Prof Klyzlr Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 Dear Dr G-f, For those of us not in the know, "Granthamed"? Happy Modelling, Aim to Improve, Prof Klyzlr Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 Is that when you c ut some of the webs between sleepers/ties to allow them to be gently curved? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted May 30, 2018 Author Share Posted May 30, 2018 Yes, exactly that. When I am next in the shed I shall flip them over and you can see which bits of the web were cut. A technique demonstrated by LNER4479 on the Grantham layout thread, hence the slightly facetious term 'Granthamed'. I was going to call it Yuri Gellering but couldn't spell it. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 Interesting technique, and clearly it produces good looking track. Any chance of some basic pointers regarding how it's done, pitfalls to avoid, etc? I want to do something similar and was going to build my own turnouts but if I don't have to I'd rather not! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
long island jack Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 similar process https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exFXOEdTgy4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 Briefly (on i-phone at moment) and based on the Peco streamline range: Long Radius - can be curved to maintain a slight continuous curve through them (as the good doctor has done) either way (ie create a slight curved point or a Y with one leg more curved than the other) Medium Radius - can be curved to create a Y with one leg more curved than the other. A curved point probably less successful (see below) Curved point - can be eased to create a less curved point. This is better alternative than to trying to curve a med radius Slips - cut webs either side of frogs to introduce a slight curve but don't recommend curving the central section where the point blades are. Long crossing - can cut webs throughout to introduce a steady curve BUT this does involve cutting through the checkrails which spoils the appearance a little. I have been doing such modifications for over 30 years now and never broken one yet! But practice on an old one first and keep your eye on the link wires underneath. Also, watch out for trapping the tie-bar as you curve down the switchblade end. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dullsteamer Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 Now we are three... 31939772_10155999485535528_3289341548780584960_o.jpg 31924563_10155999485720528_335126200638767104_o.jpg the addition of ex-AT&SF 2554 completes the roster of dragsters for my current copper mining railroad idea.... 31906942_10155999486140528_540630322643992576_o.jpg Precedents would be the Magma Arizona out of Superior Az, and the San Manual Arizona out of Hayden Az... I've always thought that having a number of identical locos on a layout is way more realistic than having a "pick and mix" collection of different types. And I'm also a fan of the "Russian" 2-10-0s. If I'd stuck with modelling US railroads they'd have been my choice for shortline power as well. But since I opted for the JNR, I wound up with a fleet of 7 Kato D51s instead. Cheers, Mark. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 (edited) I kinda agree, and kinda disagree, it depends on the prototype. Some lines only had one of each type! Edit: to expand, I’ve been looking at a lot of 80s/90s Guilford photos recently. I’m not sure I’ve seen any scenes with 3 or more locos where there are more than 2 of any type Edited June 1, 2018 by Talltim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted June 11, 2018 Author Share Posted June 11, 2018 A recent work trip to NYC allowed the opportunity to expand the freight car fleet for the shortline. The nice thing about these is that they are all small, 40' or 36', and they have lots of interesting detail. They also will not need tagging to be authentic! I suspect some will be decalled for the AZER, particularly hoppers. I must remember to cut the tails off the couplers, as I don't use the autocoupler facility and they look daft. Provenance is a little uncertain, but possibly McKean, Intermountain and Walthers. Knowing the Red Caboose, they've been there for some time. I'm sure if I wanted something but didn't have the money I could move it into a particular place on the shelves and come back a year later and retrieve it... So far quite enjoying this delve into something older and curvier than my previous outings 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Northroader Posted June 12, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 12, 2018 (edited) Doc, just flagging up the summer issue of “Classic Trains” has a nice feature on the Magma Arizona. They’re doing a short lines special, really interesting stuff. No cooking recipes, though. Ps some very nifty cars you brought back there. Edited June 12, 2018 by Northroader Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted June 17, 2018 Author Share Posted June 17, 2018 Bodged another freight car, this time an Intermountain 1937 AAR 40'. The grab irons caused a great deal of swearing I can tell you. Still got to weight it before gluing the roof in pace (hence the poor fit at the moment) and finish the brake rigging, which for some inexplicable reason is done in brittle plastic, not wire. I have to say though, the shorter freight cars of this era do sit well on my new layout. That and the gentle curve which, as LNER4479 so rightly pointed out, avoids the parallel to the walls and 90 degree bends look. Must finish laying the track. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted June 23, 2018 Author Share Posted June 23, 2018 I had a couple of hours in the shed today, and did a bit of tidying up. Imagine my pleasure when I discovered that at some point in the past I had bought the right paint for my short line buildings. Given that this was only a recent development, I have no idea why I bought the right paints! Anyway, so far only the freight shed has turned up from Gaugemaster so today it got a coat of paint, Depot Buff and Mineral Brown, The kits are quite nice actually, they take as much time as I'm prepared to spend on putting kits together - there's a point at which my patience runs out with fiddling bits of detail. Looks rather nice I think. Can't wait for the depot to turn up, it's on back order... Weirdly, and entirely unintentionally, all my recent stock seems to be C&O, B&O or N&W. Maybe I should move the shortline eastwards, save on decalling... 