I mentioned in my Hotel and Grill thread that I had been distracted by another project. Well, this is that project.
I have decided to build a couple of "modules" that can later be incorporated into a layout and I want one of them to center around a stone station similar to the South Manchester station on George's F&SM. This module will focus more on masonry buildings. I am also planning a second module that will focus on wood structures.
So I know that George used his own stone castings to build many structures but as I do not have access to those I started figuring out how to make my own. I settled on some Tichy windows and doors that I like. I plan to make 2 windowed wall sections, a freight door section and a double door pedestrian section. I want be able to intermingle all of these so that they can for the building blocks for other structures in addition to the station.
Calling back to an image in my memory of how to make individual stone blocks from plaster "sticks" I set about designing the walls. I settled on using 5/32" square strip wood to make forms to cast the stone sticks. I built up the halves of each form and then glued them to a thin styrene backing sheet. The halves are not glued to each other so that the entire form can flex to remove the stone sticks.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-210417161353-212941526.jpeg)
The Northwest Shortline Chopper was very helpful in preparing this, along with a bottle of canopy glue. After I assembled the form I realized that I needed some wider stones for the lintels so I added on to the form.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-210417161353-213051933.jpeg)
Once this had dried for a couple of days I mixed up some plaster, filled the mold and waited. I tried to keep the mold flat with the blue weights along the edge but the water swelled the wood enough for the entire thing to curve. Fortunately this didn't harm anything. I used a razor saw to score the blocks and then some spring tweezers to hold and pop them apart.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-210417161353-213061281.jpeg)
Making the blocks was a bit slow and tedious, or relaxing and therapeutic depending on your point of view. I made a few of them.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-210417161353-21307857.jpeg)
I then set about testing a dry stack to see how things fit. The original plan was to have the wall sections 1 - 3/4" wide.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-210417161353-213082068.jpeg)
I wasn't entirely happy with the results and left it for a day to think about. I realized that what I didn't like was the flat edge showing on the blocks. They were not even and very wide. I decided to start again and cast a new set of stone sticks. This time instead of the razor saw I just used an X-acto knife to score the blocks. They were a little harder to snap and resulted in more block failures but the results were worth it to me.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-210417161511-21309788.jpeg)
Some of the block failure is probably due to using regular plaster of paris which is pretty soft. I have since acquired some hydrocal which I will use to cast finished walls. I want to try making blocks with it as well to see if the edge texture is different. I think the standard plaster gave a nice marble texture in HO scale.
So with the new blocks made I was ready to get serious. While doing the dry fit I had used some metal squares to frame the stack. These had a tendency to shift regularly so I wanted something more stable. My local mall has a Lego store which sells standard blocks in bulk. So I headed off and returned with a bucket of bricks to build a frame. This tub cost $8.99 for all I could squeeze in and that was more than enough for the frames. The lower left picture shows the original dry fit in the new frame. You'll note that the frame is a little wider. One eight of an inch to be exact. This was close enough for me, yielding a wall width of 1 - 7/8".
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-210417161511-213101945.jpeg)
My original wall section had the square lintel over the window but I wanted to work with the arched window so I made a frame that is one lego-bump-thing taller than the other frame. In the 3 pictures on the right above you can see the progress of this wall. After a quick fit I started gluing blocks starting from the lower left. The extra width of the frame turned out to make everything work better with my block size. I also added some wood trim around the window which I will glue in and include with the casting. The bits of strip wood ensure that the wall sections will fit together both flat and on a corner. At this point I have the wall build up to where I need to make the stone arch. I wanted the rest of the wall to be dry and stable before I start the arch.
Here is a close up of the wall to this point. I think its looking rather nice.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-210417161511-213111039.jpeg)
Cheers!
SKOL!
Great job!
Envious!!
I've got a stone building project in mind (more on that later), but at my advanced age and a whole layout to build, individual stones are out of the question.
But I'm along for the ride on this one and look forward to seeing/reading of your project.
Very interesting project - I will be following along.
Quote from: S&S RR on April 21, 2017, 08:40:54 PM
Very interesting project - I will be following along.
I agree 100%, lots of outside the box thought here, even tho you built the wall inside the box. I especially like the stripwood spacers, nice way to make sure the adjoining walls fit well.
Really great work Roger..... 8)
I finished the master for the wall section with the arched window. I'm pretty happy with it. Next I need to make the section with the flat lintel. After that will be the section for people doors and then one for a freight door.
Here's the arched window wall section:
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-250417182603-213122170.jpeg)
HO Scale.
Looking good, Rodger - and an interesting project.
The arch above the window looks a little out to me - a bit of a bulge on the right side. In a one off I don't think that this would matter, but if you are planning on casting several of these and using them on one project I think the eye would get easily drawn to this. I think it would be worth your while to re-cut the cardboard (?) arch to get better fit and cut some new arched blocks to right. If you drew an arch on a piece of card to fit the inner circle of the stone arch with a compass and checked it against your stonework, you could check that it was nice and close before proceeding to casting.
Looking forward to your continued progress on this project.
Cheers, Mark.
Roger,
It is very interesting project indeed. I bet this is how George created the masters for his walls.
You are well into the project, but for the future reference or others who may attempt similar project, here is another way of doing it.
http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=8357 (http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=8357)
Vilius
Yup, you're right. There is a bulge. I used strip wood, soaked in water and then formed around a cylinder and allowed to dry. It developed a crease. I think a bit of filling and sanding will fix the problem. The joint at the base on the left side of the arch is a bit off too. I can always pop the trim board lose and add a new one now that the stones are glued. The arch was impossible to form without the wood piece in place.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-260417082414-214221255.jpeg)
The windows themselves will not be part of the casting. They are from Tichy. The arched window is cut down from a larger window.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-260417083012-214351136.jpeg)
Roger,
Like the looks of the stone wall. Will follow along as you build the station.
