Summer Shunting Shelf Project

MC Fujiwara Aug 12, 2011

  1. Nimo

    Nimo TrainBoard Member

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    definitely looking awesome...
     
  2. MC Fujiwara

    MC Fujiwara TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks for the positive feedback, guys.

    The globs of white glue have dried, so here's the other end of the left section we worked on.
    Mainly installing backdrop photos, flats, fence and doing some ground cover, bushes & (small) trees:

    [​IMG]

    [The hinge at the upper right behind the gon will be covered by a removeable power house]

    When trying to put some static grass on, we put the white glue down, then tried to push the grounding T-pin for our fly-swatter static grass applicator.
    Took about 3-4 hard pushes to remember we used MDF, not pink foam, on this layout.
    D'oh!

    So just sprinkled it on with our hands, rolling it with our fingers whle letting it fall onto the white glue.
    A few passes with the vacuum got some to stand up, but otherwise it turnout out ok:

    [​IMG]

    At first the slightly-diluted white glue dried very shiny, to the point you could see the edges of the glue!
    We took a tooth brush, dipped in dirt and scrubbed the grass.
    This seemed to tone it down.
    Then we sprinkled a little more dirt & "weed" fine ground foam around & through the grass area, then re-wetted with booze and diluted white glue.
    That seemed to blend the grass, dirt & foam a bit better.

    Here's the whole backdrop scene so far:

    [​IMG]

    And here's a closeup of the photo-flat industry with gravel road and fence:

    [​IMG]

    Was thinking of putting a photo of an aircraft carrier in there, but a bit cheezy (& already had the navy planes down at the other end), and I liked the color / contrast to the nearby brick structures.

    Still need to build the oil-transfer shed and set up the oil storage tanks, but otherwise the left side of the layout is moving along pretty well.
    Thanks for looking.
     
  3. jhn_plsn

    jhn_plsn TrainBoard Supporter

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    Your scenery blend looks great.

    Since you will have removable structures to hide the hinges are you also planning to have section to insert into the gap created behind the hinge where the red brick building has no side? Reference the first photo in post #62.
     
  4. MC Fujiwara

    MC Fujiwara TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks, John.
    I think the removable building will take care of covering most of the gap.
    I'm thinking of putting a piece of black cloth / velcro behind the backdrops to block the light, too.
    But a thin brick insert would work nicely to join the buildings together.
    Good idea!
     
  5. PW&NJ

    PW&NJ TrainBoard Member

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    Man this is awesome! And thanks for the extra details about your dirt and grass. If you're bored, I'd love to see a step-by-step, cuz it turned out very nice. Can't wait to see it done!
     
  6. Tad

    Tad TrainBoard Supporter

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    You do good work, MC.
     
  7. MC Fujiwara

    MC Fujiwara TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks, but while a lot of the fine-motor stuff and prep work is me, the kids do do a lot on the layout (haha I said "do do").
    Like the buildings: My daughter glued the sections I cut together. They dried. My daughter spray-painted the base coat. It dried. My son splashed greyish wash all over. It dried. My daughter & I painted some doors & window sills. Dried. I touched up around the doors and windows. Dried. My son splashed weathering stain from the "Big Jug O' Stain" all over. Dried. I CA'ed the flats to the backboard. Dried. Tah-dah!
    I'm much more comfortable working with wood, so it's been fun to play with styrene.

    At some point though, I would like to see my daughter build her own so I can just move to the advisor role. Would be good for her sense of ownership.
    After this project, I guess!
     
  8. b-16707

    b-16707 TrainBoard Member

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    i am just floored looking at this display and the speed it was completed in! more pics!!!
     
  9. MC Fujiwara

    MC Fujiwara TrainBoard Member

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    In addition to not getting much done on my "real" layout (Mt. Coffin & Columbia River), I also haven't got much done on this one, either.
    It's a good 90 deg outside, so the kids disappeared to the swimming pool with friends, leaving me in a garage that's getting close to 100.
    That's with the door open.
    But I did get my 0-8-0 back together and weathered a little for some photo ops, rolling back the layout to Alameda in the late 1940s:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Hope to get more done when things cool down.
    Thanks for looking.
     
  10. jnevis

    jnevis TrainBoard Supporter

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    The layout is bloody awesome. You could come out here. It was in the upper 60s today. Hasn't been above 75 in a month. Sometimes I miss being out there.
     
  11. y0chang

    y0chang TrainBoard Member

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    MC your switching layout reminds me of my one of my favorite authors in Model Railroader, Robert Smaus. It reminds me a lot of Robert Smaus's LA layout and his LA terminal project layout. That weathering on the 0-8-0 is just right, if you have a chance you could explain your steam weathering techniques. Do you fully disassemble the loco?
     
