The purpose of this blog is to document and share the planning, construction, and operation of a small HO model railroad set in the Pacific Northwest. Discussion of "Version 2" of the model railroad starts in the fall of 2021.
So, I have started a new project, planning and collecting information and materials for the proposed cannery at Nooksack. Last week I started sketching some ideas during the Thursday modeling Zoom I attend, and since then I inked it in and started some mockups. Some background: Everson, Washington had a fruit and vegetable cannery called the C. S. Kale Canning Company. I am relocating it to nearby Nooksack and renaming it the Curtis Canning Company. It and other Whatcom County canneries canned beans, beets, carrots, raspberries, pears, cherries, and in the 1950s a lot of green peas. My intension is for it to be a major industry for the 4th subdivision, definitely the largest in Nooksack.
In this snapshot from today, some mockups tentatively locate parts of the cannery. Starting from the left is a ubiquitous Walthers warehouse, the one building already constructed. Next is a paper mockup of parts from the Walthers Arrowhead Ale background kit. Without kitbashing, it is not deep enough, but by using an extra wall part included in one of the sprues I can make it work. I plan to scratchbuild a wooden loading dock instead of using the plastic one from the kit. I may also scratchbuild a water tank for the roof. Moving to the right or to the east, I have a couple of scraps of wood and my team track dock sort of suggesting the scratchbuilt section seen in the initial sketch. That section needs more planning and a cardboard mockup.
In this photo, I have a cardboard mockup of a possible additional building located beyond the boiler house drawn in the original sketch. I have DPM modular parts for the boiler house, so it could be started at any time. I have several street view photos of the Carnation plant (that is still standing) from Everson that I may use to create a background photo flat as seen approximated here. If I do, I plan to attempt a couple of techniques from Paul Dolkos: 3D visual foils on either side and layering the photo on matboard. Testing with the NMRA gauge for clearance along the track is critical as I build mockups or buildings. I have ordered the Juniper Freight House kit from Fos Scale Models, thinking it will fit on the other side of the spur, perhaps near where the gauge is sitting in the photo.
To move beyond some scraps of wood, cut out paper photocopies, and cardboard mockups in a reassonable amount of time, I need to modify my modeling practice. Some possibilities include:
Over the last few weeks I have been working on this older Walthers "shake the box" flat car kit. I wanted to try some new (to me) detailing steps on this 42 foot flat car in addition to just assembling the kit. In trying to match my rolling stock standards, I also ended up trying some new approaches. The two new detailing steps I tackled were replacing the cast on grab irons with metal ones and adding a real wood deck.
Here on my cluttered workbench, the grab iron process is under way. Working carefully with X-Acto #11 and #18 blades I was able to remove the cast on grab irons without significant damage to the other molded details or my fingers. I soon regretted removing them because while fashioning grab irons with the Tichy .008 wire was doable, installing them was, at best, frustrating. After getting one installed, I changed approaches. I found I had some Details West .019 wire in the parts drawer. It is oversize, but I didn't have any .0125. Thanks to a suggestion from Chuck Diljak on a Thursday night Zoom meeting I made a fixture to form the grab iron bends, so they came out somewhat consistently in size. Drilling the holes consistently was another matter. At any rate, I now had wire grabs on the ends and sides of the flat car. Definitely first time quality, but there.
Fashioning the wood deck went much smoother. After measuring the plastic deck width and sanding it with a sanding block, I cut the 80 pieces I needed. Using my chopper set to the width of the car deck, I carefully cut the Northeastern Scale Lumber HO scale 2" X 6" to length. The care was needed to successfully keep my shaky fingers out of the razor blade guillotine. I then stained the deck planks a few at a time in a mixture of my alcohol stain and a few extra drops of grimy black paint in a yogurt cup. After they all were stained and removed, I left them to dry overnight. Gluing them to the sanded deck with white glue went easily, with an occasional check with a small hand square.
With my two detailing experiments completed, it was on to following the kit directions and trying to meet my rolling stock standards. With the metal weight included in the kit (rust sanded off and primed with rattle can primer) and metal wheels, the flat car was still below NMRA RP-20.1 weight. Even though I glued a combination of lead shot and "Liquid Gravity" between the center sills and along the trough beside the steel weight, it continues to be slightly under weight. One new approach that I tried was to paint the wheels with an enamel paint marker that I had on hand. While in the past I found that I didn't like using the paint markers for rails, it made easy work of painting the metal wheel fronts. Even after washing with alcohol, wheels painted with acrylics scratch easily. I later used the marker to touch up the wire grabs that had their acrylic paint flake off with barely any effort. I am hopeful that the use of enamel paint will make for more secure paint application for delicate areas. The paint marker is a breeze for my shaky hands, and clean up is negligible.