Tommy
Roger, I feel your pain and joy. This is going to ve a great building.
There's really no pain in this. I've never built a stone building before and its all a learning process. Fortunately I like that bit. (Now wiring..that's another story.)
So here's today's update.
The arched window section master is finished and ready for molding.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-030517120300-216921400.jpeg)
The flat topped window section master is almost done. It just needs to be attached to a backing paper to reinforce it. This uses the same main window as the arched section.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-030517120300-216931860.jpeg)
And here are both masters stacked. Using the Lego building form ensured they came out square.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-030517120300-216941068.jpeg)
Both of these wall sections are the same overall size ensuring that they can be mixed and stacked at will to create any wall combination. Next I need to build the entrance door section and the freight door section.
Progress!
Cool
Really looking forward to see how the molds do!
I'm starting to wonder if I need to seal the wall sections before I make molds. I'm concerned the molding rubber will adhere to the plaster. I'm going to make some intermediate wall sections to allow vertical adjustments so I will probably test on those. I am planning 2, 4 and 6 stone high sections.
In the mean time, here's the next completed wall section. As it is clearly off center I'm going to make a companion with the door shifted left.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-040517162231-21695689.jpeg)
Cheers
Roger,
You should not need to seal the stone prior to pouring in the RTV. I just finished reading an article from a 2003 Model Railroader, and it was never mentioned. It did state that mold release was needed when pouring into the RTV mold. I would have concern about the deep wider cracks between some stones. I would think about filing those part way with white glue, or you might have a tough time getting the mold off.
Loren...
Hi Roger:
Very nicely done so far. Can't wait to see it all come together.
Karl
Roger
Beautiful job. You must have the patience of a saint!
Jerry
Sealing the stone or not? It comes down to how much detail you would want to reproduce. Unsealed with attempt to reproduce every single detail, pour and crack and when you de-mold you will have silicone left in the master to pick out. If you seal the smallest of holes will be smoothed out and the casting children will be less rough and silicone will re-produce more accurately for subsequent castings. The undercuts, etc are the worst things in damaging your silicone, so fill them in.
Good luck.
I've never sealed plaster before pouring silicone.
Very nice work btw! :D
So, no sealing seems to have won. :)
I needed to make sure these wall sections would interconnect. So I built a jig to check the finger stones.
This is built from the same strip wood used for the frames in which I made the plaster "sticks" to make the blocks.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-090517122343-218561871.jpeg)
These small gaps leave room for the glue between blocks. These fit together so any wall that fits them should.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-090517122343-218591471.jpeg)
This wall section fits on the right but the left side is off.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-090517122343-21860721.jpeg)
After a bit of trimming the wall section now fits.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-090517122343-218611227.jpeg)
The first set of walls have all been adjusted to match the jig. We have the freight door, window without the arch, window with the arch, and two spacer wall sections. These will allow raising the foundation or adding additional space vertically between sections.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-090517122343-21862368.jpeg)
And, one more section finished. This is the entry door for street level and the platform level (or wherever else one might need an entry door).
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-090517122432-21863548.jpeg)
I wanted to put a window in the upper arched opening but I could not find a window commercially available that matched the doors. So I decided to build the casting with an open frame. It can be filled with a bit of siding to make a wood panel or glazed for a window. Hopefully the beam will cast ok. If it proves problematic I'll add a thin panel to fill the arch in the casting.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-090517122432-21864359.jpeg)
I still need to make a blank wall section and I'm considering a section with a single door and small windows as a warehouse side entrance.
That's it for now,
Cheers!
There comes a point when you must dive in and give it a try. So here we go with the first attempt of making a mold.
Parts mounted in the mold box.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-110517223210-218791533.jpeg)
And the molding compound poured in place. I agitated the forms to try to work bubbles to the surface. Hopefully they migrated away from the parts at least. We shall see tomorrow.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-110517223210-219092436.jpeg)
What was it Admiral Kirk told Saavik? "We learn by doing."
Cheers!
Hey! Whaddayaknow? it worked.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-120517073115-21910868.jpeg)
I need to get a better coating of mold release on the sides of the masters. There were a few spots were plaster pulled off and went with the mold. Also, the canopy glue I used to build the masters is a positive and a negative. Because it remains flexible a few bricks pulled off. But this flexibility allowed the masters to flex a bit as I removed the mold. The four row wall section on the left broke along a prior break that had been re-glued. I suspect this happened because I was a little over aggressive pulling that bit loose. I'll need to do some trimming of the deeper fingers in the mold before casting a copy.
Overall I'm pleased.
Roger,
Looking good so far......
Loren...
As the test went well its time to get busy. I set up all six completed masters so that I could pour molds. Two of these were done in the test. I want at least 2 molds of each wall to speed production.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-150517224721-219911187.jpeg)
The mold making kit I bought has just the right amount for 4 of these molds. So I used the remaining half from the test batch and a second kit. Lego, not just for kids.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-150517224721-220553.jpeg)
Hopefully the morning brings good news.
Cheers!
Hi Roger:
What can I say but WOW!!! Very nicely done so far.
Karl
(https://thumb1.shutterstock.com/display_pic_with_logo/903877/134266868/stock-photo-a-black-and-white-modern-clock-face-design-with-the-words-tick-tock-in-place-of-the-usual-numbers-134266868.jpg)
Thanks Karl.
Things are a bit explody this morning. I suspect I did not get enough mold release on the masters. I'll be spending some time repairing them.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-160517110623-22056465.jpeg)
But it does appear the molds came out ok. They need some cleanup before I try my first castings.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-160517110623-221041101.jpeg)
Cheers!
