Backdrop Clinic Handouts

At the recent MER convention in Altoona, I gave the most recent version of my clinic on backdrops. The clinic discusses: 

1. A rationale for why one might use backdrops
2. Applications and materials for creating backdrops
3. Tips and tricks for realism with backdrops
4. A gallery of photos of model railroads I have visited with backdrop examples
5. A discussion of a new approach to evaluating "Background" as a part of the NMRA Achievement Program 

Due to some self-imposed technical issues I ran short on time. One of the audience members asked about access to the clinic, so I am attempting to make a downloadable version of my handout and a downloadable pdf copy of the PowerPoint slides available. This is an experiment forcing Blogger to work with Dropbox. The links should automatically download to your computer. Please use the comments to let me know if this approach works.

Link to download the handout

Link to download the PDF of PowerPoint slides

TOMA Phase One: Three Quick Updates

 1. Track Down and Wiring Complete on East Staging

Track down and ready to connect to the DCC bus extension

With my procedures for prepping the turnouts and soldering feeders under the rails, laying track and electrical work are interwoven rather than two sequenced steps. I have written about this process before, and it really does become easier after doing it multiple times. 

I did have one frustrating stumbling block that illustrates what I think of as the difference between remodeling and new construction. In fitting the new flex track into the glued down (well, technically latex caulked down) spur and mainline track, I had to peel up the existing ends and fit it to the new track. Track nails do not hold in the foam insulation board, and I did not want to be trying to adjust track on wet caulk. I should have worked from the existing spur track ends towards the new turnout instead of my standard procedure of working outward from the turnout. Adding to my frustration was the realization that I only had three Micro Engineering code 83 insulated rail joiners which fit nicely onto Peco turnouts, but are a bear to slip onto the Atlas flex track. Well, I almost immediately lost the third "spare" joiner into the ether as it flew off the end of a rail as I tried to force it on. While I had filed the ends of the rail, I had not made sure to have enough joiners on hand. I ultimately got the track installed with the last two insulated joiners. Must. Order. More.

The next day, the notion that "model railroading is fun" actually lived up to its reputation as the DCC bus extension, feeder drop connections, and Tam Valley Frog Juicer all wired up smoothly even though I was working under the layout. Having the right tools and materials on hand and having experience using them certainly makes things go smoother. I cleaned the rails and ran a loco over the new work. It ran smoothly, so I went ahead and soldered rail joiners. Again I cleaned the rails and ran a loco. It also ran smoothly. As I have a couple of sections of new (unpainted) track on the Nooksack module, I decided to run some experimental ops over the whole TOMA Phase One (Nooksack, trestle scene, and both staging sections) before breaking out the airbrush for final track painting.

2. First Operations Session

Having unpacked my Alco RS3 #229, I set up a west run of a freight extra from the, as yet unnamed, east staging. Using a switch list to organize the work, I arranged for pick ups and drop offs at the NP interchange, pick ups and drop offs at the trailing point switches in Nooksack, and some cars to continue on to Ferndale (in the west staging.) Using the switch list to list cars to be picked up and dropped off worked well. However, after almost immediately realizing that the Nooksack track had not been used or cleaned recently and that I hadn't cleaned the wheels of the RS3 since before packing it to move in 2021, I took a break to clean wheels and track. I thoroughly enjoyed doing some switching work, guided by just a switch list. I think that the process would work well with a second person, breaking the tasks up between engineer and conductor. 

I did jot down some steps to take to improve the experience, either just running solo or adding another person or two. Either labeled placeholder mockups of the industries or just labels to identify industries or spots in Nooksack are needed. The tape holding the lighted toggle switches in the control panel is not working consistently and needs to be replaced. Finally, make sure that locomotive wheels and all rail are clean before the session! 

#229 turned and ready to make up an east bound extra from the west staging

3. Freight Car Roster Update

While looking through boxes of railroad stuff in search of my locomotives I found the kits and ready to run rolling stock that I intend to add to my roster for the initial TOMA layout. I will have enough freight rolling stock to represent a reasonable mix of kinds of cars, railroads, and regional origin. The thirty-one car total should be more than enough to run, allowing for variety, and the total should allow for appropriate car flow at the proposed industries. 