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted June 24, 2018 Author Share Posted June 24, 2018 (edited) A little bit more done today, working slowly and steadily. Apart from the roof, for which I don't have an appropriate shade of green, it's pretty much finished. A little weathering and some dings in the paint to touch up. Here it is as it would be seen from the depot. I need some packing houses in a similar style...might move a little westwards into SoCal y'see. Edited June 24, 2018 by Dr Gerbil-Fritters 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted July 1, 2018 Author Share Posted July 1, 2018 I managed a couple of hours in the shed over the weekend, in between family events, I finished laying the depot track, complete with feeds in place. I shall finish the wiring probably one evening ready for a quick play test. The curve has come out quite nicely, with just the gentlest curving applied to the code #83 #6s... So far, the only completed building on site is the freight house... 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeHohn Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 With the freight house built you have some hope of generating a little revenue. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted July 2, 2018 Author Share Posted July 2, 2018 I've adjusted the curve slightly, this gives a tangent where the depot will be and makes this end of the yard slightly more dignified for my Decs to negotiate. Now, serious question time. I want to do some scenics on this little pike, and am aiming for this look. Where do I even begin? Building up the terrain, the groundcover, grasses, foliage. bushes and trees, its all a mystery to me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Regularity Posted July 2, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 2, 2018 Without the terrain, you can't apply the groundcover, and without that, none of the rest! There is no magic secret to these first two steps. Expanded polystyrene blocks (packing and ceiling tiles), cardboard lattice over formers, masking tape over formers, scrunched up balls of newspaper, little polystyrene balls mixed with (minimal amounts of) PVA: these and many others work well for different people. Likewise basic groundcover: newspaper in wallpaper paste, newspaper and PVA, paper towels (kitchen) soaked in PVA or plaster filler, plaster filler itself, plaster and PVA (for resilience) mixed and applied as a layer about 1/8" thick, hessian on top, and another layer. Hardshell on top of the newspaper piles. Do what most people do: buy the books by messrs Norman, Gravett and Hill (and others). Have a good read, then decide how you want to do it. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted July 2, 2018 Author Share Posted July 2, 2018 Norman, Gravett and Hill? I'm sure they handled my dad's funeral... I shall have a mosey online and see what they have to say... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Northroader Posted July 2, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 2, 2018 Then you can look in on the Kalmbach Books titles. Their book by Mclanahan showed me stuff like “zip texturing”. https://kalmbachhobbystore.com/catalog/books?filters=fad1ce900f1b40479549a4c670bb57de&page=3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Northroader Posted July 2, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 2, 2018 Thinking about it at my leisure over a pint of shandy, well, it is a warm summers night, you’d never know from what bit of line I have that I had read any books on scenics. What I do is keep it quite simple, going for a fairly level terrain rather than hills and cuttings, and just do ground texture, rough patches, varied colours, tufts and patches of vegetation. Then put a backscene behind, and try to get this to convey a feel for the surrounding countryside as far as hills and so on go? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 What I do is keep it quite simple, going for a fairly level terrain rather than hills and cuttings, and just do ground texture, rough patches, varied colours, tufts and patches of vegetation. Then put a backscene behind, and try to get this to convey a feel for the surrounding countryside as far as hills and so on go? This is where the American Mid-West is your friend!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted July 6, 2018 Author Share Posted July 6, 2018 Where do I even begin? Building up the terrain, the groundcover, grasses, foliage. bushes and trees, its all a mystery to me. A mystery no more - these tutorials are absolutely super. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted July 22, 2018 Author Share Posted July 22, 2018 (edited) A slight pause in modelling as family Gerbil-Fritters toddled off to Sicily. The food was outstanding, the heat almost intolerable, and the marauding insect life unbearable. But I did enjoy several train moments. The Gerbil-Fritters Villa was 50 metres from the local stazione Very happy to see one of these on the Rome Express Incoming push pull set from Messina. Seen these before, in Milano. Boringly modern - Eurobland. T'other end of the push pull set... Took the train up to Ragusa - the approach is a masterpiece of engineering, including a spiral tunnel within the city limits! Sadly, the extensive yards are all weedy and the formerly grand station is now unstaffed. This caused mirth later on when the last train of the day was cancelled. The announcement was in Italian, to the bafflement of the entirety non-Italian passengers. A man living across the yard in a small villa over looking the tracks shouted in English that we should wait in the forecourt for the replacement bus... Which turned out to be a minibus, and that was an adventure in itself including reversing down a narrow lane at speed as the driver had missed the turn to one of the stations, and a point where there were more passengers than seats. A Japanese man travelling solo was delighted to be swamped by a party of giggling Italian girls all trying out their best English... Definitely worth another trip to see other parts of the island, and its railway network. Edited July 22, 2018 by Dr Gerbil-Fritters 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted July 22, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 22, 2018 (edited) Ten years go this summer we visited Sicily taking the boat train both ways. It was way to hot for us. We came back from Palermo via the southern route on the island. Must go back one day to do the narrow gauge up Etna. Edited July 22, 2018 by roundhouse Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted July 23, 2018 Author Share Posted July 23, 2018 A small addition to the freight car fleet got finished this afternoon. The shed is well insulated, so not over hot in there unlike the garden! Cement traffic will be one of the traffic sources on my shortline. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now