After installing Kadee 148 Whisker couplers and installing the freshly painted trucks and metal wheels, I thought I was close to being done. Well, not so fast! Not only did the car look too high on the trucks as seen in this photo, the couplers tested too high on my test track. The problem was that the hole in the trucks didn't fit well enough onto the bolster post to slide down into position. Actually, after enlarging the hole with a round jeweler's file and testing the now too low coupler height, I realized that the problem was that the post was too large. I was able to cut a slit into red Kadee washers to fit over the oversized post and that brought the coupler height into alignment on my test track. After some paint touch up and installing the oversize brake wheel that came with the kit, I deemed it ready for inclusion on my roster as seen on the opening photo. After the inevitable banging off of the brake wheel occurs, I hope to have picked up a more appropriate one to replace it.
While I still need to fashion a lumber load to fit this flat car and bring it up to proper weight, I think that I may return to experimenting with a next layer of scenery next.
After leaving off my last post wondering about bill boxes, I made a decision. I want to have the fascia relatively clear, functioning as a frame. While I want to use car cards/waybills, I don't want the operators to be carrying them around. So, I cleared off the dispatcher's desk, cleaned up the Word files of schematic diagrams that I had started, and made some labels for bill boxes. I printed the schematics on cover stock and mounted them and the bill boxes above the desk. Voila, the dispatcher's desk is the agent's desk. The agent or industry clerk uses the information from the car cards to make up switch lists for the engineer/conductor to use to do the switching.
My long range operations plan, as it stands now, is based on the one Chris Adams uses on his railroad, described on his blog HERE. I have created realistic paperwork for the 4th Subdivision including wheel reports, Form 19s, and clearance cards, but don't plan to use them in this first phase, at least to start. I do plan to use switch lists. I am working out a sequence scenario with a freight extra running from the west staging and a 1st class passenger train running from the east staging (East Branch) and meeting at Nooksack as the first step. The extra freight will turn at East Branch and then return through Nooksack also working the NP interchange. I will see how this works before adding additional steps. Lots still to do with scenery and structures here, but I can try out this approach in the meantime.
Over the past week or two, I have been working on a clinic about planning the railroad after moving. In doing so, I reminded myself that "presentation" and flexible operations are both goals that I am striving for. Yesterday, I wrapped up adding fascia to East Branch, the sceniced staging. Fascia is a part of what I refer to as presentation as it "frames" the modeled railroad. I used some 1/8" hardboard backdrop scraps that I had on hand, then cut them, screwed them in place, and painted them my standard SW "Andiron" color. I still have some Sculptamold terrain building to do to match the dips cut into the fascia as well as installing a plug port to finalize the fascia install.
However, with East Branch more visually tied to Nooksack, I felt the need to consider fine-tuning my operations plans; just how is the East Branch going to work? In an earlier post from last fall, I had as a starting point a bulleted list. Much more recently I have "run trains" a few times to test what might work and decided that some kind of "sequence operations" makes sense, but struggled with organizing how to sort cars while being aware of industry needs without using car cards. Last week, Tony Thompson on his modeling the SP blog referenced a link to a film from the 1950s. Then, yesterday, the same film was linked in the NMRA turntable. By now I have watched the film, "Assembling A Freight Train," several times, enjoying and learning from it on several levels (atmosphere, realism, prototype operations).
The film is a great resource for modelers of the transition era ranging from color images of rolling stock to an in-depth explanation of the nuances and procedures of making up a train. I was particularly struck by how I might solve my dilemma. First of all, what is all the fuss about; what dilemma do I speak of? Unlike many model railroaders, I am considerably more interested in the research of what is shipped or where it is shipped from than researching or matching 100% accuracy of the model of the car in which it is shipped. How do I implement going down that rabbit hole on my railroad? Also, somewhat related, is the diversity and variety that Byron Henderson speaks of in his online article, Ops Challenge (and Fun!) on a Small Layout. He suggests, "including both a classification yard as well as the more traditional role of pulling and spotting cars from sidings." My dilemma is how to organize the classifying. I don't want just random sorting.
The film, by going through the actual process provides one approach. While during switching, the operator is taking on the role of engineer and conductor. On the other hand, during classification, the operator is taking on the roles of the industry clerks and switch engine crew. In the role of industry clerk, the operator employs simplified car cards and waybills to determine contents, sources, and destinations of the cars while working as the switch crew sorts and blocks the train.
