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AVRR-PA
Fireman
Premium Member
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 Posted - 08/25/2010 : 07:50:08 AM
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Apropos of nothing - and not worth a separate thread - but kind of fun: we've gone Hollywood!
They are shooting two major movies in Pittsburgh right now and one of the crews descended on the Slaughterhouse yesterday, wanting to hire one of our tenants, who operates as Signworks, to build some rather large metal constructs for them. Garth and I cleared our vehicles out so they could use the parking pad and our tenant plus a whole bunch of crew members worked through the night, with much carry-out food. I don't know when they quit but clearly they'll be back today to do more of it. Good money for our tenant (who we like a lot) and fun to watch. Also fun to talk with the movie crafts people - they're great improvisers.
Also completely off-topic, but WTH - Garth has started another boat. This one is an Adirondack Guide Boat.
I guess I'd better get back to model railroading.
Don
P.S. Here's what the finished product looked like. And here's the final irony. After all that work and expense - they weren't used in the movie. In my experience (limited), movie making is a rolling disaster that occasionally somehow produces a movie.
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Edited by - AVRR-PA on 09/10/2010 06:15:01 AM |
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AVRR-PA
Fireman
Premium Member
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Posted - 09/06/2010 : 5:43:21 PM
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Hi, everyone - happy Labor Day!
I completed the basic carpentry on the first of the two shelf layouts. As I think I mentioned, I decided to make my own 1x4's by ripping a sheet of hardwood plywood into 3-1/2" wide pieces. With Garth's help, it didn't take very long. Then a little work with the crosscut box and, voila! - benchwork pieces parts:
I'm building three 18" x 6' frames and eight legs. (Only the l/h and r/h frames will have legs - the center frame will be bolted to the two outers.) This pile includes sides, ends, cross pieces and leg parts.
Here are the three basic frames - glued together and "clamped" with air nails. Fast and easy. I luuuuuv my air nailer. 
Here's all the leg material, ready to be glued up:
And here are the leg assemblies. The scrap block at the bottom of each leg will hold an adjuster. Since they'll be somewhat visible, I'll probably use actual adjustable glides rather than lag screws.
Even though this is benchwork, it needs to look presentable since it's right in my living space. So the next step is to fill all the air nail holes, sand, and apply a couple of coats of polyurethane. I'll do all that in the shop so I don't stink up the apartment.
Here's a picture of the coal trestle that will be a prominent feature of the hallway layout - NBW heaven!
Edit: Photo credit: trainweb.com. C. Milster photograph.
Next update when I have the parts finished and set up in the apartment.
Don
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Edited by - AVRR-PA on 01/23/2011 8:43:17 PM |
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Vagel Keller
Crew Chief
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Posted - 09/06/2010 : 11:49:11 PM
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Go, Don!
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Neil M
Fireman
Premium Member
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AVRR-PA
Fireman
Premium Member
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Posted - 09/10/2010 : 06:24:21 AM
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Hi, Neil (and all y'all) --
I'm looking forward to getting the trestle started. I just haven't felt like crawling inside an Optivisor this summer - my modeling bench hasn't had its dust-cover removed in weeks. I think the trestle - and a couple of ship models - might get me going again.
Work proceedeth on the bench work but nothing very photogenic. All the nail holes have been filled, everything has been sanded to 220, and I'm starting to apply finish.
OK, here's the latest crazy idea for the layout. The section in the hallway is going to be much like the Lackawanna 25th Street facility. But the part in the bedroom? The obvious prototype would be another piece of the New York Harbor complex.
But the other modeling subject I've always wanted to do something about is non-US (probably European) prototypes. I've lusted after a Swiss Krokodil locomotive since I was a kid. So if modelers can invent fictitious elements (like Cradonium), why can't I play fast and loose with plate tectonics and move the US and Europe close enough so be connected by car ferries and car float barges?
Neil, are you feeling your house shaking slightly? Like it might be moving westward?
Don
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Neil M
Fireman
Premium Member
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Posted - 09/10/2010 : 12:07:47 PM
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I love krocerdils. My dad had a Marklin 3-rail model in the 1950s and 1960s which he loved so I was able to track down one on ebay for an ok price a few years ago (roco this time) which is a beautiful locomotive.
