Piedmont Blues - O scale 2 rail exhibition layout.

[DanielB 2,575]

Last night's progress saw the Dunwich building grow by three storeys, and the brick and stone warehouse get a backdrop flat behind it, representing the rear of a hotel. Still some more to do to blend those into the backscene, but that will come once all the backdrop flats are finished, so it can be done all at once.

[DanielB 2,575]

Hi all,

 

I've not done much on the layout for a while - with Warley being cancelled I've slowed down and relaxed for bit, focusing on other hobbies. However, I did get the last piece of the backscene done. I'm hoping I can get the end pieces done next month. Fingers crossed.

 

It's been painted and clouds added, and I've started adding background flats. These will be a part of the Coca Cola plant. I also shortened the garage in the left hand corner and added the coal dealer building.

 

I think the structures on the layout are now about... 30% done. I've got a long way to go.

 

Oh, and I also picked up a 1967 Chevrolet Impala as seen at the front of the picture. It's 2 years too early, as the layout is set in 1965, however I think I can get away with it if I add a couple of figures to represent Sam and Dean Winchester on the layout.

 

Carry on my Wayward Son.

 

[DanielB 2,575]

A few shots of the coal dealer building I've added to the back of the layout. As always, lots more to do on this before it's done.

[DanielB 2,575]

I managed an hour in the train room today, and started to chip away again at the hundreds of tiny jobs to do on the layout.

 

My attention was mainly focused around the team track and fabricators loading dock.

 

The loading dock had wooden bumpers attached around the edges. The vertical on the corner needs adding, and painting white as a safety marker.

 

 

Next I've added some seats made from cut up tree stumps that the workers at the team track use when on break, as well as a for barrel with a grill on top. I'm hoping to eventually add a couple of mess tins and a coffee pot on there to show that they're cooking some lunch.

 

 

I've started to add the vent and access hatch for the underground fuel tank, set on what will be a concrete base used to hide the board joint. I'll be adding magnetic sheet to the bottom of it and some magnets on the baseboards to keep it secure.

 

 

The detail parts are from a wargaming terrain set.

 

Here's The overall scene so far:

 

[DanielB 2,575]

Not much of an update this morning, but I did get this in the mail yesterday...

 

Going to use it to build the end boards for the backscene as well as a lighting rig for the layout.

 

It's also going to be used to make benchwork, frames and shelving for my next HO project that will go on the opposite wall to PB.

[DanielB 2,575]

A gentleman on the Facebook page asked for a track plan, and as I couldn't find one, I thought I'd put together a photo montage of the current layout.

 

Edited August 4, 2020 by DanielB

[DanielB 2,575]

Today I'm making cardboard boxes for use across the layout. I'm using small wooden cubes I picked up from eBay, £2.79 for 50. That should be more than enough.

 

I'm also using brown parcel paper I got a full roll of for £1 from a discount shop, and modge podge to glue them together.

 

Basically I'm sticking the cubes down onto the paper, then will cut the paper in such a way that it will wrap around the cubes. If needed, I'll then use a gel ink pen to draw lines on the top and bottom of the cubes to represent the gap between the box flaps.

 

[DanielB 2,575]

Wow that took a while! 

 

Some cardboard boxes are finally done. I've got loads more to make, as and when I get round to it.

 

[sb67 4,929]

Those cardboard boxes look superb DanielB. The layout is really looking good, I love the run down feel of it. Great stuff 

[JAMO 1,287]

Nice result Don!

[F-UnitMad 7,576]

Don't forget to put "Fragile" labels on any damaged ones Dan - as such a label is an open invitation to the warehouse staff to use that box as a football....

[Keith Addenbrooke 1,783]

6 hours ago, DanielB said:

Wow that took a while! 

 

Some cardboard boxes are finally done. I've got loads more to make, as and when I get round to it.

 

Hi there.  Are we looking at 1cm squares on the cutting mat for reference?  As others have noted, these are really neat, the corners are really sharp.  How many more have you got to do (are you doing all 50)?