I haven't really thought about my locomotive, passenger car, or caboose roster at this point. I have several locomotives that need decoder upgrades and all my locos other than #229 need some weathering. Both of those factors are potential gumption traps for me. To move beyond simple switching and just one train I will need to move beyond fear of failure and at least do some simple weathering and attempt a hard wired decoder install! Or not, and focus on structure and scenery work while enjoying some solo switching with what is there now.

Current Freight Car Roster with Railroad highlighted on cars weathered and at standard:

East Staging: Fixing the "Mistake"

Extension ready for track work and wiring

In a post from last month I discussed the possibility of adding an extension to the sceniced staging to provide a siding with run-around capability, stick to a more prototypical plan to GN practice, and create a coved end with the backdrop. After several weeks of indecision, I decided to go ahead and add the extension. Yes, this is temporary staging, but it will have a use through several iterations of TOMA section additions. Making the decision, I committed to working on the railroad pretty much every day, even if it is only for 15 minutes. 

Step One: I drew up a tentative track plan and scale construction plans for the 11 3/4" X 24" open grid benchwork. I made a cut list and cut the pieces and assembled the benchwork with wood glue and 1 1/4" brads using  1" X 3" and 1/2" plywood from stock I had on hand. With the wood shop finally set up out in the garage, it was a fairly easy project with the miter saw and brad nailer ready to go. 

Double checking before assembly on the workbench

Step Two: Using a 2" X 2" leg from my previous railroad as a pedestal, I clamped the extension into place. Experimenting with code 83 track and a Peco switch I had on hand, I laid out and marked the switch location and track center lines. Deciding to use cork roadbed here, I adjusted the height of the benchwork and carefully lag screwed it into place securely attached to the hollow-core door benchwork. I bolted the leg into place, although when I eventually move this staging to another location I will replace it with a narrow pair of legs. 

Benchwork clamped in place and marking the finalized track plan

Step Three: Wanting to experiment with a coved end to the backdrop here, I found an existing piece of hardboard that I had used for a corner of my "U" shaped previous layout. Using the notch cut from the bottom of the backdrop for the corner, I clamped the piece in place and marked where to cut it to create the end. Both that end and the joint with the existing backdrop are held in place by a wooden brace or corner trim screwed into the benchwork frame. 

Fitting the corner backdrop before finalizing the end cut

Step Four: Once the backdrop was in place, screwed into the frame along the back and tucked into the corner brace and trim piece, my next step was to tape and mud the joint and fit the cork. In the photo below, the first coat of mud has been applied and the cork has been cut, glued into place, and tacked down until the glue dries. 

Cork glued down and mudding started

Step Five: as seen in this post's opening photo, I painted the sky and plywood today. While I had the sky blue paint out today, I finished painting the yellow spray foam on the west wall seen unpainted in the previous photo.

Next Steps: I need to prep the switch, solder feeder drops and install the track, extend the DCC bus line, and after wiring and installing the track set up the airbrush and paint the track in order to catch the "fix" up with the rest of this sceniced staging. 

TOMA Phase One: Planning for Operations

While I have more involved plans underway for the operations on the larger 4th Subdivision, the first phase of TOMA with the town of Nooksack, an NP interchange, and staging at each end will necessarily have less involved operations.

The initial operations will include just one or possibly two operators with relatively short sessions until I add additional TOMA sections. Early this month, Lance Mindheim explored operations on a small model railroad design that helped me transition from considering the operations for the larger, future 4th Subdivision to focusing on planning the operations of the Nooksack TOMA section.
 

To start with, I will be fine tuning what is essentially a bullet list:

• Paperwork will be limited to switch lists with set outs and pick ups listed.
• No car cards, but I will be aware of industry needs when making switch lists
• All trackwork will be in yard limits, with yard limit rules in effect.
• Possibility of one scheduled first class train listed on train bulletin.
• Just one or two trains per session (at least to start.)
• Use a limited number of cars per session.
• Use labels for spots and industries until all buildings are finished.
• Not every industry or spot needs to be used in a session.

