Category Archives: The Trains

Finally working on my main Yard control panel

My Control panels will use Berretthill.com touch toggles for all the switch controls, uncouplers, and even room lights.

I started by taking a number of phone shots looking straight down on the area for the panel

Phone shots from overhead

Next I realized I would need to change the actual proportions of the area to fit a useful sized panel for the controls, done in Photoshop.

Area of panel compressed in Photoshop

I then traced the compressed photo composite, and smoothed things out

Part of tracing paper taken from compressed photos

Then I photographed the tracing and put it in Photoshop to do vector final track layout the width needed for the controls etc.

Starting to put track diagram on a photoshop layer above the tracing

This completed diagram will be printed out to size for the panel, and the touch toggles (seen below) will be attached to the back of the paper and will show through indicating direction

group of touch toggles in my hand.

Here is how they would work showing through the completed paper for the panel.

Light shows which way the switch is thrown.

Below is completed panel, ready to be printed out to size.

panel just about ready for printing

In a future post, after I get all the touch controls in place, I will put up a fully glowing panel.

 

More on new buildings

This time partially completed Lumber Mill, kit bashing an old Suydam kit with changed windows, doors, reconstructed missing parts and eventually scratch built additions.

First side, adding new windows and doors from Tichy Train Group, with weathered and rusting corrugated siding

Assembling the structure on a steel machinists plate. Handy to hold things in position with magnets, since the walls are steel.

Assembling with Epoxy and CA Glue

Next brick portion

Brick incinerator building

Adding Weathering to Doors etc.

Freight Door

Then starting to plan positioning on the layout on the Lumber branch.

Mill Side

Whole area plan showing places for Log chute, pond area, log dump, stream and separate scratch built finishing building and loading dock

Partially completed Mill on Plan of area

Kit bashing and Scratch building

Starting to  work on multiple structures for the layout using kit bashing and scratch building. I’ll be putting up various progress on building in the coming weeks. The first area is the passenger station area in the city.

Passenger station area test ideas

This second view in same area with some added wall ideas

Station area in the city

The longer shed part of the station is at a lower level and further along.

Almost finished train shed area

Will put up progress on this and other areas as I move along.

Continuing work on the Lumbering branch line

I have been concentrating on working on the branch line this week, so here are some photos of progress at the future site of the sawmill.

Getting the sidings in place for the log slide to the pond and a siding for finished product.

Next a series of Photographs showing creating the terrain around where the mill will be.

Adding slab of foam for base of mill area.

Adding slope down base.

Using some hydrocal rocks from rock molds and plaster cloth.

Then filling with more rocks and blending with sculptamold

Next will be determining the contours of the mill area (buildings, pond etc.

Night about to come to the layout

About to install a 51 foot length of blue rope leds, which is just about right to do a single trace around the whole layout in from the front of the aisle.

Starting to see how I will install lights

Will use the blue lights and perhaps a string of Warm white dimmable rope lights, so I can adjust the balance between the blue and white.

Town in blue night light only

Addition of the white Dimmable light should give a night effect, but still be better able to see.