Tag Archives: stock

2013 weathering

Much of the activity so far in 2013 has been in sorting out rolling stock. Removable coal loads have been prepared for all the hoppers using real coal, sieved down into different size ranges and glued to foam shapers. Photos show the basic process and a variety of the results.

All the hoppers have also been weathered inside and out for consistency using acrylics, weathering powders, Tamiya weathering pads (& make-up applicators – see first photo below), Tensocrom liquids to simulate oil and water spilss, and astonishing Rust effect liquid. ..also an airbrush. The techniques are all described in the UK ‘Model Rail’ DVD by George Dent – ‘The Weathering Expert’ – quite outstanding and worth purchasing even from across the Atlantic, if you can be sure it will work in a US DVD player. These are the main products and implements used .

I have also weathered most of the boxcars (some shown below), some tank cars and some switchers. Weathering is hard to photograph, but hopefully some of the photos will give some idea.

Chris and I have also each started to modify a BLI Mikado to an M3a CNJ Mikado. It is still fairly early days but the photos show the steps in producing the classic Wooton firebox. Many more photos to come but it won’t be quick!

Quarters 2&3 2009

p-2009-09-019We seem to have slowed down again over the summer due, I suppose, to other commitments, but also to much activity focused on ‘slow’ areas. In particular, Paul has been devoting nearly all his time to setting up DCC and chipping locos and then trying to get them to run – the brass ones are particularly difficult. We went for the NCE DCC kit in the end which seems to do everything we want. We are also using basic Hornby chips which do the job, although some locos came with sound chips ready installed. The best bit about DCC for me (old misery) is that we can turn the sound off the sound chips!

In the summer, Dennis Morley, an O-Gauge modeller, delivered the brass locos back after painting – he’s done an excellent job. Weathering still to be done. Here are three of them, the 4-8-0 was finished later.

Steve spent most of the past six months doing shop interiors using various materials from Langley Models (UK, 4mm to the foot but manageable) and Preiser (right scale but not cheap!). He also made good use of the colour printer and photos of old shops that he’d been accumulating. Three examples are shown here, but you can’t really see very much once they’re in.

To finish them off Steve’s been using computer written signs and scanned and reduced posters. Home made decals have also been employed with extensive use of various free and not-so-free software. The signs and buildings still need a fair bit of weathering but it’s getting there. Susquehanna Street is pretty much done now, except the sidewalks and ashphalt.

Chris has finished the detailing on the freight house and only the weathering of the roof remains. Dave has finished the gas station on Susquehanna Street, again awaiting only weathering.

And to finish off a few extra photos from our last open evening. We’re counting down to the Exhibition at the end of October now – Pete Waterman is opening it (you’ve either heard of him or you haven’t). Trees next…

Quarter 1 2009

p-2009-03-012p-2009-03-010We have really sped up our modelling since the new year, mainly as a result of a number of all day sessions. It feels as though we have nearly completed the buildings now and have moved on to weathering rolling stock (initially coal hoppers). There is now a definite plan to take Mauch Chunk to our exhibition in the fall (end October 2010) so we have a deadline – help!

So firstly Chris has pretty much finished the Freight house – which is now my favorite building on the layout. Here it is under construction and in its finished form on the layout.

Secondly, Paul has finished the Central Hotel with only the Hotel Switzerland’s back and sides to do now. In the picture he is making an RS3 work again (how? haven’t a clue!). He also fixes the trackwork and wheels when stock doesn’t run smoothly (i.e. falls off) – also a mystery

Steve Rogers, from the Leigh Model Railway Club, has been joining us for modelling sessions and painted the roof of Chris’s Station Building. He has also finished off another cliff face, most of which will sadly be hidden by the buildings on Susquehanna Street. Chris has also been working on Paul and Steve’s Hotel and Iron Works respectively to get a consistent brick finish (below).

Dave has worked manfully on with the gas station and associated buildings on Susquehanna Street, which should be finished soon now. Steve (Hales) has painted and weathered the buildings on Susquehanna Street. Still work to do with blinds and interiors, but it’s coming along.

Steve has also had a go at weathering the coal hoppers on the layout using weathering powders (mostly Carr’s).

All the remaining photos below (nearly all) were taken at the Spring Open Day in mid April. Some have a temporary backscene put up during the Open Day, which gives a much different feel. The old-style cabooses were built for us by Bill (Rails2) after a contact through eBay – beautiful.

Quarters 3&4 2006

Unfortunately, very little visible progress was made during the second half of 2006 . Time has been taken up with getting the pointwork functioning properly after the ballasting and several points have been rebuilt. Paul has also been doing sterling work in getting the rolling stock running more reliably and has also replaced most of the wheelsets on our freight cars with metal ones.

Chris spent a lot of time researching and redrawing the plans of the Mauch Chunk station building in AutoCAD (please contact us if you want the files) in preparation for building it this year. Steve has started on the Mauch Chunk Ironworks.

The photos below were mostly taken at our open day at the end of November and also show a Hallmark Babyface (wrong prototype – I know) painted for us by Blake Tatar. We hope to make some modifications to the roof vents to improve it’s appearance as the CNJ version.

We wish you all a Happy New Year for 2007 and happy modelling!

March 2004

Progress also continued well in February and March. Chris put finishing touches to the turnouts and trackwork on the front of the layout and Paul removed, wired and replaced two baseboards as he starts the laborious task of wiring the layout. Although we will use DCC eventually, he is wiring for standard operation at the start with four blocks. Chris has also built and placed a model weighscale (see archive photo #707).

Photos include: The wiring (I didn’t get the exciting photos of Paul actually doing it) is, as usual, quite inspiring! Chris starting on the finishing touches at the baseboard joints, and an open view of the layout without the backboard – removed so that baseboards can be taken out and wired. The (non-functioning) weighscale built by Chris (see photo #707)and a caboose under construction by Steve.