Acme, an N Scale HCD Layout

logging loco Feb 5, 2021

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  1. MK

    MK TrainBoard Member

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    That's an awesome magnetic building tray you have there! Home made or bought?
     
  2. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    Thanks.
    I've had it for years. I think it is from Micro Mark. It comes in handy.

    It looks like a shelf from a metal locker or from an electronics cabinet. The magnets that came with it look very similar to magnets in old magnetic modular phone jacks.

    Much hander than homasote and dress makers pins.
     
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  3. BNSF FAN

    BNSF FAN TrainBoard Supporter

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    I like how that is coming together. It is going to be one neat structure when done! (y)(y)(y)
     
  4. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    Thanks BNSF.
     
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  5. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    A SHAMELESS BUMP.

    I hope everyone is still doing well.

    It's been almost exactly four months since I worked on my layout or posted an update.

    I believe I started building my HCD layout about the same time Mo-Pac started his HCD layout build. I really like the progress he has made. My layout on the other hand, well . . .

    I've read on another thread this "isn't a competition", and it's not, but I must admit Mo-Pac's progress has given me motivation.

    Today I'm going to get my train room somewhat squared away and figure out where I left off with the grainery, do some work on it, and post a couple progress photos.
     
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  6. mtntrainman

    mtntrainman TrainBoard Supporter

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    Yup...not a 'competition'....but always a 'motivation'. (y)
     
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  7. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    20210728_204558.jpg

    The mixture of Durham's Water Putty and Glidden Gripper grey latex primer sealer filled in the corner seams well.

    16275207121546747661868964034096.jpg


    I haven't decided the final color yet. I made some color swatches to test the colors I have on hand. I need to do some more research and see what colors other modelers use for cast concrete buildings.
    The track side canopy is only held on with masking tape for now.
    20210728_204558.jpg
    Everything looks much darker in the photos.

    I certainly enjoyed getting back to the modeling bench listening to Thunder Below! The USS Barb Revolutionizes Submarine Warfare in WWII, by Eugene B. Fluckey.
    audiobook.

    Tomorrow it's back to work on This Old Dump!

    Have a Good One!
     
  8. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    20210729_223723.jpg

    I decided to finish the primed concrete surfaces with a thin wash of craft acrylics, made up of Apple Barrel Colors, 20575, Sandstone, a small touch of DecoArt, Americana, DA58, Antique White, and a smaller touch of Anita's Craft Paint, 11002 Black.

    I painted the windows with two thin coats of Testers Flat Enamel, 1174, OD Green. I'll let that dry a day or two before I handle them. I'm not sure about glazing. The corners of die cut window openings aren't exactly square and I'm concerned with opening them up too much if I try to square them up.

    Thats it for this update. I should be posting another update next week.

    Have a Good One!
     
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  9. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    I've been taking advantage of the cool temps and low humidity. I'm enjoying having the windows in my little train room open.

    My work bench is close to a corner. There is a tall window directly to the front of the bench and another about three feet away on the adjacent wall. I get a great cross breeze with plenty of fresh air. I can listen to NS blowing for crossings across the Schuykill River. The past two nights, just after sundown a skunk has been outside, very close judging by the smell.

    Well, back to layout progress.

    20210805_215534.jpg

    After the acrylic washes dried , I thought the concrete still looked too dark. I applied several more thin brush coats of Apple Barrel Sandstone thinned with DecoArt Brush'n Blend Medium Extender.

    The color still looked to dark while it was wet. I put the model aside for a couple days. Once the wash dried I was happy with the concrete shade.

    I really need to get my airbrush compressor set up for future use.

    Have a good one!

    Disclaimer
    I'm not suggesting you follow my building techniques. They are mostly old school and out of date. Most of my kits and materials are decades old but what I have on hand and this is what I enjoy working with.
    Oh, and I tend to ramble!
     
    Last edited: Aug 6, 2021
  10. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    I believe this old Railhead kit was produced in 1974. It was sealed with brittle yellow cellophane tape and appeared to have never been open. There was no glazing material included.

    I decided to glaze the windows with repurposed clear fruit packaging. I cut the material for the doors and large windows to size with a square and single blade razor..

    20210805_213546.jpg

    Normally I get more enjoyment working with hand tools. It would have taken too long to get 20 windows within the tolerances needed so to keep this project moving I decided to cut the material on the table saw.

    The first test cut really chipped the edges of the clear plastic. I flipped the blade around so it was on backwards and it cut very smooth.

    The black and red in the lower left is a mini spring clamp used as a length stop on the ripping guide. I used the stock of a machinists square to extend the miter fence when the material got to small for the miter.

    Have a good one!

    Disclaimer
    I'm not suggesting you follow my building techniques. They are mostly old school and out of date. Most of my kits and materials are decades old, but what I have on hand and this is what I enjoy working with.
    Oh, and I tend to ramble!
     
