Power Plant interior and mortar -- N scale

[FrankG]

Just through I'd share some progress on the Walthers power plant I'm working on. I know this isn't an "accurate" power plant interior -- in N scale, I'm more concerned about shapes, not necessarily accuracy -- especially since the windows will have a dirty, hazy look to them and will blur most of what's going on inside. The interior will be lit though so it's nice to not be completely empty. Still some things I want to add in there for when people peek into the open garage door. This will be some distance off the isle, so not trying to go crazy here.

Also, for those of you in N scale who have issues with mortar between bricks...I know I always run into the problem of the grooves being too shallow.... For this I tried something new and it worked great. I got some white chalk sticks. I have to look to see what this is actually made of because it's not traditional chalk. I found it next to the charcoal at the store...

Anyway...I ground this down to a powder and added a bit of it to a container of water. It tints the water a translucent, milky white. I then just brushed it on with a large brush with the building laying on its side.

The nice part about this is that you can keep going over it with water to lighten the effect or brush over it again to get it darker. This has been the most forgiving method of mortar lines I've found. Matter of fact, I went back several times over the course of 3 days, lightning and darkening without issue. Then, just a coat of Dull Cote and you're good to go.

Also, I found that if the white is too harsh, a light dusting of black or brown knocks it back nicely.

 

[FrankG]

Also, the overhead crane and over drab machinery were scratch built.

 

[Ray Marinaccio]

Looks great Frank.
Nice job.

 

[MasonJar]

Nice!! :thumb: :thumb:

Andrew

 

[FrankG]

Just a quick update....he's some roof-top machinery I scratch built (in N). I have no idea what this is, but there's a very similar unit on top of a power plant near me. A large stack will stand directly behind it as in the prototype.

 

[Ralph]

That's excellent! The details really bring this scene alive and will have visitors gawking. Nice work! The quarter leaning against the structure really impresses me as to your work with small sizes. Looks very industrial, looks great!
Ralph

 

[Union Pacific]

I love the dime in there for scale I do HO and couldn't belive me bring able to do that small work kep it up :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:


Thanx, Ben

 

[Papa Bear]

Very nice work, Frank. :thumb:

 

[FrankG]

BTW....if anyone's interested... I've found that the 1:350 Titanic kit that's out on the market is a GOLDMINE of parts perfect for industrial-looking N scale details. For example, in the machinery above, the "vent" grills along the top edge are Titanic railing. Grossly out of scale for 1:350, put perfect in this application. The raised panel on the bottom left behind the quarter is a piece of Titanic wall section with window openings. The protruding detail on the right side and on the top (hard to see in the photo) are both parts from the top of Titanic's stacks. Also added to the top is a deck blower (laying on its side) and the base for the bridge instruments. Oh, and the bottom supports are from a different style of railing. The only things not Titanic-related in this are the styrene "box" the whole thing is built on, the white metal ladder and the N-scale barrel on the top. But some other potential uses for this Titanic kit -- decks can be repurposed for clapboard or other siding or decking (the Titanic kit is very out of scale), tons of vents, blowers, etc. All types of misc. important-looking industrial objects. The lifeboats would make perfect 1-man little power-boats. Masts make good flag poles -- nice taper. And...what to do with the huge 3-foot hull? Well...since it's like 1/2 the size it should be for N, I'm considering finishing just the front bow of the hull, finishing it as a different steamliner and docking it in a harbor on my layout in the distance. If I do it right, I can viewblock the rest of the hull and it will just add a bit of distance detail without have to actually build anything more than the very front of the ship.