MORRISTOWN & ERIE RAILROAD - WESTERN DIVISION

[Erieman]

Looking good Frank and since you aren't busy, how about more pictures?

Tom

Tom,
Here are a couple more pics to view while you are recovering from your surgery. And yes, I am real busy. I will be adding rocks in the water after I pour the environtex. Stay tuned.

Frank / Erieman

[KCS Trains]

Frank, you continue to amaze me with your work.  That looks really good.  Good luck with the Envirotex pour.  Don't forget to breath on it!!!  Phil

[deemery]

As many of you know, I am trying to complete a portion of the layout for an upcoming Model Railroader photo shoot. I  recently attended the Fine Scale Modelers Expo in Mass. I met a lot of great modelers and friends. I also took a couple of great classes, including Bill Obenauf's class on water. I am now back in Arizona and charged to get into water. ...

Not so much water to study for prototype inspiration in AZ     (Reminds me of the story about the WWII German POWs who carefully studied maps of Arizona and planned their breakout.  They would sail down the Salt River to the Gulf of Mexico.  Too bad the Salt River was a dry wash when they finally escaped, and were recaptured )

dave

[Erieman]

Frank, you continue to amaze me with your work.  That looks really good.  Good luck with the Envirotex pour.  Don't forget to breath on it!!!  Phil

Good Morning Phil,

Good to hear from you. Have you moved yet? Thank you for your kind words on the water. Ithink I am going to get a torch, because this will be a lot of water to blow on and I would probably wind up on the floor. Thanks for reminding me. Once the water (environtex ) is in and the ground foliage is on, then it will be time for the trees. Wait till you see the trees. AWESOME. Almost 100 pine trees will go in the is area. Give me a couple more weeks. Thanks for stopping by.

Frank / Erieman

[Erieman]

As many of you know, I am trying to complete a portion of the layout for an upcoming Model Railroader photo shoot. I  recently attended the Fine Scale Modelers Expo in Mass. I met a lot of great modelers and friends. I also took a couple of great classes, including Bill Obenauf's class on water. I am now back in Arizona and charged to get into water. ...

Not so much water to study for prototype inspiration in AZ     (Reminds me of the story about the WWII German POWs who carefully studied maps of Arizona and planned their breakout.  They would sail down the Salt River to the Gulf of Mexico.  Too bad the Salt River was a dry wash when they finally escaped, and were recaptured )

dave

Dave,

I recall reading that story. Pretty funny. Actually, apparently the German POW's really liked Arizona. Luck the Salt river was not running or they would not have gotten away. When it runs, it really runs.

Frank / Erieman

[deemery]

... I think I am going to get a torch, because this will be a lot of water to blow on and I would probably wind up on the floor. ...

Suggest you go to Harbor Freight and pick up a cheap heat gun.  That's probably better/easier to control than a torch, and less chance of a fire.  (Still not zero chance, be careful no matter what you use, and keep a fire extinguisher handy.  Many fires in historic buildings have been caused by torches/heat guns when stripping paint.)


dave

[jbvb]

I think the thing that changes the viscosity of Envirotex so the bubbles break is CO2, not heat.  That's why breath works (for me), and would not be present with a heat gun.  If it turns out differently, I'd like to know.

And IIRC the Salt River flows (eventually) into the Gulf of California - Gulf of Mexico drainage starts somewhere east of the New Mexico border.

[deemery]

Sigh, my geography is no better than the POWS...




dave

[Erieman]

I think the thing that changes the viscosity of Envirotex so the bubbles break is CO2, not heat.  That's why breath works (for me), and would not be present with a heat gun.  If it turns out differently, I'd like to know.

And IIRC the Salt River flows (eventually) into the Gulf of California - Gulf of Mexico drainage starts somewhere east of the New Mexico border.

James,

Since a large part of my pour will be somewhat inaccessible, is there anything other than my breath that I can use. I would need a herd of people expelling CO2 to get rid of the potential bubbles. any suggestions would be helpful. I will probably make several pours due to the changes in elevation of the stream / river. Somewhere i read that using silly putty as a dam along or at the end of the stream works well. Any thoughts?

Frank / Erieman

[Erieman]

Sigh, my geography is no better than the POWS...

dave

Sorry Dave, but James is right. You need to take a trip out West sometime to explore this beautiful part of the country. Just saying. Thanks for stopping by.

Frank / Erieman 

[tct855]

Frank,
            I'm perplexed, pour the Envirotex?  You mean that beautiful bridge scene doesn't have real river water running through it?  Man! Can't wait till you run your camera car over that awesome built bridge sir.  I want a copy.  Like always, I'm all eyes...           Thanx Thom...

[deemery]

Sigh, my geography is no better than the POWS...

dave

Sorry Dave, but James is right. You need to take a trip out West sometime to explore this beautiful part of the country. Just saying. Thanks for stopping by.

Frank / Erieman

In the late '80s/early '90s, I was in your neck of the woods a lot, flying into Tucson and visiting Ft Huachuca.  At one point I think I had tried every restaurant in Sierra Vista and Bisbee.  My favorite, by -a long shot- is Cafe Roka in Bisbee.  In the "naughties" - previous decade, I attended several meetings in Mesa and one memorable week long meeting at the Biltmore Resort in Phoenix (that's the trip where my wife flew down and we spent a memorable weekend in Oak Creek Cabin before driving to the Grand Canyon.)

dave

[ak-milw]

Frank, the river should look excellent with the Envirotex poured in, it looks great without it.

[jbvb]

  "Since a large part of my pour will be somewhat inaccessible, is there anything other than my breath that I can use.
   I would need a herd of people expelling CO2 to get rid of the potential bubbles. any suggestions would be helpful. "

This is why the subject of heat gun vs. torch came up.  Waving a torch around above the river is another way to deliver CO2, but care is required.  Do you have an old Bernz-O-Matic torch?  Light it, turn the gas down to make a soft, noiseless flame and keep it an inch or two above the resin.  Recent 'pushbutton ignition' torches won't let you adjust the flame and would be much trickier to use.

  "I will probably make several pours due to the changes in elevation of the stream / river. Somewhere i read that using
   silly putty as a dam along or at the end of the stream works well. Any thoughts?"

I've used hot glue to seal hardboard dams, never tried silly putty.  It looks like you could use rubbing alcohol to clean up anything that couldn't be scraped off.  I've used water to check the tightness of both my rivers; just give it a couple of days to dry out before the resin pour.

[Erieman]

Frank, the river should look excellent with the Envirotex poured in, it looks great without it.

Andy,

Thank you for your kind words. Painting the basin was the easy part. Now I am going to make a few test pieces to evaluate whether to and how much pigment to add to the resin. I guess i am a little cautious, and for good reason. This is a big pour or series of pours and i want it to look good.

Frank / Erieman