Layout update 6/11/23

The basement has walls, and hopefully the roof goes on the house this next week.  Here is a picture of the layout area as is it right now.

Here is how I have arranged the layout at this time.   

If you click on the drawing a large version will appear. 

Since it has been a while, here is the list of Givens and Druthers.  I believe I have 

Givens 

1. It is 1949. 

2. HO scale standard gauge main line. 

3. Line runs from North Staging (KC) to Car Ferry Dock at Van Buren, AR. 

4. Within reason, modular specifications to meet Free-Mo standards 

    a. http://www.free-mo.org/standard/ 

    b. 42” minimum radius on the main line 

    c. #8 Turnouts on the main line 

5. Main cities of Joplin, MO & Springdale, AR. 

6. The town of Splitlog must be represented. 

7. 3’ narrow gauge line (Trees Unlimited) somewhere south of Springdale a. associated with a large sawmill. 

8. 30” narrow gauge somewhere 

9. 18” operating mine railroad 

10.Interchanges:

    a. ATSF, MKT, KCS, MoPac & Frisco in Joplin. 

    b. Frisco in Springdale

    c. MoPac, KCS, Frisco in Van Buren 

11.Joplin Union Station will be massively compressed, flat on the back with taller building flats attached to the back. I will have to do a drawing to make that make any since. 

 

Druthers 

1. Gulf Oil refinery somewhere south of Joplin. 

2. 36” aisles 

The layout sections are 26' in depth except for at Van Buren where it is 33".  Almost all section of the layout can be operated from both sides.  The only exceptions are this time are Joplin and the section with the large sawmill.  The concept for those two sections are shown below.

For some clarification on the Joplin section, here are some concept drawings.

The station and hotels will sit where indicated.  The Joplin station track side will have some depth to it, but the hotels will be flats.  I will have to get an artist to draw the hotels, as pictures of the back of the hotels are sketchy or non-existent.  I plan on mounting the hotel drawings on black foam core to give them some semblance of depth.  The total depth, as currently planned, will be about 6", and the length will be somewhat longer the 12", and about 7" tall.  The dark blue is the main line, and the light blue are passing sidings.

Between Joplin and Springdale the elevation of the main line will rise 3-4 inches, and this module is just south of Springdale.  Again, the standard gauge main line is in dark blue.  With the exception of this section, the layout could be run as double track, as there are passing sidings the entire length.  The 3' gauge track and the sawmill are on the upper portion blocked from this side by trees, lots of trees.  Viewing from this side, there is an 18" (Z scale track) mining railroad at zero elevation and it loops under the standard gauge and the sawmill.  Also, at the far right, you can see a small red section, that is the 30" gauge railroad that will be hauling the mined product away.  What are we mining, maybe unobtanium, maybe Vibranium, maybe?

Logging camp cabins, outhouses, and a boat

I have a problem staying on just one project.  Maybe I like multitasking, then again, maybe I am really bad at it, as I have several projects that I started over a year ago, and still don't have done.  Given that, why would I start more projects?  For my logging operation, I needed some cheap housing, and came across a couple Atlas cabins at a swap meet for .50 cents each, and realizing I had three Atlas lumberyards that I was going to kitbash, I could then have five logging cabins, which would be enough.  I built them over the weekend a few weeks back.

I painted them up, but in colors that actually are close to the original plastic colors.  I threw away the formed bases that came with the models, and put the cabins up on skids made from strip wood.

These will be a good contrast to the log slab siding cabin that I will use for an office for the camp.  It was 3d printed, and here is a link to the final pictures of that project. http://nvrr49.blogspot.com/2013/08/log-slab-siding-cabin-update.html

I picked up a two pack of outhouses from Built-rite Models, http://built-ritemodels.com/models.html, and assembled them for the logging camp area.

The boat was scratch built out of styrene, just for the heck of it.  This was built based on plans in Model Railroader in March 1985.  I designed the ores and had them printed at shapeways.com.  I guess I can use this around the logging site.

2-4-4-0 Steam Engine, kitbashed HO scale

This is a static (non-powered) model assembled from a long out of production Roundhouse 3-1 kitbashing kit.  This kit is part of a long out of production series of kits designed to be kitbashed.  Most included three different projects, this one, even though it is called a 3-in-1 kit, it is really just one, but it can be built may different ways.  As is the case with all these kits, there is a lot of cutting and fitting involved, and outside parts that must be added.  Below is one of 12 pages of instruction, not detailed instructions, but ideas on different ways one might build the engine.  With all the different options, there will be lots of parts left over to use for junk around the railroad yard.

Instructions for this and other kits may be accessed through this link.  Gerry Dombroski was one of the designers on several of the kits, and has put together a great resource here.
 http://kitbash.ourpage.com/index-linked.htm

Here are a couple views of the kit ready to be weathered.  Since I have never weathered a steam locomotive, I am looking for direction.  I plan on this being a derelict engine, setting on an overgrown siding.

An overhead shot.  Any feedback on weathering and/or additional detailing, based on the idea it is an out of service engine, is appreciated.

Yes, I do other things than just 3d printing HO scale items.  I have some logging cabins on skids I am in the process of kitbashing using some Atlas cabins.  I should have them done in a few weeks.  

BUT, I am also 3d printing all the buildings for a farm diorama.  I will be doing blog entries on it's progress, but you can follow along in one thread on mrrrforums.com.  Here is a direct link to the thread. 

 http://www.kitforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8723