I've completed two molds of each master. I don't think I'll try to repair the masters again. I think I'll try to turn a copy into the new master. That said, here's the set.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-180517172930-221991816.jpeg)
I'm making batches of castings with regularity. The parts with the narrow bits tend to break when they are removed from the mold but they are easily glued together. I think there is opportunity to create some solid connectors that would sit behind the door castings. That is something to consider as I turn some good copies into new masters.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-180517172930-222541106.jpeg)
I picked two castings to clean up and fit together. These are the left and right warehouse door castings. Note the off center nature of the doors. There are one and a half blocks to the left of the left door and one and a half blocks to the right of the right door with only one block to the center. When fitted together this gives a separation of one and a half blocks between the door. As long as you add on with the correct casting this spacing can be maintained throughout the wall. The connection inside the doorway is due to overfilling the mold.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-180517172931-222551314.jpeg)
These walls will let me build the station and a warehouse building. I still need to make a full height blank wall and the office side door but I needed a break from building masters.
More to come.
Cheers!
Roger,
Walls are starting to take shape and look great ! 8) What brand of plaster are you using ?
Tommy
Tommy, I'm using Capital Ceramics Hydrocal. It claims to be high strength and I would agree. Those narrow bits are just delicate and come with molded in snapping lines.
That said, I decided to try to improve the masters for the door opening wall sections. I chose copies of each warehouse door and the entry door and added a plate of styrene which will create a solid connection at the base of the door and can be left in place to sit behind the door casting.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-190517175546-222561154.jpeg)
I also built a master for a blank wall section. This will let me set up four masters for casting which uses a full pot of casting rubber. (Using the full pot at once saves having to weigh out the 10-1 ratio of base to kicker.)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-190517175546-222851957.jpeg)
Here's an illustration of the ability to interconnect the wall sections in any combination using the 3 new masters.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-190517175547-22286534.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-190517175547-222872453.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-190517175547-22288297.jpeg)
Some filling has to happen but that's what glue is for.
They also work on a corner. This requires a bit more filing to get a nice looking corner but at least they fit.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-190517175624-222891150.jpeg)
And here is the crop so far. I'm getting closer to the number needed for the station.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-190517175624-22290372.jpeg)
Cheers!
I think " amazing " is the word to describe your work.
Roger,
I really like the way you have designed and cast the interlocking wall sections. I'll be following along to see how everything comes together into a finished product.
Thanks.
A bit more progress today. The new augmented masters have been mounted for mold casting along with the new blank wall master.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-230517090515-2239983.jpeg)
And I've continued casting walls. I think I have enough good ones to start grouping and fitting. The trick to getting the bubbles out was Dave Frary's old "spray the mold with wet water" trick. He used this for his rock castings and it worked just as well in the nooks and crannies of these walls.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-230517090516-224051190.jpeg)
Now I'm off to wait for the team to show up to install the new A/C. The drying time for castings should drop once that's done. ;)
Cheers!
A bit of work today on the first building.
I had never measured to see how the station platform was going to fit so I drew out track spacings and platforms and used a set of walls to see where things stood. The height is pretty well spot on. I anticipate a little over 15 scale feet of clearance on the roadway to put the platforms at the correct level. I have some wiggle room there. But as you can see below width is an issue. I need to space the entry door panels a little further apart in order to get the platform width needed.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-240517193808-224061359.jpeg)
If you look closely at the picture above you'll see that by putting a single block between each casting I get a good overall width. So I headed back to the masters bench to put together a couple of spacers.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-240517193808-224101603.jpeg)
I built these using my "fingers jig". Here are the two finished masters which I'll use to make a new mold.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-240517193808-224111161.jpeg)
While the new masters dried I worked on fitting sections together to form walls. These will be the two side walls of the station.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-240517193808-224121039.jpeg)
And here I've finished fitting an end wall. The red arrow marks the corner of the building. I left gaps for the filler strips.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-240517193808-224132122.jpeg)
And here are the platform doors for the upper level.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-240517193840-224141191.jpeg)
I've got one more end wall to sand and fit. That won't take too long. And of course I'll have to cast several filler sections. I'm planning to mount the stone walls on the black chipboard which will be reinforced with strip wood.
Thats it for now.
Cheers!
Roger
This is really taking shape - love it! Now this is scratch building. I'm following along and really enjoying your thread.
This really is a phenomenal and inspirational project. Thank you for sharing.
Matt
Thanks.
I didn't make much progress over the weekend owing to family obligations but there was some progress.
I finished sanding and fitting the outer wall sections.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-300517070701-225611505.jpeg)
I set up the masters of the wall spacers for molding.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-300517070701-225691601.jpeg)
And I made molds from the upgraded door sections, the blank wall master, and the spacers. Here's a shot with the first castings. The first set always shows me where I missed a bubble in the mold. They are easily removed by snipping off the little bump with some parts nippers.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-300517070702-225702010.jpeg)
I need to make 8 spacers to fill out the station walls.
That's if for now.
Cheers
Roger,
I find the use of the spacers to be a great idea. The number of slightly different wall sections and spacers offers the opportunity for a wide variety of structures from your basic castings. I find your thread very interesting. As usual, I'll be checking your progress.
By any chance you played LEGO when you we a kid?
Absolutely fascinating Roger..... 8)
That is quite an undertaking Roger.
Jim
Watching your progress with much interest, Roger.
Cheers, Mark.
I finished casting the spacer bits and got them sanded and fitted in between the door sections on the right last night. The next step is to cut and reinforce backer boards.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-310517122900-225791697.jpeg)
I also cleaned up a set of the new door castings with the plaster reinforcement. Its designed to be hidden behind the plastic door casting (from Tichy) and clear the windows.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-310517122900-225801769.jpeg)
Cheers!
