The Modeler's Forum

After much contemplation, head scratching , doodling, and searching the internet I've come up with a plan for my small layout. I'm going back to my roots and building a Micro Layout in On18. Years ago, before my foray into On30, I built micro layouts in Gn15 using G scale with standard HO track and chassis which measures out to 15 inches between the tracks in G scale. Micros have a few basic requirements. Firstly they cannot exceed 4 square feet, NOT including a "fiddle track or fiddle yard"; otherwise they're not a Micro but a Mini layout. Secondly you must be able to switch cars on the layout and it must have a clear reason for its existence; otherwise it's considered a diorama.

My new layout measures 36 x 14 inches and weighs in at 3.9 square feet. The construction is pretty straight forward with a 1x3 pine frame screwed and glued together with an extra support in the middle. On top of the frame is a sheet of 1/4 inch birch plywood glued and tacked to the frame. The reason for the ply is twofold, added strength and a base so I can carve out the foam in a few areas. Lastly is a piece of 1 inch green foam glued to that. Now I have a lightweight and strong base for my new empire.

While searching the internet I came across a very simple track plan with two turnouts and a turntable which I've wanted to model and have done so only once. Why a simple track plan for such a small layout you ask? Easy, it will still give me switching opportunities but also a good amount of room for scratched buildings and more of a dramatic scenery profile.

Welcome to Jacobs' Landing Light Railway:

Jacobs' Landing is a light railway set sometime in the 1950's. Its primary purpose is to supply materials and goods to the business located within. This is an area that time forgot with people still using horses and wagons who live in a nearby town down the road a piece or two. About the only modern conveniences  that can be seen is one of those new fangled center cab diesel engines and Mr. Jacobs' 1928 Ford TT pickup truck. Business is good for everyone concerned making Jacobs' Landing very prosperous.

So enough yapping:

IMG_J0001.jpeg

This is the foundation for my new layout all set to go and no I'm not listening music; by the obvious CD laying on the foam.

IMG_0002.jpeg

"So why have a CD & case planted in the layout" you may ask. Simple, it's the foundation for my turntable. I traced the case onto the foam then proceeded to carve out the underneath. Once finished it looked like the outside of a golfball on steroids. The case fit well but was a little unstable the way it was. My solution was to place some sheetrock mud (plaster) into the hole then place the case on top and gently rocked the case back and forth until it was level and flush with the top of the green foam. I allowed it to dry for 24 hours which made the case stable and secure.

IMG_0003.jpeg

This is a finished turntable that I did years ago on my GN15 micro. It's cheap, as in free, and works quite well for turning a loco albeit manually.

So this is the beginning, not earth shaking but a beginning  none the less. Next will be some track experimentation then hopefully the track crew will come in and start laying track. Thanks for stopping by for a gander; any comments are appreciated.

I can't see the second photo. I'll definitely be following.

Thanks Curt and glad having you follow along. Hopefully the second photo will show up soon.

Cool, I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

KYLE CREEL
G&D Ry.

Larry interesting idea for the TT.

Wow, Larry, great stuff.  I wish you the maximum amount of fun on this new adventure.  I'll be watching.  Have fun, mike

Larry, congratulations on a new and exciting layout project.
I'll be here to follow along.

Kyle, Curt, Mike, and Rick thank you guys and it'll be great having all of you following along.

Holy! Moly! he's going small time on us!  :)

Looking good so far count me in for the excitement!!

Jerry

Cool Beans!

Real small Jerry!

Jerry and Philip thanks. Yup I wanted something small and thought this would be
something different; it's all Rob's fault since his layout is so inspiring.

Suddenly my wife's Helen Reddy's CD collection vanished.  ;D

Cool.  Will watch your progress with interest. 

Jeff

Philip I had to laugh when I read your comment.....but it's not my fault.

Jeff thank you and for following along.

Boy Larry. You are fast. I cant believe you started on it already. Its looking really good Larry.  I really like it. Will be following it very closely. The Turn table is really cool. I saw others build the same thing. Is there a build thread on that turn table some where? Take care Larry. Bob.

Bob thanks and for following along. Actually I'm not as fast as it may appear. I usually have a
project well underway before I ever post anything; I like to keep ahead so if life gets in the way
there is still something to show to keep the interest going.

There isn't a "build thread" but here is a link to the site that explains the whole process from
start to finish: https://www.carendt.com/articles/faq-make-a-turntable-from-a-cd/. I just double checked
and the link will take you directly to the article; hope that helps.

:o

My wife wouldn't find the reappropriation amusing. 

 8) Like Cool man...

Quote from: Larry C on March 20, 2025, 08:24:03 AMBob thanks and for following along. Actually I'm not as fast as it may appear. I usually have a
project well underway before I ever post anything; I like to keep ahead so if life gets in the way
there is still something to show to keep the interest going.

There isn't a "build thread" but here is a link to the site that explains the whole process from
start to finish: https://www.carendt.com/articles/faq-make-a-turntable-from-a-cd/. I just double checked
and the link will take you directly to the article; hope that helps.

Thanks a lot Larry. Appreciate It sir.  Have a great day. Bob.

Philip I would imagine she might be a bit miffed at the idea.

Karl thanks.

Bob you're welcome; glad to help.

Spent an afternoon experimenting with a small section of track. First I nipped off every other tie to give more distance between them. I DID NOT liked the way that looked at all; looked sloppy. So next I removed the plastic under the rails where I had previously removed the ties. Used some 4x4's for ties which looked much better but the track became unstable and came apart so that was a no go. After going through some issues of the micro dispatch I saw some of the guys, mostly European, just used the N scale track as is and it didn't look too bad.

So I brought in the track crew and laid the track as well as the turnouts. The joints came out nice and tight along with being smooth. I think once I get the track ballasted and start applying the scenery material the track will become secondary and not be as noticeable. Here's the track plan:

IMG_0004.jpeg

Both tracks on the left end of the layout will hold 3-4 cars each; I'll be using 2 axle short cars for this. After studying the track plan, before installation, I should be able to have 5 or 6 cars and be able to move any car to any position on the layout between the 2 turnouts and the turntable. The turnouts are Peco snap turnouts which don't take up much room and which are supposed to work great for transferring power; only time will tell. I'm quite pleased with this track configuration and have lots of room for scenery and buildings.

IMG_0005.jpeg

The CD turntable has the track glued exactly at the middle and all the way to the edge.The decking wood is 2x10's applied in 2 layers. The first layer is raw wood which was glued to the CD and extended past the edge. After that was dry I flipped the thing upside down and cut off the excess around the edges. Sanding came next until the wood was flush with the edge. The 2nd layer was grained, colored with chalks & clear alcohol with a coat of A&I applied next. Used the same process for gluing and finishing as the first layer.

The upright timbers, as well as the supporting timbers, are 8x8's given the same treatment as the deck wood. When that was finished I did add a few NBW's just for some added details. The turntable was made specifically for my center cab diesel engine. The TT lines up nicely with the tracks and the entrance & exit is very smooth so I'm quite happy with the results and the price was right.

Next will be to add power the the layout and see if it works as well as I think it will; fingers crossed. Also I need to start thinking about a backdrop and supporting plywood for that. Thanks for looking in and leaving your suggestions and/or comments.

Well that is one nice looking turntable Larry.  Great job!!

Jerry

Jerry thank you so much; it does work quite well.

The TT looks great Larry. Is the TT powered, and if so how do you deal with polarity shift?

Quote from: Larry C on March 21, 2025, 09:54:16 AMSpent an afternoon experimenting with a small section of track. First I nipped off every other tie to give more distance between them. I DID NOT liked the way that looked at all; looked sloppy. So next I removed the plastic under the rails where I had previously removed the ties. Used some 4x4's for ties which looked much better but the track became unstable and came apart so that was a no go. After going through some issues of the micro dispatch I saw some of the guys, mostly European, just used the N scale track as is and it didn't look too bad.

So I brought in the track crew and laid the track as well as the turnouts. The joints came out nice and tight along with being smooth. I think once I get the track ballasted and start applying the scenery material the track will become secondary and not be as noticeable. Here's the track plan:

IMG_0004.jpeg

Both tracks on the left end of the layout will hold 3-4 cars each; I'll be using 2 axle short cars for this. After studying the track plan, before installation, I should be able to have 5 or 6 cars and be able to move any car to any position on the layout between the 2 turnouts and the turntable. The turnouts are Peco snap turnouts which don't take up much room and which are supposed to work great for transferring power; only time will tell. I'm quite pleased with this track configuration and have lots of room for scenery and buildings.