I was surprised to read how light they were. I'd almost say that you could paint it black and run it as an early US electric loco. That's what I want to do with my 0-4-4-0T Bavarian loco on my layout. Having US cars against a swiss scene, or vice versa would look a bit eye bending 
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| Built a waterfront HO layout in Ireland http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=22161 but now making a start in On30 in Australia |
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Country: Australia
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nhguy
Fireman
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Posted - 09/10/2010 : 3:00:50 PM
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That is an interesting structure. And a man made wooden switchback to boot! That will take a LOT of NBW castings for sure. I think you will be 'over' NBW castings after this project.
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Bill Shanaman
Superintendent, New Haven RR in the 1948 to 1952 era
PMRA President 2013-14, OpSIG Member
NCE User Since 1999
Sugar City, Colorado |
Edited by - nhguy on 09/10/2010 3:01:24 PM |
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AVRR-PA
Fireman
Premium Member
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Posted - 10/06/2010 : 07:16:24 AM
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I haven't been loafing - just not posting a lot.
The benchwork was finished to a rather unnecessarily high standard while still in the shop and has now been installed in the apartment next door.
After filling all the nail holes and applying three coats of polyurethane to everything, I finally started thinking about how I'm actually going to build this thing and realized that I'll want to add masonite fascia and that same green carpet that Vagel used - so most of the wood is going to be covered. Oh, well - it'll look nice until I get around to adding the fascia. The legs needed some kind of finish on them... Well, actually, they didn't - because I now think I'm going to eventually add skirting. Maybe I should do a little more planning.
Anyhow - here it is, set up. The floor is very much not level and the walls are very much not plumb - the guys who did the renovation work apparently didn't own levels. I wound up needing more range in the levelers than I had - I should have used longer, heavier lag screws. So I had to add blocks, which I don't like:
I wanted to be able to pull it away from the wall easily, to add the scene boards. I may decide to take it apart and put in longer screws before I go much further, since having the blocks under the legs will make moving it a lot fussier.
Don't let anyone tell you that even fairly expensive plywood is flat. Here's a shot showing the rather wavy front edge. Fuctionally, it doesn't really matter - but it don't look professional.
And here are some overview shots:
Next step - add plywood tops (which won't be attached yet) and cardboard from old cartons and get Vagel to come over help me translate the Sanborn map into an actual, workable track plan. I have to figure out how to either depress the part that represents water or elevate the rest of the layout. Other than that, it's all totally flat.
Don
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AVRR-PA
Fireman
Premium Member
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Posted - 10/06/2010 : 07:25:28 AM
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Oops! Here's the Sanborn map. Probably hard to interpret when reduced this much - I have a much larger version which I'll be working from.
Edit: Actually, it's not a Sanborn map. It's a D&LW map. It probably dates from 1958. Source is trainweb.com.
The river is on the left - landward is to the right. They shared the waterfront with a shipyard and there are five floating drydocks. I'd like to model at least one of them - the one that was right next to the float bridge - if possible.
At various times in the life of the yard, there was water on both sides, although those slips were mostly filled in later. If possible, it sure would be nice to be able to have water along the front of the layout so I could fit in additional boat models - but with only 18" and that big trestle and switchback and a lot of other stuff to fit in - well, we'll see what happen.
Don
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Edited by - AVRR-PA on 01/23/2011 8:45:03 PM |
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Country: USA
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AVRR-PA
Fireman
Premium Member
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Posted - 10/06/2010 : 07:34:26 AM
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Here's a pretty understandable photograph of the yard, near the end of it's life. (Not many cars in the yard, other than coal.) There's a car float and a couple of floating dry docks (but not the one right next to the car float) and you can see the trestle pretty clearly.
Edit: the photograph was taken in 1964, a couple of years before the yard was finally shut down. The source is: A. Galantry Archives.
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Edited by - AVRR-PA on 01/23/2011 8:47:34 PM |
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Neil M
Fireman
Premium Member
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Posted - 10/06/2010 : 07:41:39 AM
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Looking good Don.