This took a while but all of the wall sections are now glued to chipboard backers. I'll need to reinforce those with some strip wood and fill the seams a bit better. The core structure is coming together now.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-310517183620-225831340.jpeg)
The extra bit of card above the walls will be the attachment point for the wall cornice.
Cheers
One more update for the evening. After the glue set from the last step I went back and added stripwood on the back of the card to reinforce the walls. Then I decided to try tackling the gaps between castings. I mixed up a somewhat thin batch of hydrocal (the same used for the castings) and used a small pipette to work it into the gaps. I sprayed the walls lightly with water before hand to keep the filler plaster from instantly drying. I worked slowly opting to go back and add more fill rather than too much. But anywhere the fill got a little heavy was evened out with a stiff brush. I worked the brush horizontally and vertically to reassert the joints between the stones. Here is a section before and after filling:
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-310517233429-22584879.jpeg)
In a few spots the stones got a little smooth but I should be able to recover the texture with a stiff brush once its dry. The process takes a while but the result is pleasing to the eye.
Cheers!
Great looking walls Roger , it's a monk's work but well worth it looking at the result.
I was wondering how you'd handle the gaps between cast sections. Looks great!
dave
This is too cool.
Thanx
Bob
I'm flabbergasted ....!!!
Thank you all.
I finished filling the joints today. I killed my pipette (balls of plaster formed inside) and I can taste plaster. This is so much fun. I enjoy this kind of detail work. If only I could make a living doing it.
Anyway.....here's where we stand.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-010617171628-225881861.jpeg)
Cheers!
I put my monk robe back on ;) and did some more sanding and fitting. The result was a quick test fit. Its looking good.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-010617223818-22602436.jpeg)
Sleep now. Cheers!
Great work! Love the detail and the craftsmanship. This structure will be a work of art.
this project is really coming along very nicely. It is always interesting to see different types of modeling. keep it up!
Roger that, Incredible work. You are an artist. And a patient dude.
ed
Beautiful!
Mike ;)
I had house guests over the weekend so wasn't able to work but last night and tonight allowed some progress. I found a better solution than the pipette for applying plaster to the gaps. These bottles came in a three pack and were in the tie dying supplies at Hobby Lobby. The nozzle comes closed off so that you can cut it to the desired size. Clean up was easy.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-060617212759-226352262.jpeg)
I used the bottle to fill gaps in the platform extensions added to the end walls. The tracks will run in the center channel and the platforms will align with the insets.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-060617212759-227441436.jpeg)
With this the walls are finished. Next up will be assembling the station core and then filling gaps at the corners. I suspect that will take a while.
Cheers!
WOW, Roger whata great job , and only someone that knows where the seems are can see them.
Roger,
Looks great!
Thanks.
Today I did a bit of sanding to make sure the window castings fit and then got out the glue.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-070617155249-227451465.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-070617155249-227552120.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-070617155249-2275692.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-070617155249-22757743.jpeg)
The thick wood posts in the corners are glued to the stiffening strip wood. There is no glue applied to the plaster at the corners. There's no turning back now.
Cheers!
Roger
This is really coming together nicely. No need to look back full steam ahead. It looks great.
Well, the glue worked. Here are a few gratuitous shots with a couple of FB units for context.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-080617152800-227581238.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-080617152800-2279514.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-080617152800-22796987.jpeg)
I need to design the cornice next. Some paint will be in order too.
Cheers!
Small update today. I've been playing with how I want to paint the station. Here are my samples.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-120617181855-227971852.jpeg)
I think I prefer the upper left sample. This is painted with thinned Americana Slate Gray acrylic paint, applied over the raw plaster wall after spraying it with wet water. After that dried it was given a wash of dark india ink and alcohol and immediately blotted with paper towels so that the surface of the blocks doesn't darken to much. After that dried I dry brushed it with American White Wash acrylic.
I've also been working on the track platform inside the building. It is cut from 1/4 inch birch plywood. The approach track supports are from Atlas. They work out nicely and allow you to see thought the track to the street below.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-120617181855-23019771.jpeg)
So much done, so much to do.
Cheers!
Roger, it really coming along great.
To fill the cracks take some of the hydrocal scraps that had already been mixed with water and dried/cured. Grind it to a fine powder and mix it with water to make a slurry. This slurry will find the cracks easier amd the hydrocal will not set as quickly and give you more working time.
Working with hydrocal is fund and different and you have done a wonderful job with it.
I really like the middle of the 3 Roger, seems a bit less monotonous.
The middle section started with a blend of the gray and a buff color. Other than that it was treated the same as the left. The section on the right used the same blended paint but does not have the white dry brushing. I wonder if part of the appeal of the middle section is the texture of the blocks themselves. That one has a little more interest than the casting on the left. Although it could be the interplay of the ink wash with the lighter color.
In other news, I filled the corners of the building today. They came out pretty good. I may need to go back with a wire brush and add a little texture once its dry.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-130617184703-230202069.jpeg)
I tried recycling some previously set hydrocal by using material from sanding the backs of some castings. It worked well but I didn't see a lot of difference with using fresh hydrocal. The applicator bottles I'm using lets me get into the gaps pretty easily. I'm also spraying the corner with wet water before filling and with that the new hydrocal flows into the gaps nicely. I was surprised that I was able to finish all the corners in less than half an hour using one batch of recycled hydrocal and one batch of fresh.
That's it for now.
Cheers!