IMG_0005.jpeg

The CD turntable has the track glued exactly at the middle and all the way to the edge.The decking wood is 2x10's applied in 2 layers. The first layer is raw wood which was glued to the CD and extended past the edge. After that was dry I flipped the thing upside down and cut off the excess around the edges. Sanding came next until the wood was flush with the edge. The 2nd layer was grained, colored with chalks & clear alcohol with a coat of A&I applied next. Used the same process for gluing and finishing as the first layer.

The upright timbers, as well as the supporting timbers, are 8x8's given the same treatment as the deck wood. When that was finished I did add a few NBW's just for some added details. The turntable was made specifically for my center cab diesel engine. The TT lines up nicely with the tracks and the entrance & exit is very smooth so I'm quite happy with the results and the price was right.

Next will be to add power the the layout and see if it works as well as I think it will; fingers crossed. Also I need to start thinking about a backdrop and supporting plywood for that. Thanks for looking in and leaving your suggestions and/or comments.

Everything looks nice Larry.  Your track looks really nice. And your turn table is turning out beautiful sir.  Larry. What time frame is this layout going to be?   Keep up the excellent  work.  Bob.

Larry, you're off to a good start.
Looks like there's plenty of room for structures and landscape.
Nice job on the TT.

Curt the TT isn't powered as of yet and not sure if I'm going to
or not. The engine will go almost entirely onto the TT before loosing power,
so just a small nudge and it goes again. To answer your question, a DPDT
switch would have to be wired in between the TT and the power pack which
would take care of the polarity problem; like any reversing loop.

Bob thanks; very kind of you. The era I'm modeling is the 1950's but the folks
will be living very simple lives like still using horse & wagons.

Rick thank you; always appreciate your comments. I really want to take the scenery
to the next level and go more vertical this time.

Morning! Your off to a great start!  :)

Afternoon. Thanks Philip.

I swear (a lot) Larry...you're always up to something 'x-tra smooth & classy'..............
KYLE CREEL
G&D Ry.

Kyle thank you. I like doing something different and unexpected so this micro fits the bill
nicely. That and at some point I'll have to start thinking about "downsizing" my modeling
efforts as I get older.

Time for a quick update:

IMG_0006.jpeg

This is my Center Cab Diesel critter in On18 from Carrol Creek Designs. The drive unit is a Kato N-109 unit that fits perfectly with the 3D printed cab. This is the first diesel I've purchased since the early 1980's and it runs perfectly. I set the speed to 15mph and it plods along nicely; no hesitation or stops. Bought the drive unit from Amazon which was half the price of the one's from Carrol Creek.

The unit was primed with flat grey before painting with dark green chalks. Used craft paint to "pick out" the details. Also weathered with a little rust to look well used but not ready fro the junk yard.

IMG_0007.jpeg

Here's the other side.

IMG_0008.jpeg

This is one end. I even found a tiny flashlight bulb to glue inside the motor unit; of course now I have to find one for the other end. The process took me a couple of days to complete but I do like the way it turned out.

I've ordered a backdrop for the micro from Instant Horizons since the Faller ones are all on backorder for who knows how long. These look more artsy instead of a photograph and much cheaper to boot. So for now I do have 1 flat car to paint then I may start on some foam carving in the foreground area; trying to take the scenery to the next level since the layout is small. As always thanks for stopping by and leaving your comments/suggestions.

Very nice diesel Larry.

Larry,

Just checking in on the micro layout. Love the work you did on both the TT and the critter. Great looking stuff.

Tom

Curt and Tom thank you both so much; your comments are greatly appreciated.

Larry, congratulations on your new good looking diesel.
How did you set the speed to 15 mph?

Rick thank you. It's amazing how far modeling technology has come since the early 1980's.
I set the speed with my power pack since the dial is graduated in miles per hour.

Nice looking little engine Larry!

Jerry

Thanks Jerry. I still can't believe how well it runs for being so small.

Very cool, Larry.  Your light railway is going to have a lot of character.

Howdy Larry,

I'm just catching up on your micro layout build.  Nice work on the design.  The turntable looks great.  How can you see to put the trucks on the track?  That N scale stuff is small.   ;) Great start to a fun layout.  Looking forward to what's next.

Have fun,
mike

Cool find, was wondering how they run.  8)

Nice ride !!!!!!!!!
KYLE CREEL
G&D Ry.

Mike thank you so much. The engine's a little tricky getting on the tracks
but the cars sit up a little so they are much easier to work with.

Micheal thank you; a little bit at a time.

Philip thanks. I was able to get the track joints all smooth and tight so the diesel
runs flawlessly.

Kyle thank you. I really like the design on this one.

Neat loco Larry..... 8)

Are you running link and pin couplers?

Greg thank you; I do like the style.

Philip yes I'll be using link & pin couplers. The company that I'm buying my diesel and cars from
makes the l&p to fit into the coupler pockets. I also made a tool years ago to couple and uncouple
the cars with.

Larry,

I heard a little diesel engine running and had to come over and see what was making all that noise.  ;D

I use the Kato 11-103 chassis' in mine. I think they are closely the same type of drive.

The 11-103:

(https://www.kingstonemodelworks.com/HOn30Boxcab/elecboxcab1A.jpg)

The electric boxcabs.

(https://www.kingstonemodelworks.com/HOn30Boxcab/elecboxcab90.JPG)

Bernd

Ah ha, I know Keith Wiseman, Dylan Lambert, Foot Hill Model Works and now Carrol Creek. The ones lambert offered were magnetic jobs (rare earth) type and no fuss with the pins. Larry (aka Big Lars used them on his 18 stuff I think...might have been On30 mini's....


Cool Beans!

Bernd thanks for stopping by. I remember seeing your boxcars before but didn't realize they
were powered by Kato's N series. Yes they are similar but the 11-109's are a little more compact
and thinner; but they do run extremely well.

Philip it seems the more I learn about On18 the more retailers I hear about. Cool video by the way, thanks for sharing.

IMG_0009.jpeg

Since this was to be a self contained layout, yesterday I cut three 12 inch panels that the backdrop would be attached to. Of course being ply from Home Depot it was little warped as usual. Added two corner supports to being everything back in line with some small real life NBW's. Also I cut some 3 inch wide plywood and hot glued them across the back corners to give the backdrop a more rounded look for a better visual effect.

Spent a few hours this afternoon getting the new backdrop in place and I don't mind telling you what PITA that was. I messed up the right side so when I tried to remove it I could see it was going to tear being just paper. At that point I left it and did the rest of the backdrop which gave me a good sized piece left over. Long story short, I ended up cutting out the offending piece and replaced it with what was left. It really didn't turn out to bad even with having to do a fix.

IMG_0010.jpeg

This is the end I messed up as you can see by the sudden change in the drawing. Between the scenery material and making some tall trees I'll be able to make the seam disappear; or at least hide it.

IMG_0011.jpeg

This is of course the other end which came out very well. Where the top track is located I cut a hole in the plywood then taped the piece on the back, holding the piece I cut out, so if I ever want to add a fiddle track/yard or add another micro onto it then the exit/enter point is already done. I thought that would be much easier to make the hole while I was constructing the backdrop substructure.

Also you'll notice I have the layout all wired up and the diesel runs flawlessly. I also made a way to hide the wiring so it won't be seen but more on that later. I have started some terra forming as well so the front of the layout isn't just a straight line.

Now that this is all set it's time to move onto the fun stuff. I'll probably start on the left side and work my way to the right with scratch building structures and also adding the scenery as I go. So far this project has been a lot of fun as I'm starting to see my vision coming to life. As always thanks for stopping by and for your great comments and/or suggestions.

Larry, nice looking backdrop.
You can always plant some tall trees where the right side backdrop doesn't match.

Rick thank you. That was my thoughts as well with maybe a cluster of 3 very tall trees
with some boulders around them.

Howdy Larry,

The Landing base looks terrific.  Congrats on the critter build success. I'm looking forward to the structures.