I know what you mean about plywood - a flat sheet warps all over the place when it s cut into strips. I gave up and used pine for my frame and it was a good bit easier as the pine is very stiff and easily worked.
I sunk my harbour into the frame, making a depressed area when I built it, but that was because I wanted to keep the frame small and light and have the front of the frame also be the fascia. I think on a bigger layout and one that wasn't going to move regularly I would have used extruded foam etc. on top of the frame with plywood on the frame as the sea because it makes varying the landforms a bit easier. Even flat land still has drainage ditches and bumps in it.
Also doesn't reduce the strength of the front of the frame. My layout is only 4 feet long and seems stiff enough with a chunk cut out of the front edge but it looks more like 6 feet between legs on yours?
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| Built a waterfront HO layout in Ireland http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=22161 but now making a start in On30 in Australia |
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Country: Australia
| Posts: 2173 |
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MarkF
Engineer
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Posted - 10/06/2010 : 08:09:19 AM
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Don, I'm just catching up on your thread and you've gotten a lot done! The benchwork looks great. Yes, it took me a while to learn the 'plan ahead' lesson. I used to get anal about my benchwork, but not anymore. Structurally it is sound, but as for appearance, well, I've come to realize (this being my 5th layout) that when all is said and done, no one will see any of the benchwork! So now I spend the time on the things people DO see! Looks great though. I can't wait to see some trackwork!
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Mark
See my homepage at http://home.comcast.net/~prrndiv/
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Country: USA
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Rick
Administrator
Premium Member
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Posted - 10/06/2010 : 09:10:34 AM
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Don, good looking modules.
I'm sure the waviness of the boards will be less noticeable after the track, structures and scenery are down.
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Country: USA
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AVRR-PA
Fireman
Premium Member
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Posted - 10/06/2010 : 09:44:15 AM
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Hi, Neil --
Although the lack of flatness is frustrating, I still like plywood 1x4's because they (usually) don't have wind or crook in them. Also, while plywood may move when you saw it, it (usually) doesn't move again, with seasonal change.
In the case of Vagel's layout - he owns the space and it has a rough wood floor, so we can stabilize it by screwing it to the floor and cross-bracing it a lot. In my case, I can't screw it to anything. Well - I shouldn't...
Thoughts on the water -
-- A full-size car float is 36" actual inches long in HO and I kind of hate to devote that much layout space to modeling water. Also, this particular yard had dedicated car floats that were about an actual 24" long, because of navigational issues in that channel. So I'm thinking I'll give maybe 25" to water.
-- I think I'll put a piece of 1/4" luan right on top of the benchwork and top that off with some of that pebbly glass they make shower doors from (after painting the luan). I can add waves etc., ala Dave Frary, with Mod Podge or similar gel medium.
-- The fascia will hide the edges.
-- The height of the yard above the water is pretty much governed by the dimensions of the Walthers car float kit that I was lucky enough to buy. I might be able to get that height by layering foam; or putting plywood and homosote up on risers; or something I haven't thought of. Suggestions most welcome.
Foam would be nice because, as you point out, even flat yard have humps and bumps and foam is easy to carve. I don't see any visible ballast profile in the pictures I have so far but I would like to have some kind of top surface that would hold spikes. Hmmmmmm.....
Considering the price of turnouts, I'm giving fairly serious thought to learning to handlay. On the other hand - I still own quite a few #6's that Garth gave me when he caught boat fever.
Almost time to head for Vagel's for the regular Wednesday session.
Don
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AVRR-PA
Fireman
Premium Member
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Posted - 10/06/2010 : 09:45:50 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by MarkF
Don, I'm just catching up on your thread and you've gotten a lot done! The benchwork looks great. Yes, it took me a while to learn the 'plan ahead' lesson. I used to get anal about my benchwork, but not anymore. Structurally it is sound, but as for appearance, well, I've come to realize (this being my 5th layout) that when all is said and done, no one will see any of the benchwork! So now I spend the time on the things people DO see! Looks great though. I can't wait to see some trackwork!
Hi, Mark -- my old boss had a sign in his conference room that read "No amount of planning will ever replace pure dumb luck." On the other hand...
Don
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Country: USA
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