Long absence, but progress.

Hey everyone,

I have been super busy since November or so, but great news now. I got a new job in January and with that come progress on things.

Managed to get some benchwork built, a basic 4x8 more or less though it actually measures more like (6" bit 108" or something like that. I am still tossing arounf ideas for things to put on the layout though, However I am working on a small pond up pnear one end of it that I just did the plaster and paper towel trick to.

I found that large hole salt shakers work great for applying a plater caled Perma Stone I got ay my LHS.

I figured this would be a good small area I could work on to get my technique pefected for do ing plaster on a relatively small area of the layout without risk or roayall messing up too much of my limited space.

Once I can find a reliable host for pics to post I will be taking pics of things.
 

Tyson Rayles

Active Member
Glad to hear things are looking up! Posting your pics directly to the Gauge is THE only reliable way to make sure they get seen. In talking with others who are also on dail-ups, we don't always have the time (especially on the days the net is dragging) to go to alternate sites. Myself I only visit those sites about 25% of the time. No telling how many super pics I have missed out on, but there are only so many hours in the day. :)
 

interurban

Active Member
Glad you are back Chessie1973, and that things are looking up for you.:thumb:

As Tyson said use the xnview to downsize for the post and post them direct.
 
Actually found a much easier way

Email them to yourself using outlook express' Resize image function.

I just put down a lot of the green gfoam. We are looking to do a non prototypical scene from the Nantahala Gourge in North Carolina.

Gonna see about making a nice river and small lake scene perjaps with the tain running around through the gourge with a small 2 lane highway following the river.
 

Tyson Rayles

Active Member
:D :D :D I'll be sure to let you know how close you come being as I can throw a rock into the gorge from my front porch! :D :D :D Not trying to put any pressure on you or anything :p :rolleyes: :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
 

shaygetz

Active Member
Originally posted by Chessie1973
non prototypical scene from the Nantahala Gourge in North Carolina.

Gonna see about making a nice river and small lake scene perjaps with the tain running around through the gourge with a small 2 lane highway following the river.

Got yourself in trouble now cuz that's two who'll be watching your work. Been white water rafting down there...sigh...'tis beautiful country. Welcome back...
 

Papa Bear

Member
I'm looking forward to seeing your work too, Chessie. I've been through the Nantahala Gorge on the highway and it is a beautiful place. Should make a nice model.:thumb:

John
 
Heh I live just a short ways away in Asheville ,NC so I have driven that gorge many a time especially durng rating season.


It isnt going to be any particular section of the real river but I would like to perhaps try to capture the flavor of it with some of those tourist trap shops and such and perhaps some rafting going on in the river.
 
Ok I have now gone and purchased some of the green florist type foam (not the crumbly stuff the harder more structural stuff)

I am gping to have the track raised on a 2 inch thick ring around the outside and have the middle "Valley" area on 1 inch with the river bed being directly on the benchwork wood.


I have also decided that I am going to do some repainting. As muuch as I love the Chessie System stuff, I think I may go with my own railroad now. I saw this once on a forum that a person has created a fake CSX logo with the Chessie Kitten in the C of the CSX logo. I think I am going to use the CSX Grey Ghost paint scheme. (All flat grey with the blue lettering) and use this logo for my Version of the CSX.

This way I can enjoy not only modeling the terrain but also coming up with my own paint schemes for my rolling stock for the railroad.


I will be picking up the rest of the foam in a week or two and begin laying track (regrettably still Bachman EZ Track, But I am confident with proper ballasting Camoflague it will look good.)

One the trackwork is done I will be working on the scenery and running some trains occasionally as I do the scenes on the layout.
 

belg

Member
George I would like to understand the use of the foam as opposed to using wood to elevate the rear trackage, it would seem alot more expensive way to accomplish the same thing. But to each his own but thought I would offer MY two cents. Good luck with the logo and paint job it sounds like something very creative. Pat
 
One thing I forgot to ask in here was can anyone suggest a good online retailer for the Digitrax Zephyr system?

The best price in town is 180 dollars.

I know I should be able to get it cheaper online, My LHS says that the cheaper online shops sell refurbished units, Is this true?
 

GMRCNut868

New Member
I found a Zephyr system on www.internettrains.com for $169.99. Not much cheaper then your lhs when you add in shipping so the choice is up to you. There may be another place online to get one cheaper, and i dont know anything about refurbished units, so some addition reseach may be in order. Hope this helps!
 
I just spent $220 dollars on train stuff at my local LHS.

I picked up a few odds and ends like some truss bridges and a couple of sets of Kadee's.

And I also bought the LHS's Digitrax Zephyr for $159.00 and a MRC decoder with sound for $59

That's right folks Chessie has gone DCC finally and is lovin it. I just got the decoder installed and I am now playing with the CV values to get it set up the way I want.

The sound on the MRC decoder is pretty generic but for a low cost sound solution it isnt bad at all. It has the engine idling , winding up and running as well as long and short horn and bell.

It works quite well and the instrustions for installing it were pretty straight forwar with a nice big diagram for the wiring harness that tells you exactly what wires go where. All in all I am impressed with it.

Oh and the traction guys will be happy to know I purchased a used Bachmann Trolley that I hope to maybe work into the layout w as a short little trolly line in a town or something perhaps, It neeeds some TLC to get it up and running smoothly again but it is a neat little thing.
 
Top