Superior & Seattle Railroad Build

S&S RR · August 02, 2014, 08:15:43 AM

Quote from: gfoyle01 on August 01, 2014, 08:13:37 PM
Love your attention to detail John - looks like it's really coming together. Those aspens are very nice. I really appreciate the extra explanations and detailed methods.

Thanks for the kind words and for stopping by the thread.

S&S RR · August 02, 2014, 08:21:24 AM

Quote from: BandOGuy on August 01, 2014, 08:47:11 PM
John,
Much appreciated. Now I have to figure out how to bookmark this thread so my old memory will remember where to find the info.
Thanks again.

Chip

I started a file for my notes years ago using word. I just cut and paste the information I want to save into the file with a heading that I can search on when I need it. Like ballasting in this case. It works real well for me. I just checked and it's over 300 pages and still functions just fine. Every few months I spend a few minutes organizing things in the file to make the searches easier.

S&S RR · August 08, 2014, 05:59:52 PM

The work on the S&S for the past week has been all research and replenishing some supplies like beach sand. I find that I enjoy the research as much as the actual building of layout. Tomorrow I plan on getting back to the ballasting the track work on the lower main line.

bparrish · August 08, 2014, 06:02:27 PM

John....

I'm ready to see some progress........

And more great photos

Thanx
Bob

S&S RR · August 09, 2014, 07:59:43 PM

Quote from: bparrish on August 08, 2014, 06:02:27 PM
John....

I'm ready to see some progress........

And more great photos

Thanx
Bob

Bob

Okay - some progress pictures.

I started the day by making a change I have been thinking about for the last few months. Just a little mountain trim to make room for an extension of the trestle and a few more structures down the road. The two holes in the mountain are left over from my previous layout and will be covered over.

S&S RR · August 09, 2014, 08:08:18 PM

I also made some progress on the ballasting and started experimenting with the talus and falling rocks in front of the tunnel opening.

First a few process pictures.

My turkey baster that hasn't found it way into the pictures yet. The duck tape is an important modification to get the maximum glue per squeeze.

As I mentioned before I wet everything down and then add lots of glue to make sure it gets all the way down to the base wood. Here is a picture of an area just after the glue is applied.

It soaks in fast.

S&S RR · August 09, 2014, 08:15:04 PM

A few more pictures of the area in front of the tunnel. In these progress pictures the glue is still wet. More pictures when the glue dries.

bparrish · August 09, 2014, 08:30:36 PM

John...

Did you study to be a geologist in a previous life time?

You sure have rock debris and talus figured out.

Thanx
Bob

S&S RR · August 09, 2014, 10:00:29 PM

Quote from: bparrish on August 09, 2014, 08:30:36 PM
John...

Did you study to be a geologist in a previous life time?

You sure have rock debris and talus figured out.

Thanx
Bob

Bob

Thanks for the kind words - my education is not in geology - but I have spent many years studying rock formations and how to model them. The talus I'm using is from all over the country and was collected to match the colors in the rock castings. The photographs don't seem to demonstrate that as well as I would like. My struggle right now is to take pictures that look the same as what I see with my own eyes. The iPhone camera seems to see a different color every time I take a picture. I think the fluorescent lights are playing games with it's electronic eye. I plan to breakout the SLR in the next few days and see if that makes a difference. I'm also replacing the fluorescent and incandescence lights with LED lighting.

ACL1504 · August 10, 2014, 09:50:11 AM

John,

Those rocks look really nasty, which, in this case is a very good thing! Looks super.

Tom

S&S RR · August 10, 2014, 01:10:27 PM

Here are some photographs with my SLR camera from two different angles and three different exposures. It is amazing the differences in color.

bparrish · August 10, 2014, 02:22:07 PM

John...

Again.............. Wow ! ! ! !

thanx
Bob

S&S RR · August 11, 2014, 08:49:30 PM

Today the first "fall colors" Aspen tree grove took root on the S&S RR. As I mentioned in a previous post, I have decided to model the higher elevations in fall colors. I have about 50 more trees for the next couple of groves completed and currently drying. The view from across the room is great - sorry I have to clean all the stuff on the bench work before I can take a picture. The trees, and the contrasting color really help to give the scene the depth I'm looking for.

GPdemayo · August 12, 2014, 08:44:27 AM

Man, that's a bunch of rock.....the aspens look great John, the'll really bring the scene together.

S&S RR · August 12, 2014, 09:02:30 AM

Quote from: GPdemayo on August 12, 2014, 08:44:27 AM
Man, that's a bunch of rock.....the aspens look great John, the'll really bring the scene together.

Thanks Gregory - I'm finally to the point on the layout where you can see the progress at the end of the day. I'm still spending most of my time on track work, but I have small areas all over the layout where I'm experimenting with final scenery.