  12. PW&NJ

    PW&NJ TrainBoard Member

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    Absolutely fantastic, MC. Three thumbs up. Much better than Cats. I would watch it again and again... :thumbs_up:
     
  13. MC Fujiwara

    MC Fujiwara TrainBoard Member

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    The 0-8-0 was disassembled because I've been butchering the wiring trying to reconnect the harness & motor wires.
    Took the decoder out & put the DC plug back in to run on the switching layout.
    As for weathering, I just slapped some weathering powders on it just before the photo.
    The tender I had modified to make space for the decoder, and so painted it grimy black, which gives it an older look.
    But otherwise it's just 30 seconds of powdering.
    You can see I still need to neolube the wheels & rods.

    Thanks for putting my work in the same post as Robert Smaus, but his mad modeling skillz are way beyond mine.
    I admire his urban work a lot!
     
  14. Flash Blackman

    Flash Blackman TrainBoard Member

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    Concur. Great project and very realistic.
     
  15. MC Fujiwara

    MC Fujiwara TrainBoard Member

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    Whoa, can't believe it's been a month and a half since the last post for this project!
    Been working on it here & there, but I guess the boxcab took over.
    Well, got some stuff to show.

    Started extending the scenery to the right section which, up until now, had only the carfloat and dock done.
    Built the receiving building for the brewery, as well as the two removable structures -- the small oil tanks and the brick building that started as a power house but now is part of the brewery -- that hide the hinges:

    [​IMG]

    There'll be a Traincat quonset hut somewhere in that front area, too.
    The oil tanks are far from done: still waiting on some industrial ladders, railing & walkways to come in the mail to finish them.
    Yes, they still look like the ABS caps that they are right now, but after I add the details & weather I think they'll look pretty good.

    Still need to disguise the concrete berm a bit, but that, plus the larger brick structure across the tracks, are removeable, as they disguise the hinges of this "Alameda-in-a-Box" layout:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    If my daughter & I had taken more care constructing the benchwork, you wouldn't be able to see the left joint line.
    (It's difficult to see the right one, yes?)
    Remember, the hinges, because they're mounted above the boards, lifts the sections out & up, so track & scenery can be nearly seemless when flat.
    But the static grass & bushes I put in help disguise the crack when photographing down at track level.

    I also built two Traincat tankcar loading platforms & stuck them together:


    [​IMG]

    And soon will install the pipes & pump house.
    I highly recommend Traincat's brass kits: he ships fast and they're high quality, relatively simple to build, and look great (the detail really sells the rest of the layout!)

    Anyway, trying to finish this one up before the Layout Design SIG meet in January down in Mt. View, CA (you're all invited! great clinics & layout visits!), so will be putting the pedal to the metal for the next couple weeks.
    (Though I also want to build the cannery for the Mt. Coffin layout, too, so we'll see how things go)
    Thanks for looking.
     
  16. mr1967

    mr1967 TrainBoard Member

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    this is a very cool project on so many levels; getting your kids involved, having a layout that is highly portable, and showcasing some great talents. this reminds me of the when a childhood friend and myself worked on a Gumstump and Snowshoe shelf layout. i think i have some room to do something along these lines with my two boys.

    well done.
     
  17. flexeril

    flexeril TrainBoard Member

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    Very nice. Great detail and a lot of quality time with your kids.
     
  18. Railroad Bill

    Railroad Bill TrainBoard Member

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    Very nice, indeed. This thread's a keeper; I'll be sorry when its complete!

    If you'd consider some "personal" questions, do you show your work (mentioned an LHS exhibit?) Who do you consider peers for idea generation & execution?

    Your conception is excellent, consistant with plans, and well rendered.
     
  19. MC Fujiwara

    MC Fujiwara TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks, guys.
    Bill: let me think about the influences & I'll get some stuff together. Good idea to document those!

    Slowly expanding the scenery to the right (east).
    Put together the Flotsam Brewery main structure:

    [​IMG]

    [slogan: "First you flotsam, then you jetsam!"]

    And here it is installed on the layout:

    [​IMG]

    Still need to come up with a sign, weather the roof shingles a bit, throw some dirt underneath, and I'm still debating about adding posts under the dock or leave it cantilevered.

    Here's a wider shot to show how it fits into the section:

    [​IMG]

    Just got a dockside warehouse to build and then the background flats are done.

    Thanks for looking.
     
  20. arbomambo

    arbomambo TrainBoard Member

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    just incredible!...
    gives me plenty of inspiration for expanding a 'wing' off of the door layout!
    Bruce
     

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