This thing is coming together. I built some masters for the wall cornice. They are made from a strip of scribed siding, a strip of wood at the bottom, a stack of 3 strips at the top to create depth and some relief, and some thin slices from a strip of dollhouse chair rail.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-220617114803-233821535.jpeg)
This is before I trimmed the ends. Looks pretty good I think.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-220617114803-23387586.jpeg)
I finished painting the walls as well.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-220617114803-23388892.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-220617114803-233891474.jpeg)
I need to mount the cornice masters and make a mold. They will also be cast in plaster. That will be a lot less work than making them all from the wood. That was tedious.
Cheers!
Wonderful Craftsmanship ..... :o
Roger,
Really good looking build...
Loren...
Cornices look fine , and the painted walls are great.
Roger
Great looking structure and first class craftsmanship. I'm really enjoying this thread. Thank you for sharing your build with us.
Roger,
You made great progress on this since my last viewing. Like the coloring of the stone too. Can't wait to see more and Thanks for sharing ! 8)
Tommy
Thanks everyone.
The cornices suffered a bit of a disaster. I mounted them to cast a mold and then sprayed them with mold release. This did not go well. They warped and popped loose from the base.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-270617170823-23426563.jpeg)
I repaired them and remounted them for another try. I hoped there was enough mold release on them to get a good casting. But no luck. The molds came out very rough with bubbles around the small openings and are generally unusable. I had not had an issue like with the wall sections that contained wood parts but I suppose being completely made of wood made the difference. I am repairing the masters once again and this time I'm going to prime them so that the mold release will not penetrate the wood. Fingers crossed. If that doesn't work I'll just have to make the full cornice parts by hand. At that point I'd call it therapy.
Onwards and sideways! I took a break from the station and worked on the Hotel and Grill. I posted an update over there a few minutes ago.
Cheers!
Hi Roger:
Wow!!!! Those stone walls are really cool. I love them.
Karl
Great work Roger..... 8)
I didn't realize it has been so long since I updated this thread. I've not had much time recently to model but there has been some progress.
First, the molds for the cornices did not work out well. Too many small spaces that trapped bubbles. I'm still fiddling with that a bit to see what I can manage but in the mean time I decided to just build out full cornices in wood. Hear is the first one. There is still a bit of sanding and filling needed and I suspect a drain pipe or two might be in order to cover a flaw here and there but I think it looks good. It will be painted the same dark red as the windows.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-260717091334-238472161.jpeg)
As built it lifts off the inner frame of the structure. This will make painting much easier and may allow me to make the full roof removable to access track work. Probably a good idea that.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-260717091334-239641873.jpeg)
That's it for now.
Cheers!
Roger...
This is a great building.
Regarding the cornice work.. They were brick and stone mason's art. Not all were stone however.
There were companies that made such stuff from pressed metal and they were fastened to the top of the stone work with various types of anchors.
If you end up not making the cornices out of plaster and stay with the wood mold forms, this will still be a great building.
see ya
Bob
While most cornice work would be stone you could argue that for this building wood or metal makes sense as its part of a wooden shed roof. At least that seems to be what George's model implies. I still want to get the castings to work as I have other buildings planned for these parts.
I did manage to get the other cornice built before I lost a week to training for the new job that starts next week. Modeling time will be scarce for a while. The second go came out cleaner than the first, so of course it moved to the front of the building.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-100817090359-24210749.jpeg)
I'm going to try to get the shed framed and built over the next couple of days. We shall see.
Cheers
Actually, a lot of cornice work was stamped tin/galvanized metal, or cast terra cotta (or even concrete). Carved stone would be Very Expensive, vs these more mass-produced methods.
I love how this is coming out. Consider using shellac to thoroughly seal the wood surfaces before you start painting, you don't want wood grain to show up here.
dave
I put together some simple roof trusses for the station's train shed roof.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-110817171746-242151486.jpeg)
Five trusses seemed logical with one at each end and one falling between each window. I assembled the roof structure using spacers, an improvised jig and weights.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-110817171746-24312169.jpeg)
Here is the roof frame set in place. I'll glue it to the cornices after they are painted.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-110817171746-24313625.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-110817171747-24314245.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-110817171747-243152368.jpeg)
Cheers!
(https://cdn.myfonts.net/s/aw/720x360/272/0/139693.jpg)
This is soooooo cool !!!!!
Thanx
Bob
Really like all the stone work. It was quite interesting to see the step by step process you used to create the walls.
Thanks for sharing.
Alan
Very beautiful work.
Fine art modelling
Can't wait to see the building complete.
Eric Québec city
All those that posted before have pretty much summed it up - wonderful! :D :D :D
So, I started a new job that has eaten my life. I literally have not been in my shop for over a month, until last night.
Given an unexpected few hours to myself, I decided it was time for siding on the ends of the train shed roof. I had previously painted these boards with the same spray paint as the wall cornices. Here is the west end. The vent, which is built from tiny strip wood, still needs paint and everything needs more weathering.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-081017165947-246931458.jpeg)
And here is the east end. The siding looks in worse shape here.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-081017165947-253941729.jpeg)
There is definitely some siding that could use replacement, but given the economy the railroad seems uninterested. It is just a train shed after all. Its not going to leak into the waiting room.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-081017165947-253951901.jpeg)
Those boards don't look naturally rotted away. Its almost like something has been gnawing at them.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-081017165947-253961480.jpeg)
Maybe a look though the vent will shed some light. Wait....thats not a rat!
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-081017165948-253972366.jpeg)
What in the world? It looks like someone has built a room in the rafters of the train shed from scrap wood!