  11. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

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    I spent the better part of a couple of years working in Scranton, PA.

    Compared to Dallas/Fort Worth TX, the summers were divine. The winters... not so much!

    A coworker there commented that we both spent the uncomfortable seasons scurrying from one climate-controlled environment to another. I said I rarely had to deal with freezing precipitation, or the effects of salt on the roads. He said he could always put on more clothes to keep warm, but it was not socially acceptable to remove enough to keep cool!
     
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  12. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    I agree completely!

    I live a couple hours south of Scranton near Reading.
    I love the snow and have plenty of wool clothes. Fortunately I'm at a point in my life where I can stay home when the roads are slick.
    20210201_151523.jpg
     
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  13. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

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    I'm retired now, so I know what you mean about not having to get out in the weather.

    Except for this past winter (and about every 20 years or so...) most of our frozen precipitation is considerably more dense, and accompanied by thunder, lightning, and possible tornadoes, most often in spring. But thankfully it is short-lived, except for the damage it can leave behind. Damage from hail is actually fairly rare because it tends to be very localized. In 30 years, I've had my roof replaced twice due to hail. That's only once more than due to age anyway, for a 30 yr roof.

    Snow is beautiful if you don't have to get anywhere in it. Oh, and the silence when it's falling! Most of our frozen precipitation is also rather loud.
     
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  14. badlandnp

    badlandnp TrainBoard Member

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    Spent a year in Mountaintop, PA, rebuilding locomotives with Morrison-Knudsen. Enjoyed all of it, except the trees eventually got me claustrophobic! The snow was great! Pedaled a mountain bike in it, played in it, YES!! I agree, just putting on another layer of clothes is easy.

    Am enjoying watching your builds, the concrete looks good on that elevator.
     
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  15. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    Thanks badlandnp.
    It took much longer than I thought to it would, but then again, most things do.

    Have a good one!

    Disclaimer
    I'm not suggesting you follow my building techniques. They are mostly old school and out of date. Most of my kits and materials are decades old, but what I have on hand and this is what I enjoy working with.
    Oh, and I tend to ramble!
     
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  16. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    LESSON LEARNED

    In hindsight with the window openings being die cut and not very consistent, I would have been better off painting and glazing the windows first, then touching up the window opening with a small file.

    Touching up the openings prior to painting walls would have allowed me to draw layout lines on the cardstock walls so rows of windows are plumb and square to one another. If I removed too much cardstock I could fill gaps with some Durhams Water Putty/primer mix.

    Glazing with the packing material also added thickness, and reduced the gluing area for the window frame to wall joint. The glazing is also not exactly centered on each window so there is not a uniform exposure of the window frame on the back side. This may make plumbing and truing the windows more challenging.

    I might have to take a leap into late 20th century technology and try some type of liquid glazing.

    Have a good one!

    Disclaimer
    I'm not suggesting you follow my building techniques. They are mostly old school and out of date. Most of my kits and materials are decades old, but what I have on hand and this is what I enjoy working with.
    Oh, and I tend to ramble!
     
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  17. Shortround

    Shortround TrainBoard Member

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    Thermal underwear is common for us more mature Wisconsinites. :cool:
     
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  18. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    20210807_123111.jpg

    Laying out the rip cut on the upside-down layout. The paper hangers rule was in the attic when we purchased the house.

    The mending plates I purchased turned out to be to wide, the screw holes fall right where the door skin meets the framing member.

    I want to install the mending plates prior to cutting to help insure the overall width of the layout doesn't change and throw off the track joints. This would be a non issue if track wasn't already laid.

    Since I wasn't quite ready to rip the layout, I went back to installing windows on the granary.
    20210807_164106.jpg

    Squaring up the die-cut window openings is going better than I expected. Slow and steady with frequent test fits and a few quick passes of the blade on the whetstone seem to be doing the trick.

    20210807_171259.jpg

    When gluing the window frame in place I use a small machinists square to align the window and a 10/0 brush to apply canopy glue.

    After applying glue and before setting the window in place, the brush goes directly into water so the glue doesn't harden in the brush.

    Today I've been listening to James Follett's Temple of the Wind while at the bench.


    Have a good one!

    Disclaimer
    I'm not suggesting you follow my building techniques. They are mostly old school and out of date. Most of my kits and materials are decades old, but what I have on hand and this is what I enjoy working with.
    Oh, and I tend to ramble!
     
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  19. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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  20. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    Started modifying the mending plates.
    20210810_161748.jpg 20210810_161350.jpg

    I laid out the new holes and cut lines then drilled pilot holes at the model bench. I used my old MicroLux press for the pilot holes. I'm aiming for the plate locations be interchangeable. I don't know if I will be able to keep the tolerances tight enough opening up the holes with a hand drill. I'll know in a day or so.

    A machinist I'm not.
     
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