Final result of caulking fun - test photo shoot

[LongIslandTom]

Over the past weekend, I found some free time to experiment with using latex caulking to lay roadbed, track, AND ballast all in one shot, described in this thread: http://www.the-gauge.com/showthread.php?t=25413

Anyway, the commuter station module has come far enough for me to start taking some test photo shoots, and here's the result.. I gotta say I'm REAL pleased with how the method turned out. :thumb:

So the photo.. An HO-scale little-person railfan catching an Amtrak train pulling into the station of the fictitious Hudson Valley town of Tappen Landing, looking snappy for the traveling public!

 

[MilesWestern]

I'd say!! That's a wonderful idea! Is it even close to removable when it's set? The ballast contour looks quite realistic, and I must say I'm impressed! :thumb:

 

[Mountain Man]

To remove anything held in place by caulk:

1. Take a sharp craft knife and cut along the seams.

2. If needed, use a putty knife to seperate underside of object from base.

3. Turn object over and peel off the caulk. It peels quite easily. Any residual traces can be removed with warm, soapy water and a small brush.

Nice photos, LIT - and a beautiful train.

 

[LongIslandTom]

Miles:

I was surprised how well the caulking held everything together. As Mountain Man says, you can indeed pull up the cork roadbed or the track by using a putty knife fairly easily, but that latex caulking holds on pretty darn good. :thumb:

The biggest benefit I'd say would be the time savings. The module is 4 feet long, and in the past when I did things the old-fashioned way for a similar module, it takes DAYS... Lay the cork roadbed using Liquid Nails, wait a day for it to dry... Nail the track down temporarily, spread the ballast, and then painstakingly eye-dropper the Elmers/Wet Water mix, and then wait another day for it to dry...

This one took me all of half an hour, from the time I laid the cork roadbed to finishing the ballasting. And yep the ballast roadbed contour has me as pleased as punch.

Mountain Man:

Thanks for the kind words!

Another photo.. "Hi-Ho Escargot!" Our intrepid HO-scale railfan caught this Conrail B40-8 and caboose making a non-revenue run back down to the Pelham Yard in the Bronx, 20 miles away.

 

[Wildcatfootball]

Amtrak pics reminds me of the one I posted a few days ago. The caulking method you described looked like it worked awesome! I'm going to Home Depot tomorrow to pick yup my foam board, and now will diffently be picking up some of that caulk too! Thanks Tom!

 

[LongIslandTom]

Wildcatfootball:

Your Superliner consist looks pretty darn snappy too yep! No Superliners in my area though.. Here in the Northeast all we got are Amtubes. :cry:

Another test shot.. NYC J1e Hudson #5330 on an imaginary fan trip. (Yes, I know there are no surviving NYC Hudsons.. But I gotta have at least one steam engine on my pike!)

 

[Ralph]

Looks good! Nice looking shots of your trains!
Ralph

 

[LongIslandTom]

Thanks for the kind words Ralph!

Say, your posting here reminds me I gotta get some Penn Central stuff.. I got Conrail stuff, I got NYC stuff, I got Pennsy stuff... But no PC locos or rolling stock (which would be appropriate for the region I model).

Hmm.. Maybe later on in the year when I got sufficient funds, I can afford to give up an arm and a leg for that HO-scale FL9 being offered by IHP.. Ought to look right painted up in PC colors. :thumb:

There's that dilemma again.. "Do I REALLY need another locomotive?" sign1

 

[trainsteve2435]

Tom, great work on the ballasting, looks real nice. I am in the process of ballasting my layout and i am going to try your method with the caulk. Did you apply your ground texture first? Thanks!
steve:thumb:

 

[Wildcatfootball]

Thanks for the kind words Ralph!

Say, your posting here reminds me I gotta get some Penn Central stuff.. I got Conrail stuff, I got NYC stuff, I got Pennsy stuff... But no PC locos or rolling stock (which would be appropriate for the region I model).

Hmm.. Maybe later on in the year when I got sufficient funds, I can afford to give up an arm and a leg for that HO-scale FL9 being offered by IHP.. Ought to look right painted up in PC colors. :thumb:

There's that dilemma again.. "Do I REALLY need another locomotive?" sign1

You ALWAYS need another loco!!!

 

[Wildcatfootball]

With this question fresh in my mind... What "grass" colors did you mix to get that product? Thanks Tom.