Have fun,
mike

Larry great progress on your layout.

Larry,

This is coming together nicely. 

I used Trackside Scenery backdrops and they were not easy to put up so I understand the PITA efforts.

Tom

Larry great backdrop.

Your really off to a good start.

Jerry

Mike thank you. The structures will be starting soon.

Curt thank you so much.

Tom thanks. I think the problem was attaching the backdrop to the wood; used a spray adhesive
so you didn't have much time to make any adjustments. In the future I won't be using spray
adhesive; I'm just happy I was able to repair the problem.

Jerry thank you; much appreciated.

The work crew's been in and did some terraforming:

IMG_0013.jpeg

My main objective is to break up the straight line looking at the front of the layout so when I add the front facia it'll NOT be straight across but add more visual interest with different levels.

I'm treating this micro the same as I would a full sized layout; the only difference things need to be smaller and more compact like this dry washed out area. Covered the area with Elmer's glue then used a layer of green ground foam followed be a layer of dirt fixed in place with a mixture of 50/50 water to glue. Once dried then I added some very small stones, weeds, and a small piece of log.

IMG_0012.jpeg

IMG_0014.jpeg

In my previous post I mentioned having wired up the layout using 2 pairs of wires with track connectors attached and soldered to the inside of the tracks. Now I needed a way to hide the connectors. Grabbed 2 pieces of pink foam and hollowed out the bottom to accept the wires then used my pocket knife to carve and make the foam rounded. Also I cut a tiny bit of foam so it would fit over the rails. Once that was finished I used the same process as I described above to cover up the foam. The one in the front of the layout will give me the rise I'm looking for on the facia.

IMG_0015.jpeg

Here's the last area to be terraformed so far. Just a simple log with a piece of foam core behind it then covered with scenery material as previously mentioned. I did purchase a container of lightweight Hydrocol to use with my rock molds, bought in the late 70's, to cast various rocks to be placed around the layout. I do have an area in mind in the fore ground for the rocks to help with the front elevations.

Next will be to do a combination of casting/painting rocks along with building my first structure. As always thanks for stopping by for a look-see and for your comments and/or suggestions.

WOW Larry C. !!!!!!!!!! Now we're talkin'.  The crew's been busy indeed.  It looks like a superb start to what will be a seriously cool RR...........thanx for the inspiration, the terra firma is looking gooooooooooood !!!!!!!! Keep it up....

KYLE CREEL
G&D Ry.

Kyle thank you so much for your kind comments.

Larry looks like Spring has sprung there on the layout!  Nice job!

Jerry

Jerry thank you.

Howdy Larry,

Looks like your terraforming is going well.  I like the ditch detail and may borrow it for the BCMC.

Have fun,
mike

Mike thank you and feel free to "borrow" whatever you like.

Nice work Larry.

Philip

Thanks Philip; hope your rain stops soon before the ark is needed.

The first structure is built on Jacobs' Landing:

IMG_0016.jpeg

Nothing special just a small supply shed. The dimensions are a 10x18 ft. base with a building of 7x18 ft. The base consists of 4 8x8's with the floor built on top using 3x12's; everything was grained, colored with raw Sienna, and a coat of A&I. The framing is 6x6's with the boards being 1x10's finished off the same as the base. No windows and two big doors of 9x6.5 ft.; one on each side.

IMG_0017.jpeg

The end of course was built in the same fashion. Used thin cardboard for the sub-roof and decided to go with tarpaper for the roofing. The tarpaper is black paper from Hobby Lobby cut in 2x4 ft. sections then trimmed to look like older pieces of tarpaper which was glued with a thin layer directly to the card. Weathering was accomplished with white chalk first worked in with a soft brush. Tan and brown chalks followed.

IMG-0018.jpeg

Just to give me a feel how this might look I stood 2 old pine trees next to the shed. I'll be making all new trees for this project using dowels from 9 to 7 inches (placed about a 1/2 inch in the foam) for some variety in height.

Next I'm going to scavenge my parts box for all sorts of details to go in and on the front of the shed. Then I'm going to start in the left back corner with scenery working my way to the right and forward at the same time. Thanks for stopping by; the fun is just starting. Thanks for your comments and/or suggestions.

Good en! Love that roof!

Philip thank you; glad you like the roof.

Larry nice addition to the layout. Philip is right, the roof has a lot of character making it interesting to look at.

Curt thank you so much; the supply shed is a start.

It's looking good Larry.

Howdy Larry,

Nice first building for the landing. The base, siding and roof colors are perfect.

Have fun,
mike

I like the wood coloring.  And the roof sure has that worn look but not overdone great job.

Jerry

Rick, Mike, and Jerry thank you guys so much.

Larry,

The shack is great and I really love how you added the negative scenery with the small depression. Wonderfully done.

Tom

Tom thank you for your kind comments.

Hell-of-a job Larry!  Like the others said, I think the roof really stands out and 'tops it off'.  I can't wait to see all the 'stuff' piled and stacked around........

KYLE CREEL
G&D Ry.

Kyle thank you and for your kind comments. Adding all the little
details is the fun part.

IMG_0019.jpeg

Just a small update to show I'm still plugging away. Colored the details from the parts drawers using mostly chalks with clear alcohol; I do like the look that process provides. Also added a new freshly painted wagon wheel in case the "Wheel Wright" needs a new one; that will be the main business on the Landing when I get around to building and detailing it. Also I've built a firewood rack that will go to the right of the Supply Shed after some scenery is completed.

The back corner is where I'll be starting to add scenery. That rock formation was cast back in....wait for it....the early 1980's so it's been around for a bit. Tomorrow I'll be casting some smaller rocks, with light-weight Hydrocol, which will go under the left bottom corner of the rock and continue on from there.

This is where the Landing's at presently. As always thanks for stopping by for a gander and for all the great comments and/or suggestions; they help keeping me going.

Details making the scene come alive Larry keep up the great work.

Jerry

Nice looking details Larry.

Looks like somebody 'moved in' ;D  ;D  ;D  ;D
KYLE CREEL
G&D Ry.

Jerry, Curt, and Kyle thank you; your comments are appreciated.

Larry, the details look good and have fun with the scenery.

Howdy Larry, the details are looking good. Good luck with the castings.  Have fun, mike

The Antique rock matches the owner ;)

Rick, Mike, and Philip thank you.

Quote from: Philip on April 09, 2025, 11:19:34 AMThe Antique rock matches the owner ;)

You funny guy Philip. To quote Arnold "I may be old but I'm not obsolete";
at least not yet.Lol.

 8) lol Man after yesterdays mowing weed eating and yardwork I'm ancient.......

So I've been starting on the scenery work:

IMG_0020.jpg

The first layer of scenery material has been applied. "Painted" small sections at a time with white glue before sprinkling on some grass then sprinkled the dirt over that. Once done I applied a mixture of 50% white glue & 50% water with a couple drops of dish soap added so it wouldn't sit on top of the material but soak in. Applied with an eyedropper due to the small space. Also added a wood rack on the side of the Shed filled with firewood.

IMG_0021.jpg

Before I started the scenery material I spray painted the rock casting with gray primer. Once dried I went over it with a diluted mixture of black paint/water painting it on then wiping it right off with a piece of paper towel for shading. Once dried it was weathered with tan and brown chalks. To keep it in place I put down a small amount of plaster and added glue to the top part of the casting. Set the bottom in the plaster and pushed the top against the backdrop. Cleaned up the plaster along the bottom and waited for it to dry. Once dried the rock casting was firmly in place.

While the trees are certainly not up to "Roland" standards, I think they came out pretty dang good compared to my previous attempt a couple of years ago. Started with 1/4 inch dowels, cut to 9 inches, which were grained with a wire brush then painted a light tan. Once dried I brushed in a little black chalk to highlight. The tree itself is made from furnace filter cut into squares then cut to shape differently than I did before. They were glued in place with white glue. Once dried they made their way to the garage where the branch parts were spray painted with a coffee color paint. Once dry the branches were given a coat of spray adhesive then fine green ground foam sprinkled on top with the excess shaken off. By drilling the depth of the holes at different depths the trees appear to be different heights for variety then glued into place.

