The Lye, Stihl and Djheet Rwy. (Layout updates)

[WoundedBear]

Been at the bench some more........time flies when you're having fun.

This time up was a Bachmann Spectrum 4-6-0 DCC ready model. This has been with me since early 08. I installed a Lenz 1835 motor decoder and she runs beautifully.

Getting the shell off one of these is no big deal, I may write up a little tutorial on how to do that if I get time soon. What bugged me most was trying to get the detail parts off the shell itself. I went so far as to pop out all the cab windows as well. Whatever kinda super-uber glueber-doop Bachmann puts on these parts at the factory is the best damn glooping-goop I've ever seen. Most pins broke off, no matter how delicate I was, and had to be redrilled and replaced. What can I say?   My CDO (that's OCD, but in the correct order) just compels me to paint and weather even the hidden details. HEY! I know it's there, alright? 8-}  :lol:

I like to place family and friends into the layout when I can, as I'm sure a lot of you do as well. This one was for my best friend of 30 + years. His lucky number is 13 and his Mom's name was Luree. I added nothing to this other than a pair of properly scaled figures and some tools. Mostly done with dry brush technique using model master military colors and finished off with Doc O'briens powders. I lost one front marker lamp into the carpet, but a trip to the LHS should solve that.

Enjoy the photos.

Sid

[WoundedBear]

A few more................







Enjoy!

Sid

[WoundedBear]

I weathered a string of Rivarossi skeleton cars......here's a closer shot of one of them. Another Kadee boose joined the fleet and tried a few different weathering techniques out on this 36 foot boxcar.







Sid

[WoundedBear]

And lastly.....a couple of shots of what's soon to become the Main Street of Lye Flats.

Among the kits visible are Banta's general store, Campbell Scale Model's firehouse, a Muir station, a Suydham (now Alpine) Well's Fargo Office, a couple of Walther's newer laser kit's and some City Classics houses in the back. The tractor dealer is also an old Muir kit.





That's it for now....Enjoy!

Sid

[jonathan]

Enjoy it, I did!

That crewman on the back of the tender sure looks familiar.    I think I hired the same guy to work in my roundhouse.

I really like the whole fictitious railroad idea.  Seems to allow for more artistic freedom than trying to model a specific railroad.

Great stuff.

Regards,

Jonathan

[Thomas1911]

Very cool, Sid.  Weathering looks great.

[rogertra]

Nice locos and equipment, looking forward to seeing scenery.

[Jerrys HO]

Great work Sid.
Wish you could post more pics on that coal mine project. It looks great.

Jerry

[WoundedBear]

Thanks for the compliments fellows. I regard you guys as some of the best on this forum, at least in the HO side of things, and hearing those comments from you, reaffirms that I am on the right track with my modeling. Even though we all model totally different subjects, I always look forwards to seeing what you fellows are doing as well. Too much blah blah blah on here at times....not enough pictures.

Jonathan....thanks for the thumbs up on the fictitional line concept. A few years ago, when I was building mainly automotive replicas, I almost got burned out of modeling from trying to copy prototypes. The freelanced idea has really allowed me to use the right side of my brain a little more.....lol. I'm glad you mentioned the crewman. I had it in mind at one point in this project to paint his butt, then forgot. Seems the dude is a triplet or quadruplet or something. Turns out their brother is running another loco on my layout and one on my buddy's.....lmao.

Thomas.....thanks. I have a penchant for Doc O'Brien's powders. Ever tried them?

Roger and Jerry......scenery...wow. There's something that is still in the very back of the mind. The coal mine is pretty much right where it got left off in these pictures. I haven't even unwrapped the foil from the retaining walls yet since the plaster dried, but I am looking forward to revisiting that project soon.

Lately things seem frenzied. I'm awaiting double hip replacements, and those are due to begin in late September or early October. In the meantime I have this feeling of a deadline looming and can't decide on what to try and get done first. The surgery means I probably won't be able to get into the basement for months, probably most of the winter. I'm looking at ways to cover the layout, maybe some 2 mil poly, and will probably box up the locos. Between the layout, the yardwork and the cars I'm feeling a tad overwhelmed

Anyhow....thanks for your interest in my layout, guys. Here's a little update on the LS&D concept......

Quick description.........a small fictional shortline on the BC-Alberta border in the Yellowhead Pass region, circa 1932. We run a few mines, a sawmill, a logging area, 2 small towns and a central yard. The layout room is roughly 12 X 22 and I have a 12 X 15 studio in the room next to it. Staging runs through an access hole in the wall and is in the studio room. Minimum radius is 18, but the small equipment I use looks fine. Max grade is 2.2% and there is provision for a continuous run route through staging, or it can be operated as a point to pointer.

The names are fictional as well.....the small town of Lye Flats is where Lye Flats Lumber Co has their mill. Main street consists of a store, fire hall, station, and other buildings. It leads up a road past some company houses to the largest mine on the layout. The centrally located Stihl Yards look after servicing and repairing all of the LS&D's equipment as well as doing work on the privately owned units of the mines and lumber company. The other town on the line is Djheet Valley with a number of various industries and a layover stock yard. There is a station here as well.

