Mark, things sure are looking different at your place! I really like the ideas you're coming up with and can't wait to see where it goes! It's funny how things are always changing! I am sure if you go with a double bridge the life will still work as it did for me.
Thank you, Mike!! I would think the lift wouldn't have a problem. If I recall correctly, it is rated at either 200 or 250 pounds.
I painted the chimney and got the mortar in for the station. It looks pretty close to the brick on the building, close enough.
I haven't had much time for the layout, but did want to report I painted and installed the chimney that John sent me. While the bricks are different than the station, I think I got a pretty good match. I apologize for the cockeyed first photograph.
I counted the number and spacing of the snowbirds (snow guards) from prototype photographs and even watched a couple videos from a manufacturer to see where they should be located with respect to shingle edges and gaps. I also painted them, so next up is to mark the spots and drill small holes to help hold them in place.
Many thanks to Andy @Steamfan77 for sending me some straight track for the double track bridge project. I had to postpone picking up the bridge from the forum member in Ohio who has it. Thank you for looking.
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Nice job on the chimney! Good job matching things.
When does the station open for business or has the RR gotten permission for partial occupancy already?
@Mark Boyce posted:I haven't had much time for the layout, but did want to report I painted and installed the chimney that John sent me. While the bricks are different than the station, I think I got a pretty good match. I apologize for the cockeyed first photograph.
I counted the number and spacing of the snowbirds (snow guards) from prototype photographs and even watched a couple videos from a manufacturer to see where they should be located with respect to shingle edges and gaps. I also painted them, so next up is to mark the spots and drill small holes to help hold them in place.
Many thanks to Andy @Steamfan77 for sending me some straight track for the double track bridge project. I had to postpone picking up the bridge from the forum member in Ohio who has it. Thank you for looking.
Looks good Mark.
I will note however that you may have an issue with the local building inspector. The top of the chimney is supposed to be 3' above any obstructions to prevent downdrafts. 
I would suggest having a nice envelope prepared when he shows up.......
Uh-oh, more code talk. Based on the age of the railroad station, I think it may be grandfathered in ! 
The station turned out real nice!
-Greg
Thank you, Bill, Bob, Richie, Greg.
Bill, supply chain issues (ie Mark hasn’t started shopping 😄) have caused a delay. Looks like perhaps a ‘pre-order’ issue. 😄
Bob, I thought the same as you. Richie knows you well! 😄 I positioned the chimney to roughly match the architect drawings and prototype in service photographs.
Richie, I love grandpa on these issues. 😄
Greg, 👍🏻
Looking good Mark! The chimney is a good match. Perhaps a little weathering will blend it more with the station. It was my pleasure to lend a hand to your excellent layout.
Andy
Awesome job! It's gonna look great on the layout.
Awesome job on the station Mark. 
Mark, you’ve done a fantastic job on this really nicely styled station. Your chimney looks like a great match and the siding is appropriate for the scene. Wow, Your layout is on the move. I know I don’t chime in often, however with OGR’s system, I have all the updates as folks make comments and this keeps me up to date on the wonderful progress your making. Happy Railroading Everyone
Nice job, Mark!
The chimney is a great match.
George
Thank you, Andy, Bill, Joe, Larry, George.
Yes a little weathering will help blend things together, Andy.
Larry, I do like getting update emails on everything I have been following. I haven’t been commenting on as many threads as I once did. I could spend hours here and never get to the layout! 😄
Mark, great job on the station. All the work is paying off.
@Mark Boyce posted:I haven't had much time for the layout, but did want to report I painted and installed the chimney that John sent me. While the bricks are different than the station, I think I got a pretty good match. I apologize for the cockeyed first photograph.
I counted the number and spacing of the snowbirds (snow guards) from prototype photographs and even watched a couple videos from a manufacturer to see where they should be located with respect to shingle edges and gaps. I also painted them, so next up is to mark the spots and drill small holes to help hold them in place.
Many thanks to Andy @Steamfan77 for sending me some straight track for the double track bridge project. I had to postpone picking up the bridge from the forum member in Ohio who has it. Thank you for looking.
Mark, that is great. Is there an interior to the building? I can't tell on my phone if there's curtains or maybe a glare, but it turned out real nice.
As for bricks, that is between the chimney and the rest of the building, it could be that it was a different batch that was fired. I think my grandfather had given a slight education on bricks when we had done some work on mom's house a great number of years ago. Maybe even they had to import than from England. Your station, your backstory.
Thank you RJ and Dave!
RJ, it has been a lot of work, but fun for the most part.
