Superior & Seattle Railroad Build

[S&S RR]

I have spent the last few days working on the scenery in front of Mt. Aiden.  Along with adding trees, and scenery materials I'm building a wood tunnel portal and a timber retraining wall.  Here are a couple build in progress pictures.





The timber portal liner.





This will have three tiers to it when completed.

[S&S RR]

This area is going to serve as the backdrop for a very special FSM kit - the one that usually just gets collected and very seldom built.

[S&S RR]

Another progress picture on the retaining wall and tunnel installation.

[S&S RR]

I started another batch of Pine trees yesterday and I promised someone at the EXPO that I would post a couple pictures of the process I use for the cedar shingle armatures.  In the past, on this thread, I posted the pictures of the belt sander that I use to take the pieces of cedar shingle down to a tapered dowel.


The next step is to use a rasp to cut deep bark lines into the armature.










I make these armatures in batches of about 100.


Next step is to add a nail to the base of each tree armature.

[S&S RR]

I forgot I'm keeping track of the time to make a batch of 100 - total for this batch so far is 2 hours. But who cares it's a hobby and I like the way these trees look on the layout.

[S&S RR]

In addition to the armatures I am also painting the Caspia with the olive camo paint. It takes about 15 minutes to fill the paint booth and paint. I will take some pictures on the next round of painting.

[tom.boyd.125]

Excellent job of staining the wood and building that wood tunnel portal and retaining wall.
Tom

[UP Fan]

WOW John, you're a tree making machine.  Nice texture on the trunks.  Great tip using the rasp.

[gnatshop]

This area is going to serve as the backdrop for a very special FSM kit - the one that usually just gets collected and very seldom built. 

Still teasin' us, ain'tcha??

[S&S RR]

Excellent job of staining the wood and building that wood tunnel portal and retaining wall.
Tom

Thanks for the kind words Tom - I like the look of the board on board A&I stain. I'm learning that if I stain the wood large batches and stack it on the work bench in different orientations I get a much larger verity of light and dark looks.

[S&S RR]

WOW John, you're a tree making machine.  Nice texture on the trunks.  Great tip using the rasp.

Thanks For stopping by Bob. Yes big batches of trees are required for this layout. I'm preparing for spending lots of time in my gazebo this summer adding the Caspia branches to pine trees.

[S&S RR]

This area is going to serve as the backdrop for a very special FSM kit - the one that usually just gets collected and very seldom built. 

Still teasin' us, ain'tcha??

David good to see you back - and thanks for reminding me I was supposed to add a picture to that post. I'll add some pictures next week but I'm trying to find a way to add FSM's Wilfred J. Brambell in front of the retaining wall. It is going to take some kit bashing so it's a project under study.

[S&S RR]

This thread is getting to long to find anything - it's time to add an index.  I will be taking care of that chore this week.

[S&S RR]

New home of the Superior & Seattle Railroad Build Thread




Index to the thread added 5/19/15.  I will update this every time we add a few pages so we can go back and find different topics when necessary.




                          INDEX


Page 1   Changing forums - the benchwork
Page 2   Overview and Status in March of 2014
Page 3   A look back at the Benchwork and Paster work on the mountains,
             Painting the Plaster work
             The Photo Back Drops
             Making Aspen Trees
Page 4    Making Pine Trees
              Preparing the Talus Materials
Page 5    Prototype Photographs
Page 6    Prototype Photographs
              Control Panel
Page 7    Layout Diagram "original plan"
              Roundhouse Photographs
              The Stone Roundhouse Build - start
Page 8    Stone Roundhouse Build - the walls
Page 9    Stone Roundhouse Build - the Roof
Page 10  Stone Roundhouse Build - Painting
Page 11  Laying more track
             Planning the town of Sellios
Page 12  Testing track
Page 13  First Runs - lower track
Page 14  Benchwork and Town layout - Sellios
Page 15  Benchwork and Town layout - Sellios
Page 16  Track work in Sellios
Page 17  Planning Structure Placement - Sellios
Page 18  Logo for the Superior & Seattle Railroad
Page 19  Cedar Shingle Pine Tree armatures
             Modeling in the Summer
Page 20  Roofing on the Stone Roundhouse
Page 21  Doors on the Stone Roundhouse
Page 22  More plaster work
Page 23  Installing the DCC System
Page 24  DCC System Discussion
Page 25  DCC System Installation
Page 26  DCC System Installation
Page 27  More track installation
Page 28  Track Testing
Page 29  Door production for the Stone Roundhouse
Page 30  Ballasting The Eagles Nest Yard
Page 31  Ballasting The Eagles Nest Yard
Page 32  Changes - moving mountains
Page 33  Adding some talus materials
Page 34  Stone Roundhouse Build - Tar Paper Roof
Page 35  Stone Roundhouse Build - Doors, Windows, Trim
Page 36  Planting Aspen Trees,
             prototype pictures Aspen Trees
Page 37  Stone Roundhouse Build Trim, Front Stone Work
             Pictures of Mountains with Fall Color
Page 38  The view through "Wayne's hole"
Page 39  Some overall room photographs of the layout
Page 40  Stone Roundhouse Build - Painting the trim
Page 41  Stone Roundhouse Build - Installing the Windows
Page 42  The A&I tube
Page 43  Stone Roundhouse Build - Painting the Roof
Page 44  Stone Roundhouse Build - Final pictures on the workbench
              Stone Roundhouse Build - Moving and installing on the layout
Page 45  Stone Roundhouse Build - Installation pictures
Page 46  Discussion of storage on the benchwork
Page 47  New - flex shaft rotary tool
Page 48  The Eagles Nest Yard
Page 49  Kit discussion
Page 50  Scenery on Mt. Aiden
Page 51  Mt. Aiden Trestle Build - bents
Page 52  Testing coloring for the Trestle
Page 53  Start of scenery on Mt. Aiden
Page 54  Progress pictures scenery on Mt. Aiden
Page 55  Surveying for the Trestle
             Stripwood for the Mt. Aiden Trestle
             Casting the footings for the Mt. Aiden Trestle
Page 56  Changes in the Mountains
Page 57  Coloring the trestle footings
Page 58  Mt. Aiden Scenery progress pictures
Page 59  Setting the footings for the Mt. Aiden Trestle
Page 60  Mt. Aiden Trestle Build first Bents
Page 61  Staining Stripwood
Page 62  Mt. Aiden Trestle Build
Page 63  Mt. Aiden Trestle Build
Page 64  Trestle Build progress pictures
Page 65  Trestle Build progress pictures
Page 66  Painting Bolt Castings
Page 67  Installing Bolt Castings - Mt. Aiden Trestle
Page 68  Cutting more strip wood
              Dealing with impatient forum members
Page 69  Adding retaining walls
Page 70  Trestle Build progress pictures
Page 71  Counting nut and bolt castings
Page 72  Mt. Aiden Trestle - the finishing process
Page 73  Adding Scenery to Mt. Aiden
Page 74  Building retaining wall for Mt. Aiden

This is the index to this thread that will always be on page 1 of the thread.  I will cross-reference it every 10 pages or so and try to keep it updated.

[S&S RR]

Here is an update photograph of the Pine Tree Armature process.  Today I finished the bark on the batch of armatures and also added a nail in the end of each one to help in planting and handling through the rest of the process.  Next, I will drill the holes for the Caspia Branches.


Total time on this batch is now 3.25 hours.