Glad to hear you got it figured out. That’s something that’s not easy to diagnose online.
Excellent! I’m glad you got it going. I agree with Dave, some of these problems need on site investigation.
@DoubleDAZ i just wanted to share an update. None of the scenery is done, but I received my base3 on Thursday and got a new transformer. 2 trains running. 96% of the work still needed, but the wiring and base setup is done. I am running trains! Again, tyvm!!!
https://youtu.be/KXNPXHo8GaY?si=6ie83NpQ00E5xZOb
Ken
It nice to see you running trains. Thanks for the update, glad I could help. Hopefully you’ll find landscaping fun, even though it’s probably going to be frustrating at times.
@PRR8976 Yes! That is a gift from a client/friend. It works and is in pristine condition. I do not run it though, as it is both valuable monetarily and personally. My friend used to be heavy in the hobby and made trains as part of the Baltimore engineering group. He is in his middle 80's and does nothing in the hobby anymore, just charting around the workd with his fiancé now. Randomly last Xmas he gifted it to me. Brass engine and tender. It will be on display until at least my last days. Ted always ask me if I run it, even though I tell him I am never running it. I tested it when he gave it to me, to make sure it runs and that is it. Lol.
@DoubleDAZ yeah, we have everything to get started. The delay has been due to waiting on base3 and needing to purchase a new transformer. Could not do ballasting until the transformer was purchased. It all came together at the sams time by chance. Base3 came same time I was able to snag transformer on a good deal. Ballasting next week, then the real fun starts. Mountain/tunnels, then rest of scenery. Probably another 6 months for next update. 🤣🤣🤣🤞🏽
@DoubleDAZ both rails running well, ballasting starting today. Two Pennsy's running. GP30 and L1 Mikado. Talk soon.
Looking good, Ken.
Moving right along. 👍🏻
Looks good!
@Mark Boyce tyvm!! Fully ballasted now. About to work on Tunnel structure. Amazing how much quieter it is with ballast.
@Mark Boyce @DoubleDAZ here is a quick update from work over the weekend. I thought the ballasting was done, but the wife thinks the center rails on the raised area should have ballast, so still a little more to go. Tunnel is moving along too. She painted the tunnel portals and they came out great. Take a look. Remember, I never did anything like this before. Pretty cool hobby!
Ken, your layout is really looking great. Yes, your wife is right about the ballast and that is great she has been painting the tunnel portals. How do you like the metal legs with casters? If they are solid like the folding banquet table I use for my Christmas table, then you shouldn't have any wobble. Mine doesn't have casters, but yours would be quite handy to move the layout to work on all sides.
@Mark Boyce they are awesome! Inexpensive too. Here is the link. https://amzn.to/4d7SiNR
Nope, they are solid and there is no wobbling. Now, I am on carpet, I have no idea how they would work on wood or other materials, but they are smooth and hold all the weight and move very well. The table is 5x5 with 80x80 of plywood on top. The table holds 880 lbs. I misspoke earlier saying 1000. The 6x6 table I looked at 1st was 1000. Either way, much more capacity than I will ever use. Probably 200 lbs or so of stuff going to go on top. I wanted to allow for in case for some reason I need to get on top of it, then all would be well.
Ken, I think I’m going to get those for the Christmas layout! Thank you!
it looks like that new Base 3 is doing its job just fine! The Mikado runs great!
@Mark Boyce yvw! I was surprised to see the price. I actually got them for half that. Put them in your cart and Amazon will discount in time.
Ken, I used your link and, they are in my cart. Thank you! Thank you for the last video as well. Also, I subscribed to your YouTube channel! Have a great week!
@Mark Boyce you too! Appreciate the support!
Looks great, Ken! Congratulations!
Ditto from me, Ken, coming right along.
@Mark Boyce and @DoubleDAZ a slight change in the plan. Pulled off the shaper paper mountain facade and decided to utilize the styro i used to pencil in the tunnel/mointain. My 1st ever attempt at airbrushing! I bought the airbrush and compressor 8 months ago...lol Just now getting to use it. My wife thought the walls looked like wood, she forgot what we were modeling (loosely) ...a tunnel we saw on ACME cinematography on YouTube. Picture attached.
Video closeup of my airbrushing work 🥴
https://1drv.ms/v/c/a0fea3a754...Ikgda2Ro--9aZoQCR6ZQ
Thoughts?
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I have to admit it looks like a sheer retaining wall and the color reminds me of redwood. The stack of insulation above the portal looks more like ground. The image of what you’re trying to match has a very red tint, so it’s hard to see exactly how it’s supposed to look. I thought it was supposed to be a sheer vertical cliff. And, since the other track is so close, I think it should be a cliff with what’s in the photo above it sloped as a mountainside. And perhaps less red and more dirt-like browns. I admit I don’t have any experience with landscaping, so take what I’m saying with a grain of salt.
