Ground Scenery finished...

Just a quick update on the ground scenery that was completed tonight after drying this afternoon, and a few photos...

Zip texturing complete...

Jas...

Rail Ties painted & Ground Formed...

Well today was a major push forward for the scenery on the L&T Branch, although it was hard work as the temp was about 37 degrees with the humidity pushing around the 80 - 90% mark.  Not the most ideal conditions to be airbrushing and applying ground goop full of plaster and portland cement.

First point of call was the airbrushing of the railroad ties...

Colour is Polly scale (PS) Roof Brown, the mix is thinned 1:1 (Paint/Thinner).  All applied with an Aztec airbrush, after the paint had dried I went over random ties with a paint pen (Tie Brown) with a darker shade to highlight.

To finish I then went over the rail tops with a Maklin Track Cleaning Block, its amazing how even painting the rail & ties makes a difference.

Next stage was to add some Ground Goop (my term for Joe Fugate's Ground Mix), the mix is a combination of:

1 x Part - Portland Cement

3 x Parts - Patching Plaster

4 x Parts - Fine Vermiculate

This is mixed with water to a consistency close to that of patching plaster.  This was then applied to the areas with the masking tape.

Once this is spread out onto the layout and formed roughly to the contours required, I then use a wet finger to smooth out the mix and get the exact contour and blend it into the edges.

The last series of shots is almost dry, this mix sets up quickly in the conditions faced today.  Hence better to do this in cooler weather.

When this stuff sets it gets rock hard due the addition of the Portland cement.

Next stage is to add the zip texturing to the Ground Goop, the zip texturing is coloured Patching Plaster.  I use a tan coloured mix of tempur powdered paints.

This stage can be fairly messy as the powdered mix (which is sieved) is very fine and laid onto the GG using a sieve, so before starting I mask of the painted areas that you do want covered in the mix.

More to follow...

Jas...

LK&O RR - Layout Benchwork...

This is some seriously nice benchwork by a friend Alan Bailey on his LK&O RR layout.  This is the result of great time and effort in planning and construction.

This will be a rock solid foundation for a great layout...

Jas...

Here is a link to Alan's website:

www.LKOrailroad.com

More Masking & a Drainage Pit...

Hi all,

Well more masking today on the L&T, the main entrance against the backdrop and around the backdrop structures and unloading area are finished.

Next step is to add sanded grout for the ROW, with some ballast in between the ties.  Other areas will be either loose or compacted gravel.

One thing I did alter was the drainage ditch coming from the JL&T module, I have extended the ditch onto the L&T area near the scratch built crossing.  And because of this I also added a scratch built (Evergreen Styrene) drainage pit to receive any excess storm water run off.

The next part of this section will be to add the "ground goop", zip texturing to form the land contours. Then the ties and rails will be airbrushed & weathered.  Then zip texturing, and finally sanded grout to other areas.  Once all this will then be weathered further using an airbrush and weathering chalks.

Stay tuned.

Jas...

Base scenery begins on the L&T...

Hi All,

Well I finally have started on the base scenery for the L&T Branch at its entrance.  The track work has been completed, the crossing installed and working and so begins the first step of the scenery.

I've started by adding masking tape to the base cork sub road bed, this forms the bare base that is painted with tan colour latex paint (the method that Joe Fugate uses), on top of this the zip texturing material will be added.

Masking tape added to sub road bed...

Scratch built crossing completed, and ready for weathering & ballasting...

Hi all,

Well last night I finished up the last couple of jobs to finish off the crossing, I added the last of the styrene ties, a few more track pins and tested out the electrical side of the crossing.

The outcome of the previous posts relating to the power issues stemmed from two things:

Bad pick ups in a couple of Athearn units & Not enough feeders leading into the crossing.

So these have all been fixed, and we are reading to weather & detail the styrene and track.  Here are few photos of the finished crossing and area before we start adding the scenery and ballasting the track...

Cheers,

Jas...

L&T Branch Entrance ready for Scenery...

Just a couple of quick photos of the L&T Branch entrance prepped and ready for the scenery to be added...

All the hard standing areas are in, track work finished, operational and tested.

Time to break out the airbrush & weathering chalks and place an order with Scenic Express for some real rock ballast...

More to follow soon.

Jas...

Crossing installed & Operational...

Hi All,

well today I managed to install the crossing and get it working, and after about an hour of pulling what little hair out I have left I managed to get it working as well without the auto reverser being needed too!

The crossing has been track pinned into position and tested with the smallest switcher I have a Atlas MP15 with sound, which ran flawlessly across the crossing in both directions.  

