Easthaven - New Plank in HO

[John M Upton]

I am at it again!!  With Baron's Ridge, my first US HO plank now completed and stored, I have started on another plank!

 

This time it is more urban, will utilise a number of Walthers CornerStone buildings and provide both a through line at the front plus switching opportunities towards the rear.

 

Above was the initial sketch, and below was track plonked on plank:

 

 

The first building, a yard office has already been built but awaits weathering etc:

 

Motive power will come from the existing extensive fleet already amassed for Barons Ridge but a dedicated GP loco was located from the massive pile of parts of demic bits which with a bit of mechanical work (gears as per usual and a seized drive shaft) resulted in a fully working GP9 and as I liked the BN livery, it's staying.  I then discovered a BN GP18 demic in amongst my parts I had forgotten about and now there are two dedicated locos:

 

A dedicated industrial yard switcher (an old GP20) is being prepared from bits to join the yard at some point and there are a couple of very nice Rapido box cars awaiting the call to service although the usual old BlueBox examples will still be used.

 

There has already been one change of plan, I did intend to use Walthers Cornerstone kit 933-3173 in the back left corner but there are none available in the UK and I don't fancy taking out a mortgage for the international postage from one over the Atlantic!  Instead a 933-3095 REA building modified will be used instead.

 

 

The through track at the front will just have passing trains, the switching action will take place on the rear tracks.

Edited May 2, 2022 by John M Upton

[Keith Addenbrooke]

Hi John, looks good.  When I’ve been looking for Walthers HO buildings I tend to keep on the Gaugemaster website - they get a few every now and then (not discounted, but UK postage costs and shipping).  That’s where I got my 933-3173 from a year or so ago.  As far as I can tell the REA building is the 3-D version of the same thing, so will give you spare parts, or make it double width?

 

Hattons sometimes get second hand Walthers kits to resell (usually unopened) but they tend to come and go on the day they appear in my experience.  Just a couple of places I’ve found useful.  Looking forwards to seeing more as this progresses, Keith.

[John M Upton]

Quite lucky that Gaugemaster is only a four minute train ride away so don't even have to worry about the postage!  The plan for the REA building is to halve it lengthways and make a longer building which in the same breath solves the problem of what building I was going to choose to fill in the middle back space.

[John M Upton]

The dedicated yard loco, a put together pile of Proto 2000 GP parts plucked from the demic pile is nearing completion:

 

The Walthers REA building meanwhile is in the process of assembly, basically using it as two halves joined together:

 

Fortunately the kit comes with parts and instructions to combine multiple kits which has made the job a bit easier than I had anticipated. 

[John M Upton]

Now we are getting somewhere...

 

 

 

[long island jack]

What's the purpose of the cross over in the plan?

 

[long island jack]

most of Walthers kits are easy to build, with good instructions

[John M Upton]

2 hours ago, long island jack said:

What's the purpose of the cross over in the plan?

 

 

The primary idea is the the back road will serve the local industry, allowing for some switching.

 

The middle road is the through local with a siding off to the left for the stabling of the allocated yard switching loco (carefully designed to accommodate a GP type loco).

 

The crossover is merely the access from the local through road to the industrial area whilst a later addition to the plan is the through express road at the front.

 

All the tracks will have cassette type tracks connected up to the ends as required so some switching will take place off scene to the right or left.

 

The Walthers kits are pretty easy to put together, good instructions  well moulded parts and very adaptable for kit bashing as the two halves of the REA building has demonstrated. The only major issue is obtaining them without having to take out a mortgage for overseas postage!

[John M Upton]

Backscene progress, using self printed clouds for the moment but something more urban and suitable may be substituted later:

 

The unused end of the REA building will sit up against the left hand backscene wall giving the impression of a second building off to the left:

 

[John M Upton]

Does anyone sell HO scale cacti?  Your classic U/Y shaped big ones that appear (usually in barely hidden pots) in pretty much every cowboy movie since time began?

[stivesnick]

8 hours ago, John M Upton said:

Does anyone sell HO scale cacti?  Your classic U/Y shaped big ones that appear (usually in barely hidden pots) in pretty much every cowboy movie since time began?

 

Woodland Scenics do cacti: https://www.Bachmann.co.uk/product/category/545/½"-2½"-classic-cactus-plants-1(3-pk)/wtr3600

 

Not sure if any UK model shops will stock them but could order them for you.

 

Nick

 

[John M Upton]

7 minutes ago, stivesnick said:

 

Woodland Scenics do cacti: https://www.Bachmann.co.uk/product/category/545/½"-2½"-classic-cactus-plants-1(3-pk)/wtr3600

 

Not sure if any UK model shops will stock them but could order them for you.

 

Nick

 

 

That will do very nicely, thanks.  A few UK retailers seem to have them although oddly, not Gaugemaster!  One set on the way...

 

Thanks!!

[John M Upton]

Track ballasted and weathered, (and amazingly the points still work!!!)

 

[John M Upton]

The missing building in the corner had now arrived and was very easy to put together:

 

I do like the fact they come with a lot of spare parts which will be useful. 

