Norway layout by Mike Carter

[madharry]

Ballasting in progress. I use a fine mist bottle and the normal products.........
Mike

[madharry]

Apologies for this as I am sure most people know how to ballast. However when I joined the hobby I found it a chore until I learned how to. So here goes..........
Before I add the ballast to the track I have learned to plug the holes in the baseboard that I made when I fed my track droppers to the bus underneath. I just use masking tape.  If I did not do it I would have holes in the ballast and quite a lot on the carpet underneath.

[madharry]

Next I add some tape to each edge of the rail so I have nice ballast shoulders.

[madharry]

I mist water on to the ballast with a mixture of water and "hydrous wetting solution". A little goes along way and I probably use too much concentrate.

[madharry]

Then using a pipette I carefully add diluted PVA to the shoulders of the ballast and this wickes through. The result hopefully is a well groomed piece of ballasted track.
Mike

[PRR Modeler]

Congratulations Mike, it looks like you are making real progress.

[madharry]

Thanks Curt much appreciated. I ran out of ballast in the end and I do not have supplies of the same colour.But I am exhibiting next week at the show where I bought it so I might get lucky and meet the same trader. Mike

[madharry]

The ballasting has been completed. In the end I had to mix three colours to acheive the effect. The overhead electicification is causing big delays in moving forward. My norwegian fleet includes five diesels but the rest (nine) are electrics. I have tried using Dapol masts. These are made of plastic and tend to bend as the pan on the loco rides underneath on the the wire. The pans on all my locos are at different heights depending on the strength of the spring used on the models. I have looked at altering the pans to a standard height. But this is a drastic step too far at this stage as it will reduce the future value of the model if I decide to sell it at a future date. I have noticed that model magazines sometimes publish electic layouts with all the pans in the lowered position. At the moment I cannot complete the scenery on the layout before the masts and wire are positioned. Hmmm.........
Mike

[rpdylan]

Very nice Mike. I need to get some of that wetting solution. Thanks for the tips!

[Rail and Tie]

Love how the layout is coming along. Good tip on the wetting solutions for ballasting.  Have you thought about just altering just the spring in the pans?  That way you can restore them if you decide to sell.  Not all of them are easy to replace, but might be a thought.

The ballasting has been completed. In the end I had to mix three colours to acheive the effect. The overhead electicification is causing big delays in moving forward. My norwegian fleet includes five diesels but the rest (nine) are electrics. I have tried using Dapol masts. These are made of plastic and tend to bend as the pan on the loco rides underneath on the the wire. The pans on all my locos are at different heights depending on the strength of the spring used on the models. I have looked at altering the pans to a standard height. But this is a drastic step too far at this stage as it will reduce the future value of the model if I decide to sell it at a future date. I have noticed that model magazines sometimes publish electic layouts with all the pans in the lowered position. At the moment I cannot complete the scenery on the layout before the masts and wire are positioned. Hmmm.........
Mike

[postalkarl]

Hey Mike:

Looks like the layout is coming along. Keep the pics flowing. All looks great.

Karl

[madharry]

Thanks Bob, Darryl and Karl for following. The ballasting turned out very well. I will look at the pans again and see if I can modify the springs. There is a need for an entry portal from the fiddle yard to ensure the pans are not too high as they meet the wires. Also where the two scenic boards join there is a need for two detachable  wire assemblies.............hmmm
Mike

[madharry]

I have bought a Peco OO Catenary System 12 Mast Pack LC-100. The wires crossing the two boards are the most critical as they will be have to be removable rather than soldered permanently. I have drilled two holes and placed two masts to test the installation.
Mike

[madharry]

Continuing........... Here are four masts erected over the join in the two boards. Peco currently only offer single masts so I have decided to just "wire" the two outside tracks for now. The inner track will be the domain of diesels. I have ordered some more masts and longer wire pieces now I am happy with progress. The masts are very strong once they planted and are made from nickel silver by Sommerfeldt for Peco. Wires either side of these masts will be soldered on as will the rest of the installation. However these two wires will be removable so I can set up the layout at exhibitions. My concern was that they would be too flimsy but that is not the case as the two locos can pass under them without dislodging the wires.
Mike

[PRR Modeler]

Looks great Mike, but fragile!