So, while I had not originally planned on using car cards and waybills on this first phase, I unpacked the ones from the Meadville attic layout. In my current plan, they will be used to make up trains in the staging yards, including East Branch. Of the rolling stock I have on the layout now, I have car cards for all but three of the cars. On the other hand, I will need to make up pretty much all new four-cycle waybills; the four industries at Willow Springs are now at Nooksack. I have an industry list chart started and pages of notes gathered over the years. The cannery planned at Nooksack and based on the one in Everson will be one of the largest industries in this first phase as well as the future whole basement 4th Subdivision. Two of the other industries here at Nooksack are very typical for a 1950s rail served town: team track and fuel/oil dealer. I will also have the NP interchange, as well as the (for now unmodeled) Ferndale's GN mainline interchange and Chikamin connections as destinations with their associated industries. Taking on the role of industry clerk, I can make up some four-cycle waybills to be used here on TOMA phase one: Nooksack and staging. I still haven't made up my mind whether to include a bill box here on the fascia for the industry clerk or at the agent/dispatcher desk. Before deciding where the cards and waybills will be located, I need to write them up!
Having decided to keep the signal tower in its location at East Branch and the NP interchange, I have continued with the first layer of scenery around it. I started by modeling a wooden grade crossing for the driveway that accesses the tower. Then I created a gravel road as the driveway. Today, I expanded the sceniced area with more of the original grout ground cover.
Knowing that I was going to create a gravel road, I decided on a rustic wooden grade crossing. I chose sixteen feet as an appropriate width for a one lane drive, particularly as that is a typical length of wooden planks. I had 1/8" X 1/8" and 1/32" X 1/8" strip wood on hand, and those sizes worked well with my flex track. Those sizes roughly represent 12" X 12" and 3" X 12" boards in HO scale. I cut them to length on my chopper and stained them with grimy black acrylic paint, thinned with 70% isopropyl alcohol. After they had dried I glued the thinner planks to the plastic ties with CA, and the two thicker boards were glued to the painted foam with Elmer's Glue-All.
I am very happy how the grade crossing came together. The 1/32" board along the outer edge of the rail is super glued to the spike heads, angled up from the ties and butted up to the rail. Moving outward from the rail, the next 1/32" thick piece is superglued directly to the top of the ties. The outer board is one of the 1/8" square pieces, glued directly to the foam. The same pattern is repeated on the other side, outside the rail. Four of the thinner planks are super glued directly to the ties, between the spike heads, leaving room for the wheel flanges. This combination appears to work really well, leaving room for the rolling stock to move through the crossing without problems.
The next step was to attempt to model a gravel road with sanded grout. I used the 09 Natural Gray color of Polyblend Plus and Woodland Scenics' fine gray ballast blended together while still dry. Following the same method of painting on thinned white glue, tapping a spoon of the grout mixture over the glue, and then eyedroppering alcohol as a wetting agent followed by dripping on scenic cement described in the earlier post I created a somewhat soupy mess. Tapping on a bit more of the grout mix and some straight ballast on the wettest parts firmed up the road. While it was drying I used a sacrificial HO vehicle to form some tread marks (perhaps a little too deep) and then let it dry. A final step after the roadway had dried was to sand the crossing planks that had been stained by the scenic cement with 320 grit sandpaper.
Earlier today, I expanded the area with the first layer of scenery to the east of the gravel drive and to the east along the back berm. A repeat of the same process with more of the original mix of both colors of sanded grout and some filtered sand from the tube sand. Yes, it is rather barren looking without additional greenery and details. That said, I am really liking the sanded grout as a first layer. It provides some texture and color that is closer to scale than the ground goop I have used in the past. I also like the wooden grade crossing, which fortuitously came together easily as a mini-scratchbuilding project.
Knowing that a photo is a good way to evaluate how a modeling project is going, I definitely see some evidence that the tower is not as close to done as I had thought. While the grout that I experimented with in my last post has a texture that I really like, the signal tower's base is extremely obvious. Once I am satisfied with the placement or location of the tower, I need to hide that seam with another application of the grout mixture or the next layer of ground cover. At least a path to the back door, as well as the first layer of the driveway would be another next step for the surrounding scenery. Some details like barrels, garbage cans, and boxes along with some weathering would help set the scene. In the photo, I can really see how shiny the roof appears. A quick spray of Dull Coat would kill that sheen.
At some point since the last post on the signal tower, I made the decision not to try to light the tower. Yes, I had a "Just Plug" light on hand, but I hadn't really thought through how I would use it. First of all, the light and the connection plug are both big. To run either through the floor and base would require a big hole, perhaps 1/4 of an inch, or cutting the wire and soldering a connector to each end. Also, this section of the temporary sceniced staging is on a hollow-core door and 1" insulation. Will it be worth the effort to figure out running a wire through that? I decided that for here and now that it isn't.
I made some paper signs, labeling the tower East Branch. I also have a Great Northern logo for the tower. Now, I am having second thoughts about the labels, leading to second thoughts about the function of the tower itself as well.