Next will be to add some weeds to the area and a little more dirt for the second layer of scenery material. Trying to add some depth to the scenery. As always thanks for stopping by and for your comments and/or suggestions.

Moving along:

IMG_0022.jpg

This small area is finished with scenery. There are two layers with weeds, grass, and overgrown grass besides more dirt added.

IMG_0021.jpg

Checking the internet I ran across an idea for overgrown grass that I thought was pretty cool so I tried the technique out. I started with some very small pieces of a Scotch Brand type scrubbing pad cut in odd shapes to get rid of the straight lines. Then I pulled up the fibers with a pair of tweezers. After that they received an application of light green spray paint. They held the glue well and when dried looked like tall overgrown grass; on both sides of the rock formation. I also blended in the right side of the dirt pile at the end of the track as well and around the rocks.

That's it for now and next I'll start making the primary building as well as adding the details and scenery. As always thanks for stopping by and for your great comments and/or suggestions.

Try different textures and colors of flock/turf on those tufts of Scotch pads...

dave

Howdy Larry. It's always a pleasure to look at your updates.  The weeds look great.  The green pad weeks look terrific.  Nice work and persistence. Have fun, mike

Larry, the colors on the rock casting are spot on.
The new overgrown grass looks good except I'd tone down the red one some.
Dave made a good suggestion.

There's a discussion of Scotch Pad shrubberies here:  https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/simple-way-to-make-wild-bushes-13554906

dave

Dave thanks for the tips and for the video link; I'll watch it when I get a chance.

Mike thank you for your nice comments.

Rick thanks and yes I few touchups are needed in that area; that's why the building
isn't glued in place yet.

Nice job, Larry.

Looks great Larry.  But I would tone down the red one also.

Jerry

Micheal thank you and it's nice to see you around here.

Jerry thanks, yes I have some fine green flocking I'm going to add the the scotch pad bushes
and also some on the red weeds to tone them down somewhat.

Dave I checked out the link you provided and they look great, thanks again.

That link was a nice discussion of some uses of cleaning pads.  I've seen similar discussions on furnace filters, same basic idea.  It's always good to pass around these kinds of ideas.   Here's a good video on modeling white pines, using a similar (furnace filter) material: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANt10bmaVnY

dave

Thanks Dave I'll check it out.

Looks great Larry.

Thank you Curt, much appreciated.

Larry,

This is looking very good. I'd like to add my two cents here. I love doing scenery.

You can add more realism if you add a little more underbrush around and in front of the bolder in the rear. Also, a few shorter or smaller trees/thick bushes against the backdrop.

Here is how I blended my foreground scenery to the back drop. It gives the area depth and thus compliments each other. Of course, your scenery won't be as green as my Florida scenery.

Tom

(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/24-300516170947.jpeg)

Tom thank you and thanks for the photo; that does look very "life like";
certainly "some food for thought". Actually I downloaded your photo and
placed it in my "modeling ideas folder". Doing scenery has never been my
strong suit but I think I'm getting better as I go along. The micro will give me
the opportunity to experiment some since it's such a small space. Thanks
again for your input.

Coming along nicely there Larry.

Philip thank you. Hope you and Gina are feeling better.

Since I started my next building a couple of weeks ago; I'll finish that first then I can go back and add scenery to that entire end of the layout.

IMG_0023.jpg

This is the main business for Jacobs' Landing; a "Wheel Wright". As I mentioned when I first started this thread the area is a little stuck in time so eventually horses and wagons will appear.

All of the lumber used for this build will be grained, colored with grey chalk & clear alcohol, and a liberal amount of A&I applied lastly. The floor is made from 3x12's treated then glued to 100# paper with random lengths of flooring. Joints were made on purpose as was the floor running in two different directions. Basically this building has the main part running one way and a small part going the other.

This is the back wall glued in place. Since part of the building won't have any walls I decided to go with 8x8's for the outside framing and 6x6's for the interior framing for extra strength. Doing things a little differently and adding each wall as I go instead of gluing all for walls together THEN adding them to the floor. I thought it would be easier this way and allow me to take measurements as I go for a better overall fit. The windows are Grandt Line painted and put in high on purpose to maximize wall space.

IMG_0024.jpg

The right side wall was built the same way as the back wall minus any windows then glued in place. The very short 3rd wall, the one that will go on the righthand end, has been built but probably won't be added until I've added some of the interior details on the right side so nothing gets broken. The right wall actually shows better the coloring of the gray chalk and A&I.

Next I'll start adding details to at least the back area of the right side going from back to front before I add the short wall. As always thanks for taking a peek and for your comments and/or suggestions.

Howdy Larry, 

It looks like you have put your wood mail order to good use.  The wheelwright's building is off to a great start.  Putting the windows high to provide more wall space is a clever trick. 

How many walls will the wheelwright's building have?

Have fun,
mike

It's looking good Larry.

Great walls! We had an old garage on my property framed horizontal with Tongue & Groove siding. We ended up removing it as the neglect caught up with it. The footer was about 6" deep. Go figure.

Mike thanks. The floor that sticks out is going to have a very short wall on the other side plus an entrance going into it. The rest of the building will just have posts but no walls.

Rick thank you.

Philip thanks. My grandfather had an old small barn that I helped my dad take down after his passing. Those timbers had be 12 inches thick and not one nail could be found in the whole building; just lots of pegs.

Great looking wall and flooring Larry.

Quote from: Larry C on April 25, 2025, 11:42:32 AMPhilip thanks. My grandfather had an old small barn that I helped my dad take down after his passing. Those timbers had be 12 inches thick and not one nail could be found in the whole building; just lots of pegs.

The only thing holding our garage together was luck. It was in bad shape. I did find a French bayonet in the rafters from the first war. Some friends repurposed the roof and some of the usable 2x6 T& groove. It also had a nice track for the sliding doors.

Hello Larry, you are doing a very impressive job on the walls- can't wait to see the details.

Curt thank you so much. Hope you and Kathy feel better soon.

Philip the French bayonet certainly was a great find; hope you still have it.

Jeff thank you for your comment; it's appreciated and for stopping by.

I do.

Looks like your off to a great start Larry.
Nice coloring on the walls and floor.
I like the windows up higher.

Jerry

Jerry thank you so much; I thought the higher windows would be something different.

Been messing around with the details a little at a time so here's what I have so far:

IMG_0025.jpg

IMG_0026.jpg

The first two photos have just the back and one side wall glued in place. The blacksmith details are from Sierra West. Due to the fact this will probably be my last layout I'll build, and that my dioramas are getting out of hand, I decided to sacrifice two of the dioramas for details for the layout. I did spend some time refurbishing then a little to get the look I'm going after. The workbench assembly and shelving unit are a couple of items from the repurpose dioramas. I also weathered the floor now while access was still easy adding heavier weathering around the forge and coal bin and less towards the front of the building. Everything is glued in place except the half barrel with the horseshoes and the half barrel quencher. There are a couple of details I may order from SW for the long part of the building so weathering the floor in that area will wait for now.

IMG_0027.jpg

IMG_0028.jpg

Here's an idea of the look when the third wall is glued in place; now it's just sitting there. It will block a few details on the long section but will still be seen from the front entrance; last photo.

That's the progress so far. I do need to oder a couple of details from SW and figure out the placement. In the meantime I'll glue in the third wall and start building the front entrance; I'll still be able to weather that part of the floor with a long brush. As always thanks for stopping by and for your comments and/or suggestions.

Wonderful!

Everything looks top notch Larry.

Those details are bringing the scene to life.
Great job!

Hey Larry it sure looks like the blacksmith is ready to go to work.  Nice detailing.

Jerry

Philip,Curt,Rick, and Jerry thank you guys so much.

Howdy Larry,

The structure continues to look better and better.  Those details are extra nice.

Have fun,
mike

I forgot to say the weathered look of everything is outstanding.

All those little details are wonderful, great job Larry..... 8)

Mike thank you; details are the fun part for me.

Curt thanks. Weathering does add a lot to the look.

Greg thank you so much.

Larry,

Very, very well done. I love all the details and the weathering is perfect.

This is one fantastic looking corner.

Tom

Tom thank you so much; appreciate the comments.

