Piedmont Blues - US O Scale (2 rail) switching layout

I'll hope to see you there, Pete.

 

Over the last couple of evenings I've started working on weathering the CoG boxcar, using prototype photographs as a guide.



First off, the prototype reference photo for one side of the car:







Next, the progress so far on replicating it. At this stage it's had a base rust colours applied with acrylic paint, then the rust built up with oil paint, and then weathering chalks added to the still wet oil paint.







The next steps for this car is to seal the work so far with dulcote once the oil paint has dried, then hit the whole car with a wash of isopropyl alcohol and india ink to dull down the shine on the car sides.

 

Thanks Chris!

 

Whilst bored at work, I've let my mind wander, and taken the rough shape of the "layout room" in the house I've just put an offer in on - 19'9" x 8'9" - and had a bit of a play in SCARM. A "what might be" flight of fancy, if you will.



Now I've been forced to use the templates for the O scale track already in SCARM, so the dimensions are going to be off, but with handbuilt track I should be able to get it all in a bit better, give or take.



So here's the daydream imagining of what PB could look like in that space.



Whether that happens or not (spoiler alert - probably NOT!), it was a fun little exercise that killed a boring lunch break for me.



Streetrunning. Streetrunning everywhere!

 

Progress last night and today has been a bit scattergun in it's focus, so rather than explain it all I'll show photos.

Further weathering on the CoG Boxcar:




Coupler repair and weathering on a BevBel New Haven PS2 hopper:




Painting and weathering on a scratchbuilt corrugated metal lean-to shack:










Interior added to the Hoosier Mama building's loading dock:



I've also added bricked up windows and capping stones to the same building, then I've cut out one of the boarded up windows on the Habbaker's building, and I've been working on finished the garage with the wooden tower added to the top. I'll get photos of that later, when it' done.

 

Work over the last couple of days has been on the 3 story brick/wooden tower building. Here's the latest progress:

 

Hi Pete,

The only part of the original Clevermodels kit in this build is the brick parts. Everything else is wood, plus a brown paper bag for the tarpaper and batten siding on the upper floor, and sandpaper strips for the tarpaper roof.

 

Today I've been working on the scenery on the centre board. I'd say it's about 75% complete for now. Once the scenery is done, I'll get started on the structures.



The caboose in the photos is a Lionel 3 Rail model which I am in the process of converting to 2 rail. So far I've done the trucks, next I need to do the couplers and the underframe detail. After that it'll need to add a rooftop solar panel and battery box, then the correct paint scheme to represent a "Local" assigned cab.

 

Weekend update time, I guess.



Mostly I've been working on scenery for the centre board, however I've also done a bit of structure and rolling stock work.



First up, I've turned this K-Line 3 Rail boom car...







...Into this 2 rail flat car:







It still needs a brake wheel, then the lettering painting out and replacing with something more fitting - probably CB&Q





Next, the loading dock at the back of the layout. I've been working on a building to go here, but decided instead to put a loading dock here and then potentially add the building in as a flat building by fixing it to a sheet of plywood which would bolt into the side of the benchwork once the layout is set up at shows. Mainly because space is a premium in my car, and I'm not sure I could fit the originally planned building in the car!








Finally, we needed a way to hide the servos used to power the turnout throw bars. I made a ballast bin out of scrap wood and styrene, and a stack of ties from strips of suitable sized balsa wood.








Close ups of the ballast bin. Stanley Knife (box cutter to Americans ) for scale.









The hinges, latch and padlock all need painting still.





Hopefully I can get the fencing for the lumber yard finished today.

 

With the centre board almost complete, I've turned my attention back to the end board to get that finished, so I can focus my full attention on the sector plate board for the last few weeks before Bingham show.

 

I've been quiet on the layout front as of late, because I've been working on one of the more mind numbing parts of the build - laying cobbles between the rails, and carving the roadway. There's about 30" of this to do, and I'm about half way through it.

Afterwards it'll get sand between the cobbles, then the whole thing will be getting painted and weathered. I am hoping to have it done by the end of the week.

Once that's done, I can get get started on the Georgia Hardware Company building which will go over and around the cobbled street/tracks.

Between these, I'll be working on ground cover on this module, which will hopefully complete the basic scenery for the whole layout, and with loads of time to get it done ready for the Bingham show in 10 days time.

 

Bingham show is now over, and it was a truly great little exhibition. Definitely worth the visit for the public, I think.

Piedmont Blues did us proud. With only small issues of dirty track and an overexited servo powering one of the turnouts, plus rusty wheels on the RS3 and GP35 needing a good clean, the show went really well.

All the minor issues were fixed respectively with a thorough cleaning with a block of wood and some isoproyl alcohol, disconnecting the servo and operating the turnout by hand for 20 minutes to allow it to cool down, and then running the layout using the Plymouth switcher for a while whilst the two 4 axle locos had their wheels serviced.

Not many changes were made to the layout whilst we were at the show - with the exception of a couple of crossed ties at the end of the Georgia Hardware spur to stop cars running off the end of the layout.

Instead, we were focused on taking turns running trains, and whilst one of us was doing that, Ford would work on lighting the buildings, and I was working on freight car projects.

Speaking of:



With the exception of adding the running numbers to the car ends, this one is now ready for weathering. Hopefully I'll have that done, and a full loose load of woodchips done by Seaboard Southern in September.

The car was set up on the end of our layout tables as a display piece for the public.



We're planning to have a full information display ready for September as well, showing prototype photographs of the area we are modelling.

On the subject of photographs, here are a bunch I took showing the layout set up in it's (current) entirity...

































Lots to do between now and September, but before anything can happen with the layout, I need to finalise purchase of my new house and get moved in, as I'll have the space to have the layout set up permanently so I can work on it.

It was definitely nice to see both Ron and Peter at the show, even if I didn't get to chat for as long as I'd have liked. Good to put faces to names! We hope you both enjoyed seeing the layout!