 

None of the buildings are stuck down yet though as they require weathering. Any suggestions as to how to proceed would be gratefully received!

 

An embryonic railroad crossing at the front is also starting to take shape:

 

[paulbb]

29 minutes ago, John M Upton said:

The missing building in the corner had now arrived and was very easy to put together:

 

I do like the fact they come with a lot of spare parts which will be useful. 

 

None of the buildings are stuck down yet though as they require weathering. Any suggestions as to how to proceed would be gratefully received!

 

An embryonic railroad crossing at the front is also starting to take shape:

 

Was this corner building also Walthers? dont recognise it. Love what you have  done so far!

[John M Upton]

18 minutes ago, paulbb said:

Was this corner building also Walthers? dont recognise it. Love what you have  done so far!

 

Yes, 933-3183 Plant No. 4 background building.

[John M Upton]

Waiting on scenic materials now so I used the track and gauge testing excuse to wheel out the two biggest locos in the box for a run, SD9E 4358 and Tunnel Motor 9375...

 

[John M Upton]

More testing of clearances, utilising a couple of old Blue Box cars re-requisitioned from my six year old who suddenly seems to have developed an interest in US outline freight stock.

 

All seems to work so far, just a few minor alterations required to the points where paint had got inside the switch rail electrical contacts.  I am saving my new Rapidio box cars for later, assuming the aforementioned six year old doesn't requisition them first...

[F-UnitMad]

On 19/05/2022 at 08:12, John M Upton said:

The missing building in the corner had now arrived and was very easy to put together:

 

I do like the fact they come with a lot of spare parts which will be useful. 

 

None of the buildings are stuck down yet though as they require weathering. Any suggestions as to how to proceed would be gratefully received!

 

An embryonic railroad crossing at the front is also starting to take shape:

 

If it were mine I'd take the steps off the 'back' of this foreground building & butt it right up to the backscene. Acts as a better view blocker, and gives a bit more precious space to the front yard. 

Just my 2p, of course.

Edit - depends which way round you put it, after examining your photos closer!! But whichever way, I'd still put it right up against the backscene.

Edited May 25, 2022 by F-UnitMad

[John M Upton]

On 25/05/2022 at 18:48, F-UnitMad said:

If it were mine I'd take the steps off the 'back' of this foreground building & butt it right up to the backscene. Acts as a better view blocker, and gives a bit more precious space to the front yard. 

Just my 2p, of course.

Edit - depends which way round you put it, after examining your photos closer!! But whichever way, I'd still put it right up against the backscene.

 

So, take the (for some reason grey) sidewalls and roof off and lay it flat against the back scene completely?

 

I think that might work, will give it a try.

[F-UnitMad]

42 minutes ago, John M Upton said:

 

So, take the (for some reason grey) sidewalls and roof off and lay it flat against the back scene completely?

 

I think that might work, will give it a try.

Yes, BUT :- I haven't seen a good photo of the side of the building with the 'outhouse' on it. If that side has some kind of loading door, as opposed to just the two sets of steps up to office doors, I'd take those steps off and put that side against the backscene, leaving the 'outhouse' side facing the yard.

To me the 'steps' side suggests the front of the building, facing a street - the 'outhouse' side suggests the back, which for most industrial concerns of any size is where all the action happens; Goods In, Goods Out, storage, etc. The perfect excuse for lots of detail & clutter in the yard. 👍

[F-UnitMad]

On 17/05/2022 at 18:27, John M Upton said:

Track ballasted and weathered, (and amazingly the points still work!!!)

 

In less words - keep that building like it is in this photo, but take the steps off so it is against the backscene. 😁

[John M Upton]

I have just realised the problem, the building on the right, the cream coloured one is sat on the plank back to front!!  The two sets of steps should be facing the tarmacked area, therefore, lopping off the appendages on the rear wall (once it is turned through 180 degrees to be the right way around of course) and then setting it up against the back scene will look much better.

 

[John M Upton]

I have removed the rear appendages off the building and pushed it flush against the side backscene. Definitely an improvement. 

 

Also now appearing is some greenery and some Chinese Ebay sourced railroad crossing signs/lights - that don't work...

[John M Upton]

I have found some old Viessman yard lamps, these are probably twenty years old now and have seen service on a fair few layouts over the years, two of the two lamp versions still work and have been installed:

 

A third two lamp one was only half working and a single lamp of the same design and vintage was crushed by a box beyond repair so I though as I was passing Gaugemaster's door this morning, I would treat myself to a new one as they still make them but...

...instead of the warm glow of old, they now use bright white LEDs which just doesn't have the same atmosphere. 

 

I also came up with the idea of a signal tower at the left hand end and was starting the search for a suitable example when I came across some pictures of my original US HO efforts of fifteen years ago which had a signal tower on it.  Much scrabbling in the garage located three boxes of UK OO buildings and right at the very bottom was:

 

 

That will do nicely...

 

I also attempted to weather the small building but it still needs work: