F-UnitMad Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 (edited) Some snaps of my new Under Construction O Scale Dark Side layout "Portway Center", due for the TVNAM Show in June, and also Cradley Heath in October. It's just a simple 'Inglenook'. Nothing spectacular; the track is "wrong" as I've used (mostly) Peco Code 124BH for expedience, except,.. well, you'll see..... The line emerges on-scene past a truck stop. The old Depot has had one end re-opened to act as the local Yard Office. Opposite, an old grounded boxcar serves as a store. All the best advice for laying model track is that it should be level, smooth and kink-free. Yeah, whatever.... Plenty of work to get it ready for June, but the track is complete and wired up. Edited December 27, 2022 by F-UnitMad 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robatron86 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 Good start F-Unit. I'm sure the track will look "right" once ballasted and weathered. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted December 27, 2013 Author Share Posted December 27, 2013 Yes, I'm going for the rickety, weedy, overgrown look which should hide much of it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CPRAIL3000 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 Really like that SW. What make is it?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted December 27, 2013 Author Share Posted December 27, 2013 The SW1200 is an Atlas model. I 've added some of the details ( it's missing a sunshade, knocked off on Active Service at the Cradley Heath Show in Oct.) & weathered it myself. It came factory painted in the Soo Line livery. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CPRAIL3000 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 Thanks for the info. Now the search begins!!! Do you have a spare by any chance!!!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 Hi Jordan, Ooh! Looking good! I shall enjoy watching this! Cheers, John E. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted December 27, 2013 Author Share Posted December 27, 2013 Thanks for the info. Now the search begins!!! Do you have a spare by any chance!!!!!I wish!!!! I got this one a few years back, now, & only with the kind help of one of RMweb's American members, who kindly acted as an intermediatry for me so I could get it from a US Ebay Seller who wouldn't ship Internationally. I have not seen another one - either Soo Line or 2-rail - since. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CPRAIL3000 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 Great find. All the best with your new layout. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 Over here RTR 2-rail O gauge Locos are rarer than Hen's Teeth - I blame Neil Young..... Maybe the new direct Atlas Store will help in the future? Always good to see a new layout from Jordan. Is your son still interested in railways? Best, Pete. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted December 28, 2013 Author Share Posted December 28, 2013 Always good to see a new layout from Jordan. Is your son still interested in railways? Best, Pete. Thanks Pete, & yes he is.... nagging me to visit our local Model Shop this afternoon... uh-oh... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 You're lucky - none of my children have shown the slightest interest! Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcanman Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 (edited) Yes, I'm going for the rickety, weedy, overgrown look which should hide much of it. Looks like an interesting project, I'll be following this one. I'm also going for that overgrown look for my next layout, to hide the Code 100 track. Something like this should do it! Amazingly this pic was taken during 2013. Looks like a pic from back in the day. http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?2013081000140112345.jpg:bysearch:373:SEARCHTYPE=SIMPLE&PAGE=1&SEARCHSTRING=373&BOOL=ALL Mal Edited December 28, 2013 by Alcanman 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Stewart Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 Thanks for the info. Now the search begins!!! Do you have a spare by any chance!!!!! Try emailing Jerry Kimble at Atlas O to see if they can do a search out to their dealers, you never know there may be one siting on a shelf gathering dust. Alternatively on yahoo groups try the O scale yard sale and ask if anyone has one for sale. The 2 rail SOO SW1200 was available in DC or TMCC, don't let the TMCC electronics put you off, the 2R TMCC version can easily be converted to DC or DCC and the TMCC electronics can be sold on for around $50 - 100USD. Of course if you can't get a 2R one the 3R version can be converted with a little more work i.e. new wheels, couplings and pick ups. Colin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted December 28, 2013 Author Share Posted December 28, 2013 Yes, mine was TMCC but I stripped all that out & wired it for straight 12v DC. It's the best running loco I have, in any scale or control system. