Kevin M

Thanks Paul. I want to install catenary for appearances only and run with the pantographs tied down so they don't touch anywhere. I still have to figure out what parts I need and order it. I'm not to sure how far to space the masts yet. I like your ideas for the tunnels and I will probably use it on any future layout.

I haven't done much in the last month. I could not make up my mind on how I wanted to line the tunnels. When I look into a tunnel I like to see a liner, not bench work, foam and plaster. I finally decided to use Woodland Scenics forms. Using what would normally be the top of an standard HO tunnel worked out to be about the right size for my HOm tunnel liner. The real nuisance was having to cut the plaster molds in half to follow the curve better. As you can see I was not concerned that the tops did not meet. I used my panorama car to check clearances as I built this. I don't know why the outside tunnel portal looks like its leaning the in the photos. I put a level on it and it is just right. I hope it will look right when I add the rock molds. I still haven't gotten brave enough to try building the viaduct. The two stone bridges in the front were quite a challenge and a first for me. My fellow club member want me to have this ready for our October train show but I doubt it. Do I have the time? Yes. Do I have the ambition? Maybe. We'll see. Kevin I am now ETE member 2002

"Thus continues the theory that every RhB layout must have at least 1 crocodile on it." That's what I thought. Just a little update on my progress. Both stone bridges are now cast. The first one I made is now primed and ready for final painting. Kevin

I have been working on the layout slowly. It is definitely a challenge designing the scenery for this. Of course this is my fault because I wanted a long interesting run to entertain the kids at the train show. Track work is completed and operational. Rail and sleepers are all painted. I have 5 of the 6 needed tunnel portals carved, 3 out of dense foam and 2 in plaster. Now I'm working on casting and carving two stone bridges. If I succeed with them I will move on the to stone viaduct that is presently mocked up in card stock. I was able to find a very good deal on a new in box Krokodil and have already installed a ESU decoder in it. This is what I have designed for the 2 stone bridges on the front of the layout. I'm casting them in two, one inch thick pieces and hopefully I can hide the seam when I join them. I'll have to cut a recess into the deck so they will slide under the roadbed from each side. Hopefully I can do that without breaking the casting, I had to use plaster of Paris. I'll do this very carefully on my table saw. I've already broken one casting and if it happens again I'll switch to Hydrocal although it is very hard to carve. Opinions, suggestions? Kevin

Here is my second attempt to carve a tunnel portal in hard foam. My first attempt used foam that was not dense enough so it was scrapped. The foam that this is carved in is a very dense foam sample that a professional modeler friend gave me. Kevin

Thank you Paul. The only thing I could find at the local Michael's is Activa Plus made in Spain. Doesn't say anything about fibers in it though. My hope is that it stays soft long enough to carve my stone portals and viaducts. My plan is to cut out a solid foam core and apply a thin layer of clay over it to carve. Kevin

A question for Paul about the air dry clay. Did you uses anything to help fasten it to the foam like PVA cement? And how durable was it over the life of your display? The build is moving along slowley. I air brushed the rail and ties this week. A dark rusty color for the rails and a light overspray of Vallejo dark earth on the ties blended everything together. I'm slowly learning how to use the Vallejo acrylics now that my favorite Floquil paints are gone. Probably much better for my health. Thanks, Kevin

Success! I found some old wheel sets and was able to re-gauge them. I removed a coupler from one end and replaced it with a soft buffer so I can push it around the layout. My Ge 4/4 had no problem pushing it around. I did have to remove the copula to clear tunnel portals. The only time this car/wagon is on the layout is to clean track so I'm not concerned about appearance. Thanks for all the links and tips. It helped me get my brain working in the right direction. Kevin

The Bemo car list for $72 - $77 depending on the online dealer. I am going to search for a different material rather than denim. The denim tends to fray easily and catch on points and frogs. Our club uses the CMX car although we never fill tank with cleaning fluid. We just squirt a drop of CRC 2-26 on the pad and run it around a couple of times. We change the pad about every other time we use it. Our biggest problem is dust. Our club layout is in an old brick Northern Pacific Railway station. It is next to a active main line so every time a train comes by the building shakes and more dust settles on us. Paul you also gave me a good idea. I'm going to see if I can re-gauge some HO wheel sets to 12mm and use my HO cleaner car. Kevin

I agree, ebay prices get crazy. I always check new prices before buying on ebay. The few Bemo cars I bought on ebay were less than half the new price. I picked up my HO cleaning car at a swap meet for $3 and it works as well as brass car selling for $150. Question: Does the Bemo car have replaceable pads? Are they a soft pad or hard with metal particles in them? Thanks, Kevin

I have to remember to check all my spelling before I post. Wagpm = Wagon The part number helped me find it. For the price it sells for I think I might just make my own using one of the wagons I bought on Ebay. Thanks, Kevin

Is there any track cleaner cars available for HOm? I thought I found one once but can't seem to find it listed anymore. The photo below is what I use for On30 and HO. The replaceable pad is scrap jeans material. I just put a couple of squirts of CRC 2-26 on it then run the car around the layout once. I only have to do this about two times a year on my home layout. If I have to I'll alter one of my Bemo wagons. Or if I can find a pair of bogies like those used on the Sliding Wall wagons I can build one. Thanks, Kevin

Thanks guys. Every photo and tip is greatly appreciated. I'm sure I will be able to install a decoder in whatever model I find. I am always just a little reluctant to open up a perfectly good model, especially expensive locos. Cheaper Bachmann locos I open up as soon as I get them and replace the decoder.

