NOVAHILL ...... U.S.A

[upnick]

Saturday afternoon i got the code 83 flexitrack and points ......and finished the first three boards construction apart from the legs.

While purchasing the track a Walthers Centennial Mills background building proved a good purchase as Walthers include a back wall which is not needed with plenty of spare windows ........ with this in mind i extended the building to double its length with some plasticard for the roof i will cover with fine sand once it is in place.


Here are the basic walls



I have done a how to pic thread showing the kitbsah to make the mills double length here
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[Bigsteel]

very nicely done ,how do you plan to weather it?--josh

[upnick]

very nicely done ,how do you plan to weather it?--josh

Hi Josh,

I havnt decided on the weathering yet but probably with washes and drybrushing initially followed by powders if i think it needs it.

[tomustang]

Wow nick, your progress is moving along quickly

[upnick]

Wow nick, your progress is moving along quickly

Dont mess about Tom



Last day today i can really spend time on the layout ......back to work on Tuesday :mad: ...lol

I didnt waste time though with my latest Walthers background building Tomaso's Market 6'' H x 4 1/8 W x 2 3/8 D a superb kit as usual from Walthers ...... when adding the window linings i cut two top liners from 30 thou plasticard and another end liner for the left side to add to the kit parts.
80 thou floors were put in for a few reasons a little more strenth .... interior details can be added at a later date and they provide a surface to attach the LED's to for lighting.
I am hoping to source some 1:87 items for the window displays before fitting plasticard backs to them.



Extra plastic strips were added to give the impression of half open windows.



A roundhouse D&H 50' gondola in kit form recieved a resin scrap load originally designed for 52's two 80 thou plasticard spacer inde the gondola provided a false floor for the load to sit on .kadee #5 couplers fitted
Plenty of rust powders and paint will make it a good addition to the stock.

[Trucklover]

Looking Good Nick!! i like the gon with the resin load in it, some paints and chalks will fix the resin look and make it look real

[upnick]

Hi All,

Three of the boards went up on Sunday and i carried on laying track over the last two days to get it up and running and get more idea how things will look planning buildings, a scrap dealer of some kind is in mind.
Back boards will be added once building heights have been established.

Here are a few pics with some stock.

First two boards with track down.



One i weathered this week needing some rust streaking







Bought from ebay weathered





AC4400 Athearn S.P. dummy loco patched for U.P. needs grab irons and rails finishing off.

[LynnB]

Well I wouldn't spend any extra money off ebay just because its weathered, the weathering your doing looks fantastic.

[upnick]

Hi Lynn,

Many thanks the car from ebay isnt the best example i have seen of weathering i will certainly be doing my own from now on save some money

[upnick]

Hi All,

Of course i am using Kadee couplers with their #308 uncoupling magnet ...... looking at the plan how many #308's do you think i could need ? or is it better to know what buildings are going on and then work out the magnets as they can be slipped under the track anywhere cutting a piece of trackbed out as i stuck it down with Copydex and its easy to remove




I have used a Peco long crossing where the red circle is on this modified plan ....... one question do long crossings such as this exist on grade crossings in reality ........... where i want to run an access road to the industries to marked with the red lines.

[Russ Bellinis]

Hi All,

Of course i am using Kadee couplers with their #308 uncoupling magnet ...... looking at the plan how many #308's do you think i could need ? or is it better to know what buildings are going on and then work out the magnets as they can be slipped under the track anywhere cutting a piece of trackbed out as i stuck it down with Copydex and its easy to remove




I have used a Peco long crossing where the red circle is on this modified plan ....... one question do long crossings such as this exist on grade crossings in reality ........... where i want to run an access road to the industries to marked with the red lines.

Generally, those sorts of industrial tracks will be located on back street away from main roads. They also tend to be located in an industrial area away from housing. They will probably not even have a crossing gate, and may not have flashing lights, just a cross buck on each side of the right of way to warn motorists. Usually, but not always those industries will be worked at night. A member of the train crew will guard the crossing stepping off the train to stop traffic before the train blocks the road. After dark, the crew member will put flares out on the road on both sides of the crossing, at least that is the practice I've seen in downtown Los Angeles when I watched an S.P. switch crew work the Los Angeles wholesale produce market. In that case they were blocking off Alameda Street which is a major street in South Central L A, but since it is mostly industrial/commercial, there was very little traffic late at night when they were working.

[upnick]

Generally, those sorts of industrial tracks will be located on back street away from main roads. They also tend to be located in an industrial area away from housing. They will probably not even have a crossing gate, and may not have flashing lights, just a cross buck on each side of the right of way to warn motorists. Usually, but not always those industries will be worked at night. A member of the train crew will guard the crossing stepping off the train to stop traffic before the train blocks the road. After dark, the crew member will put flares out on the road on both sides of the crossing, at least that is the practice I've seen in downtown Los Angeles when I watched an S.P. switch crew work the Los Angeles wholesale produce market. In that case they were blocking off Alameda Street which is a major street in South Central L A, but since it is mostly industrial/commercial, there was very little traffic late at night when they were working.

Hi Russ,

Solves the fitting of flashing lights on a crossing then ....... the back strret approach seems good as a guy i met at my LHS has a switcher layout to capture a yard where anything and everything runs through leaving it a transition point with some industry and the backs of buildings belonging to a town beyond the layout.

Many thanks for the information the diner i have started to make up is going to serve the railroad / industry another area of interest.

[LiveSteamer]

The weathering looks great. Can't wait to see more.

[upnick]

The weathering looks great. Can't wait to see more.

Hi Livesteamer,

Many thanks heres the car all ready for the layout

[upnick]

Hi All,

Novahill is progressing well with the crossing now replaced by back to back points giving better operation within the layout as pointed out to me ...... the latest buildings for it are a three road car repair shop to go at the right hand end, and Parkview Terrace which provides plenty of combinations of height / floors having the levels marked out for the builder to choose.

I glued the structure to a plasticard base for handling and later mounting to the boards, also plasticard three floors were added and will allow different areas to be lit without light seepage, hoping to add interior detail making it a focal point.

Downpipes/ stairs/glazing roof details & overall painting and it will be done.

I bought two kits they will make a good backdrop to the layout with if space allows an access road.











I was hoping to fit in Walthers overhead crane inside the repair shop but its too wide for the shop



Here is the plan with the buildings in initial positions ....... could change around a little though.

1. Centinnial Mills.
2. Parkview terrace (2 Kits)
3. Tomaso's market.
4. Repair shop in this area or to cover the front roads nothing finalised on postion yet.
5. Grassed area raised.

Not sure of the diner & scrap yard for positon yet.