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 Try emailing Jerry Kimble at Atlas O to see if they can do a search out to their dealers, you never know there may be one siting on a shelf gathering dust. Alternatively on yahoo groups try the O scale yard sale and ask if anyone has one for sale. The 2 rail SOO SW1200 was available in DC or TMCC, don't let the TMCC electronics put you off, the 2R TMCC version can easily be converted to DC or DCC and the TMCC electronics can be sold on for around $50 - 100USD. Of course if you can't get a 2R one the 3R version can be converted with a little more work i.e. new wheels, couplings and pick ups. Colin Colin, Do you recall what other liveries the SW1200 came in? Cheers, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Stewart Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 Colin, Do you recall what other liveries the SW1200 came in? Cheers, Pete. Pete Here you are courtesy Atlas O web site - look under "new products" Listing specific to the SW1200RS and SW1200 below Two road numbers are available per road name. ITEM# 3-RAIL TMCC SW1200 RS LOCOS ITEM# 2-RAIL DC/ DCC READY ITEM # 2-RAIL TMCC 6181 Undecorated 7181 5181 6182 Burlington Northern 7182 5182 6183 Grand Trunk Western 7183 5183 6184 New Haven 7184 5184 6185 RF&P 7185 5185 6186 Rock Island 7186 5186 6187 Soo Line 7187 5187 Estimated Delivery: June 2003 MSRP 3-rail TMCC: $369.95 MSRP 2-rail DC/DCC Ready: $299.95 MSRP 2-rail TMCC: $369.95 O SW1200 LOCOMOTIVES - POWERED UNITS - NEW ROAD NAMES! 6147-1 C&S/AT&SF #158 7147-1 6147-2 C&S/AT&SF #160 7147-2 Item# 3-Rail TMCC Description Item# 2-Rail Gold O SW1200RS Locomotives - New Road Numbers! 6181 Undecorated 5181-1 6184-3 New Haven 641 5184-3 6184-4 New Haven 647 5184-4 New Paint Schemes! 3013007-1 Central Vermont 1510 3012007-1 3013007-2 Central Vermont 1511 3012007-2 3013009-1 Great Northern 29 3012009-1 3013009-2 Great Northern 30 3012009-2 Limited Edition! 3013011-1 Black River 1202 3012011-1 Estimated Delivery: February 2009 MSRP 3-Rail TMCC: $379.95 MSRP 2-Rail Gold: $379.95 Limited Edition MSRP: $389.95 Colin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted December 29, 2013 Share Posted December 29, 2013 (edited) Oh, That's far too easy for me! I can't believe they did a Black River & Western (a local shortline).... Thanks, Pete. Edited December 29, 2013 by trisonic Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Stewart Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Thanks for the info. Now the search begins!!! Do you have a spare by any chance!!!!! There's an undec 2 rail one on ebay dot com item number 191028397978 Colin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted April 13, 2014 Author Share Posted April 13, 2014 I have been rather remiss in not updating this Thread... Just 8 weeks until Show Time... ... work continues on Portway Center. A couple of closer looks at Allports Truckstop, which is nearly complete :- The building is removable, but the impression of being 'planted' is done by gluing a strip of balsa to the board around the edge of the building, and the ground cover taken up onto that, so the building looks 'bedded in' and not just plonked on the scenery - a real spoiler on some layouts. The Static Grass applicator (courtesy of Mike Bragg of this Parish) has been in use, and will be in use a lot more yet. I have to say, it's the best scenery I've ever managed, with this tool! No need to point out the rough track, I hope... Speaking of which, I have tried to replicate the staggered joints of US track with some C&L rail joiners. Some of the joints actually were staggered by bodging around with the Peco flexitrack; others were simulated just with a notch cut in the railhead. With the rail joiners in place, I have soon forgotten which are which... I know chaired, bullhead track is entirely wrong for the US; I had it already and getting hold of Atlas O track is difficult & expensive, and unlike on Schiller Point, I didn't fancy hand-spiking the lot again either. Other work has continued as well, here's a Weaver GATX Tanker taking shape. This was just 'body & bits' at my local Model Shop, for just £3.00 - well it would've been rude to just leave it there I had spare trucks already, Kadees were £3 when I got them, and wheels £8 for the 4 axles, so £14.00 for a decorated, O Scale wagon... 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CPRAIL3000 Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 Coming along real nice. Look forward to seeing it at the show. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted May 27, 2014 Author Share Posted May 27, 2014 With only a few weeks to go to TVNAM, some finishing touches are getting done.... Allports Truckstop is pretty much complete. Road markings & weathering to do. The old Depot is done. I intend to do an interior for the end office, but this won't be done in time for the Show. The backscene behind the spurs is done, trying to portray wide-open spaces across 24 inches... (& the outskirts of Portway North Industrial Park) ... and there's room for a bit of subtle humour, too... "I know I left that dang thing in here some place..." ... and not-so-subtle.... This has been done before; hopefully my version is a little more subtle. There's a C&W song "King of the Road". I don't care who did it but everyone knows the opening lines... This isn't subtle at all.... I'm going to get lynched...... 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Very nice, Jordan - looking forward to seeing this Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
squeaky Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Jordan, it's looking real good, it will be good to see this in reality at TVNAM. The rough track gives it real character. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcanman Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 This has been done before; hopefully my version is a little more subtle. There's a C&W song "King of the Road". I don't care who did it but everyone knows the opening lines... I recall seeing this on Roger Nicholls 'Sundown' layout. Great looking layout, Jordan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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