Down the line is the logging area and a wye, then on towards a few more mines and finally into staging. It's a single main with limited passing. At Stihl there is only a small 4 track stub yard. Big power is a Mantua 2-6-6-2....it brings the weekly freight drag into the area.  The workhorses of the fleet are three Bachmann 4-6-0's with the 52" drivers. They are responsible for passenger service and hauling the local freight.

The mines and sawmill run Shays and Climaxes. The mines have both 2 and 3 truck Climaxes, a 2 truck Climax will handle yard switching and Shays pulling Rivarossi log cars are everywhere. There is also a Concor Pierce Arrow Galloping Goose that hauls hot shot freight to the mines.

I'll post more pics as soon as I can.

Thanks again.

Sid

[Doneldon]

Sid-

I strongly endorse your intention to cover your railroad. While this is usually too big of a pain in the keester to do on a daily basis, it is genuinely worthwhile for a layout which won't be used for a while. It's especially worthwhile for layouts in unfinished space where the ceilings are unfinished. But ...

Even two-mill poly can do a lot of damage to a carefully built layout. Mostly that happens during installation and removal. You can minimize that, especially on the removal end, if your set up allows you to hang the poly from overhead. Opened metal coat hangers work well for this or you can use odd pieces of wood with the poly held by thumb tacks. A good alternative is making a lean-to kind of cover with the poly rolled on some light wood (may be 1x2 or smaller) which has just a couple of screws into the wall. Then run the poly to the fascia or some uprights, depending on just what is near the edges of your railroad. The few screw holes can be quickly and invisibly repaired or left in place for future dormant periods. I suppose it would be possible to make some small plugs which are painted like the backdrop and would almost conceal the holes while leaving them in place for future use if needed. I haven't tried the plugs myself but they should work.

I hope your new hips have you down the steps a whole lot sooner than you expect but, at the same time, don't push so hard that you make things worse. I've had seriously compromised mobility several times myself, and I've found that pushing through the pain and beyond doctors' instructions gets me up and around faster than predicted, but it has to be kept somewhat in check because overdoing it can lead to a hated setback. So ... push some but use your common sense.
                -- D

[WoundedBear]

Don.......

I still have a ton of bare plywood on the layout so covering is not a huge ordeal. Only a few choice areas need to be protected for the long run. Normally I keep a HEPA filter air purifier running 24/7 in the layout room and I rigged filters in the overhead forced air ducts so the dust doesn't get blown in in the winter time.

I'm hoping these hips do more than just get me down the steps........I'm concerned with being able to run a snow blower, the lawn mower, change a spare tire, get under a car to work on it, get in my race car, soend a day on my feet, etc etc.........I'm in my early 50's and I'm worried this is gonna age me 20 years overnight, so to speak. I want them to do both at once, but because I had a heart attack three years ago, they won't risk it.

But at the moment, the pain is off the charts, and being stoned on pain killers for the last 6 months or so is not sitting well with me. Try drag racing when all you want to do is have a nap The implants are the only answer....so I'll go in as positive as I can, and see what's left on the other side. I have a good support network behind me with family and friends.....I just hope the recovery team and the physio folks are ready....lmao.

I'm so motivated for this that I have even managed to quit smoking.....that was a 30 cig a day habit since I was 15. Gee....wonder why I had a heart attack....lol.

Sid

[Doneldon]

Sid-

I commend you for doing the single healthiest thing anyone can ever do -- stopping smoking. Not only is it very difficult (My dad said it wasn't all that hard because he had managed to quit five times himself [!!] although he died at 52 from a heart attack which unquestionably aggravated by his smoking), it really is a boon to your health. I'll bet you already have better breathing and sleeping.

Not to get your hopes up too far, but I know a bunch of people who've had hips replaced and they describe it as a true miracle. One colleague about your age lamented that the doctors would only give him new hips and a knee if he stopped running (he was a marathoner) but he was so pleased with the results that he started limited running and felt he would be glad to have another replacement in 15-20 years if that would be the cost for maintaining his active lifestyle. Ten years later he's still running five miles a day with no evidence of problems in his hip or knee. I hope your experience is equally positive. Keep us posted.
                                                                        -- D

[Thomas1911]

Sid,

Best wishes on your upcoming surgery and congrats on quitting smoking.

[jbrock27]

Now that's some great modeling going on right there Sid!

I cover my layout with light plastic, like you would use to cover furniture when painting.  Maybe what you can try is making a couple of wood "stands" out of some scrap wood, shaped like an upside down "T" or a wood dowel on piece of stock in the same shape, just a little higher than the highest structure, place them in strategic places on the layout and then lay the plastic over it, getting a "tent" effect.

I have every confidence you are going to do well with your surgery and be able to do those things again that you want to do-you are too tough a bird not to!

[Jerrys HO]

Sid
Good luck on your surgery. A friend had the same surgery and now walks like he's 25yrs. younger.
Great modeling and I like how you worked the coal mine into the mountain.
I use the Doc O'Briens powders also and love them. You can wash them off if you don't like the look or if you like it I shoot a little dulcote on them to seal the project.

Jerry