I need a break from the bowser builds. I have a massive pile of structure kits.
I have a generic background building, a roundhouse, a turntable, a coal dealer, a coaling tower, a cinder pit and conveyor, a gas station, a power plant, a gas plant, and several pieces of rolling stock (in kit form, and some just undecorated). That is just the tip of the iceberg, there are many more.
I really need to structures so I can move them around to get the best use of them, and the space. It will make track planning much easier. I just don't know which kit to begin with...

Matt

Here's my first post in this forum. I'm crawling a bit on using the new bulletin board software, but I'll learn how to use this.

The following pictures are taken from my layout. I must concede they are not well made in the photographic sense because I couldn't seem to work well with the interface of the camera I used. But I really want to show you guys how a hell-bent model railroader in the Philippines could do. There is presently no model railroad shop here in the Philippines, so I had to find some way to get the trains and the tracks. My present collection of model railroad equipment took more than 10 years to acquire. Most of my structures are paper models that I could easily buy and download in the internet. I got some trees and rose bushes from architecture supplies stores locally. The 7-Up trucks I used claimed to be 1:87, and most of the other vehicles are at 1:72(which is close enough to me). The grass on my layout is basically green felt paper that looked like golf course grass. I'm planning to make my own ground grass out of saw dust in the future to improve the look of my layout.

My original plan for my HO layout is a fictitious 1950's era railroad in New England, but acquiring the right items had been a problem for me. So there are many anachronisms in my layout, but I hope to fix those in the future.

Here are the pictures.

   

   

   

I thought ther was a thread on here about how to use the woodland scienics or similar type of long grass. I can't seem to find it though. I looked on the "other" site, but I don't like the way there new search engine works (to many adds)

If anyone has a good way to "plant" some grass, please let me know.

Thanks

Have been watching coverage on the Web of the wildfires in Victoria and NSW, Australia. The severity of the destruction and the great loss of life due to bushfires magnified by drought and high temperatures (and possible instances of ARSON !!) brings concern for members, families and friends Down Under. Here's prayers and hopes for the safety of all in this dire situation. Any news from you lot will be appreciated. Bob C

...so far.
Every once in awhile, my father sends me a "care package" from Arizona, with train related magazines. The box usually contains issues of Trains, Railfan & Railroad and Railpace Magazine.

In the November, December 2008 issues of Railfan & Railroad is a two part article on the devoplopment of EMD's "E" locomotives. I've been reading the first part(In the white seat reading room), and even though I'm not a fan of transition era railroading, I'm finding this article pretty imformative and an excellent article.

If you don't have a subscription, to R&R, I highly recommend finding someone who does, or seeing if your local library has them. Of course...I will share my copies (after I'm done) with anyone who requests them.

SOLD

Is it possible to set external links to automatically open a new window/tab?

Thanks,

Andrew

Just strictly out of curiosity when looking at how a Steam Engine is connected to its tender are the models prototypical when they use a "tow bar" or did the real thing use a coupler to allow for more flexibilty if swapping out tenders? I imagine that on occasion a tender and loco might be separated, however I'm guessing for the most part that didn't happen too often. How difficult i.e. how much work was it to separate the two if it was required? :? :|

Has anyone ever measured the Mantua 2-6-6-2 and compared the dimensions to the Uintah 2-6-6-2 that it was based off of? Does anyone know what the boiler diameter, boiler length, and cab width are on the Mantua and how they compare to the Uintah locomotive? I have heard Mantua took the Uintah 2-6-6-2 dimensions and "re-gauged" and re-proportioned the engine to a standard-gauge model. Would this be a suitable conversion for Sn3 or even On3 to produce a reasonable model of this locomotive? Not that I necessarily want to tackle such a project, but i am curious as to why it is not a common conversion.

I guess I should revive my CVR thread here.

I started out to do the shortline's branch that ran from Streetsville to Orangeville. When planning I was thinking about HO scale as that is what my father and uncle model in. However, I wanted more in the space I have, also I went and saw a buddies N Scale empire and realised that you can do great stuff in N and have more railroad in a given layout.

Initially my trackplan was for a 4m x 2m alcove.


Photos of this layout can be seen here: http://www.muskokacomputes.com/CVR/CVR-Layout-04.html

But then when I opened my shop, Muskoka Computes and Hobbies, http://www.muskokacomputes.com
I suddenly had a spare room free...

So now I had a 3m x 3m (10' for those still using the old method) room. so I pulled down the layout and started fresh.
With a new track plan.

That was late 2007. I have progress photos from March and May 2008 up on my site:
http://www.muskokacomputes.com/CVR/CVR-Layout-01.html

And Feb. 2009 on the second page.

With the track laid, wired for DCC and Tortoise machines mounted I had to hide the toggles for the Tortoises...


My latest project was to start the backdrop...
Not being an artist, and not being able to afford a 10.4M (34') printed backdrop...

I took a page from a friend's layout. He had done a 3D backdrop. So I tried my hand at it.
Taking a piece of 30CM wide hardboard, left over from the fascia installation, I went to work...

Paint, cotton balls, ground foam, turf and lichen... some white glue and Woodland Scenic cement.
I am happy with the results, so will continue.. it will be slightly different as it goes around the layout...

Here is the first part, covering a mirrored closet door.




That is about it for now.