Roundhouse Kitbash Project

[jbrock27]

Sweet!!

[rogertra]

Sweet!!

Very nice job but just one nit-pick.  I see you've done a typical model railroader scenic piece in that you have driving wheels as part of the scenic detail.

Generally speaking, you never saw driving wheels at roundhouses.  Well, OK, perhaps never is too strong a word as there's always someone who will post a photo of the 1 in 100 roundhouse that just happened to have a set of drivers and they will use that to justify the detail.  :-)

To remove driving wheels you need a drop pit and the vast majority of roundhouses never had a drop pit.  These were only installed in either in large division point roundhouses complete with back-shops or at the railroad's major shops.  A small three stall roundhouse would never (again someone will prove me wrong and print the 1 in 100 photo) have a very expensive wheel drop installed.  Even the model press has mentioned driving wheels around model roundhouses before.

But the usual rider applies, it's your railroad and if it makes you happy. more power to you.

BTW, have you thought of or are are going to leave the aisle side of the roundhouse open?  I think that inside view looks great.

[Jerrys HO]

Jonathan
Can I send you my roundhouse in pieces and you put it together?
I love what you do to my brain (what little is left). My first attempt if you remember had EZ track inside. Since then I completely disassembled and will start from scratch again.

Roger has a great idea leaving the side off, maybe even attaching it with a little velcro so you can pull it off for "SHOW TIME"

Great piece
Jerry

[jonathan]

Wow!  Thanks guys.  You got the juices flowing.  I like the removable wall idea.  So, I've completed a mock-up of how I want the external walls to look.  In the photos below, you'll see that I like many large windows down low so the interior is still visible.  

I will be searching the next train show for brick sheets and possibly some Tichy window frames to construct some proper exterior walls.  For now, I used a bent track nail to hold the temporary wall in place.  

Notice my artistic attempt to have sunlight shining through the windows on one shot.  The "sun" is a 500 watt work light pointed towards the structure.  Anyway, I set up the scene and shot about 100 photos--16 of which are below.  Thanks again for the kind words and advice.

Regards,

Jonathan

[rogertra]

Lookin' really good. 

[jonathan]

Just so my brain can click and call this thread done...

I'm afraid my scratchbuilding of walls was not progressing very well, so I picked up an actual roundhouse kit to complete the external walls.  Doesn't look exactly how I wanted it to, but it will work well for the layout.

I still need to perform a little exterior touch-up work, but basically the project is 99% complete.  The interior is interesting to look at, and the exterior walls are removable.  Check for the bent track nails that hold the wall in place (in the photos below).  

I attempted to get artsy by shooting some shots through the windows.  Also did a close up of a wall to see the mortar in the brick.  Enjoy:



































Regards,

Jonathan

[Thomas1911]

Turned out really nice, Jonathan.  I like the workbench, did you scratchbuild it?

I'm going to have to take my roundhouse apart and paint the interior after seeing yours.

[J3a-614]

I agree, this has turned out quite well.  The only shortcoming I might point out--maybe--sort of--not bother really--is that the roundhouse interior still looks a little "too clean," but I wouldn't lose sleep over it, it's something you could add later, starting with some clear resin or varnish or something to represent all the water that winds up on the floor in the roundhouse from cylinder cocks, injector overflows, general leaks, and so on. . .

The band of dark color partway up the wall was to hide marks that might be made by someone in dirty clothes leaning on the wall, while the white upper works was meant to reflect light and help improve visibility inside, though with smoking, sooty locomotives that didn't help much after any length in time.

One of the cool things I like about this mini-roundhouse is that it looks like something for a small yard, some sort of secondary facility, and the trackage in front of it reinforces it.  Overall, it also somehow has a "John Allen" touch to it; maybe it's the cramped location or something, but I almost feel this is something Allen might have done had he set his Gorre & Daphetid in the east. . .and who here doesn't admire the  former "great poobah?"

[jonathan]

Thanks, guys.

The work bench is a combination of various white metal parts from a junk box.  I made the legs from some 1/6" basswood.  I actually found some online photos of small roundhouse interiors.  That's where I got the idea for the stuff lying around... perhaps too many ladders, but I was trying to junk it up a bit.

Yes, the interior is a bit too clean.  It takes me a while to get up the gumption to weather something after I've spent so much time on it.  Working up my bravery. 

And yes, space was limited.  I had to squeeze the structure in its location.  Only medium sized locomotives will fit in there.  I think I mentioned somewhere the whole purpose of the roundhouse was to display, yet protect, my two brass locos.  Actually I need to get the lighting a little brighter in there, so these babies are easier to see through the windows.

The removable wall idea was fantastic.  Thanks for that... well worth the time spent noodling it out.

Following some ideas from Allen is always a good thing.

Regards,

Jonathan

[rogertra]

Looking good.  :-)

[J3a-614]

Jonathan, I came across something that includes a detail you may want to add, if it's available in HO scale.  It's black, and it's in the last photo in the link below of the now-demolished Brooklyn roundhouse in Portland, Or.

http://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=35285

[jonathan]

    

Years ago, my wife gave me a package of dogs and cats in HO.  I think it was a Woodland Scenics product.  Perhaps this would be a good time to dig it out and plant some strays around the roundhouse.  What a coincidence...

I did like some of the details in the interior shots.  Makes me think I should get the inside more cluttered than it is already.

Regards,

Jonathan