Port Anne Western 3 May update

Looks great Pete!

Been wondering how the new layout is coming along!

I love that scene, Pete.

Often a corner of the layout becomes wasted space, but in this case, it adds great depth to that area. The best part is how the road disappears into the mountain and hills. I can just feel what the coffee tastes like at the diner as the train comes around the bend !!

Well done !

Outstanding Pete. How big is this new On30 layout and do you have a trackplan to post?

George,

The layout will fill the same ~1000ft2 area as my now gone O gauge layout, however, it will have much less complex track work.  I'll try to work up an overall layout plan and post this weekend.

Very nice scene.

More progress:

Doing some forestry work:

Looking good!  We hope to get to some scenery this year.  Still wiring, still doing cork, and laying track.  I have put in a little foam filler strips but no actual scenery.  You are making great progress.  Russ

Very cool, Pete!

Peter

This is shaping up very nicely. Hard to tell from the phots, but is that On3 or On2 1/2?

Hello Pete • Well done photos & progress.

Progress slowly continues on the 18' long peninsula along a wall. Back in December, it looked like this:

By early March I was applying the Gypsolite:

Next came the scenery base coat:

Forestation was next:

The peninsula extends 18' from the right hand shelf and has a single track main line hidden under the mountain for 16'.  Almost 8' of the track is inaccessible from underneath so I had to create an access point for the inevitable derailments in the tunnel...  The access hole will be eventually hidden by a long, removable rock outcropping:

A view of the corner I worked on earlier that ties into the peninsula:

Obviously, there is much more to be done... Hopefully,  once all the structures are wired in; I can start working on the front of the peninsula.

Pete this continues to look great. Moving right along.

Bill (Suffolk)

Pete,

Always informative to read. Any preliminary track plan yet?

Here's a quickly drawn sketch of possible mainline track.  My plan is always in my head and evolves as I go along...

Basically three reverse loops allowing for running - turnouts for industry/switching will be added as I progress. Will have a farming/agricultural area in the bottom reverse loop.  Center peninsula will have hills/country along left side with a port along the right side. Top left will be the city with the wye at top right.  Mountains/mines along top left reverse loop.

Wow, A large undertaking. Thank you & keep us posted. Your last layout was a 3 rail masterpiece.

Worked on the access hole:

Pete,

This is the first I have seen your topic.  Wow, I missed a lot!  Your scenery is looking great!  I really like the rock outcropping access cover.  In the last photo, I can't tell it is a removable part.  I'm glad I found your topic.

Pete,

What size lumber are you using for your benchwork? The black legs almost look metal. I like the fact that it's smaller and light weight. Is this the same benchwork you used on the 3 rail layout?

Seacoast,

I normally use the "L Girder" method for my framing with 2x3 and 4x2" girders. 

The black legs are simply 2x4s cut in two - light weight but strong enough to support me on the bench work.

Cheers,

Very cool, indeed!

Peter

nicely done! 

Pete,

You're progress in a given amount of time is incredible.

Great job.

Aaron

Looking great! I've got the diner too and just love it, but don't know where it is going to reside yet.

Ron H

Looking really good; love the trees.

Suggestion: when adding photo updates, use the "Edit topic" button at the top of your thread and edit the thread title by inserting the date of the update.  Makes following your progress much easier for forumites to follow your progress.

Very nice progress, Pete!  I too like all the trees!  Thank you for posting your photos.

Great job!

Beautiful...not sure what else to say!

Harold's Produce Packing - last pic before 2 weeks on the road...

Finally getting a bit of time.  Installed base scenery material around Katie's Pond.

Gorgeous!

Peter

Excellent work!

Super scenery!!

I recently acquired a partially finished trestle module (4'x2'x18"h).  The builder was after a western look and had colored the rocks a muddy brown.  When I got it to my house and looked more closely, I didn't like how narrow the "gorge" was at the rear of the module - I wanted more light to show through. This si what it it loriginally looked like:

I decided to narrow the module by cutting 5" from across  the rear.  This would open up the "gorge" and allow better placement in my layout.  This turned out to be an interesting engineering challenge! The cutting went fine and a lot of re-bracing was required.

This is what I removed:

Installing new bracing:

You can see how much more open the rear is:

I then installed a new rear fascia and began to restain the rock moldings with black and brown washes to get an Eastern rock appearance.  I just finished applying the base scenery. 

 That's it until the module is incorporated into the layout in the next month or so.

your modifications look great!

Pete,

   Congrats on some great work, I love it all!

PCRR/Dave

Niiiice.... Wish I stumbled across something like that when I was building my layout.

Overall view; slow progress:

Dusk at Coal Hollow, VA: