Latest progress on Chugman's Layout New Holiday Video Added 11/25/2018

paul 2 posted:

Art, really looking good. In the one picture with the building flat what building flats did you use. Thanks Paul

Thanks, Paul.  I used an Ameritown Homestead Furniture kit that I had recently bought at our local, monthly train show.  It had been assembled, but who ever did it didn't do a very good job.  There was glue smeared all over it, they hadn't cut the flashings off, the joints were poorly fit and etc.  But these kits have very good bones and are also very versatile.  With a little TLC, some rearranging, and some decent weathering it will look like new or better.

Art

Art, Looking mighty good!  If the boss is driving a Ranchero, he seems to be a down-to-earth guy.  Maybe he would be interested in hiring this old telecom guy who is lingering around, too old to be hired by anyone needing state of the art technical expertise, but too young to start collecting Medicare!  

Seriously, the background history/current story is sound for each of the areas you are developing, and your modeling skills are very good that a foreground signature structure will certainly satisfy all viewers!  I'm glad Jim is helping out on the signaling!  Sigh!  Those young guns are taking over all the electronics work these days!!  

Art.......truly spectacular!

Peter

Everything looks great Art. Keep the photos coming.

Bob

I went to the monthly train show at the DuPage Fairgrounds this morning. The most spectacular thing that I saw there was a favorite vendor selling the new Woodland Scenics water towers. AND he had a great price on them as he always does. I had ordered one online and wished that I had waited and got one at DuPage.

I left the show in time to get home and go to church with my wife.  When I got out of church, I had an email stating that UPS had delivered my water tower while we were in church.

When I pulled in my driveway, this is what I saw. I have never seen UPS or Fedex drop packages on the driveway, but I was so glad to see it that I didn't care.

I had to take it downstairs and place it on the layout to see how it looks.  I have to add the town name of Ruthven to it, but I love the way it looks.

I want to add grass to the lot and a few trees and that will fill up my last lot in Ruthven.  I have a large access hole behind Spencer to build next after that.  I am thinking that I will just make that a city park with a lot of trees.

Art

Art,

The water tower looks great right where you put it. This will be a great looking scene once completed.

Dave

Looks great, Art!  If they left a package in my driveway, it would have been soaked clean through!  There may have even been water inside the tank when I opened it.

Looks great. Thanks for the update, Art.

Art,

Looks great, thanks for the updates.

Keep em coming !

--Tom

A couple updates on current projects.

First, the Railway Express Building is coming along slowly.  I had a few problems with the glue not holding very well and had to redo some of it.  I have some of the back bracing on, the windows painted, the walls weathered, and am about ready to make and install the back and sides.  I need to paint the loading dock and loading doors a brown, wood color.  I also want to make a canopy over the loading doors to protect the workers from the elements.

Another project was my first signal bridge.  My son, Jim, came over last night and installed it. He made a custom 3-track, bi-directional bridge out of three Lionel 450 Signal Bridges. Then he replaced the lights with LED's. Lastly he installed relays to activate the signals from isolated track sections.  I think it adds a lot of interest and action to this section of my layout.  I like to call it my "Chicago Race Track" since it has a three track mainline through this area and is beside my Eola Yard modeled after the real one in Aurora, IL.

I am having clearance problems with my current projects at my Chicago Union Station.  I didn't test my 21" passenger cars there before I finished it up and it doesn't work.  So, I will have to dismantle that and start over today.  A little set back, but all will work out in the end.

Art

    looks great Art,  very nice !!      like your "race track" and signal too !

Very impressive Art,  your son did a great job on the signal bridge....   The shallow relief warehouse building looks great too...   Nice to see the WP F units pulling the zephyr,  I am running a similar train with A-B units.... 

Beautiful Art ! 

Alex 

Art,

Like the REA building looking forward to seeing the finished project. 

The 3 track signal looks great.

-Tom

Looking fantastic!

Peter

Beautiful building Art. Can't wait for the drag races along "The Chicago Race Track"

Bob

Art, what wonderful work you and your son do! The building is looking great, once you get the sign on and some trucks out front it will be a master piece ! I really like the 3 lamp track signal, your son die a great job. I built one last year with the help of a group of forum members showing me the way! I hope when I get the layout up and running I can remember how to hook it up! LOL

Art, nice to see pics as to what you have been doing lately. That is one nice building.................Paul

Looking awesome!

Brian, Alex, Tom, Peter, Bob, Paul2, and BigTruckPete - Thanks.  It is really a lot more fun now that I am finally at the scenery and building stages of the layout.

Chris - Thanks.  I have always loved the WP paint job.  It's right up there with the warbonnet in my book.  I know the WP didn't pull the California Zephyr in or out of Chicago, but they are on my layout until the Burlington gets me some correct E-5's.  

I have been enjoying trying to get something done every day on the layout no matter how small it is.  

Art

Art,

Which manufacturer's Western Pacific F-units are those?  They look just terrific on your beautiful layout at the head end of the CZ.

RTR Mark

Ready-to-Run Mark posted:

Art,

Which manufacturer's Western Pacific F-units are those?  They look just terrific on your beautiful layout at the head end of the CZ.

RTR Mark

 

Thanks, Mark.  They are Lionel TMCC F units pulling K-line 21" cars.  I love them too.

Art

Chugman posted:

A couple updates on current projects.

First, the Railway Express Building is coming along slowly.  I had a few problems with the glue not holding very well and had to redo some of it.  I have some of the back bracing on, the windows painted, the walls weathered, and am about ready to make and install the back and sides.  I need to paint the loading dock and loading doors a brown, wood color.  I also want to make a canopy over the loading doors to protect the workers from the elements.

 

Get 3/8" wide evergreen strips, and back each vertical joint with one, bonded in with MEK (or Tenax 7R). Use a 27 GA needlepoint applicator bottle, let the MEK melt the strip and then press it into the back of the building.  That'll make it one piece. Be careful to not let it leak through or it'll eat the front face too. Butt jointed panels of Ameritowne dont bond too well without backing because the brick pattern doesnt really leave a lot of surface area for a plastic welder to bond together.

Art,

Looking great, thanks for sharing!

I am currently trying to get my downtown Chicago area around Union Station finished. I have been building a four-lane road across both freight yards that will end up going by the end of Union Station. The last piece ends at the fascia and is fairly small.

I have also added some land beside the road that completes the area above the end of the passenger tracks under the station. I thought that I had enough clearances on the poles supporting the bridge and on the posts holding up the land. Boy did I guess wrong! And in both places.

After I had moved posts and installed smaller ones in a couple places, I ran my clearance test car (an Atlas 21" California Zephyr observation car) around to see how it worked.  The bridge posts were tight, but since it is so hard to increase it any more, I decided I could live with that.

But the post holding up the deck addition was so tight it made me nervous.  I could slip a sheet of paper between or add one coat of paint, but I wanted more space than that. 

So this is what it now looks like after moving it over another post width.

The clearances on both sides are fairly close, but it is the best I could do with the space that I have.

To give you a better perspective of the area, here a few pictures that show the continuation of the four-lane road to Union Station.  It starts at the fascia by Proviso freight yard, runs over my Eola freight yard, crosses the aisle, and then continues along side Union Station to the fascia beside it. 

I have to hurry and get this bridge and road completed as traffic is backed up trying to reach US and the railroads are unhappy.

Art

Wow, that was no room for error. Yes moving the column was a good move!  Looks good Art!

That looks pretty awesome. Is that a CTA "L" track behind the station?

Isn’t it funny that even when we model railroaders have a lot of space we still never have quite enough?!! Art I like your improvements and the close fit really helps create a city like feeling of cramped quarters. Next time you’re in the real Union Station take a look at how close the top of the Metra and Superliner cars are to the ceiling. It may not be one sheet of paper, but it’s close!

Hi Art,

First let me just say WOW! The progress you're making is outstanding... your scenery work is awesome!  I have one question about those tight clearances... I seem to remember a conversation about 18" v 21"  passenger cars and you were solidly in the 18" camp...what changed your mind? 

Lou1985 posted:

That looks pretty awesome. Is that a CTA "L" track behind the station?

Thanks, the track behind the station is my upper level Milwaukee Road mainline.  I have run Metra trains on it and had a nice look to it that way.  But I use it as an additional station stop when I run passenger trains on it.

Art

RD posted:

Hi Art,

First let me just say WOW! The progress you're making is outstanding... your scenery work is awesome!  I have one question about those tight clearances... I seem to remember a conversation about 18" v 21"  passenger cars and you were solidly in the 18" camp...what changed your mind? 

Thanks Rich.  Reminds me I need to take a break and have another run session soon.  I used to feel that way about 18" cars looked so much better on my curves, but after running 21" K-Line cars I was hooked.  And then the Atlas 21" cars finished the job.  I love the looks and proportion of 21" enough that I am able to overlook the overhang on curves.

Art

Hi Art

    Your attention to detail is amazing. I noticed you used the word weathering in describing part of the detailing. Are you jumping in? My bet is you will be very good at it. Thanks for the update.

Ray Marion

Ray Marion posted:

Hi Art

    Your attention to detail is amazing. I noticed you used the word weathering in describing part of the detailing. Are you jumping in? My bet is you will be very good at it. Thanks for the update.

Ray Marion

Ray it's great to hear from you.  I have been weathering or aging all my buildings, roads, and etc., but have only dabbled in cars and engines so far.  I need to take lessons from you.  As soon as I get my scenery basics under control that is an area I want to work on.

Art

AWESOME. You have made a lot of progress this summer, I think that means you are really going to get things going this fall/winter.

I'm impressed by your progress, Art.  Those full-length passenger cars can be difficult at times, but now you have the option of running those you have as well as any which you might acquire in the future.

Thanks, Tom.  I had almost forgotten how much I loved my pre-Amtrak passenger cars.  The 21" cars look the best to me, but they do look awkward going around 072 to 090 curves.  When you have a long enough straight to stretch them out, they are hard to beat though.

Art

Art- the column clearances look about like what the NYC subways have. No worries and long and the cars don't sway going around the bend.  Very nice work as usual.

Bob

The city of Ruthven hired a crew to paint the city's name on their water tower. A lot of town people watched but they started getting sore necks from looking up so long and went home. 

Then the mayor starting receiving citizen complaints because the workers didn't remove the graffiti when they painted the town's name. 

Finally they all decided to retire to Sully's Tavern and then sleep on it.

Art

My answer to the mayor and council is to leave it alone.  Repainting it is just inviting them to paint more graffiti on a blank canvas.  Besides, the artist could fall next time, and that would be bad for him and cause quite a stir in the community!

It all looks great, Art!!

The graffiti is a great idea! It looks perfect.