wall at the timber load siding. Adding new Chooch cribbing and prepping for acrylic washes next week. Doug continued his scenery additions in the mountains, I love how the mix of trees really pops the scene. That's about it for visual updates, but thanks to Rey who was working light washes on some of our cars and Ed who was busy with more switch machines. Look forward to next week. M
Those guard rail posts are much better! I agree on the tree mix. Especially true for regrown areas which had been logged.
Many thanks to all of you who participate in this thread, your comments and support are truly appreciated! Last night was a continuation of last week's work. Bob brought in all the guardrail posts and got them installed and glued. Next week he'll string the wire. He said he's bringing his magnifying visor for that job. Scott put the first couple of washes on the cribbing wall extension: Doug continued down the south wall, installing trees and shrubs. As for the rest of us, a new order of whisker couplers and some 33" metal wheelsets had Reynold all a buzz. Ed continued installation of the switch machines. That's going to be a fun add-in once complete. As for me, I picked up the front surface mirror earlier in the day and began the install. But issues arose right away. The mirror reflects every wart and wrinkle. So it required some additional painting and scenery to get it to look right. Hopefully we can get it installed next week and pour the water. Thanks for checking in....
