Basement versus Train Room

After returning from the convention in Novi, I have taken a slightly different approach on the railroad. Rather than immediately resuming the work on the packing complex scene, I tried to gather some momentum on prepping more of the basement as semi-finished train room. In a post from the beginning of the year, I discussed how the state of the basement functioned as a major gumption trap. I can't decide if our record wet May and sump pump failure added more to the gumption trap or more motivation to overcome the gumption trap. Seeing some complete model railroads, visiting my friend Brad's railroad, and purchasing a Power Cab system to reactivate the Ingleton switching shelf from its current junk drawer status inspired me to attempt to revisit the transition from basement to train room.

The previous "bar" has been taken down, and I have started removing the worst of the immediate debris. Having watched a few YouTube videos on open French drains, I am still unsure of how to create a berm so the drain doesn't overflow at the one area here where it is not quite deep enough. The slope of the drain does appear to be good, allowing flow to the opposite corner with a floor drain to the dry well. A lot of wood from dismantling the "bar" still needs to be cleaned and moved to the wood shop in the garage. Phase two of my TOMA plan calls for two modules, one based on one brought from Meadville and one totally new one to extend from Nooksack along this wall. Before I get too involved with that, I need to follow through with completing the basement to train room transition, not only here, but throughout the basement. 

Months ago, I purchased a rolling cart from Harbor Freight, and having uncovered the sawhorses covered with junk, finally put it together to use in scenery or other projects on the railroad. I have to say that I was somewhat inspired by seeing Brad's use of his as a workstation as construction continues on his railroad. Putting the cart together was fairly straight forward, although not quick. Beyond the standard socket and screwdriver, the one tool seen here that I really appreciated was the telescoping magnetic pick up tool. An occasional washer or nut slipped from my shakey hands to the floor, but my pick up tool made for quick recovery. When I do return to the packing house scene scenery, the cart will be ready to use as a workstation!

A Scene in Fifteen Steps -- More Updates

 

I got on a roll last week and started on the wooden warehouse. I am using a wooden block as the core, a technique that Bill Schopf from my old division taught us about. In the photo, one can see the strip of plastic stone that I trimmed and folded to suggest the foundation. I cut the side walls from clapboard sheet wood. Delving into my collection of doors and windows, I cut the ones I chose from the sprue and sanded the edges to prep them for spraying with primer. 

Step one, in my list, was to wrap up the brick kitbashed portion of the produce packing complex. In an earlier post, I explained making a shadow box and the lighting in this building. Here in a more recent photo, the wiring of the two LEDs is finished and the shadow box is glued in place. I did paint the interior wall black in front of the open side of the shadowbox before mounting it. Yes, it would have been easier to paint the interior wall before mounting the exterior roof. For the other windows and doors I fashioned black construction paper barriers, so it does not appear as obvious that this building is a flat. 

Unlike working on the structures, several of the steps in my original list of fifteen were relatively quick and easy. I sanded a couple of sections of the cork roadbed where, examining photos, I noticed an overhang or lip where the two halves of the roadbed originally split apart. In looking closely at this photo, I see another one, but it is an easy fix. My friend, Dick Bradley, noted some dramatic brush marks and embedded specks in the sky on this portion of the backdrop quite a while ago. Carefully sanding the backdrop ameliorated the worst of the irregularities. It is tempered hardboard, so it should appear smoother than plywood. Just yesterday, I mixed up some Sculptamold to apply some texture to the terrain between the spur and the mainline. Due to the high humidity, the sculptamold is not fully dry yet today; I plan to wait until it is dry before painting.   

I probably won't get much more done beyond painting the bright white plaster before I start getting ready to travel to Novi, Michigan for the 2025 NMRA convention. Since I am taking our car for the week, I need to make sure my wife is stocked up on everything she will need while I am gone. 

It will be my first national convention and I am looking forward to learning a lot. Today I started getting my tool kit ready as I am signed up for two Modeling With the Masters events. I hope to attend one of the Operations Road Show training sessions.  Once that is scheduled, I can plan my other activities. I want to be sure to visit at least one of the layout tours, a Great Northern railroad depicting a part of the Cascade Division, and I see a variety of interesting clinics from which to choose.