@DoubleDAZ lol! No worries as I said to her, it is not done yet, this is the base portion and I plan to add strips of the foam in parts to simulate the rocks, ground cover, trees, etc. I was just experimenting with using the existing structure before tearing it down. I have leftover foam. I am more excited that I can use an airbrush. Lol! Appreciate the feedback, it helps me evolve my plan even more. I do not want to do this in an vacuum having never done this stuff before. From the beginning, I only had 1 must haves if you recall, 2 trains passing in opposite directions, which everyone said could not be done in the space I have for O Guage. We'll, with your help, we already did that...we are in gravy land now. 😁
Well since you asked - the places I have seen with sheer walls was trackage running along a river where you might see steep sides. If you really want the hill, cover both tracks with the mountain, otherwise move the inner track at least 6 inches inside to allow more room for the mountain slope. The other option is to lower the hill and make it a retaining wall. Add landscaping or a town or industry on top.
Many of want to see mountains and tunnels on our layouts, but they are really challenging to make look right and make sense. Of course it all depends on what degree of "realism" you want.
Ken, I should have said the paint itself looked nice. 👍🏻
Ken, here’s a photo of 2 trains on a hill that might give you some ideas. Picture the train on the left inside a tunnel. Notice the cliff on the left. Like Jeff said, it’s often difficult to reproduce the look on a small layout.
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Ken, I would highly recommend you consider the method I used to make very thin shallow steep sceniked walls along the back of my layout. It entails following some YouTube videos I made and have posted via links here and on YouTube years ago....
Here's a link to the 1st video I posted on how to do this with expanding spray foam and inexpensive batting purchased at Joanne Fabrics.... There are 5 total videos, the last one being a Review of this scene when it was completed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02urEgugzew&t=5s
It's really the easiest method in my opinion, and over 45 years in this hobby, I have done most of the traditional plaster hydrocal methods etc.
Here's some photos so you can see some photos of how they turned out and some in process photos.
The batting creates a texture matt that you bury in cheap flat latex paint, and then apply all usual scenery materials, earth, dirt, grasses, clump foliage , static grass, shrubs, trees etc.....
If you look to the very far LEFT of the 1st photo below you can see the large mountain shown in the last (2nd) photo below. That entire vertical rock face with trees etc is less than 6 inches thick (deep) total. I created a tunnel beneath it, with a concrete retaining wall. I added that siding as a second Arrival and Departure track but didn't want to give up on the tall rock face, hence the tunnel under it. The rocks are hydrocal that I casted with commercially available molds, then glued to the vertical wall where the batting and textured scenery and trees are planted.
The vast majority of trees on that vertical rock face mountain are "puff ball trees" with a few other fancier trees mixed in near the top for variety.
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Thanks, everyone!!! Appreciate the feedback and suggestions. 2 things that work against me and that is space and my platform has to move. Realism is a guide. Like the tunnel and mountain side I am quasi modeling, is just a guide. But, none of this is something I grew up with, but I am all in to learning and growing. In the last 8 months I have taken up this layout and 3D printing. Both things were never on my radar, ever. 🤯
Here is a link to my layout. It is only 80"x80"
https://1drv.ms/v/c/a0fea3a754...xBiE6BuyJJCMcPzG-pEA
Here is my youtube channel if any of you want to follow my progression. I already follow many people on the forum. Advice is always welcomed.
https://youtube.com/@dntbsillynow?si=hM4R_p1u_k_ZzmBu
Ken
Hi Ken, I really like the way your layout is going, I think if you check out the link below you will find some amazing photos of real trains running along the Columbia River Gorge in Washington State and Oregon State. I plan on having a area similar to that on my layout also.
https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&am...Uk09SUdSRQ&ntb=1
Chris I always like watching your mountain making videos! I plan on trying it on my future layout if I ever get the room ready! LOL
Mike
Thanks @mike g. We were just watching Railfandan video last night Rare and Scenic trains in the Pacific Northwest. A lot of these drone videos look like someone's layout. Lol! Appreciate the support!
Sorry guys, updated the link to my layout. Not sure why that link pasted 🤯
@DoubleDAZ @Mark Boyce and bunch of buildings and backdrop coming this weekend. Mountain facade done (mostly 😁)
Ken, well done! The mountain facade looks really nice, especially the way the cliff turned out.
The mountain looks good. Your new buildings will enhance the layout a lot.
Nice run!