And it continues:

IMG_0029.jpg

Added the posts and rafter plates as well as inside corner bracing. Even though the left hand front post looks off it's not just the camera angle; used 2 squares to make sure it was plumb on both sides. Decided to make my own detail scene in the little forward part of the building. Used 2 pieces of 12x12's glued together then painted with gun metal for a wagon wheel stand to make repairs; also added a couple of different hammers to complete the scene along with some firewood for the potbelly stove.

IMG_0030.jpg

Here's looking at the building from the corner and as you can see the post is straight. I did add weathering to the walls being heavier around the forge then less as you move away from it. The hood came off so I'll reglue it when I start the roof so the roof boards can help support it.

IMG_0031.jpg

Going with a "Birdseye" view there's quite a lot of details squeezed into a relatively small area. I also weathered the floor a bit more. The main roof will go the length of the building with the smaller addition having the roof going the opposite way and will have 2 different roofing materials.

Next of course will be doing the roof which should be quite interesting to execute since I have only done this roofing arrangement once before. Thanks for stopping by for a peek and for your great comments and/or suggestions.

Howdy Larry,

The posts and rafter plates look great.  They add a finished look to the structure.  The nice work continues.  Good luck with the roof.

Have fun,
mike

That looks terrific Larry. My only suggestion (from the peanut gallery) would be a little more grime on the floor.

Larry, it's looking very good.
Weathering the wall is a nice touch.
I'll echo Curt's comment about dirtying the floor a little more.
Great job!

Mike, Curt, and Rick thank you. A little more grime on the floor
is an easy touchup.

Looks great Larry.

Philip

Larry looks great. I would do a little more dirt around the hearth.
I think the rest of the floor looks good just my opinion.

Jerry

Philip and Jerry thank you and thanks for the suggestion Jerry.

Stunning interior work on the details and weathering. 

Jeff

Jeff thank you; your comments are appreciated.

IMG_0032.jpg

Normally I don't show how I do things but thought this little trick may help someone else. All the main beams in the building are 8x8"s and the rafters are 6x6's grained and colored. I wanted the vertical wood on the rafters to come down onto the crossbeams. I set my straightedge, yes it's from SW's wood cutter's shack build, and taped it in place. Grabbed a scrap piece of 8x8 set against that. Since there is a scale 2 inch difference between the beam and the rafters I placed 2 pieces of 2x10's's under the rafters to bring the top flush with the 8x8 beam. Then I was able to install the vertical boards to the rafters. I guess you could call this a jig for the lack of a better word.

IMG_0034.jpg

Here's the end view so hopefully my explanation makes sense looking at this photo. I used the same process for the rafter on the other end of the long part of the building. Now all the rafters are glued in place on the main building.

IMG_0033.jpg

This is an angled shot. The last end rafter has the end lopped off and the bump out will have 2 rafters. One end will go against the cut off end of the main rafter while the other end will be cut square to go against the 3rd rafter from the left; hopefully this will make a good transition between the two roofs.

Next I'll finish the last two rafters for the small part then start laying the roof boards set aways apart instead of being one solid sub-roof. The plan for the main roof is standing seam metal and the small one wood of some sort. That's it for now and as always thanks for stopping by for a gander and for leaving your comments and/or suggestions.

Great modeling Larry. Everything has clean  join points.

Devil's Mountain approved   8)

Curt and Philip thank you both so much. I'm really enjoying
this build.

Larry, glad you're enjoying this build.
You certainly have some tight joints on your rafters.
Looks good.

Great job lining those all up.

Jerry

Rick and Jerry thank you both; Im really liking the way this
is turning out.

Hello Larry, that's some fine work you are doing. I love all the details.

Jeff thank you and thanks for stopping by.The details for me is the fun part of the build.

Howdy Larry, nice modeling.  It is excellent.  Have fun, mike

Mike thank you; appreciate the comments.

Moving right along:

IMG_0035.jpg

The metal roof was a bit fiddly. The material is metal and is a PITA to work with. Once cut and fitted it was sprayed with grey primer then glued in place with super-glue. Weathered it with some raw Sienna chalks. I decided to leave the overhang on the sides to make it look like it had been there for awhile.

The wood roof is made from 1x10's grained and colored with chalks. The ridge boards are 1x6's with the battens being 1x4's given the same treatment. Looking at the photos I'm going to tone down the brown with some grey chalks.

IMG_0036.jpg

Here's looking more into the front of the building. To my delight I was pleased to still see the interior details even with the roofs attached.

IMG_0037.jpg

This is what the left end of the layout looks like so far. Looks like Mr. Jacobs is having some truck issues but will have to wait for a repair shop to be built and opened for business.

Next will be lots of scenery work, some rail weathering, and placement of outdoor details in front of the Wheel Wright building. Even though this micro layout is quite time consuming it's very enjoyable as well as lots of fun. As always thanks for stopping on by and for your comments and/or suggestions.

It looks fantastic Larry.

Larry,

I agree with Curt, I'm really loving this thread and your talented work as well.

Tom

Wow Larry, 

The Landing looks fantastic.  I love the standing seam roof and leaky wooden roof combination.  

Fire up the forge, and we'll hear the ring of the hammer on the anvil. Nice work.

Do you mind sharing the manufacturer of the Model T truck?  

Have fun, 
mike

Curt thank you so much; appreciate the comment.

Tom thank you for the nice comments; glad you're enjoying this thread.
I'm really enjoying working on the layout.

Mike thanks; the roofs turned pretty well. The truck is a 3D print Ford Model TT flatbed
truck from Sierra West and sells for $44.50 in O scale; it was a fun kit to put
together and his directions are top notch.

Larry, the roofs are looking very good.
I'd probably use a coat or two of A&I on the wooden roof instead of chalk.
Maybe a little more rust on the metal roof too.
But maybe it's more noticeable in person.

Nice roofing Larry.
I would go with a little more rust on the metal but like Rick said in person it could be just right.

Jerry

Rick thank you so much. Thanks for the tip on the wood roof; I should have thought of that.
Yes the metal roof does appear more weathered in person.

Jerry thanks for your comments; always appreciated. You're right in person it's just
about right.

Four car garage and were still building on!  Great! Nice work!

Philip thank you for your kind comments; much appreciated.

Larry, this is a wonderful bit of work! Thanks for the inspiration.

Thayer

Larry I was on the SW website yesterday and found a match to your build. Are you scratch building this so it looks like that kit?

Quote from: Thayer on May 27, 2025, 01:43:03 AMLarry, this is a wonderful bit of work! Thanks for the inspiration.

Thayer

Thayer,

Welcome to the forum.

Tom

Thayer thank you so much and welcome to forum; nice to have you here.

Curt actually I didn't know there was a building like mine on the SW website; so no.
I did however, find this online and used it as my inspiration and sized it to fit my Micro:

470217805_1794399214664298_7034872043133195653_n.jpg

There are a lot of SW details by the looks of things and maybe this is the same build; I found it on FB some time ago and saved it.

Larry, that's the SierraWest Tractor Repair Shed.
I don't know who built the one in the picture you posted or if it's a kit or scratch built.
Here's a version built by Dave Revelia.

OTractorRepair1.jpg

OTractorRepair2.jpg

CSS08Mag67Small.jpg

The one you picture Larry looks like Ken Karns version.

Jerry

Rick thanks for the photos; I didn't know that even existed. Dave sure knew how
to build and detail is work; something to aspire to for sure.

Jerry thanks for the info. Like I mentioned I saw the one I posted on Facebook and
it didn't list the builder but I thought it would be good inspiration for the Wheel Wright
build I wanted to do on my layout.

Keep at it Larry!

Thanks Philip.

Thought I would share a quick update while waiting for glue to dry; sort of bonus photos if you will:

IMG_0038.jpg

Since the Wheel Wright is one of the mail focal points on the layout I decided to "light 'er up". I'm quite pleased the interior details show up so well.

IMG_0039.jpg

Here's the Blacksmith's side showing all of the SW details. Also if you look closely I did add two more pine trees behind the Shop. After making these out of furnace filter, wood dowels, cheap hairspray, and fine flocking, I used the worse looking side and carefully cut it flat to get closer to the backdrop to leave room in the front of the building for details. Also I took Rick's suggestion and added a coat of A&I to the wood roof; looks much better. Thanks Rick.

I've already started working on the basic scenery material on the right side of the building. As soon as I figure out the details outside then these will be glued down and the scenery material will continue. Thanks for stopping by and taking a gander.