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-081017170120-253981591.jpeg)
Street urchins! They've built a room hidden in the rafters of the train shed and added planking to get to it.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-081017170120-253991860.jpeg)
As as anyone knows a good secret room needs a back door. It looks like the built crawl out hatch too.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-081017170120-254001610.jpeg)
So, I got a wild hair to add a hidden mini-scene in the raters of the shed. The east end will be easier to see into so I placed it there. I plan to add a small LED to simulate a lantern and an assortment of collected belongings. I also plan to locate figures behind the openings in the siding looking out. Clearly they opened up those holes in order to see out and to let some light into their access route. The hidden room will get its own "roof" made from old blankets to help keep the soot from locomotive exhaust out.
There is no telling when I'll get another weekend like this so until then...
Cheers!
Roger
It's great to see you back on this project, if only for a short period of time. Working for a living sure gets in the way of some great modeling. I will be looking for your next update.
Thanks John. It sure does.
I managed to find a little more time today, probably the last for at least a month. I cut a sub-roof from thin card and decided to open up the ends a bit more aggressively. I like how it allows you to see the heavy framing of the roof.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-151017192715-255221389.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-151017192715-255791962.jpeg)
That's it for now.
Cheers
Roger,
Your stone making is a very tedious project for sure! It looks fabulous.
I will be following along with your progress.
Rich
Fantastic!
Hi Roger:
What can I say but WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fantastic work.
Karl
Excellent work!
Roger,
You are the STONE WALL MAN
Outstanding workmanship
Mike Sigmon
Roger...
What are the little blue things......... I know they are weights but what are they ? ? ? ?
thanx
Bob
Roger
I saw a post on this thread and got all excited that you had and update for us. I hope you are finding some time for modeling and that all is well.
Truly top notch modeling.
Roger,
Looks incredible. I thought they were FSM wall castings when I saw the first picture.
Question for you - given all the careful work and effort you put into the molding and casting process, do you believe that it resulted in less effort than if you had just built the whole thing from individual stones? Or maybe the same question a different way -- if you were to start again from scratch, would you do it the same way?
Cheers,
Vince
And we're back. Thank you for all the nice comments while I've been away.
Just a quick update today. I applied rolled roofing to the train shed and wanted to move forward but I was stuck as to how to access the "urchin's nest" up in the rafters. Then it struck me; cut open the roof for the clearstory and make it removable. With the plan settled I moved ahead with glueing the roof panels in place. They still need painting and weathering.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-210118125950-275831169.jpeg)
More to come soon.
Cheers!
Great to see you back Roger.
Great build, like the way you have done the stone work.
Like the urchin hidey hole.
Thanks for sharing you build post.
Daryl
I made it into the work room last night and spent the time designing and building the core for the clearstory. Its made from black and natural chipboard. I will cover the ends with individual boards and build up the vent grids from strip wood. The roof will get the same rolled roofing as the main roof. The clearstory will be removable so that I can access the urchin hideout.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-230118101951-27803940.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-230118101952-27979949.jpeg)
Cheers!
A bit more progress. The clearstory is finished. I still need to paint, weather, and detail the roof.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-250118184210-281082141.jpeg)
Cheers!
Beautiful modeling.
WOW!
Roger that is just some outstanding building and stone work.
I said in the beginning you must have the patience of a saint! And saint hood prevailed.
Jerry
Thanks.
So did I mention the roof comes off as one unit?
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-260118101449-28202805.jpeg)
The next step is to support the track deck. I decided to use posts so that any lighting I add later will flow though the building. I do not intend to add a full interior but you never know. So I laid out a pattern of support posts running under the tracks and to support the outer edges. I made the braces from chipboard. This deck will be free standing and removable.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-260118101449-282372367.jpeg) (https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-260118101449-282361978.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-260118101449-282351886.jpeg)
The whole assembly dried over night and just took a trip to the paint booth for a basic coat of flat black.
Cheers!
With the deck set in place I've been working on the station platforms. They need more sanding to get them to sit correctly and then they will need to have detail carved into them.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-260118235634-282381473.jpeg)
Here is the view from the other side. The platforms sit at step level of the passenger cars.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-260118235634-282761328.jpeg)
The approach bridges will be constructed using Atlas pier girders. The track in this section is Atlas code 83 sectional track which will be soldered together. This is so that the track will sit properly in the pier girders. The ties on standard flex track are too wide to sit in the channel of the pier girders.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-260118235634-282772108.jpeg)
I also did some cutting to make the edge girders for the upper deck section. These girders are cut away from Atlas plate girder bridges.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-260118235634-28278347.jpeg)
Here are the upper deck girders from another angle.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-260118235634-282791258.jpeg)
Here are the approaches for the other end of the station. There are two more pier girders and two more main girders for the edges.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-260118235659-282802250.jpeg)
Lots more work to do but its starting to take shape.
Cheers!
Roger,
You are a true modeler in every sense of the word. I've enjoyed your pictorial so far. Very interesting. In fact I've actually read over it twice start to current in the last week. I like what your doing and the way that your doing it. Very cool and informative. I'm all eyes. :o Thanx Thom...
Hello Roger, I was taught by a wise old man (my farther) before offering constructive criticism, at least I hope it is taken that way. It goes without saying, I like many others admire your modeling skills.
The time you take to achieve the amazing results are something most don't have the patience for.
Okay here I go, If my criticism is unfounded, I invite everyone to say so. I have broad shoulders.
I feel the stone work looks metallic, similar to a FSM metal casting. Now this could be my monitor.
If my comments are inappropriate, I apologize.
ed
Ed, your monitor might be out of adjustment. If the white balance is off and the color washed out I could see how the walls might look metallic. But, since these walls start with plaster castings and then various gray colors and some white dry brushing to "simulate the sun" per Dave Frary's painting philosophy you left me wondering if it ended up too metallic. Fortunately, I had an unpainted FSM stone casting handy. So here is a picture of the casting in front of my wall. Lighting is my normal room lighting with a bit of sun coming though the work room window. I think they are pretty different although some of the more heavily dry brushed spots have a similar luminiosity.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-280118174942-283951866.jpeg)
Cheers!
