Superior & Seattle Railroad Build (Volume 2) Started 2/25/17

[S&S RR]

Here is a picture of my setup for flocking the trees. Step one is to clamp them with a soldiering clamp and soak them in a 6:1 solution of matte medium.
I use a wide mouth jug that is a reuse of the one Scenic express packages their hydrocal in.  The clamps set on top the rim pretty well. If you look closely you will see the magnet on a stick that I use to fish them out of the glue when I knock them into the jug.


The trees soak in the matte medium about a minute while I flock a tree and clamp it to the drying line.


You will notice that I'm using five different colors of flock on this batch of trees.

[S&S RR]

Here is a picture of the drying line.  You can get an idea of how many trees I clamp with a soldiering clamp to help straight them.

[S&S RR]

Some of the trees will never be straight no matter what you do.  I use them on the side of hill or break them off and use just the tops for filler.

[S&S RR]

So - that's the process for the aspen trees - please let me know if you have any questions. As I said above, Wayne will be ready for another case of trees in a couple weeks.  So he told me to order them this week so they will have time to dry before he works on them.

[S&S RR]

I want to thank Tom for posting his experience with the new SE tree process and running down what was different.  I would have just thought the trees were green when we received them.

[S&S RR]

A major milestone was reached today on the S&S RR. The benchwork for the HO mainline is complete.  I glued and screwed in the last section of the helix just before I shut things down for the day. Tomorrow I will probably complete the HO track with the official golden spike taking place once I get things wired up and running.  I still have another loop of this helix to go to complete the HOn3 portion of the helix.  I also have about a 12 foot straight section to complete under the layout and the HOn3 mainline will be complete.

[S&S RR]

I also took a picture of one of my most useful tools during the building of the benchwork - my iPad.  It works great for measuring the grade. Measuring 6 or 9 inches of surface is so much better than the smaller 2 inch device that I quit using.

[S&S RR]

I also made progress on one other front today.  I complete flocking all the trees that Wayne had painted up (he is working on another case) and delivered. So I cleaned up the workbench and got it ready for a fresh layer of brown paper and the start of my major scratch build for this summer.  A companion building to my stone roundhouse - the S&S RR Locomotive works. I will get started on this build as soon as the golden spike is behind us.

[Zephyrus52246]

That's an expensive level.     What's the app?

Jeff

[jerryrbeach]

John,
Great progress.  Your trees are beautiful, and I was glad to learn how to work with the "new" trees.  Thank you for sharing your experience with us. 

[S&S RR]

That's an expensive level.     What's the app?

Jeff

Hi Jeff


The app I'm using is called Clinometer. Yes - it is an expensive level, but if you look at all the devices it has replaced it's a pretty good deal.

[S&S RR]

John,
Great progress.  Your trees are beautiful, and I was glad to learn how to work with the "new" trees.  Thank you for sharing your experience with us.

Jerry


Thanks for the kind words and for stopping by the thread.  The process change with the super trees caused a little heart burn but I think it will be a good thing if the trees are more durable.

[PRR Modeler]

Great how to for excellent looking trees. It looks like you are moving right along with the helix.

[S&S RR]

Great how to for excellent looking trees. It looks like you are moving right along with the helix.

Curt


Thank you - progress is slow but sure.

[S&S RR]

At the end of the day today, I have 1 more foot of track to put down on the HO mainline.  The HOn3 mainline has 25 more feet of mainline and two trestle installations. I will need a few more days of laying track and a day to wire it and the S&S RR will be operational.