Gordon, yes I did make the cut. It is just under the edge of the tape next to the solder point. I also cut the trace between the two lights. The problem I had using the common to the chassis was: Forward light worked as it was supposed to, on in forward, off in reverse. The rear lights would always stay on and very dim. I tried two different decoders just to be sure. The Bemo lights did not have leads, they used the chassis as the ground. Anyway with the LED's completely isolated they work perfectly. I did have to move the two LED leads that go over the top of the circuit board to the side so the shell would fit properly. The heat shrink added just a bit to much thickness to the wires to clear. For my next locomotive I want to get a Crocodile and I think I'll cheat and try to find one with the DCC already installed. Kevin

Gordon, thank you for posting these photos. As you can see I compromised on the downspout colors and went with a slightly rusty brown. I'm not completely pleased with the final colors of the whole building. I have never been good with colors. I need to lighten the concrete and work on the stone colors yet. Kevin

I did change the sidings. They didn't look right to me either. The layout is completely operational now. Gordon those are nice pictures, I will save them for future reference. Kevin

Here is my final result. I used a ESU LokPilot Micro. I tried to use the original lights but the motor must not be completely isolated from the chassis because the lights acted very strangely. I used LED's instead with a shim in the bottom of the light well to hold the LED in the proper position to get the best lighting. To enclose the top I had some 3mm black PVC that I cut to fit and drilled holes for the LED leads to poke through. As you may notice I have a tendency to leave long wire leads. It looks a bit messy but the final result is everything works as I hoped it would. Kevin

I have been doing a lot of searching and I think that has added to my confusion. I think I am seeing these buildings at different stages of weathering and repair. The downspouts on my Kibri kit are a reddish orange and they just do not look right. The plastic color of some of these kit parts are rather garish. I'm painting the kit hoping to improve the looks. This has to be the most helpful forum I have ever been on. Thanks again, Kevin

I need some opinions of the color of gutters and downspouts on the Surava Bahnhof. Are they painted an orange color or are they rusty? And it appears that the roof over the ticket office is a galvanized metal. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Surava_Bahnhof.JPG http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/11091094.jpg I hope I am within the forum rules by just posting a link and not the pictures. Thanks, Kevin

Ah, looks like about 14 feet. Just about right to use 2 inch foam to experiment with. I have been slowly reading your topic on your Rhatia and HSB layouts. Very impressive. The Harz is another of my favorite railways along with all the other narrow gauge railways. Thank you, Kevin

Paul, good ideas. I was thinking of separating the two storage tracks. I am not happy with their appearance as they are. The photo doesn't show that the line crossing the center is actually 3/4" higher than the station area. That gives me 3 1/2" clearance over the two tracks in fronts. I am going to attempt to build a viaduct there. I would have built this linear like you did if I had the space. I don't want to keep it in the garage and I have been given permission to keep it set up in the spare bedroom. Sometimes my wife really surprises me. I hadn't even brought it up! Richard, I have been looking at your Swiss Cameo layout. While I have worked a lot with the 2" foam I have never tried to carve rock into it. I always cheat and use rock molds although plaster molds can get heavy on a portable layout. I'm going to see about the air drying clay that Paul mentioned. I try to do decent woodworking but I'm not always successful on the first try. I have a pile of miss cut scraps. Question: Is there an average overall width for stone viaducts at track level? The HO ones I have seen look to wide compared to HOm track. Thanks, Kevin

Hi Richard, Thanks for posting that. I have a LokPilot Micro on order and will try to remember to take pictures as I install it. I already have this decoder in one of my On30 locos and really like it. Kevin

I am building a small portable display layout to take to our local trains show/swap meet twice a year. It also gives me a diversion from my US On30 home layout. Overall size is 3'6" x 8'. I built it in 3 sections. The two modules are 3'6" x 5'6" and 3'6" x 2'6" and sit on the 3'6" x 8' frame. Why the odd sizes? This is the largest that will fit in my RAV4. The frame with legs will ride on top while the modules themselves will fit inside. The smaller module will sit on a temporary support over the larger module. The baseboard is finished, track laid, joints soldered and feeders installed. I am using Atlas under table switch machines. I will be able to access them from the back side that I will keep open. I might power them but with the easy access I may just leave them hand thrown. My original thought was to stick with DC but changed my mind now that I know my Ge 4/4 II can be converted to digital fairly easy. Thanks to Dutch Master and Salmotrutta. The next step is to run trains in every combination I can looking for any trouble spots. Scenery will wait until I'm positive that the track work is 100 percent. I find it very frustrating to go to a train show and find several layouts not running or running poorly due to bad track work. Scenery will be a challenge. I want to keep this as light a possible so I will attempt to use as much foam as possible. I friend has given me some very dense foam that I hope to carve my tunnel portals and stone arch bridges out of. The plywood between the two modules will be cut down once I figure out my scenery profiles. It is there to protect the ends when transporting. Please feel free to comment. Suggestions are always welcome. Kevin

With the list Brian posted I found what I was looking for. I got the Kibri Surava station from Eurorail Hobbies in BC. Its just about the right size for the small layout I'm building. Kevin

Thanks guys. I always tend to be over cautious when working on a locomotive. My main concern was that the motor might be electrically attached to the frame somewhere that I have not found. I haven't ruined one yet but there is always a first time. DM, I think one of the diodes is dead and I have a feeling they are hard to get here in the states. I have an excess of LED's that came from a Xmas light string. Bought them at Walmart after Xmas sale cheap. I'll either use a ESU LocPilot Micro or a NCE N scale decoder. Either one is rated high enough for my needs. Samotrutta, I have been experimenting with the LED's already and found the sweet spot for the lights. Thanks for the tip on blu-tack, I never thought of that before. I would like to see your installation photos. Thanks again, Kevin