Edited November 19, 2020 by Keith Addenbrooke

[DanielB 2,575]

Yes, that's correct on the cutting mat squares. I've got another 45 to go. 

 

That might seem like a bit of overkill but they can be used all over the place. I could even put some on pallets and wrap them in cling film to use as loads for boxcars.

 

Did they use film wrap in the 60's? Time to dive down another research rabbit hole! 

[F-UnitMad 7,576]

According to this website - https://www.hazel4d.com/en/page/206/the-evolution-of-pallet-wrap - palletised goods delivery started in the 1960s, but commercial stretch wrap (as opposed to domestic cling film) didn't come into use until 1973 or so.

Palletising stuff began with the military during WW2, to make transporting things easier, especially stuff like tank spare parts that needed to get close to the front line. That's where the pallet company CHEP came from - Commonwealth Handling Equipment Pool.

[Dava 2,783]

How long is Piedmont Blues, Daniel?

Asking because I’m planning a shortline layout, well 3 metres is pretty short! Just over 10 40 foot boxcars.
 That’s the length of the 3 Lidl tables it will sit on, it could overlap a bit. 
 

[jasond 207]

Are you planning to build your own track?  Atlas is code 148, quite heavy for a switching pike and shipping from the US is a bit of a punishment.  Marcway in Sheffield do flat-bottom code 124 and 148 with Nth Am tie spacing, in copper clad/soldered construction,  which isn't everyone's favourite.  Unless it's hard-worked industrial-area trackage!   If money's no prob then Right-O-Way from Jay Criswell in California is recommended

 

4 or 5 40ft cars is plenty for a shortline in O and those hoppers, cov'd hoppers and tank cars are often shorter than 40ft boxcars.

 

Cracking scale, pics as you go please! 

Jason

 

 

[Dava 2,783]

Thanks Jason, 

 

There will be photos...building track like this?

 

To be fair its probably not seen a loco in 40+ years. 

 

 

[F-UnitMad 7,576]

On 25/06/2017 at 13:14, DanielB said:

Oooooh, CF7!

 

Now where did I leave that 3D printer?

Nudge nudge.....

[Nova Scotian 224]

38 minutes ago, Dava said:

Thanks Jason, 

 

There will be photos...building track like this?

 

To be fair its probably not seen a loco in 40+ years. 

 

 

I've been there!

[F-UnitMad 7,576]

1 hour ago, jasond said:

Are you planning to build your own track? 

For American O it's not that hard. Dan built his own track for this layout, Jacky a.k.a. Jamo has done it for his Iowa Central layout, & I did for my layout, Portway High Line.

How rough or 'bad' can you make your track?

 

Pretty rough, I'd say....

 

[Dava 2,783]

How about the line on the left? Narrow gauge effect, result of heat expansion I think.

 

 

[F-UnitMad 7,576]

3 minutes ago, Dava said:

How about the line on the left? Narrow gauge effect, result of heat expansion I think.

 

 

Someone's soldered all their fishplates to the rails.  

[DanielB 2,575]

4 hours ago, Dava said:

How long is Piedmont Blues, Daniel?

Asking because I’m planning a shortline layout, well 3 metres is pretty short! Just over 10 40 foot boxcars.
 That’s the length of the 3 Lidl tables it will sit on, it could overlap a bit. 
 

 

12' with an extra 1' of sector plate that extends through the backscene.

[DanielB 2,575]

Spurred on by Robotron's constant progress updates on Underpass, I've made a little progress myself.

 

Not a lot mind you, but every little helps, right?

 

Part of the Coca Cola factory has had relief added to the foundations, as well as the window frames cut out and the windows added.

 

I'll try and get the buttress done once I've gotten back from doing the weekly shop.

 

 

[DanielB 2,575]

Oh, and I also received word from Sophie at Anoraks Anonymous that she's managed to find me an MTH Pennsylvania H10 with DCC sound in HO scale for my next project after PB is finished.

 

Very happy.