Nooksack Control Panel
Today, as I was running a pair of trains brainstorming how operations might work here in the first phase of TOMA, I noted how I have the switch controls set up. The East Branch sceniced staging has hand-thrown Peco turnouts, while Nooksack itself has a control panel for Tortoise switch motors. The control panel sure gives the appearance of a model board that a tower operator might see. Shouldn't the tower be associated with the control panel? I am thinking that perhaps it should.
Potential change of plans here!
No matter what I decide in terms of function and location of the tower, how did it get to the current stage of "close to doneness" from where I last posted about it over the holidays?
Again, by using Vallejo Model Colors "sky grey" and "neutral gray" close matches to GN standard light and dark grey colors used from the 1930s through the mid 1950s are achieved. I painted a second coat on the doors and windows of both floors and painted the clapboards of the second floor with the lighter grey (which needed a second coat). I also painted a few roof shingles with an assortment of brown and grey colors. I later toned down the somewhat cartoony look with a control coat of Vallejo Model Wash "dark grey."
While the walls were still apart I measured the window openings with calipers and cut out some clear styrene to represent window glass. I glued the clear styrene in place behind the window frames with canopy glue. After the glue dried, I cut some small strips of masking tape and applied it to the upper back of the windows to represent window shades.
I decided that with all those windows I should make some attempts towards an interior even if I wasn't going to include a light. After gluing two of the walls back together and in place, I measured and cut a piece of novelty siding to represent floor boards. I painted the floor with acrylic craft paints and a final Vallejo Wash before installing it. After sliding it into place, I glued the other walls in place. I used Plastruct's Bondene and Plastic Weld, typically brushed on from the inside. I also made some benches and tables from my scale wood stash and painted up a couple of inexpensive figures that I had on hand. After constructing the furniture and the paint had dried on the figures, I glued them all in place with canopy glue. I am leaving the roof unglued as it snaps in place securely, and I may decide to add more interior details or light after all.
While I am less sure where to locate my raffle prize, and it still needs some signage, details, and weathering; I am calling it done(ish) for now.
If the tower controls the switches in Nooksack, how would the train crew communicate with the tower? Would it just function as a yard office?
Switch Tower Location along the NP interchange track before applying grout
As I continue with painting and reconstructing the signal tower, I decided to start some scenery around the area. After outlining the base of the structure and the tentative location of a road/driveway into the tower, I started the ground cover application with dirt.
I am trying a new (to me) technique for this first layer: sanded grout. I had picked up a couple of tubs last year, but had not gotten around to trying them. After watching a couple of YouTube videos by Kathy Millatt and Martin Welberg, I decided that I could tackle this technique. They showed several different approaches, so I forged on with the materials I had on hand. I had picked up the two one-pound tubs of Polyblend Plus sanded grout at a nearby Home Depot. One color was 09 Natural Gray and the other was 380 Haystack. I also had some yogurt containers with some mixed ballast and a tub of "tube sand" on hand.
Before mixing up a blend, I sifted some of the tube sand, separating the sand from the small stones. The kitchen strainer seen in the photo fits perfectly into a yogurt or cream cheese cup. I use the small stones as talus or river rocks, and I figured the sand would add a slightly different texture and color to my trial blend. I sifted four or five spoonfuls of tube sand and then added a heaping spoonful of each color of the sanded grout to that tub of sifted sand. I also dropped in a bit of fine gray and a mix of brown and black Woodland Scenics ballast. Then I stirred it up.
Before I started to apply the grout mix, I glued a paper patch to the cracks/gaps between the modules. I used white glue and little bits of recycled paper towel, conveniently an earth brown color. Then I went ahead and dipped a small (one-inch) bristle brush into a tub of water and brushed the white glue around. I went right up to the outline of the base of the switch tower and of the future road while I stopped just a little short of the ties. I worked on no more than about a square foot at a time. After spreading the glue, I used a spoon to shake my sanded grout mix over the wet glue. While a fine mister may have been a better choice, I used an eye dropper to apply 70% isopropyl alcohol to the grout mix. Then I dripped scenic cement into the grout to secure everything in place. I also shook just a bit more of the dry grout mix onto any areas that seemed really "soupy."
Grout mix "earth" applied around the tower scene, but still wet
I applied the grout mixture all around the future location of the switch tower and the entrance road and parking area. I also applied it to the berm behind the interchange track and to the "viewblock" foam mound. I am curious as to how much (or if) the color value lightens as the mix dries. I really like the texture of the grout mix compared to the ground goop I have used in the past. It seemed to me that the vermiculite pieces in the ground goop were the size of small boulders in HO scale. I also applied some of the stones under the rock casting as well as spooning on some of the sand in one section because I ran out of my grout mix. I am curious how that variety in texture will appear once it is all dry.
While my next post will probably be an update on the switch tower, the next steps here are ground foam, static grass, trees, and roadway. Depending on what this scene looks like as the "ground" dries, I am thinking that this new technique is a keeper for the first layer, starting from the ground up.
