The Mission Valley& Pacific- I would like some feedback and advice.

MilesWestern

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The Mission Valley& Pacific- I NEED TO FIND SOME WAY TO MAKE ROADS!!

:wave: Hello. Welcome the the MV&Pacific RY; a 4X8 with a detached 5 track yard. The locale is the central coast (think around where the steinback books are located, in the salinas valley.) In 1958.Although I've been model railroading for ten years, (since I was six),This is my first venture into a serious, semi-permanent layout. I have been working on my layout happily since July, however I need some advice as to how to accomplish some things, and I'd love some tips. :cool:

Pictures are coming soon.
 

trainwhiz20

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Aug 9, 2004
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Hey there!

I am also sixteen years of age... in October anyways. I know where you're at, I'm starting my first semi-permanant layout myself, at 4x7 feet in HO.

I can't wait to see pics!

:D
 

hminky

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I model the Central California region. It used to be On30, the Pacific Coast Railway style. I have since switched to OO scale depicting 1870's standard gauge.


1879.JPG


I am chronicling the adventure on my website:

http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/main_page/

Thank you if you visit
Harold
 

jim currie

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MilesWestern said:
That's so cool! I find it rare for kids my age to model railroad- and keep it as a hobby! some photos have been recently added in the 'gallery' section, :cool:

I need to know how to post them in my posts! can you help me?


and us older modlers are glad to see younger ones thaking a interest in modeling:) as for posting photo's go to the photo forum there is a sticky telling how to do it .
 

MilesWestern

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Layout Photos

Here is my main depot, prior to scenery. there is an P2k ALCo S-1 (SP tiger stripe) that is the mainstay of motive power on this layout. I also have a Bachmann Consolidation (undec.) which is a backup locomotive when the diesel needs servicing.
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I'm gonna run out to the garage after I post this and go take some more photos!!!
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MilesWestern

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Just a Note: In case you haven't guessed, my layout room isn't what you'd call 'finished' Although It may look like I put this in what may look like to some of you an abandoned building, In fact it was the former residence of the family that lived in my small town of Niles, CA. They later built the considerably larger house that we now reside, back in the 1950's. The odd thing you might realize from the photos is that the windows have these wierd bar things in them. Well there's little that seperates the 'elements' from them, and there are some missing panes in the windows. Oh well. At least the rest of the building is somewhat nice. :rolleyes:

Niles, Ca is near Fremont, Ca (you can easily locate it on ANY R.R. map of the Bay area or just California in general. It was (and is) the junction for three major lines. The Original Niles Canyon (UP- former S.P., former W.P. {no affiliation with the latter Western Pacific, it was layed in 1884}
Also the OTHER W.P. has a nearly parallel (but much faster) line through the canyon (that's the wp that you think of being swallowed up by UP in 1982)
There's a couple more, but those are the most important lines. after 1985, S.P abandoned it's canyon line in favor of trackage rights over the w.p. throught the canyon and a couple of years later the abandoned line was given to the PLA- the Pacific Locomotive Assoc. and they opewrate one of the largest tourist lines in the business! they're great people too! :thumb:

For more about Niles Canyon R.R. History, COME OUT TO NILES!! (and see me too!):D :thumb:
or....
visit the PLA's Website
www.ncry.org/home.htm
or....
see the Model railroad club that I attend in niles! The NDHF Niles Depot Historical Foundation. They have layouts in HO and N scale! :thumb:
nilesdepot.railfan.net/NDHFhome.html
 

hminky

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MilesWestern said:
hminky,
I went to the Pacific Coast Airline site, and I just gotta know where you got that little trestle!!! I ABSOLUTELY NEED one for my layout. Can you tell me who made it or what kit it is for how much, please!

The trestle is scratchbuilt from stripwood and dowels. I cover building the whole layout at:

http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/4x8/

obj10geo12pg1p20.jpg


Hope that helps
Harold
 

MilesWestern

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I need some advice as to making streets, what are my options? I used sculptamold on my dirt road, and It worked out great, but now I'm laying a highway and It's bumpy, rough, and looks horrible!:mad: (good for dirt roads- horrible for what is supposed to be concrete!)

DOES ANYONE KNOW OF A BETTER WAY TO MAKE ROADS?!?

-Below is a sample of my dirt road-making abitity-
 

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doctorwayne

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Canada, eh?
It depends on how much road you require. I generally use sheet styrene for city streets. It's easy to put a crown on the roadway and you can use thicker styrene to make sidewalks. For highways (I model the '30's) most have a base of plywood, similar to sub-roadbed on an open grid layout. I coat this with a thin application of drywall compound, smoothed as much as possible with a wide taping knife. It helps to spray the plywood first with a little water: this prevents it from drawing too much water out of the compound and helps to prevent cracks. After the compound dries, it is easy to sand it smooth with a piece of medium grit sandpaper. I use a very thin wash of Polly Scale paint to colour the finished road. Use a soft, wide brush and don't work it too much, as the road will quickly become soft and mushy. I don't know about painting lines on it, since it wasn't a common practice in my era.
I hope this is of some assistance.
Wayne
 

MilesWestern

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I'm going to make an orange grove. I just bought ove of those great Athearn R-T-R 6-packs in the great PFE (that's Pacific Fruit Express) orange! they were $60.00 at the Train Shop (that's the actual name of the store!) in Santa Clara and they are worth every penny!

-below is a pic of one of the six reefers, ENJOY!
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