Building the Pinacle Creek Mining & Timber Co. RR

[HOexplorer]

The first framing was drying over night. Finished this up this morning even with rocks on top. I still need to add weathering, but here is 'desk tunnel.' Jim

[k0ncept]

You need to drive over to my house and help me work on my layout .... I can dream I have a layout that looks that good one day .. Thank You again for posting so much information and helping all of us!!

THANK YOU! and that "desk" pic is priceless!! Awesome Job!!

Dan...

[tootnkumin]

Another "desktop" wallpaper pic for sure, once the rocks and weathering is done.

[HOexplorer]

k0, Where do you live? Thanks for the gracious comments. Glad to help out.

Toot, I'm getting there. I will repost this photo when all is done. Cheers. Jim

[HOexplorer]

Here is the photo of the 'desk' tunnel as promised. Since it is only a couple of feet away from me I will keep adding stuff as I go along. Jim

[HOexplorer]

Contest Notice. I mentioned after the aborted first 'contest' that I would have another one at 50,000 views. We just passed 49,000 so this is the first announcement.

Also, many of you have said publicly and privately how much this thread means to you. Thank you and you're welcome. Use what you can or want it is all free. Jim

[HOexplorer]

Mini Big Issue

To show I'm human I will admit to three days of trying to get my modern 4-4-0 around this particular curve. I'm track tuning and saved the most difficult/impossible for last. This morning I gave up and decided to rip up about 34 inches of track. Had to. Here's the first view:



And the curve. Problem area was at rail joiners next to the rock outcrop. The pilot wheels came off at that spot up or down. I added weight to the top of the pilots (lead) no joy.



To make the curve broad enough using flex track I have to go up a bank and cut out some land. Bummer. Look what is left.



This hole on the edge scenery is not to be desired. Generally it means plaster cloth again, which I'm out of right now of course, so I will use another way. Next post. Jim

[HOexplorer]

You sharp eyed viewers can see that the layout is nearly finish at this point. I have to make about 4 more Caspia trees. Speaking of trees. Working on this project working around the tree behind the engine house is not fun. Better testing of the track and train before scenery would have been very handy.

Anyway, we have to fill this hole. I will use this product:



In this 'fill the gap' scenary pay attention to how I've made a small 'Tootsie-roll' size piece of foam putty. Lay the roll into the gap and spread up the hill first with your thumb. Next spread onto the plywood, in this case, and make sure it sticks. Then you can smooth the middle of the roll.

I find that this foam putty is the most useful product. It does everything. In fact I will make a small pile of it where the old road bed was and when its dry I will cover that with stucco patch and make a rock outcrop.



In this last picture I decided to fill in the subroadbed deformities and make it all smooth. You can see two patches. Hope you learned something.
Jim

[skillman]

The best laid plans of mice and men!! That's why this is a hobby.

Steve

[Railrunner130]

Small suggestion- If that spot is just plain not usable, you might want to consider putting a stop at the end of the good part and "bury" the bad section in the weeds- like it's an abandoned section.