I have building on my layout for about a year and half now and am always looking for advice and input from others. I have a web site at http://www.larrystrain.org built by my son-in-law. I would appreciate any input from fellow model railroaders. I am trying to model the Salamanca Branch of the PRR. Thanks for your input. Larry
Wow! Great work.
I'm thinking I need more space! Nice work. Cool website too.
Thanks, any suggestions on the website or layout. Some of the pictures are from our club layout in Dothan, AL and the 2007 train show but the others are all from my layout. My oldest son built me this room in his shop after I have had several open heart surgeries. I don't know how much longer I have on this earth. I am living on on stint and if it closes that is it. I was just wanting some input before that happens. Thanks to all
Sure was hoping to get some input from you guys on some things I could do especially around the engine facility to make it look more like a work area. I know it had to be a cluttered area; but what was some of the clutter they had laying around? Thanks for some help. Larry
Well I'm still new at this but here is my take. The ground is pristine. Muck it up a bit. Maybe some oil spills. Chucks of coal here and there. An old rusted driver and some rods. Just my idea. Your work looks great!
Where are the pictures of the engine facility?
Gene
Gene thanks for trying to help. When you go into the website you click onto images and it will have several areas to look into. You have to go to the second set of 50 images. You click onto the + sign where it says engine facility. Thank you so much for any input you have. Larry
Great Photos. Thanks for sharing those with us.
Larry,
Absolutely great work. I agree with Prebres...muck it up a bit. Rail yards and engine facilities were notorious for having various forms of debris. Dirt, ballast, trash, oil spills anything your heart desires (oops, no pun intended).
You have a couple of pictures that show grass (looks like Woodland Scenics) on top of some hills. Keep in mind how rain water would erode the soil and expose rock stratas. I actually used real dirt from my back yard, sifted it and added WS fine grass which came out very realistic. You could also add some creeks or detention ponds. If you get the chance check on the Waltlhers website and order George Selios' book of his layout. This guy is a master in detailing city and track scenes.
You are doing wonderful work.....keep it up.
Bill
Larry,
My first suggestion is to use cinders for ballast in the engine facility. Add some weeds between sets of track. The coaling tower needs to have smoke stains on it from the engines being serviced. As mentioned, some trash - a truck track, a few sheds and shacks - oil storage and such. Some figures.
Gene
Thanks that is what I needed to hear. Sometimes you just draw a blank and then others give you some great insight. Can you give an example of what kind of shacks and sheds you might be talking about. I did make up a rip track but I don't think I have a picture of that. What was the name of George's book? Thanks again your ideas are great. Larry
Gene would you mix with regular ballast or would you go with total cinders? Larry
Since I'm doing a steam layout, the engine facility ballast is pure cinders - after all, they are free, readily available, and need disposal in any event. However, a late transition facility may well have gravel added, and one today would have none.
As for sheds and shacks - the best bet would be to look in the Walther's catalog. However there are a couple by Atlas that would work - somebody is surely building the old Revell box car and caboose turned into yard office and crew house. There's a company called Williamsburg (IIRC) that makes a bunch of good stuff. You could probably use a garage model. And it might be a fun scratchbuilding project.
Gene
Gene,
Hey I never thought about an old boxcar or caboose. That would really be neat. I am basically modeling 1955 which is the transition; this being the case your saying there would be a mix of gravel and cinders. I have Walthers deisel facility which would be new in 1955. Just a question: would you use gravel around that area and then around the coaling tower and tt and roundhouse it would be mostly cinders?
Mr. Baker if you read this can you tell me more about what you were suggesting around the hills. Thanks to all of you. Larry
This would depend on the railroad. In 1955 the Southern would be all diesel for the past two years. C&O would have all diesel passenger, but still mostly steam freight. N&W wouldn't even be thinking diesel. PRR and NYC would still have lots of steam because EMD, Alco, and Fairbanks-Morse couldn't build diesel fast enough to replace their steamers.
The diesel facility ballast might depend on where it is built.
Gene
Larry,
The name of George Sellios' book is "The Fabulous Franklin & South Manchester Railroad". As a matter of fact it's on sale for $16.98 (reg $19.95). Go to their website at Walthers.com or call 1-800-487-2467.
In regards to the terrain around the hills, you have one picture (I forgot which number) in which it appears you sprinkled some some WS fine grass. To me it looks like a freshly mowed lawn. Areas such as this should have shrubbery....it's rough and wild and not maintained. I would first paint the area a soil color to establish your base. You can go to any good art supply store and and buy some acrylic paints. (red or brown ocre) or use WS ground cover stain. Then add your shrubs and/or very small trees. Than as you come down the sides, this is where rain run off would scour the dirt forming the beginning of a stream. Perhaps here you could glue short strands or clumps of field grass inter mixed with some small talus (again Woodland Scenics). Then towards the bottom the water would erode the base which could expose some rock strata. My hobby shop sells some rubber molds in which you can form various shaped rocks that you can incorporate in your scene. I could go on and on, but your best bet is to purchase another book from Walthers entitled "Planning Scenery for your Model Railroad" on sale for $17.98. Finally, there is a guy named Harold Menke (sp?) who writes quite often to this forum. He has a website that has some great scenery ideas. Harold if you read this, send Larry your website address.
Also, if you haven't already, subscribe to Model Railroader Magazine. Every month they feature layouts and you can get some great ideas.
Good luck, Bill
Thank you everyone for your suggestions. You all gave me some great suggestions. This forum is really neat to get some others perspective. I appreciate it very much. Thanks again and Keep looking at larrystrain.org and see how I follow your suggestions. God bless you all. Larry