Thanks for making and posting the video Chris. Thanks for the comments guys. Gary - I used a Bach-DSL decoder from NCE. It was an easy install as it is made to replace the board in the bachmann units. I picked it up from Model Railroad Craftsmen in Blacktown. Lots more control from the NCE decoder. Ian
Thanks for the useful info on the Bachmann decoders. I recenetly purchased a Bachmann S2 Shunter from Qld (retailer) with DCC sound etc. Great looking loco in Pennsylvania RR livery, good sound, lights, horn, bell, but..., it didn't move forward or back ! Now, I wasn't ready to reset the decoder, so I done the right thing, sent it back and had a refund issued. The retailer was more than happy to accept the refund. Now I'm on the hunt for the next bargain !! Cheers, Gary.
Hi Everyone! I've been doing a bit of model building today, fitting windows and doors to the mill building and making a few modifications to it. I plan to spray the inside of it black to minimise any light shining through the walls or window frames when the interior lighting is installed. I haven't fitted to roller doors to the ground floor as I'm not sure if I want to have them open and make an interior. I will have to raise it by a couple of mm so a 50' boxcar will fit inside but the hi-cube cars have to use the outside track as they are just too tall. I will have to make sure that this back wall looks as good as the others as Chris is notorious for taking pics and videos from unusual angles that you wouldn't normally see when viewing the layout. Ian
Very Impressive Building, To me it has a sort of 1930`s look to it.......could be wrong???....but that`s my impression. I look forward to watching it develop. http://www.clickGormo
Nice build Ian. Now if you blank out the back of the windows above the door, you could have the door raise and lower, or have normal dors open and close using a servo. Paul
Good looking building Ian. Will look the goods when completed. Question, has it a brick finish or rendered finish to it ?? Cheers, Gary.
Thanks Ian, Toto, Paul and Gary. Gary, This building has a rendered finish to it. The other building which will actually be made as 2 buildings is brick. Ian
Hi everyone! Time for another update. The main shell of the mill is assembled and just needs some tidying up and detail parts fitted before painting. It was tricky to assemble as the walls are all at different angles so I wound up screwing them to mdf formers on the ground floor - I plan to enlarge the base a little so that with cover the screw heads. I have started on one of the buildings that will be made from Middlesex kit - lots of windows to be glued in place but over all assembly should be easier as both buildings have 90 degree corners. I also purchased 5 metres of self adhesive warm white led strip for lighting the interiors - far more than I will need on this project but I suspect the left overs will be used on another sometime in the future. The mill building waiting for lights and details. The start of the Middlesex Manufacturing building. The roll of leds for structure lighting - 5m long with 300 warm white leds. I've got a couple of days off this coming week so I hope to get the basics of both halves of the manufacturing building finished by next weekend. That's all for now, Ian
I do like the look of both those buildings. Looking forward to seeing them complete. I must say that I'm surprised that you screwed the mill building to the MDF formers and not use a quick set epoxy glue, like 5 Minute Araldyte !! I'm just wondering if I should scratchbuild the buildings for Jack's layout or buy kits. Still haven't decided... Cheers, Gary.
That center spindle looks awfy like the old 45rpm centers. The layout anb buildings are comming on nicely. Paul
Thanks Gary, Paul and Pete. I didn't even think of araldite - I guess that's what comes from having a father who is into woodwork as a hobby, more seems to have rubbed off on me than I thought. Ian
Great progress Ian The buildings being customised to fit the locations are giving this a real industrious sense Re covering the screw you could put a raised walk way around the base of the building at the front entrance where the wagons roll in and the side along the front could have a small loading platform to the track side to cover the screws. On the back side you could place items of industrial waste old pallet oil drums parked truck or car or you could put in some pipe work for the factory etc. http://www.click.
Hi Again! I've been doing a bit of painting on the buildings this week. One brick building now has mortar between all the bricks and the pilasters on the mill have been painted to cover the filler used on the gaps along the joins. I hope to assemble the first brick building over the coming week. The mortar is just ordinary craft paint from the $2 shop applied with a finger - I tired painting it on then wiping the paint off the surface of the bricks but too much paint was sucked out of the grooves so I found it better just to rub it on with my finger. A bit of weathering should help tone down some of the heavier patches later. I used Tamiya Deck Tan to brush paint the pilasters as it is pretty close to the colour of the plastic and just helps to highlight the raised parts of the building. Later on I'll pick out the window sills with it too. Ian
The mortar has come up really nicely. Got to love finger painting ! The pilasters look good in that tone/colour. As you said, "just helps to highlight the raised parts of the building". Cheers, Gary.
Thanks Gary and Paul. I have been assembling one of the buildings made from half of the Middlesex Engineering kit today. There is still a bit to do but the visible walls and roof are all together and I have made a Walthers water tank for the roof. The roof and tank both need painting and I need to make the rear and lefthand end walls along with glazing the windows and fitting the lights. I hope to get the other building that I'm making from this kit to the same stage tomorrow (if all goes well). Ian