Making a New Start

Looks like tomorrow is going to be a busy day, so no time to run the celebratory Special. Instead here's a shot of number 5 pottering about at Cattewater 
  
  
 
Meanwhile I did some work on the Barber Shop today, fitting a canopy and repainting the corner posts and window frames a better shade of brown. Also bedded the building in with grass so that it sits in rather than on the landscape.

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Sometimes I think that when I only have a short while to work on the layout, the most useful jobs get done. Take today - the unpainted planks on the platforms at both depots got a wash of paint and I finished a roof-top ventilator on the mill's store (made from a bit of an old Triang 00 scale station roof)  that I'd started in hope but then got a bit wrong. Having worked out how to improve it, only about half an hour's work made it look a lot better.
 
I also repaired the bench on the porch outside the general store so that the old guy can sit down again to listen to the panhandler's tale of woe.  Pictures when I next have time to get the camera upstairs.
 
Recently I was asked if I had stories and names for the characters on the layout. The answer was "No, or at least not yet", although the lady on the seat at Cattewater (picture 2, post #36) is Nanny Ferguson from my former Gn15 layout "Futtocks End". Quite what she is doing in rural America in 1941 when she should be in England looking after Sir Henry's children is anyone's guess. War-time evacuation, perhaps???

 
Had a little time yesterday to finish off the trestle and its surroundings. (If you want a "before" picture, look at post #52.)   There are about seven different types of scenic material in the grass and bushes, which seems to give quite a natural look with different colours and textures. I'll leave it there for now to get used to it, but could probably add a little more.

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Certainly looking great - very realistic gulch - you can imagine the rain (especially after Wed) eroding the banks.

Mick

Mick - always learning something new (then forgetting it).

Hey, that looks nice! That really has the look and feel of a dry arroyo.

 Have fun with your trains

Its really coming together nice now.  Your doing a great job on crfeating a realistic scene.

Kittatinny Mountain RR
http://kittatinnymountain.blogspot.com/

Many thanks for the kind comments, particularly those from the US who've perhaps more experience of dry arroyos than I have!
 

 
Meanwhile, here's the latest view of the Barber Shop at Hogwood, still in need of some extra detailing and weathering, I feel. First job will probably be a pole-mounted light to illuminate the grade crossing, plus some more signage on the building "Shaving 50 cents" or whatever the going rate in the 1940s was.  Given the prominent position, the provision of a shop interior may well be unavoidable.  I must also try and find some more figures suitable for a western setting.
 
In the background is the new "What's wrong with my jeep?" group.  Also the mill's stores shed with its newly added roof-top ventilator.

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Three more freight cars were cut and shut over the week-end - 2 flats and a stock car. They need a bit more work on their paint finish before they're camera ready, though.......

Now you need a miner and his donkey.
http://www.ridgeroadstation.com/store/08370310%21083/Schleich+70310Gold+Prospector+w%2FDonkey

Kittatinny Mountain RR
http://kittatinnymountain.blogspot.com/

Shawn


Now you need a miner and his donkey.
 

I have one of these fellas in a little 'ol' timer diarama, he and his ass (?!) sorry, mule, look really good. The Shleich figures are really 1:20.3 scale or slightly larger but they are nicely painted and 'blend' in so the eye can be deceived.

 
Mike on the BCRR Railroad - A little bit of the Rio Grande in north Essex
Videos are shown by courtesy of Tony, who took them whilst visiting.......
http://www.youtube.com/wa...b8&feature=channel
http://www.youtube.com/wa...r0&feature=channel
http://www.youtube.com/wa...gE&feature=channel 

I have that Shliech miner also, just need to find a spot for it on the layout. BTW almost done with my bridge/canyon addition.

 Have fun with your trains

What's the green combine/drovers caboose in the second picture of post #66?

(link :   http://www.gscalecentral..../fb.ashx?m=71023  )

I'm guessing a shortened bachmann combine with replacement roof from either a boxcar or a long caboose, plus the cupola... 

