I still plan to post photos of my 0-6-0 converstion to an oil-burner. But for now, a few quick thoughts about what I've accomplished so far and where I plan to go.
Work has been slowed by the time demands (and fun) of getting our new puppy settled in, but I have laid some more track. My plan, as I mentioned previously, is to finish this section of the layout, including scenery, before moving on to the rest, which includes the port and industry areas, etc. Briefly, my reasons are:
1. I like scenery work (including structures) and would like to get to it.
2. It would be nice to get all of my rolling stock on the rails and operate it, even for some (at this point) limited switching.
3. I'd like to put up my backdrop.
4. There is a possibility that we will move to an "age 55 plus" or similar patio home community in the next year to year and a half. The move would be short, within 10 miles or so. We are in a nice neighborhood but really think we'd enjoy more being among people our own age. We will want to do something like this eventually, anyway. A move would doubtless entail adapting my layout plans to a different room configuration. My layout is in "modular" 28 inch and 48 inch sections, and at its current size would be an easy fit in just about any spare bedroom, so I think it's best for now to completely finish the segments I've built so far; by the time that's accomplished, it may be time to move.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Monday, January 4, 2010
Happy New Year!
Now that Christmas is over, I'm getting back into model railroading again. The coal-to-oil conversion on my 0-6-0 is complete and I will include a photo in an upcoming post, along with a listing of the reference materials I used.
I've also completed testing the track laid so far. The 0-6-0 is my "severest critic" in smoking out any problems with gauge or alignment, and thus far there have been few corrections required, and those have been made. In this phase of the layout I still have a couple of sidings to lay; the ties are down, just need rail. I hope to complete this in the next few days. Once that's done it's time to start putting freight cars on the track, after any damage from packing and moving is corrected, along with any extra detailing I feel moved to add.
At that point the track on the "left" and two-thirds of the "top" of the layout will be done (see track plan in a previous post). I'm going to stop there and begin scenery and structure work on that portion before I go further in the track plan. More about that, and the rationale behind it, in a future post.
A non-railroad aside: Two weeks ago we acquired another dog, a cocker spaniel/poodle puppy. She's now two months old and is already partly housebroken and is learning to play fetch. Her name is Molly and we're delighted to have her.
I've also completed testing the track laid so far. The 0-6-0 is my "severest critic" in smoking out any problems with gauge or alignment, and thus far there have been few corrections required, and those have been made. In this phase of the layout I still have a couple of sidings to lay; the ties are down, just need rail. I hope to complete this in the next few days. Once that's done it's time to start putting freight cars on the track, after any damage from packing and moving is corrected, along with any extra detailing I feel moved to add.
At that point the track on the "left" and two-thirds of the "top" of the layout will be done (see track plan in a previous post). I'm going to stop there and begin scenery and structure work on that portion before I go further in the track plan. More about that, and the rationale behind it, in a future post.
A non-railroad aside: Two weeks ago we acquired another dog, a cocker spaniel/poodle puppy. She's now two months old and is already partly housebroken and is learning to play fetch. Her name is Molly and we're delighted to have her.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Tender Oil Tank II
I will stop by Mike's Hobby Shop here in Kingwood this week to order some Grimy Black water-based paint for finishing the tender oil tank; the shop only carries the oil-based variety, but they're great about ordering items. Grimy Black is useful not only for touchup on my 0-6-0 (especially when I remove the old lettering) and, of course, the oil tank, but is effective, when mixed when Concrete color, in coloring "asphalt" roads.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Tender Oil Tank
I've started work on the oil tank for the 0-6-0 tender, using styrene. The tank is essentially a box that will cover the tender's coal bunker. I made the box out of styrene and have filed the corners to round them. All that's left to add is the filling spout and vent pipe, and paint.
Also, while I'm doing this, I'll probably take the opportunity to reletter the tender for "Gulf Harbor Terminal" rather than the current "Idaho & Palouse", which definitely won't fit on a Texas railroad! As before, I will use dry transfer white lettering, which has proved very durable; the current lettering has been on since 1991 with no problems.