The lighting looks great Larry.

Larry, it's looking good.

Howdy Larry, the shop looks terrific and the lighting really shows off the details.  Have fun, mike

Curt, Rick, and Mike thank you all so much for your comments.

 8) Likey!

Hello Larry, the lighting does add a lot to your build. It's nice to see all of that interior detail stand out. Good job.

Larry very nice.  The lighting really shows it off perfectly.

Jerry

Philip, Jeff, and Jerry thank you guys for the nice comments.

Excellent work Larry.....well done.  8)

Greg thank you; your comments are appreciated.

Larry,

I love it. Great attention to detail and the lighting really sets off the look.

Tom

Tom thanks for your nice comment. Being one of the focal points I knew I wanted to add lighting.

The Wheel Wright is done for now; I may add a few more details as I go along:

IMG_0041.jpg

Starting on the left back side I wanted a view block to hide the area behind the building by cutting a piece of foam then covering it with a piece of stone sheet I had on hand. After that was dry I used a fine brush to apply white glue in some of the cracks between the stones. Next an added some fine ground foam to look like vegetation growing in between them. Also added some overgrowth along the end of the building. The tall dry weeds are bristles from a cheap natural brush tied off with thread, cut then added white glue until dry. Drilled a hole in the foam then glued the weeds in; cheap way to make dried tall weeds.

IMG_0040.jpg

Added assorted details that would tie into the basic theme of the build. The fire ring is a wheel with the hub and spokes cut out then dipped in blackening. Added the coal with a rod in the fire then added some orange florescent paint on top for a fire. Added more weeds and wanted the area to be graveled. Started with  white glue, course green foam, and added a layer of dirt glued in place with a mixture of 50/50 water and glue. After that died I added more dirt and gravel (fine grey ballast) before adding more of the 50/50 mixture; ended up with 3 layers of scenery material.

IMG_0042.jpg

Here's a shot of the left end of the layout so far. The ties were toned down with white chalks brushed over them then I added, very very carefully, dirt in-between the rails keeping it light and checking to make sure it didn't interfere with the diesel operation at all; being this is my first time working with N scale track I didn't want to muck things up as far as actual operation is concerned.

I've already started planning my next area but in the meantime I may finish any foreground elevations then cut a piece of thin plywood to go over the front to give the layout a more finished look. Also I want to order about four more cars so I'll have 5 total along with link & pin couplers so I can start switching some cars around the layout. That's it for now and as always thanks for stopping by for a look-see.

Everything looks great Larry. Somehow I thought this would be a On30 layout.

Curt thank you so much. It's my first foray into On18; something different and I really like the narrower track, as well as the smaller narrower cars and engine, for a layout that's only 36 x 14 actual inches.

A very nice scene!  Very nice coloring and the details really show it off.

Jerry

Larry, the overall scene looks good, but there's more I'd do.
And please take this as being constructive advice.
Those barrels sitting outside are screaming for more detailing.
See how you did the barrel inside.
The wood is one color and the bands another color.
I'd paint the bands a metal color.
That one light colored barrel looks like it only has primer on it.
Also those wheels laying on the ground look random to me.
I'd maybe lay them against the wall where the barrels are or maybe build a stand for them.
Vegetation and scenery look good.

Rick thanks and also for your suggestions. The wheels are supposed to be random but I do like your idea of leaning one up behind the barrels. I'll take a look at the barrels and see what I can do. Thanks again for the "keen eye".

Great work Larry and I like the clever venting in the gable.

Philip

Philip thank you; appreciate your comments.

A quick update:

IMG_0043.jpg

After some great feedback I took a couple of Rick's suggestions and went with it. I removed the wood barrel and painted the metal straps with gun-metal then re-glued it in place. Next I moved the wagon wheel from the stand and glued it behind the barrel. Painted a hub spoke assembly to replace the wagon wheel but still be part of the overall build theme.

Now I'm planning the rest of the back of the layout so I have an idea of what I want to build and how it will fit into this small layout. I also contacted a road crew to come in and construct a narrow gravel road running from the Supply Shed to the turntable area. Better to plan now than have to redo things later which I hate doing. That's it for now so thanks for looking.

Larry, that barrel looks MUCH better.
And the wheel against the wall looks better there.

Thanks Rick and for your suggestions.

Larry those few changes really made the scene even better.  Great job.

Jerry

Jerry thanks for your nice comment.

Larry,

The barrel and wheel fix look much better. The overall scene is great, lots of details to look at.

Tom

Tom thank you. Those fixes did make sense and I like the look better myself.

Howdy Larry,

The horseshoe on the smith's shop looks fantastic.  Nice job painting the barrel, too.  You've got to be happy with this build.  Excellent.

Have fun, 
mike

Mike thank you for your nice compliments and yes I'm very happy with the way this turned out.

I'm at the point where I needed to figure out what buildings I wanted to construct and where they are going to be placed keeping in mind the overall theme of the layout. I think I have it figured out, I hope so, I've been moving forward with another build.
Having a diesel for motive power I thought a fueling storage tank might be in order so I started with this:

IMG_0044.jpg

Dug out my SW Wood Cutter Shack instruction booklet which yes I still have and use it as a resource from time to time. Grabbed the template for a platform for the fueling tank.Then I set to work.

IMG_0045.jpg

IMG_0046.jpg

All of the wood used was grained, colored with chalk and clear alcohol. The framing was made from 6x6's along with the uprights. 1x6's were used for the leg bracing as well as around the top of the frame. The tank deck was made from 2x10's. Also added NBW's in the appropriate places.

The tank itself was a refurbished one I had on hand made from a 3/4 inch PVC union. I did replace the card front with a piece of styrene, which I usually don't use, making it more substantial to support the valve. Re-weathered the tank with some rust here and there; also added black by the fill nozzle to make it look like spilled fuel has run down the side of the tank. Also there is room behind the tank to add a pump along with a few details. The ladder is made from 1x4's.

IMG_0047.jpg

The operational premise is an elbow comes off the valve with a long piece of pipe attached going into the ground and under the track. The piece of wood in-between the tracks is a place holder for the pipe from the tank which will go into a fuel pump with a long hose so the Diesel can be filled from either track position. There isn't much space  between the tracks so I thought the pump would be a nice detail and still be low profile.

That's where I'm at for now. The white paper to the left of the tank is where a small maintenance shed will reside which is my next project. Also right along I'm going to put in a narrow gravel road, complete with weeds up the middle, starting at the left end (by supply shed) going to the right hand end by the TT. Doing the road first will make it easier to blend in the scenery material. As always thanks for looking and leaving all your great comments.

 

Very nicely done Larry. I saved all my instructions and templates also. ;D

Curt thank you so much. When I was building the wood cutter's shack I knew I wanted
to keep the booklet along with all the templates. I've referred to the booklet numerous
times and have even used the templates for different builds.

Larry, nice job on the stand and tank.
Weathering on the tank looks real good.
For the structure next to the tank, I'd think about putting a pump in it to pump the fuel into the tank.
You can have a connection on the outside where a fuel truck could connect to.
Then run a pipe from the structure up to the top of tank.
Just my 2 cents.  ;D

Rick thanks; I appreciate your comments. Those are some good suggestions for filling
the tank. I plan on having a tank car so that idea could work.

Looks really nice Larry.

I like Rick's idea to.

Jerry

This is a really nice group of construction ideas put to good use, Larry.
Thoughts from other modelers do come in handy, as you have shown here. I
also keep old manuals from previous kits as a reference. A nice build so far.

Rich

Rich thank you so much and thanks for stopping by.

Jerry thanks; it's coming along as planned.

Larry,

Great job on the fuel tank.  Nicely weathered too.

I too keep the instructions from everything I have built.  I have referred to them more times that I care to admit.

Ron thank you.I figured I paid good money for the kit I may as well keep the leftovers;
hate wasting money. At the time I didn't think I would refer to the booklet asa much as I have.

Nice looking fuel tank.  I can't bring myself to throw out old kit instructions/templates, either. 

Jeff

Jeff thank you and thanks for stopping by. Like they say "Better to have it and not need than to need it and not have it."

Cool tank!

Philip thank you.