East Staging: Fix the Mistake or Live With It?

Mainline and two spur tracks

Following my own advice to double check everything by running trains in my last post, I realized a serious oversight in building the new east staging section while doing so. Designed as a mainline with two spur tracks, I left out the need for a runaround! One option is to live with it, considering that this first phase plan for Nooksack is limited to operating as a switching layout. If I can get my head wrapped around thinking of this as a stand alone, single town railroad instead of sticking to the operations plan for the fully developed 4th Subdivision, the two spurs without a runaround could serve adequately. 

On the other hand, in the big scheme of the operations for the 4th Subdivision, most of the freight switching here will be done by turns. Without a runaround at this end, that will be hard to duplicate. Also, looking at a set of "track charts" for a portion of the Cascade Division that I found online, the Great Northern rarely had just spur tracks without a return to the mainline creating a siding. A  siding that can function as a passing track with a single associated spur would be more typical and hence prototypical. 

East end with mainline and two spurs

While I had thought that the track laying and electrical work was essentially complete, I feel the need to at least explore my options for transitioning the closer spur into a siding. If I also include a tail track long enough for a locomotive as the continuation of the mainline, the siding will function as a runaround. Exploring my options includes looking at what I have on hand, revisiting the construction of the end of this section, and coming up with possible plans for an extension. Including the possibility of coving the backdrop at the end of the section adds an additional "feature" of adding an extension. 

Working through the plans for this possible extension, discussion of my thinking for operations for this first phase as well as my operations plans for the full 4th Subdivision, or basement/train room updates are all possibilities for new posts. I seem to have slipped to just two posts a month from my goal of three for this year. 

Right now though, I need to help my wife troubleshoot how to feed birds without feeding the bear. 

East Staging and Trestle Scene: Berms and Gaps

Berms and gaps along backdrop

Over the last few weeks, I progressed with the terrain along the backdrop and tying the several sections together with the trestle scene module and the new staging section. One successful technique for realism with model railroad backdrops is to hide any ninety degree angles such as where the benchwork and backdrop meet. Creating a berm or slight rise in front of the backdrop can accomplish this. In this post I hope to show how I approached creating these terrain forms. Throughout the process, I had the backdrop protected with wax paper and the track with blue painter's tape

Step One: Create a terrain base or supporting structure for the berm with a slight gap in front of the backdrop. While other techniques exist, I used just a few here:

Crumpled paper held in place with masking tape

Packing styrofoam in "topographic" shapes, stacked and glued in place

Step 2: Cover the form with plaster cloth, a gauze embedded with plaster. I cut the plaster cloth into smaller pieces and briefly wet it by pulling it through water in a narrow paint tray. As I draped the plaster cloth over the forms, I overlapped the sheets and gently smoothed the sheets together. In addition to the berms, I also reformed several hills that had been cut apart to separate the modules for our latest move using the crumpled paper and masking tape technique to connect to the existing cardboard web foundation. 

Plaster cloth repair application and water tray

Step 3: Add a few rock castings. As the plaster cloth dried, I mixed up some hydrocal and cast a few rocks from one of the molds I had on hand. A few days later after all had dried, I glued the rock castings onto and into the plaster cloth. 

Rock castings attached and stained

Step 4: Covering the plaster cloth with Sculptamold or "ground goop." While I have posted about using ground goop before, I decided to go with Sculptamold, an easy to mix, paper mache-like material that I had on hand instead. It spreads with a palette knife, the back of a spoon, or just moistened fingers. 

Sculptamold over the new berm, covering cracks, and
hiding old plaster cloth texture

Step 5: Paint the white Sculptamold areas with my brown "earth" color and remove the protective blue tape and wax paper. 

Terrain painted and ready for next steps

Next steps: With the track uncovered, I want to run some trains to check the track work, electrical, and rolling stock again. Double checking through every step should help towards identifying issues while they are still easy to correct. While I am still in the planning stages for foreground scenery, the newly formed berms are ready for the first layers of ground cover. 