Also, while I'm doing this, I'll probably take the opportunity to reletter the tender for "Gulf Harbor Terminal" rather than the current "Idaho & Palouse", which definitely won't fit on a Texas railroad! As before, I will use dry transfer white lettering, which has proved very durable; the current lettering has been on since 1991 with no problems.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Subtropical Weather
Our back yard in Kingwood, Texas. We thought we'd left this kind of weather back in Idaho.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Backdrop Postponed
I've decided I'm not ready to put up the backdrop yet, so my Lowe's purchase will wait. I still have some more track to lay, so I'll hold off until that's completed. One project at a time, except...
...I will "convert" my 0-6-0 to an oil burner. It looks like a fairly simple job. I plan to use styrene to modify the coal bunker...cover it, essentially...per some old Model Railroader prototype drawings I found in my files, in particular an 0-6-0 from the Portland, Oregon terminal railway.
...I will "convert" my 0-6-0 to an oil burner. It looks like a fairly simple job. I plan to use styrene to modify the coal bunker...cover it, essentially...per some old Model Railroader prototype drawings I found in my files, in particular an 0-6-0 from the Portland, Oregon terminal railway.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Fine Tuning Trackwork, Etc.
Track
I've spent quite a bit of time the last couple of days testing the track I've laid so far. And so far, so good. I've had to make some adjustments, especially at a particular pair of closely-placed turnouts, but these weren't too difficult. My NW-2 diesel seems to run through just about anything without balking, but my 0-6-0 steam engine is pickier, so I use it for my initial testing. It is very adept at finding any spots where the gauge is a hair too wide or a spike hasn't been driven deeply enough and it protruding. Thus, when the steam loco rolls smoothly through a section of trackwork or a turnout, I'm satisfied it's safe to "sign off" on the work.
Backdrop
I plan to get over to Lowe's tomorrow and, among other things, buy backdrop material. I'm going to use Masonite, 1/8" if available. Since my layout is "semi-modular" I plan to cut the backdrop material the same length as each section. It will be 16" high (my layout is 42" high). My corners are too tight to allow bending Masonite, even with soaking it (as Darrell suggested), so I'm going to use the back of linoleum for the corners, just as I did on my Idaho layout. On that layout I blended the segments, including the linoleum, with patching plaster, which proved to be effective and durable (see my photos in last June's postings).
Weird Weather
This is strictly an aside, nothing to do with model railroading. My main reason to head to Lowe's is to buy some material for insulating a pipe leading to one of our outside faucets. A cold wave is heading toward the Houston area and there may even be a little snow on Friday. Last year it did snow, on December 10th, tying a record for the earliest snow here, a record that would be broken if it indeed snows this Friday. This area is subtropical, and on average receives snow every four years, and miniscule amounts at that. So two years in a row? We must have brought along some sort of snow curse when we moved here from Idaho, thinking we'd left that kind of weather behind!!
I've spent quite a bit of time the last couple of days testing the track I've laid so far. And so far, so good. I've had to make some adjustments, especially at a particular pair of closely-placed turnouts, but these weren't too difficult. My NW-2 diesel seems to run through just about anything without balking, but my 0-6-0 steam engine is pickier, so I use it for my initial testing. It is very adept at finding any spots where the gauge is a hair too wide or a spike hasn't been driven deeply enough and it protruding. Thus, when the steam loco rolls smoothly through a section of trackwork or a turnout, I'm satisfied it's safe to "sign off" on the work.
Backdrop
I plan to get over to Lowe's tomorrow and, among other things, buy backdrop material. I'm going to use Masonite, 1/8" if available. Since my layout is "semi-modular" I plan to cut the backdrop material the same length as each section. It will be 16" high (my layout is 42" high). My corners are too tight to allow bending Masonite, even with soaking it (as Darrell suggested), so I'm going to use the back of linoleum for the corners, just as I did on my Idaho layout. On that layout I blended the segments, including the linoleum, with patching plaster, which proved to be effective and durable (see my photos in last June's postings).
Weird Weather
This is strictly an aside, nothing to do with model railroading. My main reason to head to Lowe's is to buy some material for insulating a pipe leading to one of our outside faucets. A cold wave is heading toward the Houston area and there may even be a little snow on Friday. Last year it did snow, on December 10th, tying a record for the earliest snow here, a record that would be broken if it indeed snows this Friday. This area is subtropical, and on average receives snow every four years, and miniscule amounts at that. So two years in a row? We must have brought along some sort of snow curse when we moved here from Idaho, thinking we'd left that kind of weather behind!!
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