Next step will be to paint the styrene an earth colour and ballast & weather the ties.

Now that I've completed one, I'd have no hesitations in doing another, this method worked quite well and I'm sure after completing a few more than will be even easier.

Jas...

Latest Crossing Update & Newer, Improved Version...

Hi all,

Well over the last two weeks I have been slowly working on the new crossing for the L&T branch, and one thing has become clear.  The method I was using to secure the crossing (PECO Code83 ties) were not working, the track spike details are to fragile to secure the track with all the work that was being done to the crossing.

So last night I decided to try another angle and started from scratch with the base, after researching the Fast Tracks method of tie placement for crossings and a photo supplied from Alan (LK&O), and a further thread post from Tim (FastTracks - Thanks Tim...) I decided to use a fully scratch built base using styrene.

As I had soldered all the rail crossing sections (bar one guard rail section) I took these sections of the PECO ties and redesigned the base tie structure to reflect what Tim Had mentioned and seen in Alan's photo.

This is the scratch built base with the rail crossing sections sitting in place...

The base is 0.74mm Evergreen styrene sheet, and the ties are Evergreen HO scale 8x10" ties.  They are spaced at the same distance as the PECO Code 83 Flextrack ties.  The tie configuration has worked perfectly to pick up sections of the outer rail and inner guard rail sections that were unsupported using the PECO flextrack ties.

The added advantage of using the HO Scale Evergreen ties has been I have been able to get the tie wood detail in by scrapping the styrene with an Exacto knife to simulate the tie grain.  The next step was to finish off the remaining approach guard rail and secure the whole crossing section the ties using CA glue.  I will once the crossing is in place and working and tested secure it down including the rail with track pins through the ties and into the sub roadbed.

The crossing in place and connected to the other sections of rail...

I have cut the electrical isolation gaps into the crossing based on a wiring diagram for PECO Electrofrog Crossings and the Fastracks template for a 60 degree crossing.

I have also tested the crossing with an NMRA gauge and ran both a single truck through and several pieces of rolling stock.  The crossing has performed perfectly with all the rolling stock across so far.  The only issue I'm facing currently is the electrical wiring side, and I am seeking some advice.

The whole L&T branch is a reversing section and both ends that meet the outer loop of the JL&T mainline are protected by a PSX-AR auto reverser.  My question is do I completely isolate the crossing and place another auto reverser (I have a Digitrax AR-1) onto the crossing and have it change just the polarity of the crossing for the few times it is needed or can I wire it another way (by either isolation or wiring) that will not require an auto reverser?

Overview shot showing the turnout from the L&T Branch and through the crossing, the 90 degree crossing is a PECO Insulfrog Crossing...

To date I haven't added any track feeders to the crossing, the only power being fed to the crossing is from the L&T turnout (through a PECO Insulfrog), from the 90 degree crossing (PECO Insulfrog) and from the JL&T Module track from the right.  Prior to the installation of the turnout and the crossing all DCC power was working fine, and no shorts or dead track was being produced.

Hopefully someone can explain the way to wire this to prevent any issues.

Cheers,

Jas...

Scratch Building a Crossing - Part 3...

Well some more progress tonight, guard rails installed, and almost ready for wiring...

Once the wiring is sorted and the auto reverser is functioning correctly, I will pin down the rail and ties with track pins this will aid in ensuring all the track is aligned.

Jas...

Scratch Building a Crossing - Part 2...

Hi everyone well today I managed to get some work done on the scratch built crossing for the L&T Branch.  Today was about aligning the the track better as recommended by Alan (LK&O) and doing the ties again, I also cut the remaining electrical gaps into the crossing.

The biggest stage was to glue the ties down to a thin piece of styrene, this allowed me to better align the rails and ensure that when placed on the layout the whole crossing will remain in gauge.

The track alignment is now much better and runs fairly straight from the tangent of the #5 turnout, the siding will hold upto a 60' boxcar.

The remaining steps include adding wiring feeders to the crossing for the addition of a auto-reverser (I already have a PSX-AR) and am looking for recommendations as I think our current one may be overkill if I get another.  The other steps are the additions of the guard rails to the four approaches and the centre square guard rail, once these are added I will run a few locomotives & switches over the crossing to ensure smooth running and no DCC power issues before securing the whole crossing down with PECO Code83 Track Pins.

More to follow soon...

Jas.

Scratch building a Crossing - Part 1...

Part 1...

