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

[S&S RR]

Hi John,

The layout is looking good.  I like the pictures because they show a lot of depth to the layout.  And I also like the way you mix up your trees.

Steve


Thanks for the kind words - it is amazing how much difference it makes when you add variety. I like the scenes better with each layer of scenery. I like to look back at the way it looked a year ago or two years ago and compare.

[S&S RR]

John,

I can't get over all your rock work. It is wonderful and looks so natural. I know some of it is real but it all blends so well.

Tom

Tom


The next layer for the scenery will be the "real" rock talus. I have some of it strategically placed to check the color but 99 percent of what you see in these pictures is painted plaster. I found just the right colors in AZ north of Frank's place. I have 5 - 5 gal. buckets full of talus ready to be added. After the buckets spent a winter in my garage in below zero temperatures, I baked it in the oven for 4 hours at 450 degrees to kill all of the AZ critters.

[S&S RR]

John ....

If you aren't careful you're going to be in the cover of the national magazines

Thanx
Bob

Bob


Thanks for the kind words - the magazines were not a goal when I started this but it would be cool if I got the opportunity.

[S&S RR]

I'm getting back into the research for the Superior portion of the Superior & Seattle Railroad. It is amazing how much information is now available on the internet that wasn't there a few years ago when I started this process. In one evening I collected 100's of useful photographs.  Now, I have to decide just what I want to model.  This project is 5 to 8 years away from construction. I plan to share some of the pictures as I get closer to the building stage.

[S&S RR]

To start my update tonight, I want to thank all the thread followers, that choose not to post, but who took the time to email or call me to offer kind words on the pictures I posted over the weekend.

[S&S RR]

I added the details to the back of Issac's Coal - the back is not going to be visible on the layout so I only added the walkway that is visible from above.  I will weather the shingles all at once. 

[S&S RR]

Here is a picture of the front of the build building, in place on the base board, before starting the detailing.

[PRR Modeler]

Beautiful work John. You probably mentioned it before, but what color stain did you use on the bins?

[S&S RR]

Beautiful work John. You probably mentioned it before, but what color stain did you use on the bins?

Curt


The bins where stained with a alcohol and Chalk stain.  Three different colors of chalk are used.  I think I showed the process earlier but I will repeating the process when I stain the conveyer and out buildings so I will take a picture then.  Thanks for following along.

[deemery]

The one thing that caught my eye was a lack of stain on the top of the bottom stick of wood on the bins.  (Does that make sense?)  Seems to me that the tops of wood pieces would be very black, as coal dust settles on them and gets washed onto those surfaces from rain, etc.


(Just picking more nits for you :-) :-) )


dave

[S&S RR]

The one thing that caught my eye was a lack of stain on the top of the bottom stick of wood on the bins.  (Does that make sense?)  Seems to me that the tops of wood pieces would be very black, as coal dust settles on them and gets washed onto those surfaces from rain, etc.


(Just picking more nits for you :-) :-) )


dave

Dave


Good eye! It's just how the wood took the stain with the first coat.  I will be touching it up once the assembly is complete. I have a number of items that will need to be stained after they are assembled including the conveyor.
It is amazing how much color difference I did get with this build.  Each piece of wood took the stain differently and some of the wood took the stain very differently in different regions.

I'm doing more and more assemble and then stain builds. Especially, when there are laser cut walls involved. I would still stain first with a board on board build to get the color variety.

[S&S RR]

Here is a progress picture of my Isaac's Coal build. The signs have been started and the lower platforms assembled.

[S&S RR]

I also made some progress on the Mackenzie build today - I'm glueing together the roof rafter and cedar shingle cross boards that will show through the roof in the areas with the holes.  I need  8 -10 of the assemblies and I'm gluing them over the 1 template that comes with the kit - so it's taking some time. Another good reason to have more than one build going at the same time (see picture above).

[S&S RR]

Yes - the letter's in the Isaac's Coal sign need some weathering.

[PRR Modeler]

I like the platforms.  It's an idea to think about using concrete footers instead of wood bracing underneath. Are the platforms permanently attached next to the track? I ask because the one on the right looks way to close to the track.