My Conrail Layout build thread

JVolz Jan 8, 2011

  1. css29

    css29 TrainBoard Member

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    It looks as though you airbrushed your track. Can you describe what you used and how you did it?
     
  2. JVolz

    JVolz TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks.

    It's 3'x16' for now...

    I plan to expand to the right off the end by the paper mill, first with staging tracks and then a further expansion across the room, maybe about 3'x8" will fit over there.
     
  3. JVolz

    JVolz TrainBoard Member

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    I use a combination of Model Masters paints, mainly burnt umber and raw umber, mixed about 50/50. I'm not real picky on the mix, as real rail varies from mile to mile. I use a more "rust" color on sidings/industrial tracks.

    I airbrush everything, rails and ties, as the color all pretty much blends together in the prototype. On sidings and such I'll brush paint the ties with a lighter gray/brown to reflect the neglected condition of such.
     
  4. SecretWeapon

    SecretWeapon Passed away January 23, 2024 In Memoriam

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    :thumbs_up::thumbs_up:
     
  5. SinCity

    SinCity TrainBoard Member

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    Great job on the creek and love the variety of texture on your groundwork.
     
  6. dottney

    dottney TrainBoard Member

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    Joe,
    Great job so far. I'll be watching to get more ideas for my small layout. The industrial buildings on page 2 of the thread are particularly nice.
    Dave
     
  7. JVolz

    JVolz TrainBoard Member

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    Continued work on the ground cover and finished the creek bed. I threw a few of the structures on the layout and posed a few trains to see how things looked.

    You can't see it real well, but the track for the feed mill was ballasted with a blend of WS blended gray, real dirt and finely sifted gravel from the street in front of my house. This helps differentiate it from the well-maintained (yet to be applied) mainline ballast.

    I am a crappy model railroad photographer...

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  8. JVolz

    JVolz TrainBoard Member

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  9. OC Engineer JD

    OC Engineer JD Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Looks awesome!!! Great looking scenery and the weathering on the units is excellent. :)
     
  10. JSL

    JSL TrainBoard Member

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    That looks fantastic. The elevator looks great, adding some more silos out of pvc I see. Keep the updates coming.
     
  11. Groove Rider

    Groove Rider TrainBoard Member

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    Great job so far. I really like your rock-work and terrain.
     
  12. jimmygolds

    jimmygolds TrainBoard Member

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    MAN,that is a nice layout....please keep me posted on your progress,it looks great!!!!
     
  13. phatkat64

    phatkat64 E-Mail Bounces

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    REALLY nice job! You're coming along nicely! LOVE the PVC grain elevator trick - great way to save a buck:thumbs_up:
    I'm starting layout #7 in a few months; first one in N scale! Love the inspirational tips and tricks - thanx!!! :pbiggrin:
     
  14. Nimo

    Nimo TrainBoard Member

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    As many people have said already, that's a very nice layout... and you work fast... :D looking forward to the progress...
     
  15. mr1967

    mr1967 TrainBoard Member

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    how exactly do trains use the yard? there looks to be a yard lead-ish track, but it looks very short. curious how that works.
     
  16. JVolz

    JVolz TrainBoard Member

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    BIG Update...
    I've been hard at work, but very remiss with updates on my layout. I recently completed my creek and river and a few more structures, as well as the yard, and all ballasting. To the photos!!

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    The river and creek were made with Park's Super Glaze, purchased at Home Depot. It's a two part epoxy with ZERO odor, which I highly recommend.
    I tinted it with hobby paints, and used gloss medium for the rough water. I actually imbedded some polyfiber yarn used for fly tying in the rapids to give a foamy look and am very pleased with how that turned out.
    The white water areas have highly thinned white drybrushed on the surface.
     

    Attached Files:

  17. JVolz

    JVolz TrainBoard Member

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    This is my ADM corn syrup transloading facility. The building is scratchbuilt, with mostly Micro Engineering parts. I scratchbuilt all of the piping from brass and styrene, carefully bent over a candle I can't recall where the shed came from. I need to build more storage tanks still, and complete the piping to them from the building.

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  18. JVolz

    JVolz TrainBoard Member

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    Fire station, scratchbuilt from Pikestuff parts, sheet styrene, and Walther's brick sheet.

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    Overview of the yard. The question was asked how does it function. In front is the a/d track. There are six classification tracks, three stub end, three double-ended. Off in the distance is the lead, which serves to access the two industries that are down that way. Fairly small, but suits my needs.

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  19. JVolz

    JVolz TrainBoard Member

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    Some motive power.

    Atlas SD50 SD60M combo. Both built from undecorated units, with Microscale decals. I added MU cables and hoses, windshield wipers, grab irons and coupler cut levers. Weathered with washes, pastels and airbrushing.

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    My new Kato SD70MAC twins. These were decorated units to which I added grab irons, MU cables from Atlas, sunshades, painted the walkways. handrails and details (still needs the nose set), and washed with an oil/turpenoid wash. Needs a little more weathering, but will keep it light as these were the last new units Conrail purchased.

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  20. JVolz

    JVolz TrainBoard Member

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    Walther's Superior paper Mill, with an office from Pikestuff in front, and a totally scratch building behind it. I used the walls from a HO Pikestuff building as a starting point. Still some details to add, but mostly complete. Also the pond behind the mill, made in the same way as my river and creek posted above

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    More to come, stay tuned!!!

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