Roger, Thank you for taking the time to respond. In looking at all pictures, I wish to report, only a few look metallic.
Conclusion the walls look GREAT. I may have to inquire on how to adjust my monitor. I know indoor, outdoor, this lighting, that lighting all make a difference.
It was nice that no one told me to keep my mouth shut.
Roger I will continue to follow.
With respect
ed
Roger, In the movie Jaws the chief said you are going to need a bigger boat. I now say you are going to need a bigger room. The station you are building is outstanding. Good that the roof on the station is removable for cleaning.
Thank you for sharing this build with us.
Mike Sigmon
In model railroading you always need a bigger room. Mine is far too small for what I'd like to do. This station is currently going on a 2 foot square base that will add into a 2 x 4 foot module. From there, we will see. I have space for a display oval with double tracks and room for two city areas, one focused on brick and stone structures and one based on wood structures. My plan is to work towards those two townsites with hopes for a larger space down the road.
Tonight I've spent a large amount of time making a support frame for the elevated platform, assembling lattice girders, and making a frame in which I will be pouring a hydrocal plate which will be carved to make the elevated platform surface. They have all been left to dry over night.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-300118000416-284212305.jpeg)
Cheers!
I started the day by pouring hydrocal into the platform form.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-310118000006-286441053.jpeg)
I sanded down the casting to clean up the edges and remove some of the smaller bubble marks. I used a metal scribing tool to create a pattern of 4 foot square stones on the platform. I will be doing more carving to add cracks and remove the remaining remnants of bubbles.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-310118000006-28741319.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-310118000006-28742544.jpeg)
And here is the platform temporarily placed next to the station. It will need to be raised a bit more.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-310118000006-28743525.jpeg)
That's it for now.
Cheers!
After looking at the source pictures and my platform I finally decided the spacing was too small so I used sandpaper and a metal straightedge to scrape the entire platform smooth. Good thing I made the casting thick.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-310118231255-287442037.jpeg)
I then carved a new pattern using a 3/4 inch spacing. I think this looks much better.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-310118231255-287472312.jpeg)
Here it is placed next to the station.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-310118231255-287491034.jpeg)
I also carved the platforms up under the train shed. Here's a wide shot of the scene coming together. More detail carving, painting, and detailing to come. Not to mention some structures to go on the platform.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-310118231255-287501438.jpeg)
That's it for tonight.
Cheers!
Roger
I just wanted to say once again that this is some great modeling and I'm really enjoying your build thread.
Roger, Outstanding!!! Thank you for allowing us to following along with your build
Mike
Truly top notch modeling.
Thanks.
I'm reaching a point where I have to work out a lot of parts to move forward because they will be covered or hard to get to after the platform and tracks are in place. Retaining walls, streets, building lighting, windows, etc. First rule of any large project, the last 20% is 80% of the work. ;)
I did a bit of carving last night. The cracks don't show up to well in the photo. I essentially played connect the dot with the bubbles. The pencil marks roughly lay out where structures will be placed.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-020218113237-28762290.jpeg)
Cheers.
Roger your doing some great modeling here.
Yes the bigger spacing works very well.
Keep up the great work.
Jerry
Hey Roger:
Very nicely done so far. It is going to look great when finished.
Karl
Thanks.
I haven't had a lot of modeling time of the last couple of weeks but what I did have was spent on planning and researching parts. I am still hunting for supports for the Y shed roof on the passenger platform. I've not been able to match what George used but I've found something close. I'm also considering a different style of support that I have on hand. I also realized that I've hit a point where things need to start being permanently installed so I took quite a bit of time to work on the module. As nothing ever seems to transfer from paper to the real world I decided to mock up the models in my layout space. It's a bit of a constrained space so I don't have much room for error. The modules have to be less then 28" wide to fit though a door and no more than 5' long to get around corner and be easily handled on a staircase.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-180218095644-29845327.jpeg)
Its a good thing I did this as the straight section in the middle of the S-curve to the right was only 5 inches long. A bit of adjustment later and it is now about 13" long, just enough to protect passenger operations. The station module is at the front and will have a second module behind it to add more depth to the scene. I hope it put together today or tomorrow and then get back to the modeling.
Cheers!
I've been doing a lot of work on things around the station building but not that much on the station. I've decided that I'm going to start a new thread to track the build of the area around the station and keep this thread for the station proper. That being said, I have done a little work on the station building. It doesn't look like much, but it took a lot of time and filing to fit all the windows and doors.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-020418172540-308211148.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-020418172540-308862273.jpeg)
I still need to add glazing. I'm planning to put some dividers into the arches over the doors after I put the glazing in place. I don't have a casting for that bit so it will be build in place.
That's it for the station for now.
Cheers.
I really like the look of the walls, those windows fit perfect and really pop.
It looks great!
Roger, what can I saw, just read your thread. Fantastic. You've taken modeling to a new level. I have used Sculpy on many models, and usually I just use the Sculpy as the brick material. I built my version of Sewall's Foundry using Sculpy. But this is a larger building by far. You have really done a very good job.
Tony
Thanks everyone.