 

[LongIslandTom]

Heya TrainSteve,

I laid down the cork roadbed, track and roadbed before I did the ground cover.. No reason why you can't do the ground cover first, I guess. You would probably want to be a bit more careful if your ground cover is already applied though.. A stray glob of caulking splattering here or there might cause some headaches later on.

Hope it works out for you! :thumb:


Wildcatfootball:

Most of my relatives think I'm nuts when they see I got 29 locomotives and 25 pieces of rolling stock. sign1

The turf is Woodland Scenics Green Coarse Turf with some Yellow Grass sprinkled in. This looks closest to the kind of turf I see in Upstate New York. And yes, I know I need to work on getting a backdrop!

Anyhoo.. Another test shot, this time a roll-by.. My freelanced Delaware System has trackage rights over the Tappen Landing line. The GP38-2 is the most numerous loco on my roster because they handle tight curves on my tiny pike so well. That's my 20-year-old custom-detailed-and-painted Athearn unit.

 

[LongIslandTom]

Rest of the roll-by!

 

[Ralph]

Thanks for the kind words Ralph!

Say, your posting here reminds me I gotta get some Penn Central stuff.. I got Conrail stuff, I got NYC stuff, I got Pennsy stuff... But no PC locos or rolling stock (which would be appropriate for the region I model).

Hmm.. Maybe later on in the year when I got sufficient funds, I can afford to give up an arm and a leg for that HO-scale FL9 being offered by IHP.. Ought to look right painted up in PC colors. :thumb:

There's that dilemma again.. "Do I REALLY need another locomotive?" sign1

sign1 Yessir, you do! You're missing nine years of history on your layout!
The FL9 sounds mighty fine!
Ralph

 

[green_elite_cab]

lol, your AMD103 makes me sad. that was my first locomotive kit and my second HO locomotive. I put it together all wrong! i still have it, but i needs new parts and a paint touch up. I'm almost thinking of just breaking down and buying the RTR version, so that atleast i can install DCC alittle easier. I will have to get a dummy one day though and use it's shell for parts for the old one!

Nice work though! that caulk sounds alike a good idea!

 

[green_elite_cab]

Thanks for the kind words Ralph!

Say, your posting here reminds me I gotta get some Penn Central stuff.. I got Conrail stuff, I got NYC stuff, I got Pennsy stuff... But no PC locos or rolling stock (which would be appropriate for the region I model).

Hmm.. Maybe later on in the year when I got sufficient funds, I can afford to give up an arm and a leg for that HO-scale FL9 being offered by IHP.. Ought to look right painted up in PC colors. :thumb:

There's that dilemma again.. "Do I REALLY need another locomotive?" sign1

lol, do it, you know you want to! they had some paintscheme those FL9s, with yellow faces/letters, and a black body. if you do buy that FL9, post pictures! my current train that i am eyeing with no hoping of buying is on of those UAC turboliners. I probably should grab some PC rolling stock. How far into Conrail do you think it lasted?

 

[oldtanker]

Tom fantastic, now I'm going to have to try that seeing as I should be putting the foam on the table sometime tomorrow afternoon. Then right afer the first I'm getting my track and switches.

Thanks for sharing that!:thumb:

Rick

 

[LongIslandTom]

Green:

Man, up to until two weeks ago, Toy Train Heaven was selling Blue-Box AMD103 kits (Powered!) for just $23 apiece! I grabbed 3 of them over Christmas vacation to do a P32AC-DM kitbash, and I'm glad I did, because now they are nowhere to be found.

Toy Train Heaven still has a Metro North AMD103 dummy available, but it costs as much as the powered one that is no longer in stock-- $23. Ah well.

The P32AC-DM kitbash is coming along.. I got the grilles done, and I'm going to start modifying the roof pretty soon. After that, I have to figure out how to scratchbuild the 3rd-rail electrical equipment on the trucks-- Frank Cicero's article in RMC did not give any details on how he did his. Not helpful at all! peasoup

Speaking of 3rd-rail locos, yea the FL9 I think they lasted with Conrail until 1983 after which all the remaining CR FL9s were transferred to ConnDOT/MTA for Metro North service. After I get the P32AC-DM done, I definitely need an FL9 or two, especially since I plan to hang NYC-style 3rd-rails along my track.

Oldtanker:

Looking forward to seeing your progress! I can't wait to see those nice Atlas BN locos of yours do a roll-by, along with the Army stuff you are planning to do. :thumb:

 

[hiscopilot]

That turned out FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW! Great stuff and thanks so much for sharing!

My son will get very excited to see your pics too!

 

[COMBAT]

Thanks for all the pics.....