A little bit of an update:

IMG_0049.jpg

Spent a couple of evenings getting the road put in which runs from the supply shed to the turntable. I did tape the road off so it would be a consistent width; a one lane affair and also it will blend in better with the other scenery material. Started with adding about 20 weeds down the center then added some dirt glued to the foam. After that dried I added the gravel leaving the center with just the dirt in spots then added a 50/50 mix of glue and water with a couple drops of dish soap to make it spread better.

IMG_0050.jpg

Here's the other half of the road which ends at the edge of the layout.

IMG_0048.jpg

This is just a simple shed without any windows and one door with a shed style roof. The rolled tarpaper was cut in 2 ft. strips and lapped 6 inches. Weathered it with 3 different chalks with a torn corner and a couple more raised up a bit. With the road all set I decided to move the diesel tank and shed further to the right and will make a smaller building to fill the gap so it isn't so tight with the road. That's about it for now and thanks for looking.

Nice little shed Larry. Tarpaper looks really nicely weathered.

Jerry

Nice job on the shed Larry.

Jerry and Curt thank you; just wanted something simple to go with the elevated tank.

Woo Hoo! 8)

Thanks Philip.

Howdy Larry,

The road adds a lot of character to the module, as does the small shed.  BTW, that roof's gonna leak, it looks so run down.  ;)

Have fun,
mike

Larry, very nice job on the shed.

Mike thank you; hopefully the shed doesn't leak.

Rick thanks, wanted something simple to go next to the fuel tank.

Larry,

The small shack and the tank look great. Love the weathering on both.

Tom

Tom thanks, appreciate your comments.

Ive been away from the forum for a spell...but I see you've been busy....looks really fine ;)   The whole project is really starting to take shape. 

KYLE CREEL
G&D Ry Co.

Kyle thank you so much. It's coming together a little at a time. I'm not in any hurry
and I'm really enjoying this layout so far.

After building the road I thought the shed/tank, with a tree behind to hide the background seam, was going to be too tight so I decided to move it more to the right and would add another taller building to help hide the seam. To that end this is what I came up with:

IMG_0051.jpg

This is a "Cooper's Shop",someone who makes and repairs wooden barrels. Now I have to confess I did "borrow" this idea from a photo I have from one of Roland's builds and made some changes to fit my needs. It's a small 2 story building constructed so it sits tight against the backdrop. The building is made from 6x6's for the frame and 2x10's for the siding. The deck is 6x6's for the frame and 3x12's for the floor boards given my usual treatment.

IMG_0052.jpg

The windows are Grandt Line I had on hand painted black with acetate for glass. The building hasn't been glued to the floor yet.

IMG_0053.jpg

IMG_0054.jpg

I did a few details to the inside first floor. A cabinet to the left I had on hand, built the bench, then added a SW barrel I cut to look like it was being repaired. Also added a few signs on the walls, some tools on the bench, some leather straps to hold the barrel together until the metal bands could be attached, and some barrel stays on the floor.

IMG_0055.jpg

Here's a top down view of the first floor interior. Next I have to add the second story floor which will be for storage, add a hoist on the second story front, a ladder to get to the 2nd story, a roof of some description, and lots of barrels in various places for details. As always thanks for stopping by for a gander and also for your great comments/suggestions.

Great looking scratch build Larry.

Great Build Larry! happy 4th!

Curt thanks. Something small to fill the void.

Philip thank you and happy 4th to you as well.

Larry Happy Fourth to you and Elle.

Great little building and some nice details inside.
Are you sure he can finish the barrell without the distraction of the girls on the wall!!!!  ;) ;D

Jerry

Jerry Happy 4th to you and your better half.
Thank you and I'm sure he'll give it his best try.

Looks good Larry.
That should hide the seam well.

Howdy Larry,

The workshop looks great and should hide the seam.  The details and distractions are terrific.  Model on...

Have fun,
mike

Rick & Mike thank you both so much. Yes the building hides most of the seam and with
all the details I doubt the backdrop will be even noticed; at least that's the hope.

IMG_0056.jpg

IMG_0057.jpg

Moving right along, the second floor is in made from 6x6"s for the joists and 1x10's for the floor boards. I decided to place the joists on top of the 6x6 wall framing for strength. I made a hole in the floor for a ladder which was made from a SW template. All the barrels are SW as well colored a little differently with chalks and clear alcohol.There's 3 on the second story inside and 3 on the little dock area.

The hoist is made from 6x6's attached to a piece of 2x10 with NBW's added for detail. The pulley is one from the parts bin and the rope is thick brown thread soaked in glue then allowed to dry with weight at the end to make it straight. The hook was from the parts bin also painted with gunmetal paint. I've pretty much given up trying to paint the barrel bands since my hands aren't steady enough anymore; I'd prefer to leave them unpainted vs painted and have them look like crap.

IMG_0058.jpg

Here's what it'll look like on the layout. I may slide it a little more to the right to cover more of the seam. Next will be the roof and I'm thinking wood shingles for variety and because the roof is small. I do want to buy a had cart and glue 1 barrel to it before gluing anything on the dock. As always thanks for taking a gander and for your great comments/suggestions.

Howdy Larry,

The second floor looks great. The size of the floor joists looks strong enough to support all those barrels.

I fear barrel bands are the nemesis for most of us.  I've been wanting to try a new technique by mounting the barrel on a dowel, holding the paint brush fixed, and rotating the dowel and barrel around. 

Have fun,
mike

Great looking hoist and details Larry.

Mike thanks. Never thought about doing the bands that way; let me know if
it works for you.

Curt thank you so much.

Quote from: friscomike on July 06, 2025, 01:45:22 PMHowdy Larry,

The second floor looks great. The size of the floor joists looks strong enough to support all those barrels.

I fear barrel bands are the nemesis for most of us.  I've been wanting to try a new technique by mounting the barrel on a dowel, holding the paint brush fixed, and rotating the dowel and barrel around.

Have fun,
mike

Mike the way I do it is with a cut off toothpick.  Insert and turn the pick and hold the brush steady.
And it works every time.

And my hands have that shaking problem to!!  :o

Jerry

Larry, nice job on the hoist, second floor and ladder.
Will there be doors on the openings?

Instead of painting the bands, try using a brown or rust colored marker.

Looking great Larry! Hardly see a trolley type lift like that anymore.

I painting my barrel bands with a leaded pencil or paint the entire barrel a rust tone first and then come back with a fine brush and cut in to color the wood. Sometimes it doesn't matter because I'm shakey jake. My hands are slowly heading South.

Done what Rick said with a pointed brown sharpie and works great. Silver works great on exhaust & such!

Jerry thanks for the tip; nice to know I'm not the only one
w/ some shaking.

Rick thanks and I do like the marker idea; makes sense. No doors.

Philip thank you and I like the lead pencil idea as well. Time to 'speriment before I glue
down the outside barrels.

Larry,

Excellent build of the Cooper's Shop Shed. The staining is really great and looks naturally weathered. What stain did you use for the exterior? Inquiring minds and all that.  ;D

Tom

Tom thank you so much.After I grained the wood with a wire brush I used Rembrandt Cinnabar Green chalk (#627.3) scraped onto the wood about every couple of inches then I worked into the wood with clear alcohol and a brush. Next I added a good amount of A&I then let it completely dry. Hope this helps.

Super quick update:

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Quote from: Philip on July 06, 2025, 08:16:26 PMLooking great Larry! Hardly see a trolley type lift like that anymore.

I painting my barrel bands with a leaded pencil or paint the entire barrel a rust tone first and then come back with a fine brush and cut in to color the wood. Sometimes it doesn't matter because I'm shakey jake. My hands are slowly heading South.

Philip you da' man!!! I did as you suggested using a lead pencil on the bands and it worked great. Now that is a good looking barrel!

Very nice Larry. When you say leaded pencil do you mean like a  #2 pencil?

 Nice!  :o

I got that trick from Jason Jenson.  https://www.facebook.com/jason.jensen.39566 (https://www.facebook.com/jason.jensen.39566)

Larry, that's a good tip and those bands look great.

Curt thanks. Yes I used a #2 pencil which is softer.

Philip thanks and that's one trick I'll be using often.

Rick thank you; I very pleased with the results.

Nice tip.  And the barrel looks great Larry.