Thanks, J.

JonathanJ


What's the green combine/drovers caboose in the second picture of post #66?
(link :   http://www.gscalecentral.co.uk/f/fb.ashx?m=71023  )
I'm guessing a shortened bachmann combine with replacement roof from either a boxcar or a long caboose, plus the cupola...  Thanks, J.

 
Well, sort of, as it's mostly Bachmann parts, but there was nothing so easy as a complete car to start from.
 
The passenger end of the body is a short section of coach from a show trader's scrap-box, and the baggage end came from a friend, scrap bits from another conversion. The roof is from GRS (I think intended for a Welshpool & Llanfair coach) just using the middle bit, and the cupola was scratch-built. The balcony rails were Bachmann bits and took a long time to find. The chassis is plywood with scratch-built steps. There's a long, thin bit of half-by-one down the spine of the floor into which the bogies are screwed, with rubbing plates of thick styrene.
 
Other parts used in this "bitsa" conversion:  the w.c. compartment was made out of a spare bulkhead cut in half and folded; passengers' seats were small pieces of 1x1 wood with cardboard seat-backs. Roof handrails were garden wire.
 
It was started while I was working abroad and the nearest model shop a four hour round trip, hence the use of some unusual materials (pictured) and finished off at home a year or more later.
 

 
 

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C&S

 
Well, sort of, as it's mostly Bachmann parts, but there was nothing so easy as a complete car to start from.
 
The passenger end of the body is a short section of coach from a show trader's scrap-box, and the baggage end came from a friend, scrap bits from another conversion. The roof is from GRS (I think intended for a Welshpool & Llanfair coach) just using the middle bit, and the cupola was scratch-built. The balcony rails were Bachmann bits and took a long time to find. The chassis is plywood with scratch-built steps. There's a long, thin bit of half-by-one down the spine of the floor into which the bogies are screwed, with rubbing plates of thick styrene.
 
It was started on holiday abroad (pictured) and finished off at home a year or more later.
 

 
 

Very nice work - don't think I'd emulate the scratchbuilt chassis, but looking at the body-in-white photo, I think the bachman umit could be shortened to match, which would make fitting the rails easier too.

Thanks,  Jonathan

Rather a busy time, this week, so progress on the three new "shorties" has been a bit slow. All now repainted and the two flats have had some lettering applied and had their missing brake wheels replaced with some Ozark castings. Pictures hopefully over the week-end. Then to start work chopping a Bachman bobber caboose.

 
A trio of newbies.

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I may have gone a bit too far - but I wanted it to be the same length as the LBB "Toy Train" caboose; only trouble is the balconies are wider on this vehicle so the body turned out shorter. Think it will be OK when I've finished it - tomorrow, perhaps?
 
Edit:  Sunday.  I've spliced some styrene into the hole on the roof. I did think for a moment of taking about 5mm off the bottom of the body to make it look less tall and spindly, but guess what - I'd stuck the body onto the chassis and it didn't want to come apart. Anyway with the join in the body filled and painted it does look a lot better. Funnily enough replacing the two ladders helped quite a bit, by making the body seem longer.  I'll have another go at finishing the painting in the next session, then pictures.
 
Eagle-eyed readers of the previous post may have noticed that the newbie freight cars lack truss rods - but not any longer.

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I know I said I'd finish the new shorty caboose today, but instead off I went and shortened another flat-car body. This one is going to become a Sandy River-style pulp car so as to add a bit of variety to the daily log train.
 
In fact I think I'll run it according to a dice throw - evens and it goes in the log train, odds and it runs independently in a normal mixed or freight working - that way I can use it to deliver timber for fuel to the loco depots and anyone else who needs wooden billets to cut up for firewood.

C&S



 
Q:  -   What do you call a chopped Bobber?
 
A:  -    Is it a Bob-bit? 
 
I may have gone a bit too far - but I wanted it to be the same length as the LBB "Toy Train" caboose; only trouble is the balconies are wider on this vehicle so the body turned out shorter. Think it will be OK when I've finished it - tomorrow, perhaps? 
  

