John, thanks for the reply and info on that roundhouse.  Good luck with your goals!

I'm really intrigued by the roundhouse in Post 1024.  I like it a lot.  If I understand correctly, it's from an older layout.  Any chance on more photos or information?  i.e., was it a kit or a scratch build? 

Thanks in advance, Mark

A couple months back I found a few recent whole issue digital scans here, I suggest you grab them before they disappear.  Unfortunately, it's not up to date but there are some since 2021.

https://www.gazetteindex.online/issues/index.php
 

Quote from: elwoodblues on June 03, 2025, 08:56:31 PMSo the interior of the drugstore is finally completed, it's a bit crude

Not at all, it's amazing as others have said!

I just received the premier digital issue of New Tracks Modeling Magazine titled New Tracks Modeler in today's email.

https://magazine.newtracksmodeling.com/books/lgfx/#p=1

My impression so far is very favorable. This issue is 53 pages, the content to ad ratio is about what I would expect from a free publication, as someone has to foot the bill.

What I personally like is that there are several scratch-building articles.  Here's a screenshot of the contents page:



Your mileage may differ here....I have watched numerous New Tracks videos in the past, and I find some of them very informative, but to be brutally honest, too many are painfully slow for my liking.   

However, that reflects my personal preferences. Personally, I'd much rather flip through a paper document, second to that, a good slide presentation, third would be a decent video.  "Decent" to me is one that has very little to no "talking head" footage.




 

Quote from: nycjeff on May 28, 2025, 10:05:12 AMNext I laid out floor joists on about 2 scale foot centers. I know in real life they would be on 16 inch centers, but for modeling purposes the 2 foot centers look right to me. I used 4x6 stripwood for the joists.

As others have already inputted, 2' OC looks absolutely fine to this almost retired carpenter.

So does the rest of your build, I am following along as scratch-builds are my favorite thread, thank you for sharing.

FWIW, I have done a lot of 1:1 carpentry over my years, some of it on old and/or rural structures. The 16" OC "standard" really came about with the popularity of 4 X 8 sheet goods, and nominal 2X framing lumber. As most know, "nominal sizing" means a 2 X 4 no longer measures an actual 2" by 4" anymore, nor is a 2 x 12 really 12" deep, etc. 

Loads of buildings were and are constructed with framing spacing larger than 16" OC, especially non-residential structures.  So much depends on what goes on top of the joists or rafters.

Dave, I loved that video!  Great soundtrack at the end when he just lets everything all run.

Many years ago I visited an Amish chair shop in an old milk barn, he had a diesel engine in an attached shed out back of the building.  It powered a long jackshaft that was situated in a trough in the floor.  Great sounds, even with the diesel outside.

Just catching up here, Mike. Thanks for the photos of the rolling stock on the bridge, S scale looks very appropriate to my eye.
Your trackwork is looking great!

Quote from: jbvb on May 09, 2025, 06:28:23 PMBest wishes and fast healing, Kyle.

I've seen people use the insulation-displacement connectors on layouts and modules.  But there was one layout that used them in a damp basement. I was asked to get it electrically and operationally ready for an event, and I found a lot of issues caused by those connectors.  Might have been a cheap brand, might have been the wrong gauge wire, might have been the damp.

Seconds on the healing, Kyle.

James, regarding the damp if you're talking about the little box-shaped plastic connectors with a blade that cuts the insulation but just grazes the conducting wire.  Dorman calls theirs "quick splice terminal".

Over the years, I've had to do an awful lot of trailer wiring repairs, as far too many trailers come from the factory with this sort of wire splice as original equipment.  The problem is that the metal the blade is made from is usually a different alloy than the metal in the wire.  In the presence of moisture, two metals only need to be slightly different for a galvanic reaction to start.  The result is corrosion.  The fix is a soldered splice.

Very nicely done!  Congrats.

I've been following your bridge build closely since I first ran across it, as last winter I also started a timber deck truss. I was scratch-building it from old Model Railroader plans drawn by Jack Work.  Plans are for a 74' span.

I couldn't help but notice back on post #236 you choose an S scale model for your On30 layout. I also model in On30. 

After I built my first side truss, I placed it next to my small rolling stock (18' to 24' cars for the most part) and no matter how many times I looked at it, it looked overbuilt and out of place, so I paused the build.  I was contemplating just re-sizing some members until they looked good to me, but simply reducing the scale would save a ton of guesswork.

I'll be very interested to see pictures of your bridge with finished tracks and if I might ask, a picture of rolling stock on the tracks? 

This building is a former horse carriage house at the back of a family member's home outside Chicago.  You can see 2 different embossed patterns in the photo, it actually sports 3 different patterns.  House dates to 1870 something, not sure of carriage house, but from clues inside, it's construction looks like being a close contemporary of the house.

Very, very, nice!

Quote from: Rail and Tie on April 03, 2025, 02:06:24 PMNow that you have the corrugations going well, you need to go old school on aging and corroding them. Circuit board etching solution.

That looks great!

I think you're right, Dave. 

Fortunately it's getting warmer (at least supposed to) and I can use a solvent primer outside soon. Then I'd just prime over the print.  My outbuilding shop is heated with a wood furnace, so I avoid solvent paints there when that thing is going. 

Yesterday I ran across a roll of metal duct tape I have for the central dust collection system in my woodshop. I had tried a similar tape way back when I was pressing materials between the Evergreen plastic with a hand roller, and wasn't pleased with the results.

Here's my most recent results from yesterday when I ran a piece thru my Sizzex roller between the Evergreen plastic dies:





Here's the product, although there are many other similar tapes:



Since I took the photos, I discovered the red print comes off with alcohol, and the tape accepted a coat of Badger Stynylrez primer.

I'm going going to let the primer cure for a couple days before I peel the tape off the backing, as that will flex the paint and I anticipate it flaking off otherwise.  Maybe painting after it goes onto my cardstock would be a better technique.