Building the Pinnacle Creek Mining & Timber Co. RR

[HOexplorer]

Back to my 3 most important model railroading thoughts. Number 1 was using Woodland Scenics Earth Undercoat on top of anything white. All plasters for example. Don't use latex instead of Earth Undercoat. Too dull. Number 2 is road cuts for your train track. Be a step ahead in your modeling not a step behind. Number 3 is layering. What? Layering, even in Number 3 position is probably the most important for realistic scenery. Layering is the piling on of scenic material covering the first layer, then the second and so on. Maybe some pics. First, is a single layer of scenic material being applied. Second pic, is one layer. The difference is easy to see in the last pic.. But we are not finished, more layers MUST be added for realism.

the 'salting' technique on top of scenic cement from a spray bottle.

 

[HOexplorer]

Biggest reminder about layering is that when you think you have enough you probably need another layer or two.

 

[HOexplorer]

A couple more layers.

 

[troyphoto]

A couple more layers.View attachment 150174

Two or three different flock colors
Static grass x 2 colors
and a bit of rock/gravel?

Did I get the layering correct?

 

[HOexplorer]

A great discovery! When I finish my 'last' layout a few years ago I tossed a lot of stuff. I put my packages of ground covers in a bigger bag. I saw a bunch of loose ground cover stuff in the bottom of the bigger bag. I dipped in my hand an came out with the best p

ossible ground cover.

 

[HOexplorer]

And more layers on our favorite spot. Yes, bushes and junk are all layers. Look around, you probably are not finished.

 

[HOexplorer]

Could you post a full view of your awesome little layout ? Thanks.

At this point the above photo is most of the layout. More to come. Thanks

 

[HOexplorer]

Wiring! I'm no expert, I have always followed directions in whatever book on electricity was in my hand. This layout is so easy to wire even I could do it after a three year absence. Red and black/white. I'm old fashion so red and black is my choice of wire. Didn't have white actually!

A nice fellow in Canada made me a curved turnout that fits the circle. I told him I was not going use the turnout just straight through traffic. More on that later. I soldered red and black to the track and it works! Remember my foam cutter? Check out the photos below. No muss, no fuss.

 

[BigGRacing]

Wiring! I'm no expert,

What kind of solder do you use ?

 

[HOexplorer]

What kind of solder do you use ?

Light duty rosin core, .032 inch from Radio Shack if you remember them.

 

[BigGRacing]

Light duty rosin core, .032 inch from Radio Shack if you remember them.

Yes, we have them here I think.

 

[ctclibby]

Just remember to NOT use acid core for anything electrical. Note that acid core does work for doing metal buildings as it cleans better than rosin core. Only use Rosin core on anything electrical. Also note that there is bigger rosin core - so it depends on how much mass you need to solder. I mean, the 0.032 can be used for big stuff, although you go through it faster once stuff heats up and the solder is transferred. Bigger solder, bigger soldering iron!

 

[HOexplorer]

ctc, All right and correct!

 

[HOexplorer]

These small type railroad layouts are sometimes guilty of not telling a story. In the photo below you see a loco, new, not used much, DCC & sound, the whole works. It will be part of telling a story on this layout. I'll let you stew and make guesses to its fate.

 

[HOexplorer]

These small type railroad layouts are sometimes guilty of not telling a story. In the photo below you see a loco, new, not used much, DCC & sound, the whole works. It will be part of telling a story on this layout. I'll let you stew and make guesses to its fate.View attachment 150454

What? No guesses.

 

[Railrunner130]

It would be running on the main line. Probably used and abused by the railroad.

 

[BigGRacing]

What? No guesses.

no guesses here, I would need a little more context....

 

[troyphoto]

What? No guesses.

Looks like that train will head into the paint shop for bright blue and red, with a face on the front end. Of course, it will be Thomas's evil Twin Anthony, mob boss of the train world...

 

[tootnkumin]

"What? No guesses?". Well, my one don't apply. That entailed the loco standing still, suspended on a wire from the layout's center and the track rotating around it. The object was to stop the engine at a station when the power was turned off. But, DCC? Jim. And sound even. You must be feeling better than you did.

 

[HOexplorer]

no guesses here, I would need a little more context....

A small layout can only 'tell' so much. Usually one or two things. What would you do with $300 loco?