 
Nah, Not far enough, it needs to be a good 1/2 inch shorter to get that real Unitah bobber feel, but it still looks good 

 

 Have fun with your trains

Its been a long time since a train ran, so I had a little operating/photographic session this evening.
 
First picture is the Engineer's train pack . The "Make Up" pocket contains cards of cars in the train when it leaves its starting point. "Pick Up" is what joins the train en-route. Next pocket contains the Train Order, while the last pocket receives cards of cars set out along the way.
 

 
 The day starts at Cattewater where #5 makes up the first train of the day , in acccordance with the cards in the top picture.    
   
 
When #5 arrives at Hogwood it has to lay over in the yard, to await the arrival of #8 and its Mixed train coming up from Southvale. 
 
    
 Later, we see #8 running into Cattewater, where the yard is getting rather crowded. In fact by mid-morning a gondola had to be propelled back to Hogwood by the Logging train, as there was no room for it to be spotted in Cattewater yard. It will have to be returned later in the day.
 
 
The empty Minerals headed by #7 runs through Cattewater. Luckily it doesn't stop.
 
 
 Finally when #7 returns to Cattewater there are three freight cars bound for Bonneyville which finally unclogs the yard.

  
 

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vsmith
 
Nah, Not far enough, it needs to be a good 1/2 inch shorter to get that real Unitah bobber feel, but it still looks good 

 

Wish I'd omitted one window on each side - it looks better. Or maybe it's the lack of stretcher bars between the axle-boxes. 

It also has the small ore car wheels, that makes a bit of difference in the appearance.

 Have fun with your trains

Part of the problem of the congestion at Cattewater was that I missed running train #12 in its right place in the sequence. Here it is at Hogwood, running late, just before the running session ended.
 
 

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Work-in-progress on a Bachmann flat-car conversion into a pulpwood car loosely based on a Maine 2ft prototype. 
  
 

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"Buddy, can you spare a dime?"  (Warner Smith and Pete "Gimme" Mohr.)
 

 
What seems to be the problem?  (Ted , Slim  and Buddy) 
 
 

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Hobo sapiens?

 
Mike on the BCRR Railroad - A little bit of the Rio Grande in north Essex
Videos are shown by courtesy of Tony, who took them whilst visiting.......
http://www.youtube.com/wa...b8&feature=channel
http://www.youtube.com/wa...r0&feature=channel
http://www.youtube.com/wa...gE&feature=channel 

Hi Mike,
 
Good comment.
 
Back in post #82 I said I hadn't got names for all my characters on the layout. Now, having looked through an old Model Railroader and borrowed some street names from the small ads, everyone around Cattewater County has an identity.  I've edited post #105 to name those pictured and will introduce the rest of the population as and when they are next seen.
 
Now I suppose I'll have to work out their histories!

That is really coming along nice.    

Kittatinny Mountain RR
http://kittatinnymountain.blogspot.com/

Thanks, Shawn; looking forward to more piccies of your line, too.
 
Looking back I see there's a second story unfolding in the shot of the three new freight cars.
 

 
On the left is Louella Weston, who is sitting on her suitcase because Matt is taking up most of the room on the rather small seat the company provides for waiting passengers (one day they may provide a canopy, but don't hold your breath). Jack Bridges, the depot's Agent, seems to be suggesting that Matt might like to give up his seat for the lady. Matt doesn't look too responsive, so let's hope there's a train along real soon. Meanwhile, in the background, until they move that stock-car there's nothing Art need do but play his harmonica.

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Just scoured the spares box for anyone else to add to the population, which currently stands at 34, if you include all of the loco crews.
 
