October Update

This month we have worked on Curved backdrop props while BJ does some more painting.

The Supervisor

watching every move,

Backdrops

Jim, Chris & me did the woodwork while BJ was on the artists' brushes.....

The work happened in a number of areas

Above the Helix

BJ applying paint to the helix backdrop

BJ is blending the hills of the helix backdrop into the existing scenery.

The application of some trees are bringing it to life.

Have a look at his methods

BJ applying some more distant hills above the rocky outcrop on the eastern  wall.

BJ adding some more distant limestone outcrops on the south eastern corner backdrop.

BJs  blending of colour of the hillside is showing some depth and the trees are bringing it to life.

BJ laying down on the job while some of the roster on the helix sleep.

North East Corner

BJ blending the existing backdrop on the northern wall to the eastern wall.

Watch how he layers the colours to get the right mix of colours

The blending of the two walls are not nearly complete but looking good.

Now what a difference it makes when the two walls become one, great work BJ.

Hey Tom B what do you think?

Lower Level Western Wall

Now folks, this is what happens when you don't sit down and plan and you lay track and run trains.
I had a problem with the back drop, I wanted to have a backdrop on the lower level below the double track run around below the upper level, but I could not curve MDF 3mm sheet because the curvature were too tight!.

I remembered that Joe Fugate's DVD's showed him using linoleum as a backdrop material where flexibility was needed. I thought that might be a go,seeing that one can curve and paint it,smooth side of course,so here it is.

The double track under the top deck takes up a bit of room,so I decided to put up curved battens to support the linoleum and save space on the bottom deck.

This is a close up shot of  what the curved battens look like,  ( I think I need more )

Chris admiring the stack of battens that he & Jim cut up.

I have gluing marks on the batten  that is being clamped to the bench,so all other battens that we mark will have the glue in the right place when it is applied to the stringers.

OK boys,here we go, gluing the battens to the stringers.

Chris and I are hard at it while the super is watching on.

work in progress.

and there is  more.

you can never have enough clamps !

Proto 1000 RDC

Discussion on proposed sound decoder installation

Jim has just got his Southern Pacific one and only Bud Car ( RDC ) so we all thought we would see where the decoder & speaker would be best placed when we install  sound in the unit.

I pulled my Santa Fe unit out of the box for a look see, yep! be nice on DCC and sound.

Oh sh.t I dropped the body mounting screw on the floor - now just where did it go....

Beware of Loco Box foam

Hi Folk's. not long ago I had a GN S-2 4-8-4 test running on the Hallett Cove Southern and I had the odd drawbar short out, it runs ok on home rails but that's another story, anyway I went to rob another drawbar from an older Tenshodo  GN S-2 to my horror when I saw it, she was all gummed up with oily foam goo, now it needs a full on paint job. When I had ran it last on DC I had not wrapped the loco & tender in a thin plastic wrapper prior to putting it back in the foam surround in the box,so watch out for oily foam it ruins mechanisms & good paint jobs.

That's a;; for now..

Cheers Roz