Over several evenings I "glazed" the station windows with canopy glue. I like the "wavy" glass effect this gives. For the arched windows over the doors I glued clear styrene in place and then after that was dry added a layer of canopy glue over the styrene to give it a similar look. These windows really need mullions to divide them but they are tucked so far up under the bridge you won't be able to see them anyway. Maybe I'll paint some on.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-180418180814-31187685.jpeg)
Cheers
Hey:
Looks real nice to me.
karl
Back to working on the roof. The roofing received a coat of gray acrylic paint and then a few rounds of ink wash. I've also added vents and chimneys.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-270418234343-314082117.jpeg)
I made some patches for the roofing with the same paper. I painted them with a slightly darker gray to make them look newer. They also have some nail detail around the edges.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-270418234343-314092342.jpeg)
While the patches dried I added a pair of roof "ladders" using some 2x4 strip wood.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-270418234343-314101666.jpeg)
I made a couple of roof access hatches from some strip wood and small squares of thin sheet would for a base.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-270418234343-31411711.jpeg)
I went back and gave the patches a wash of lighter gray to blend them better with the rest of the roof. I still want them a little darker but it was too stark. I may do a bit more blending after they have fully dried.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-270418234343-314121888.jpeg)
I built platforms for fire barrels at the stop of the "ladder" on each end of the station. The pitch sealant around the base of the vents and chimneys is made with some artist oil lamp black applied with a syringe.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-270418235603-314131373.jpeg)
I'm sure there will be a little more weathering for the roof but next up will be the interior station platforms.
Cheers.
Looking fantastic Roger , loving all the details of the roof, what a great addition to your layout this will be.
A grand structure indeed! The stonework looks great, but I also like the board-on-board effect at the portals. Nicely weathered/aged.
Looking good Roger..... 8)
Excellent modeling.
I'm getting a bit of overlap now with the diorama thread. I'm not sure where to cut off this build and move things to the other. I still need to finish the platforms inside the station on the upper deck but beyond detailing things start to become ancillary structures. In any event, I threw all of my past painting methods to the wind, allowed in the spirit of Troels Kirk, and set out to paint the upper platforms, the outside concrete platform and the bridge structures. This was all done with artist acrylics and a 1/2 inch round artist brush. The rust will be toned down a bit in the second coat but I like the start.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-170518174109-31629459.jpeg)
I need to clear off some more workspace to get a coat of paint on the bridge support legs.
Cheers.
Very nice. Great work.
Jerry
Thanks.
Bit of work on the station platforms. These are built up from basswood.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-300518121339-31834457.jpeg)
The platforms are removable so that the central deck (along with the approach bridges) can be lifted out to allow access inside the station to hook up wiring. I want to add platform lights and some manner of general internal station lighting eventually.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-300518121339-318351158.jpeg)
I've also cut top beams and support girders for the approach bridges. The girders are from Central Valley.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-300518122220-31836673.jpeg)
Cheers.
More boring assembly progress pictures ;).
I glued the girders to the wooden top beams with good old canopy glue.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-040618104503-318371578.jpeg)
Right side supports fitted in place. The beams are short on this side to clear the raised platform.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-040618104504-319582421.jpeg)
Left side supports fitted. The side beams are narrower than the beams so those needed to be trimmed.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-040618104504-31959254.jpeg)
Here's an overview. Its coming together.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-040618104504-31960839.jpeg)
The supports are now glued in place.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-040618104504-31961581.jpeg)
And the left side beams are trimmed and the supports glued in place.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-040618104538-31962163.jpeg)
Next step will be to add a filler/spacer between the approach bridges. It will be attached to the platform inside the station so that the entire bridge can be lifted out. The bridges will float on the supports.
Cheers.
Movin' right along....
I cut a strip of basswood which is the same thickness as the little "ear tabs" on the though girders to fit between them. This is actually two pieces centered over the middle platform. They are glued to the central platform and extend out the length of each bridge. They will for the core to stabilize the bridge sections.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-050718212454-32483543.jpeg)
While those dried, I cut two plates from more basswood to act as filer plates between the bridge sections. I painted these to look like rusted steel plate and added nut and washer details. Once the stabilizer strips cured for several days I glued the plates in place clamping them to the stabilizer strip with magnets above and below.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-050718212454-325301611.jpeg)
The entire assembly was left in place to dry.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-050718212454-32531126.jpeg)
With the platforms removed the entire bridge assembly can be lifted out of the station.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-050718212454-32532256.jpeg)
I removed the bridge, painted the underside of the filler plates, and then replaced it so that it will cure with the contours of the bridge supports. I took this opportunity to apply some weathering to the track sections. This is Atlas code 83 sectional track with the joints soldered. This track was necessary to fit the Atlas girder sections as the ties are narrower than flex track.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-050718212454-325331496.jpeg)
Once the paint on the track has dried it will be glued into the bridges providing greater strength to the removable section. Next up will be wooden planking between and beside the rails inside the station building. The planking will not extend across the bridges to maintain the openness of the girder structure.
Cheers
Hey Roger:
looks just great so far.
Karl
Roger
It just keeps getting better. Great work.
Great modeling Roger
Slow and steady wins the race, or something like that. Although in this case its more a matter of being distracted with other life issues and not updating the build.
So the next step was to glue the track into place. This will add more structure to the removable bridge portion. I will get a picture of that when I pull it to install power feeders. My many fishing weights proved useful for this step.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-190718152631-326651230.jpeg)
The area between and around the rails under the roof will be filled with planking after I install feeders.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-190718152631-327022281.jpeg)
I really like the see-through nature of the Atlas girders.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-190718152632-327031197.jpeg)
More to come. In the mean time I'll be putting some related updates in the Two Cities Layout build.
Cheers!
A bit more.
I added the side girders to the left bridge.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-240718084759-327352029.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-240718084759-32783116.jpeg)
The central bridge structure is removable to allow access to wiring.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-240718084759-327842242.jpeg)
Here is the central bridge removed.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-240718084759-327852414.jpeg)
A bit of planking around the rails and the building will be done except for platform details.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/622-240718084800-32786516.jpeg)
Cheers.
Hi Roger:
All I can saw Is WOW WOW WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Karl
Excellent modeling on your project.