TOMA Phase One: Developing a Rolling Stock Roster Part 2

 

In-process spreadsheet: a rolling stock roster

Several weeks ago, I posted about developing a rolling stock roster for Nooksack, the first TOMA section of the 4th Subdivision. There, I came up with a potential number of railroad cars, proportions of railroads represented, and percentage of different car types that I am striving for. Since that post I have adapted an older spreadsheet inventorying my rolling stock by sorting it by kind, adding color codes for the kinds of railroads (e.g., homeroad, connected foreign road, foreign road in region) and updating the standards checked column. I will update the spreadsheet, seen in-process above, as I recheck for meeting standard, complete weathering, or add new cars. 

Revisiting my standards on the workbench

I rechecked standards of some of the rolling stock I already had unpacked and have been running on the Nooksack modules. One of the first posts on this blog discussed my standards as I unpacked from the move from Seattle. My rationale for standards is based on my desire for smooth running, trouble-free coupling, and minimal derailments. Following are my standards and some discussion for each:

• While at times it can be difficult, I try to follow NMRA Recommended Practice RP20.1 concerning the weight of rolling stock. I use this test track mounted on  plywood and a wooden ruler marked with HO scale recommended weights (1  ounce plus 1/2 ounce per inch of length) and the postal scale. I am not too fussy, but I do try to get close. Boxcars are fairly easy to adjust, but with other styles, it can be a challenge. In another earlier post, I discussed one creative solution for gondolas.

• Despite some controversy over the choice between metal and plastic wheels, my standards include metal wheels for several reasons. When I started out in a modular group in Seattle, their standards included metal wheels. Metal wheels add weight to often underweight rolling stock. In my perception, they appear to roll smoothly and sound good. Not only do I require metal wheels that turn freely, but I check them for gauge, using an NMRA Standards Gauge.

• On the test track in the photo, one can notice a Kaydee coupler height gauge and trip pin pliers on the foam along with the NMRA gauge. For smooth operation, I want my couplers to line up and work smoothly, so I check the coupler and trip pin height. I also check that the couplers open and close as well as center smoothly. If I find that I need to replace couplers, I will choose Kaydee #158 HO scale whisker scale metal couplers. I have not yet insisted on replacing all working couplers with these scale couplers, but I could imagine that as a future upgrade. 

• The trucks need to swivel freely. If possible, I prefer to adjust the truck mounting screws so that one truck rotates smoothly side to side and the other is a bit looser so that it tilts up and down a little as well.  

• I now consider weathering part of my rolling stock standards. All cars should have some weathering. 

Weathering without the airbrush

Several days ago I tackled weathering two of the three covered hoppers that I will be using for silica sand service. I bought these used last year and had updated the weight; they basically met my standards except they hadn't been weathered. Here are the steps and materials that I utilized:

• I removed the trucks and started staining the one side of each car with Vallejo 76.517 Model Wash, Dark Grey.

• While the first side was drying, I removed the wheels from the truck and placed them in my cardboard wheel holder. I washed the wheel fronts down with 70% isopropyl alcohol.

• While the wheels were drying I stained the other side of the hopper and then the tops.

• I then painted the wheel faces with MicroLux 29002, Grimy Black using a Microbrush.

• Returning to the hopper car bodies, I started applying PanPastel 780.5 Raw Umber and 820.7 Neutral Grey Tint along the hatch covers and streaking down the side.

• I tackled the ends of the hopper cars using both the Dark Grey Model Wash and the Grimy Black

• One of the Bowser hoppers had a shiny brown original paint that contrasted with the matte weathering, so I sprayed that one with Dull Coat. 

• While that dried, I started on the trucks, a grey wash and more PanPastels. I had a reference photo of a MOW sand car with grey sand on the trucks. I wanted to approach the look of that, but not quite as extreme.

Today, I went through and unpacked many of the cars from Meadville that were on the original inventory spreadsheet that this roster is based on. I also pulled out a couple of kits or RTR cars that will be needed to complete this roster. I have some hopper cars for the rock train that I haven't found yet that I think will wrap up the list. At this point my task is to check more cars for standard, weather a few of them, and build a few kits that I have on hand. I may post with building and weathering the two GN flatcars. If not, I probably won't post about the roster again until it is complete. Lots to do with scenery though!