One candidate who turned up was a young woman in cut-off slacks - possibly a bit too tight for 1940s era fashions and her hair's a bit 1970s, though I should be able to give her a trim. At least she looks passably rural. I also lifted the corner of the roof on one of the industrial buildings as I could hear a loose figure rattling around inside and thought it was a gent in a suit. Turned out there was a second figure as well, who had been working as a typist. Again her skirt is a bit tight; think I'll have to add something looser with some Milliput.  If I add a stetson to the chap's head, perhaps he'll look like the local sherriff, though a rather well-dressed one. 
 
I've also got three youths made from modelling clay by a friend. They need a bit of work and will not compare with the Preiser figures. I suspect they'll go somewhere under the trestle bridge, as if bunking off from school.  From the same source I've also got a bald-headed, whiskery gent who will become the line's Chief Mechanic, seen at a work-bench inside the Engine House, when that gets built. 
 
Once I've had time to alter the fashions I'll post a picture.

 
Three friends having a "Huck Finn" afternoon off school; meet Billy, Charlie and Tom, oblivious to Moose Sellick taking old #7 over the trestle with a cattle Extra. 

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This shot was taken a little before the one in the post above. (I was trying for the more realistic track-level image, though it's slightly spoiled by the obviously low relief building and the crooked locomotive chimney. I must try and remember why it wasn't glued in place - something to do with access to the headlamp bulb, I suspect. 

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Nice pictures.  Pictures always help me notice things that need fixing etc...  Otherwise I would never know  LOL.  Always happens to me. The best thing about indoor layouts is you can really focus on the details especially the smaller ones. 
You can never not have enough figures.  I  need a lot more for my layout.

Kittatinny Mountain RR
http://kittatinnymountain.blogspot.com/

This has been a great set of updates. You have achieved a whole lot more since I came to collect the ballast units from you. I reviewed the complete posting today and there does not appear to be a copy of your Timetable posted. Any chance please? I am very interested to see this.
JonD

dunnyrail


There does not appear to be a copy of your Timetable posted. Any chance please? I am very interested to see this.
JonD

I've just had a look in the file and the latest timetable is missing, so I'll have to conjure it up from the train graph. At times, and particularly if Extras are running, loco changes are made at Cattewater and cabooses may also be swapped for a combine or vice versa.
 
Will post something as soon as I can, meanwhile thanks for the encouraging words. 
 

To help make sense of the timetable here is a map of the area served by the C&S
 
 
Sothbound services
  
 
Northbound services  
    
 
The Notes below the timetable refer to the locomotives and cabooses used for each train.  Locomotives are # 1,5,7,8;
freight cabooses 9 and 09, com = Combine  dc = Drover Caboose  (freight caboose 90 - spare)  
R  =  Stops on Request
S =   Switches freight cars if required
 
At depots where trains cross, the Southbound train will arrive first and clear the mainline to allow the Northbound train to pass. 
 
Extras  
   

  
 

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Giles, many thanks for posting the timetable. Amasing what can be cramed into a small loft and the operation to be gained from just 10 small radius points. Plus it all looks so believable now that the scenery is coming along nicely. Just shows what could be done in a very small garden too.
JonD

 

dunnyrail
 
Amazing what operation can be gained from just 10 small radius points. Plus it all looks so believable now that the scenery is coming along nicely. Just shows what could be done in a very small garden too.
JonD

 
  
 
Don't forget the turnout onto the wharf siding at Cattewater!  That makes it 11.
 
In terms of effective simplicity in the garden I'd cite the Caradon Branch posts. Come to think of it, how many points are there on the Wetton Gooey layout, and look at the operating potential there.

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C&S

 
Don't forget the turnout onto the wharf siding at Cattewater!  That makes it 11.
 
Silly me, I was counting the points on the track diagram post 28. You sneaked in the Wharf when I was not looking!
JonD

Well, yes and no, Jon.  It was always going to be there - just look at the very first picture on this thread (just under the gondola parked at the depot.)  I just took a while to build the baseboard extension and lay the extra thee pieces of track onto the wharf.
 
A small bit of progress today - painted the third caboose and the pulp car, and had a go with some Milliput to alter the poses of a couple of figures.