MikeHohn

An absolute gem!

Much improved in my view. Here's what I'd be asking myself: 1) Do I really need that kickback and engine shed? Does it add operations value to the layout? Without the kickback, points for sidings could be moved to the right, and the siding through the goods shed could be longer. It would also put more siding within easy reach. 2) Why not extend the siding through the goods shed and stub end it at the station building, like the prototype? Mike

It would be aesthetically pleasing if you could maintain a gentle curve of tracks and platforms through the station, similar to the prototype.

Do you mean thickness? I use 0.040”.

I enjoyed the photos. Your layout is very nicely done with the subtle range of colors and many textures, especially stone. Mike

I’ve built several of the Tichy kits including the boxcar and find them absolutely the best on the market. But they do require a lot of patience and I agree the instructions are not always clear. Looks like a good plan you have for a turntable.

With the freight house built you have some hope of generating a little revenue.

Austere but realistic, your scene invites the viewer to come up with a narrative, just as you have done.

Ballasting: one of my least favorite modeling activities. Maximum opportunity to foul turnouts; rail needs a good cleaning afterwards; dead spots show up where glue gets into rail joiners (we do know that every section of rail needs its own electrical connection but we still try to get away with not doing so). . . . But the results improve track appearance so much. RS11: one of my favorite locomotives. Steamer looks great as well.

The great feature of the cement silos is that the complex-looking detail on the tops is so prominent. Worth taking one’s time to build.

During colonial times in New England, a frequent practice with wood frame houses was to graduate clapboard siding with narrowest boards at the top. Sometimes very subtle. It was a deliberate design element.

Another attractive and instructive video. I agree with John that your layout is like a textbook of ideas and methods. I liked seeing the big hand throwing some of the levers. Seeing your track is a reminder for me to get working on mine. Mike

It is always a pleasure to see progress here.

Very nice video. Particularly the two trains crossing at 2 min. Excellent timing! Mike

I am catching up with your progress here, impressed by what you accomplished before the big show. Lots of texture and details, interesting buildings and that back alley look that you do so well. Are you building your own turnouts because you want to learn a new skill or are you wanting more flexibility in turnout radius etc etc? Hand-built ones certainly look more realistic.

I like your ballast . . . but I agree with you . . . perhaps it should be toned down a little.

You are right about that. The score and snap technique requires bracing, sometimes a lot for large structures. I generally use a lot of bracing, but maybe I'm a belt and braces kind of guy. I enjoy watching your progress.

For me the single most unpleasant job in modeling with plastic card is cutting out windows and doors. However, when you are using a sub wall to which you will be adding an embossed layer you can speed things up by scribing the outlines of the openings, with scribes in one direction extending the full width or height of the wall. Then you bend and snap all the pieces apart, discard the pieces where openings are, and gluing things back together. Then you add the embossed brick layer and cut out windows etc. Perhaps you know this already.

Definitely like the look of those no. 8's. Certainly look more in scale with modern motive power and rail cars. They leave a lot of unused real estate in front but perhaps that is where you plant some industries that you find you must have but cannot find a place for. Maybe an urban neighborhood or warehouse district served by trucks.

I think the effect of isopropyl alcohol over Dulcote was discovered accidentally about twenty years ago and then used by some modelers for faded signs and freight cars. That's called serendipity. Your experience is called disappointment. Good recovery.

Your newest iteration looks by far to be the best. You have already enumerated the operational advantages. In addition, it is going to look much better, more realistic. I think it will incorporate more smoothly into a larger layout.

There is a lot to like about what is going on there. I agree that the track curving off to the industry on the left is very effective. Your preference for no. 8 turnouts makes it all look so real. What a challenge trying to disguise the two tracks heading into the wall. Looks like a two-track mainline and I'm not sure what you are intending there. The usual thing would be to have tracks disappear behind a building or under an overpass but you don't really have room for the first option. Random thoughts in a cafe before work. Enjoying watching your progress.

I've seen Model Master Medium Gray recommended. No idea if you can get it where you live.

Thank you posting photos and how-to description of your model, which looks pretty good to me. Maybe a few coffee and tea stains on the carpet . . .

Daniel, Your reworking of this area is coming along well; the early stages with all that white goop everywhere looked daunting but it's getting better at each step. I need to do a similarly urban area for our club layout so I am taking notes. Mike