The angle that the crossing intersects with the JL&T module line was not going to work with a pre made 90 degree crossing.  So I started the scratch build last night, and have made the basic form of the crossing.

I first placed a piece of sheet styrene under the section of rail that the crossing would go, I then marked the rail alignment onto the styrene, and then added the intersecting new section and marked that onto the styrene, this then gave me the template to work from.

I then used the PECO Code 83 ties as the guide to hold the rail while I cut the rails to fit, this also included filing down the outside rail bottom so that the other section of rail finished flush with the other rail and allowed it to be soldered.

Once the crossing was soldered and secured it was time for a test fit...

The new crossing next to existing L&T branch crossing (90 degree PECO Code 83)...

Overview shot of the new siding, turnout & crossing...

The plan is to next glue the ties onto a thin sheet of styrene to lock in the configuration and keep the track in alignment and gauge.  Then I will glue the rails in place onto the ties and spike too, once this is done I will use a Dremel tool to cut the gaps in the rails to isolate each section.

At this stage everything is hinging on the rail staying secured to the ties after I cut all the gaps, I will add some small angle braces made from brass and solder these on once the electrical isolation gaps are cut in.  I have already ran a few pieces of rolling stock & locomotives over it and they all went through with passing colours.

Jas...

Demolition & New Roads...

Well the next step has begun on the new section of the L&T, the entrance from the existing JL&T module has been added and the unloading/loading area has been added too.

The demo work went fairly quickly and easily as the entire scenery area is a combination of cardboard strip form, covered with masking tape, vermiculite mix and zip texturing.

Zip texturing & Vermiculite covering removed...

Masking tape & Cardboard Strip forms removed...

The entrance has also had the styrene sidewalk removed, the sub base for the JL&T module is a Canitie base with 3mm plywood and 0.75mm styrene sheet.

Latex Caulk added to the Canite Sub Base, ready for one of two layers on Cork road bed for the new section...

The two layers of caulk roadbed end up being the same height as the finished plywood existing road bed.

First layer of cork road bed...

Second layer installed and showing finished level with existing sub bed, and styrene road...

Entrance & Unloading/Loading area in place...

BLMA Billboard re-installed back through sheet styrene...

Next step is going to be testing out another small siding (one 40' - 50' boxcar/flat car in length) to serve this area, it is workable and will require a #5 LH turnout to be placed to the right of the photo, and to the right of the JL&T module siding that will require another 90 degree crossover in the JL&T siding.  

I've ordered the parts and am waiting for them to arrive to check if it all fits.  Otherwise its back to purely being a vehicle unloading/loading & storage area.

Jas...

Next L&T Branch Section...

Well here a few quick photos of the next section of the L&T Branch to get worked on, this area will be a loading/unloading area for the building against the backdrop.

It will also serve to hide the join between the layout frame and the JL&T Module.

I will be removing part of the JL&T ground section to make way for a driveway & entrance.  I'm working from the rear of the backdrop towards the right of the picture (front entrance of the layout) as this will save the dreaded reach in and damaging something...

More to follow as we progress with this section...

Jas...

A special thank you on 10,000 views...

Hi All,

Just would like to say thank you to all of my subscribers, and those visiting the JL&T blog for getting us to 10,000 page views.

Hopefully there will be more posts soon, and some more updates on the L&T Branch as we progress on it.

Jas...

L&T Branch Trackside Running...

Hi All,

This is a little ops session video I have produced of our two KATO - Reading Lines locomotives, a SD45 & GP35 weathered, custom detailed with Soundtraxx Tsunami Sound done by JiM Rinker of Delano Mountain Custom Models in Reading PA.

The video features both locomotives consisted together as the RDG LOCAL on its daily run onto the L&T Branch.

Enjoy.

Jas...

Two more structures/industries for the L&T Branch...

Well for the two weeks I have been working on the next two major structures for the L&T Branch.  I have still yet to decide on what type of industries they will be, if they are linked together or stand alone.

They are both Walthers Cornerstone kits, the first is the Armstrong Electric Motors - Background kit and the second is the Shop Building No1 - Background Kit.  The kits will be built almost straight out of the box, however they both will have small scratch built add ons added to them.

The Armstrong Electric Motors kit has had one of the loading bay doors enlarged to fit a Walthers Modular kit large access door.

I have also added scratch built loading docks that are extra width, and extra height to match the floor levels of my box cars.

The second structure is all straight from the box, there will be detail parts added and that will be about it.

It has access on both sides for cars and also has a stub end rear siding for storage of one 50' boxcar outside of the building.

More to come as progress on these structures continues.

Jas...