Dave, no interior yet. Bill Webb gave me several resources, but I haven't ordered anything. Both roofs are easily removable, and there is room for me to maneuver items in there. I even have the floorplan, but certainly won't put in walls that can't be seen from the exterior. You have a great point about different bricks being used on different sections of buildings over the years. I'm using the backstory of the prototype that was located in Thomas, West Virginia. This prototype had to have had different bricks in different locations, because it was heavily damaged in a tornado in 1942. The one story section was removed and rebuilt in a different configuration. The two story part was intact. They had to use different bricks, although I can't tell from reprinted black and white photographs.
Mark, you have done a great job on the station! Have you finalized the rotation of the building? I love the idea of a longer siding for the station!
Mark.....it is really coming along!!!!!!
I love the station.......beautifully done!!!!!
Peter
Great job Mark! Your attention to detail really shows.
Thank you, Mike, Peter, John!
Mike, I settled on this view.
John, the chimney you made really helps the appearance. Thank you.
Last evening, I started installing the snow guards(snowbirds). I started them on the end that will be least visible. First I measured, then drilled a small hole with a pin vice. I put a tiny dab of CA on the tiny mounting pin and positioned it in the hole. They are really tricky with any of the tweezers I have. I did 3 and had enough for a while. At that rate it will take all summer to do them all! 😄
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Mark, perhaps some cotton extending from the top of the chimney would have a nice look.
@Mark Boyce posted:Thank you, Mike, Peter, John!
Mike, I settled on this view.
John, the chimney you made really helps the appearance. Thank you.
Last evening, I started installing the snow guards(snowbirds). I started them on the end that will be least visible. First I measured, then drilled a small hole with a pin vice. I put a tiny dab of CA on the tiny mounting pin and positioned it in the hole. They are really tricky with any of the tweezers I have. I did 3 and had enough for a while. At that rate it will take all summer to do them all! 😄
Looks good Mark.
Don't you just love it when a great idea suddenly meets the reality of installation. 
Bob
Mark - gee I don't see any snowbirds in the photo - have they flown the proverbial coop already?
Thank you, Jay, Bob, and Jeff.
Maybe I should install a smoke unit in the chimney! Oh, I almost forgot; the Fire Chief says no smoke indoors!
Bob, you are so right! David Eisinger told me there wasn't much of a tab to hold them in place. He was right. It reminds me of the fiasco of trying to build the Walthers substation. In that case, I pulled the 'good enough' lever and bought the Woodland Scenics substation.
Jeff, I understand what you mean about snowbirds. None had roosted in that photograph that I reused from a couple weeks ago. In Western Pennsylvania 'snowbirds' are those folks who winter in Florida. I didn't know what to call them, and David Eisinger called them snowbirds which is what Tichy calls them. I learned later that the term 'snow guard' was used on the drawing of the prototype, and a manufacturer of the 1:1 scale ones are called snow guards as well. I may go 'cuckoo' trying to install them.
Mark, I’ve only heard the term “snowbird” for the guard. As with many items, the same thing can go by different names depending on the region. For example: Hero (NY), Grinder (NE), Sub (NJ), Hoagie (PA). 😉 My regions may be off, but you get the idea. I think they will add a nice detail to your station no matter what they’re called!
Andy
@Mark Boyce posted:I haven't had much time for the layout, but did want to report I painted and installed the chimney that John sent me. While the bricks are different than the station, I think I got a pretty good match. I apologize for the cockeyed first photograph.
I counted the number and spacing of the snowbirds (snow guards) from prototype photographs and even watched a couple videos from a manufacturer to see where they should be located with respect to shingle edges and gaps. I also painted them, so next up is to mark the spots and drill small holes to help hold them in place.
Many thanks to Andy @Steamfan77 for sending me some straight track for the double track bridge project. I had to postpone picking up the bridge from the forum member in Ohio who has it. Thank you for looking.
WOW Mark!!! This station looks terrific!! You give such superb attention to detail! How wonderful!!!
@Steamfan77 posted:For example: Hero (NY), Grinder (NE), Sub (NJ), Hoagie (PA). 😉
Andy
You got at least one right, Andy! Growing up in Vermont... I had never heard of a sub, hero or a hoagie ...chock one up for the boonies.
Thank you Andy, Pat, Dennis!
Hoagie is definitely right for Western Pennsylvania, but I really don’t know about Eastern. There are so many differences between Pittsburgh and Philly, east and west. It’s like a different state. I’ve only ever been east of the Susquehanna River twice.