Jerry

Jerry thanks a bunch. Can always us a good tip!

Great tip Philip, never thought of using a pencil for barrel bands. Now I know.

and, now back to Larry's thread.  ;D

Tom

Quote from: ACL1504 on July 09, 2025, 08:13:44 AMGreat tip Philip, never thought of using a pencil for barrel bands. Now I know.

and, now back to Larry's thread.  ;D

Tom

Also to go along with this; if you wanted the bands to be rusty you could use a colored pencil instead of a black #2.

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The roof is finished. I decided to go with a wood shingled roof for some variety and also being so small it wasn't a big project. There are 144 shingles made from 1x10's grained, colored with a light raw Sienna chalk, and clear alcohol. Then it was given a liberal coat of A&I allowed to dry. The shingles are 2 ft. in length with a 1 ft. lap. The ridge boards are 1x6's given the same treatment. Finally a darker brown weathering chalk was applied then worked in with a soft brush. Also added a little black very sparingly.

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Here's what it looks like set in place on the layout. I do have to finish detailing the side deck but I'll have to wait for a few details to arrive; so I'll calling this build done. Also I did color all the bands on the other barrels as well. I am expecting my RR cars to arrive tomorrow so I may work on some of them for a bit so I can "play" moving some cars around. I did order enough link&pin couplers for everything. That's it for now and as always thanks for taking a look see.

Excellent modeling Larry.

Nice sway and been there awhile 8)

Curt thank you so much.

Philip thanks. The sway was a happy accident.

Larry, the roof looks good.

Larry nice job on the roof. 

Jerry

Rick & Jerry thank you both so much.

That structure fits nicely in the scene, doesn't look mis-sized. 

dave

Dave thanks. That's why I scratch build most of my structures; I can make sure they fit the scene.

First Car finished:

Since the flat car was put together already I decided to start with that one first. Placed it on the track then used link & pin couplers to attach it to the engine. Unfortunately the thing is so light if you sneezed you'd blow it off the track.

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Knowing this was unacceptable, I knew some weight would have to be added. Searching through my parts box I found a few Ho scale flat car weights which I cut and ended up with enough for 2 cars. Placing it on the flatcar I was able to use 4x4's around the perimeter of the car and still had room for the weight. After gluing everything in place I then used 1x6's for the floor boards grained and colored with chalks then added a liberal coat of A&I.

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After adding the floor boards I painted the steps with gunmetal paint and colored the rest of the under frame with clear alcohol and chalks. Also added some rust here and there to give it a used look. Then the moment of truth; I coupled it to the engine moving it around the layout; now it holds onto the track and tracks very well. Now I have a decent looking weighted flat car that looks much better than when I first assembled it. Next will be a wooden gondola which will get the same treatment before it's assembled. I may have been a little over zealous on the number of cars purchased, compared to the room on the layout, but I can always switch them in and out as needed.

That's it for now and always thanks for stopping on by and taking a gander.

Larry nice fix on the flat car.  And some nice coloring!!

Jerry

Larry,

As Jerry mentioned, nice fix on the flat car. I have built some in similar fashion.
It looks nice.

Rich

The motor and flat look great.

"Ahchoo"


OOPS  8)

Devine lil string!

Jerry thanks; I knew I had to do something to make it work.

Rich thank you; at least I know I'm in good company.

Philip bless you!!! Thanks; I may have over exaggerated a bit but was close.

Howdy Larry,

That little flat looks terrific.  The weight fix was spot on.  Nice job with the 4X4s.

Have fun,
mike

Light rolling stock will sure make a string derail. I didn't see that weight either. Your on it!

Larry, nice job incorporating the weight into the car.
Boards on top have good colors.

Mike, Philip, and Rick thank you all so much.

Larry, great solution to the weight problem.

Ron thanks. I do come up with a winner every once in awhile.Lol.

Moving right along:

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Ordered a couple of small junk piles from Rusty Rail; while they're not SW they'll do fine for background details. This one is a couple of 55 gal drums laying on their sides with a sledge hammer laying on top. They were colored with chalks and clear alcohol.

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This one is two drums stacked one on top of the other with a posts holding them in place. Also some cans of various styles surrounding the drums.

Next I'll probably start doing the scenery work around both buildings going from the track to the backdrop. After that I need to figure out my last, maybe final, building in the right back corner. As always thanks for stopping by and for your great comments/suggestions.

Larry, details always add interest to a scene and these do the trick.
I see you also toned down the gravel on the road and that looks better now.

Rick thanks; much appreciated.

Larry nice details.  Sure makes a scene come alive.

Jerry

Jerry thank you and like they say "it's all in the details"; whoever they are.

Hello Larry, things are really coming together. As far as to who "they" are- we are they and they are we. Make sense now ?

Larry,

Looking back at the rear of the buildings where you built the tall structure to hide the end of the printed panels, there's no need to build a tall building to hide the seam. With the additions of those fine structures you made, there's no need to hide the seams. My eyes fall on the fine looking buildings and details instead. Good work throughout.

Rich

Thanks Jeff for the nice comment. The "they" explanation is one I've never heard before.

Rich thank you so much. I guess working on the layout from the ground up is why the seams bothered me a little
but you're right the eye does go to the buildings; happy accident.

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Continuing on, the second car is finished; a gondola to transport boxes, crates, and etc. This was another one I added a weight to then covered that with grained, colored, and weathered 1x6's. The gondola area was done first, then the chassis with couplers, and finally glued together; much easier that way.

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So here's my first train. Given the size of the layout this will be about as long a train I can manage and still clear both turnout points. The train can be shoved all the way back on the track in front of the supply shed, then the turnout can be switched and proceed on the front track towards the turntable. Once there the engine goes onto the TT and the second turnout is flipped before the train backs into the front track and decoupled. I'm going to assemble the tank and boxcar at some point, then they will be placed at different locations on the layout. When the operating session starts everything will be moved around at various locations; should provide some interesting train play.

Next up is continuing the scenery work and also one more structure to build. As always thanks for stopping by and for your great comments/suggestions.

Great job on the new car and all the buildings.

A great stress reliever is running trains for a second!  8)

Philip

Curt thanks, it's coming along.

Quote from: Philip on July 20, 2025, 03:02:28 PMA great stress reliever is running trains for a second!  8)

Philip

Well hopefully each session will be longer than a second; some stress relief would be nice.

Looking good Larry.
I would use a black pencil (not a #2) and color those NBW on the gondola.
Have fun running trains.

Very nice work on the cars Larry.  They should great running around the tracks.

Jerry

Howdy Larry,

Nice work hiding the weight on the cars. They make a nice little train and should be fun to operate.

Have fun,
mike

Rick thank you. I did hit the NBW's with a little rust but for some reason it didn't take; I'll give your suggestion a shot.

Jerry thanks they do track much better and couple-uncouple better.

Mike appreciate your comments. I've always like those little short cars on other layouts I've seen.

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Everything is now glued in place on the Cooper's Shop; even added a handcart with one barrel glued to it. Also added all the scenery elements. If you look closely at the backdrop you'll notice the ground in all dirt so looks like my scenery dirt fits in perfectly going towards the backdrop; happy accident.

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The fuel depot is also finished as is all the scenery material in place. Had to scrounge to come up with the piping for the tank; I was out and really didn't want to order more atm. Found what I needed but it did have an extra shutoff already but I decided to leave well enough alone and use it.

Now that much is finished I've already started what will be my last building on the layout so stay tuned for more hammering. As always thanks for stopping by for a gander as well as all the great comments and/or suggestions.

Larry the corner and piping on the tank is  outstanding. Love the valves.

Great job and scene Larry!!

Jerry

Curt thank you so much.

Jerry thanks; starting to look like a railroad but still tons to go yet.

Larry, nice job getting everything glued down and blending the scenery with the backdrop.

Howdy Larry,

The added details look great.  The barrel bands look outstanding.  The tank piping looks great, too.  Where does that pipe go?

Once you reach the final building, it will be time to tear everything down and start again.  ;D

Have fun,
mike

Rick thank you, much appreciated.

Mike thank you so much. The pipe goes under the track and will reappear between the 2 tracks with a "fueling area" of some sort. And no this one will be going to completion and will be my layout; I'll be adding more details here and there as time goes on.