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

[S&S RR]

Great idea! I have been adding a bit of earth colored pastel chalks to my sand , got some nice coloring with them...

I have colored dirt with chalks after it is installed but haven't tried adding the chalk before I glued it down.  Another great tip to try.

[S&S RR]

Hi John:

Cool idea. Looks the the sand came out real fine. I might have to look for one of those.

Karl

Karl


If you do - get the granite one. I think the weight makes the process easier.  It does work very nice.

[S&S RR]

I have spent the last couple of days getting a fleet of locomotives / and rolling stock up and running. So far,/ all my testing has been with equipment I kept from my previous layout - some of it is very tired.  I need to test my track work with various types and styles of locomotives and rolling stock, so I'm identifying and putting together the test trains.  I have one comment for this process - RTR does not stand for ready to run. I just sent in an order for washers / shims / screws / bolts/ couplers and wheels,  so I could get my test trains Ready-to-Run, or test in this case.  I'm also going to make sure the rolling stock is at the NMRA recommend weight. The bottom line is that this is turning into a big project that has to be done before proper testing can begin.

[postalkarl]

Hi John:

Sounds like a fun project.

Karl

[S&S RR]

Hi John:

Sounds like a fun project.

Karl

Hi Karl


Yes - it is - I think it's one of the most import parts of getting a layout running well. Thanks for stopping by the thread.

[ACL1504]

John,

You won't be disappointed in getting all your rolling stock up to standards. It is the most tedious and the most rewarding function of owning a railroad model with all the rolling stock.

The Judge and I went through about 100 freight cars two years ago.  About three times that left to do. We checked coupler height, replaced all wheels with Intermountain wheel sets and the Kadee scale head couplers. When I finished a car I used a silver Sharpie marker and placed a dot on the bottom of the car. This let me know what cars have been upgraded.

We used to say the RTR cars were Ready To Repair.

Tom

[S&S RR]

John,

You won't be disappointed in getting all your rolling stock up to standards. It is the most tedious and the most rewarding function of owning a railroad model with all the rolling stock.

The Judge and I went through about 100 freight cars two years ago.  About three times that left to do. We checked coupler height, replaced all wheels with Intermountain wheel sets and the Kadee scale head couplers. When I finished a car I used a silver Sharpie marker and placed a dot on the bottom of the car. This let me know what cars have been upgraded.

We used to say the RTR cars were Ready To Repair.  




Tom

I like that Ready to Repair.  I'm sure finding that they need lots of work.  I have a couple 100 Kadde box cars that all need the intermountain wheel sets. I made a little test stand and will be adding a few cars and locomotives a day until my test fleet is complete. Anything of the rest of my rolling stock that doesn't have the Kadee couplers is get them.

[rpdylan]

Yeah, John,  I have done both- added some chalk powder to the dirt prior to putting it down, and also brushing some chalks onto dirt already put down. Brushing some chalk powder onto the dirt is a great way to tone things down/ blend together and it seems to make the dirt look really "dry"

[S&S RR]

Yeah, John,  I have done both- added some chalk powder to the dirt prior to putting it down, and also brushing some chalks onto dirt already put down. Brushing some chalk powder onto the dirt is a great way to tone things down/ blend together and it seems to make the dirt look really "dry"

Bob



I have also started adding chalks to my rock work.  It really makes the colors look natural in the rocks that are close to the viewer. I think the texture adds as much as the color.  Thanks for stopping by the thread.

[deemery]

Yeah, John,  I have done both- added some chalk powder to the dirt prior to putting it down, and also brushing some chalks onto dirt already put down. Brushing some chalk powder onto the dirt is a great way to tone things down/ blend together and it seems to make the dirt look really "dry"

Bob

I have also started adding chalks to my rock work.  It really makes the colors look natural in the rocks that are close to the viewer. I think the texture adds as much as the color.  Thanks for stopping by the thread.

Yeah, dabbing chalks as a 'finish coat' adds depth to the colors on the rock, and keeps the colors from looking too linear.  That's also true when doing slate shingles!


dave

[S&S RR]

Yeah, John,  I have done both- added some chalk powder to the dirt prior to putting it down, and also brushing some chalks onto dirt already put down. Brushing some chalk powder onto the dirt is a great way to tone things down/ blend together and it seems to make the dirt look really "dry"

Bob

I have also started adding chalks to my rock work.  It really makes the colors look natural in the rocks that are close to the viewer. I think the texture adds as much as the color.  Thanks for stopping by the thread.

Yeah, dabbing chalks as a 'finish coat' adds depth to the colors on the rock, and keeps the colors from looking too linear.  That's also true when doing slate shingles!


dave

Dave


Thanks for stopping by the thread.  I think adding depth is the right way to describe the process. I will photograph the process the next time I do it.  But first more track to put down.

[S&S RR]

I spent the day working on the track work. I have a little more mountain surgery to do but I'm making progress. I should be starting the final helix this week.

[ACL1504]

Mountain surgery, sounds like plaster is being cut.

Tom

[S&S RR]

Mountain surgery, sounds like plaster is being cut.

Tom

Yes - but in this case it's on the inside to reroute a tunnel by a few inches. A few minutes with a saw and all will be well.  Thanks for stopping by the thread Tom.

[S&S RR]

Well, I got brave today and put one of the big steam locomotives on the track, a 2-6-6-2. The good news is it did real well on the layout - except - here comes the bad news - it didn't like the radius on the smaller trestle on Mount Aiden.    It looks like tomorrows project will be to re-deck the trestle and change the track.  I used a 24 inch radius but it needed a slight S as it came of this trestle and lined up for the big seven foot long trestle. I knew the S was going to be a problem with the big steam equipment. So it looks like a do over.  Once again, we get to learn that you never cheat your standards. Once I get this problem solved I will be getting one of the S4 Broadways out for a test run.