Well thats where all the action has been for the last couple of days. The old code 100 track has been lifted and the code 75 is now in place. Ballasting has been partially done in front of the platform.
The prescence of the track should now set at ease the two gentlemen from the previous post.
During the week I put together a PC3 station building from Casula Hobbies. Let me recommend this kit very highly, it went together perfectly, the file was never used once in anger. I still need to add the watertank and downpipes but as the station is not open yet for passengers (I refuse to use that latest term 'customers') there is no hurry. The roof and walls have been suitably weathered. (aren't we the complete opposite to model car collectors, they want their models to look shiny and new and we just go on and make everything dirty!)
I will return to work next Monday after two weeks off and only achieving a few of the things on the list. Never mind its only about ten weeks till another lot.
Thomas
I was watching on TV today a show called "Worlds greenest Homes" and in the introduction for the show when the family was met, one of the kids was playing with his Thomas the Tank engine push along train on the floor. Its probably been said before but can you relate to how many kids this has brought into the hobby?
Sure it has become a huge commercial venture, but who cares! The TV shows and all the products available in the Thomas range have been a driving force to bring kids into the railway family.
Having said that my daughters Percy engine doesn't see much action on the layout.
Forums
I suppose I am a sucker for the model rail forums and follow a few. I find them sometimes interesting and learn a few things along the way. It's all part of sucking in information from where ever you can get it.
One forum has a thread on the ins and out of the 38 class. It is about to crack the 100 pages of verbal diatribe about the good, bad and anything else you can think of or make up. It seems sometimes people just like a whinge about anything. Look how much we loved our Lima 38's and 44 class. We knew they were wrong but most people had at least one. Something better comes along and so then you can go and drop a brick on your Lima 44's.
What about some of the early sticky resin freight car kits we had and thought were great? I reckon you could you them as a lint remover.
Anyhow I'm over the 38 thread rantings and won't read that one again.
Just another parting shot of the garratt about to take water at Bodalla. The siding to the right will be the new stock siding.
Is there a chance that you could go over your ballasting technique? The scenes look great. What brand ballast do you use and how do you fix it? As you said, I'm also always looking at sucking in information for every source possible.
ReplyDeleteThanks
Craig
Could not agree more Bob, as far as your thoughts on the 38 discussion go. It's fairly simple, if you don't like the diameter of the rivet heads on the second reciprocating valve deflagulator bracket, then don't buy a Eureka 38 - find a better one ! I'm sure Ron won't mind too much.
ReplyDeleteCraig,
ReplyDeleteI use Chucks Ballast, the particular one I have used at Bodalla is Martins Creek Fine.
Spread the ballast with a fine brush and get it set dry to how you want the finished look to be.
Water it down with a spray bottle with a dash of detergent to make the glue flow easier.
Then drip diluted pvc glue over the ballast. It is usually dry and hardened the next day.
I also use Tamiya Flat earth colour to give the ballast a weathered look. At the end of crossing loops and at the ends of stations I tend to put a diluted black to represent oil droppings from standing locos. Also a bit of Tamiya 'Smoke' which looks like fresh oil droppings. On crossing loops I tend to add more soil to the ballast as they were never maintained to the same standard as the main lines.
Hope this may be of help
Bob
Bob
ReplyDeleteI really love your scenery, well done. I must get a look at at in real life some day. Might have to stir up Mark D and Gary (above) since I missed the visit a couple of years ago.
As for the 38 diatribe, I haven't read a word. Being close to Ron I know what research went goes into a model and have also seen the frustration that comes from asking for/directing corrections and not getting them when the final production models arrive by air. As they say, the chinese are inscrutable; read that as, they will only do what they want to do.
Ray P
Thanks Ray,
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to getting to the state of finish of your layout. Always an inspiration, you have captured that NSW look perfectly
Bob