Rainier Great Western Const Update

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my friend and crew member, Scott Taylor for donating the kiln kit to the RGW.

 

Spent about an hour in the train room today adding to the structures list, this one a railcar woodchip loader from the Walthers Sawmill Outbuildings kit. It was quick and easy, the hardest part was getting the cross member to fit into the support structure. Even the directions warned this might take some work.

None-the-less, it went together fine and here it is on the layout, pre-paint.





This is not its final location, just wanted the proper setting for the photo. Til next time. M

 

Tonight's work party started with Wain airbrushing a nice blending color of green on the golf course. While that dried, he started the first coat of our backdrop color on the lower level west backdrop.



Here is the backdrop after the first coat:



Meanwhile Doug added more color, more rocks and test fit a culvert at the snowshed scene.



Ed and I got the closed circuit tv screen installed. It will allow us to watch train progress on all levels of the helix. As we have done with the Wye schematics, this screen can be recessed up under the benchwork when not needed.



As the evening progressed, we fired up the cameras and enjoyed the clarity of the system; which is quite impressive, even in low light. This is the Bunker Hill two camera security system offered by Harbor Freight Tools. I was fortunate to get it on sale for under $60.

That's it for tonight. M

 

Tonight's project is fabricating the idler car for my Boeing airplane train. I started with a Boeing skybox I bought off ebay. It was cheap due to pretty poor construction by the prior owner. Normally they are selling for upwards of $50 per car, but this was in the low teens.

I separated the body from the flatcar, then cut the car in half. The beauty of the skybox is that it's exactly the same height, width and wall configuration of the idler car. By cutting the body in half, I essentially get two cars.

After measuring up 3ft at the front, I cut the recess at 45°. I traced the exposed edges and then cut pieces of .030 styrene to fill the open walls. Some sanding, then the magic of Mr Dissolved Putty, more sanding and you have a car body ready for the paint shop.





More later. M

 

Lots of fun progress tonight as the RGW crew hit a lot of projects. Ed got the helix cameras installed and the numbers placed on the levels so we can track train progress. Here is a shot from the screen:



Son Bradley added more trees asking the second level:



Doug added more details to the snowshed:



And Wain made more progress on the golf course, adding static grass around the green and tee box and adding a little feature in the middle of the cart path.





I worked on the lower tunnel portal and put a coat of primer on the idler cars.



Lastly another coat of sky on the lower backdrop:



What a productive evening. Thanks for checking in. M

 

Spent a few minutes in the train room today putting some extra color on the rock formations that are on either side of the snowshed. Several more weathering and scenery items to go, but here is latest look.

 

Just finished the final painting of the two idler cars, next stop affixing to the flatcars.







Excess height decals, weathering and some dullcote and we're golden. M

 

Early start to the evening, here's how those idler cars look on the RGW.





More later. M

 

The two big projects on the menu tonight were scenery additions. First, Wain put in some foam contouring in between tracks and some real dirt ground cover (in this pic it's covered in diluted glue) to the west end of Renton Yard.



Meanwhile, Doug started work on the retention pond for the snowshed, adding ground cover and rock. He also added ivy near the corners to hide the fact this scene is removable.



Really enjoying these two scenes. Both of the guys do excellent work. Thanks for checking in. M

 

Spent the evening on Phase II of the Boeing 737 assembly plant. Phase I was cutting the foamcore in the proper dimensions, while Phase II is the placement of the standing seam siding for the front of the structure.

Here is a quick look at how that's taking shape:



Since this shot, all of the pieces have been cut and all but one can be affixed to the foamcore. The final piece has been cut wider than is necessary. It will go in last after sanding it to fit.

Phase III will be fabricating and automating the sliding doors. I look forward to that challenge. Phase IV will be the addition of a working/lighted Boeing sign, complete with the Lockheed logo.

More later as this comes together, thanks for checking in. M

 

Just ran out to the train room to get the heat up and lights on and this is how the west end of Renton Yard looks after the glue dried (see post 671 for reference).



Sweet. Ballast crew needs to get busy. More later tonight. M

 

Here are two more pics from Tuesday. The first is the next phase of the west end yard beautification. In Wain's absence, I colored the rocks and added more real dirt.



Meanwhile, Doug began to experiment with trees size and placement in the cascade foothills.





There are a gazillion trees to put in, this was more about alignment and height.

While this was going on, Scott and Ed were debating the construction of the transfer table from the sawmill to the kiln. When they stop debating and start adding rail, I'll take a pic. More later. M

 

We are modeling Henrys, just using a bit of "imagine this" to pull it off. I actually have a pic of train going over Henry's at home, will post it later.

 

Last night's work party involved progress on three areas. First, Scott and Ed continued to work on the three rail transfer table from the sawmill to the kiln.



I worked on the lower helix tunnel area. It was a three step process. Having put down some real dirt last week, I first needed to add the balance to the scene. Then I put down blended turf on the part that I had finished last week.



Once that dried, I completed the ground foam on the dirt portion.



The last step for the night was to get down some coarse turf in both dark and light green. So much more to go for that layered look.



The last item was ballasting the tracks in front of the golf course scene. Wain did the honors.



He was able to get all the tracks in this area done and glued before heading home. I'm sure it will look fantastic by next week. Thanks for checking in. M

 

Following up on Tuesday night, here are two shots of the ballast work Wain completed at the golf course scene.





Really happy with this scene. Wain a true pro, a great modeler.