Reworking the layout

[Terry Toenges]

I don't plan on adding much on the inside. I thought it might look cool at night with the upper part open like the light would also spill out onto the layout. Remember, it was just a short bridge to begin with.

[Terry Toenges]

Finally decided on a color for my engine shed. One of the hardest things for me is trying to figure out what to paint stuff. Paint color can make or break a project. This is a spare piece that I used as a test piece. I started with Rustoleum dark brown and let that dry. Then, I brushed on brown Higgins Drawing Ink and let that dry. I did that to get in the cracks between the "boards" and the ridges in the "boards". After that, I sprayed it with Krylon flat clear spray. I think it looks a lot better than the original color.

[Len]

Now that looks like old wood.

If you do put lights in, something with a yellowish hue should work to simulate lanterns, or early type incandescent bulbs.

Len

[WoundedBear]

Nice job staining the walls Terry. It certainly does look better than the bare plastic color. Well done.

Sid

[Terry Toenges]

Thanks guys.
Len - Yes. I would do something yellowish. Definitely not a bright white.
Sid - it was a gamble because I wasn't sure what the result would be.
I'm very happy with the way it turned out. I like the way the ink brings out the grain.

[Terry Toenges]

I had to carve up one of entrance walls so the doors would fit.

It was hard cutting it straight because of all the knobs sticking up. I wanted to keep as much of the knobs as I could because it's easier to hold the shed together.

The doors will be glued in the open position so any discrepancies won't be that obvious.

[Terry Toenges]

I just had an "uh oh" moment.
I was going to order some uncoupling magnets so I was looking at my layout design to see how many I wanted. As I looked at the tracks around the turntable, it occurred to me that I might not be able to get a standard freight car to one of those tracks that wasn't directly across from the lead track.
I just now had to check it out and I found that I can fit the Porter together with freight car on the turntable. There is body overhang but all the wheels are on with a little room to spare.
I figured I would probably use 18' freight cars there anyway. I received my two shorty tank cars in the mail today. I'll get a couple shorty gondolas and flats and maybe a box car. I'm still waiting on the derrick car that I ordered.
I'm only two crossovers and two turnouts shy of having all the track bought. I'll get those around the 1st.

[Terry Toenges]

Since I'm going to put lights in my engine shed, I used some balsa wood to cover up the knobby projections in the corners that hold it together and aligned. I also used pieces to cover up where the walls are glued together and then added two more pieces so they just look like more support. I don't have the shed glued together yet because I still have to paint all the parts.
I bought a Chopper II from Northwest Short Line and it sure is easier cutting wood. I saw that NWSL is going out of business so I figured I'd better get it while I could.
I ordered some lighting stuff from Woodland Scenics so I'll try out that system. That way, I can light other structures, also.

[bbmiroku]

Just remember that since you're going to light it, any ceiling underhangs will be visible through the fat gap along the eaves.

[Terry Toenges]

I plan on running a ridge pole between the points at the ends. WS has these flat stick-on lights that I will try. I'll stick them to the ridge pole. With the position of the shed on the layout, you won't be able to see up there. I'm planning on four of the yellow ones. If that's too bright, I'll go with 3three or two. I'll clip the connectors and run a buss wire to connect them on top so that I'll only have one wire running down through the floor.

[Trainman203]

Is this an engine house or a covered bridge?

[Terry Toenges]

It started as two covered bridges and it is now an engine house.
The color didn't come out the way I wanted it. I wanted it like the one end I had done. I knew I didn't have enough Higgins brown ink to do the whole thing. I searched Walmart, Officemax Depot and Hobby Lobby down here and they only had Higgins black ink so I wasn't able to get any more. I had some Brea Reese brown ink but it wasn't as dark as the Higgins ink.
My next option was to try to whip up my own batch. I put some Reese brown in a bowl and added some Higgins black to darken it. I added a little water to try to thin it down. When I painted a side and went to wipe it off to get the effect I had on the end piece, it was already almost dry and wouldn't wipe off.
It doesn't look bad but not exactly what I wanted.
I painted the roof flat black but I'm going to get shingles for it. I'm going to go with Rail Scale Models O Scale Random Shake Shingles.
The base is long pieces of balsa. I took an ink pen and (pressing hard) drew lines every 3" on each piece to make the wood look like 12' long beams.
I just got the roof vents in the mail from Narrow Gauge Modeling and my light system arrived today from Woodland Scenics.
I still have to work on the back end and make that back wall with the door and window. I got the door and window from Tichy Train Group.

[Terry Toenges]

Working on the rear of the shed.

[bbmiroku]

Looks good!  Keep up the good work.

[Terry Toenges]

It's not done yet but I'm getting closer.

I got the WS lights. I'm experimenting with how and where to mount them.

At first, I used the little grain of wheat lights and they weren't very bright. These pics are with the bigger stick-on lights. I used four of them.