Pat, thank you. I had a good kit to start with. The Carolina Craftsman Kits are nicely done.
About details, I’m really struggling with the snowbirds getting them straight. I started dabbing in glue from the underside of the hole, which is a lot neater, but my hand isn’t steady enough to get them all lined straight. It’s like making fine adjustments on relays back at the power company ages ago. The saying was, “If you think you moved it, you moved it too far”. 😄
To add to the sub discussion, we went to Philly once and we wanted to get an official Philly cheesesteak because we had never had one before. The lady asked us if we wanted it with wiz? At first we were confused, but soon realized she was referring to cheese wiz. That's how they make them there apparently 😉. For me, "snowbirds" means the retired/elderly people that travel to Florida for part of the year, but I also know what you're putting on your station 😁 .
Maybe you could try lightly taping a straight edge or ruler to the roof to help you get them lined up in the proper orientation easier. Are you going to stagger them or will they all be in a straight line?
I also love seeing your level of detail! Keep up the great work!
Michael
On the Philly side of the state a cheesesteak “with “ means onions. The cheese portion is under stood. Hoagies are cold sandwiches with your choice of meat along with cheese (optional) lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles. It has to be on the proper roll. Also, we don’t go to the beach we go to the shore. When we’re at the shore then we go to the beach.
Thank you Michael, Jay.
I am able to get the snowbirds in straight rows. Watching a Berger Building Products tutorial whether the shingles are slate or composite, the slots on the mounting brackets should be hooked around nails leaving the snowbird near the edge of the shingle above it. That gives me a natural straight line. My problem is keeping the tiny things from rotating slightly as I place them. I'll try to get a photograph later since I am up late and the phone I use is in the bedroom.
Jay, I agree with your description of hoagies and Philly cheesesteak.
Can you do them one at a time using superglue? Loctite gel should work. Spray with accelerator when in place.
Bill, I did use some superglue I got at the hardware store. I am drilling holes for a tight fit, but the tabs are only like a millimeter long. Once I get them rotated to the right position, I'm good to go gluing from the underside and tipping the roof over to let some superglue drain down in the hole. Doing that, I don't get glue on the shingle. A couple of the first ones I did that the chimney will mostly hide have glue stain on a shingle. Every tool I use still shakes a bit even when I brace my hand. I sure like keyed slots better for attaching parts. A few at a time, and I'll be done sometime.
As an aside, but defiantly related to layout building, I was cleared by the back surgeon last week for any activity I can handle using proper lifting techniques and keeping up my exercises for core strength. On a sad note, the sciatic nerve that was damaged by the initial bulging discs is still giving me issues from the keister to my toes. Last evening, it hurt to sit and it hurt to stand, so I gave up with a few holes left unfilled. I guess I should take the building upstairs to the comfy couch to work on. That may be the answer. I'll get back to it. I am now scheduled for a first visit to a pain clinic next Tuesday, so maybe they have something to help me a bit.
You could try getting them properly lining up by first squaring up some low grip tape to the roof surface, like blue painter's tape, for each one.
After you glue the snowbird in place, let it dry a little and tap with an awl or toothpick until you get it square to the tape - when dry remove the tape - repeat for each one.
And let's not forget "grinders".
Glad that you were released. Hopefully the pain clinic will have some ideas that will work.
it sounds like your idea of a few at a time may be the answer. We will keep you in our prayers.
Thank you Richie and Bill!
Richie, I tried a toothpick on the ones I had already glued in place. I had to give them a pretty good nudge, but they straightened up close enough to the eye. That may have been because the roof is card stock and it gave a bit. Anyway, I proved they aren't going anywhere else. I'll try it on them as they dry a little as you suggested. I would have not thought of that idea.
Thank you, Bill. All prayers are appreciated. I only reported on it since it does affect how I approach modeling, not to mention everything else. For me, it's just disappointing. I'm more concerned about my wife's cardio and rare osteoarthritis condition. She sees a different cardiologist next month and finally has a diagnosis on the osteo issue and started medication a few days ago.
I’m sure the snow birds will come our great. Can’t wait to see.
Best of luck with the pain clinic. Maybe they can make your quality of life that much better. In addition to the core strengthening, maybe you could ask about what stretches would be beneficial. I’ve found that daily stretching helps. I’ll keep a good thought for you and your wife.
Andy
Thank you, Andy!!
Here is the first side. It doesn't look too bad. The viewer will see this at a pretty sharp angle. Hopefully the rest will look a little better.
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Looks pretty good to me. Nice work Mark.
