A Wee Bit More Done

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kettlestack

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Jan 18, 2002
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I've been racking my brains as to how to get the yard to look like a yard! :( . I fitted a crossing (to justify the crossing keepers hut), a fence, weeds and painted the track.

I came up with a neat (but not to scale) way of illuminating the outside of buildings. In the background you will see three Model Power "N" street lights fitted to the walls of the unfinished building. The "brackets" supporting them are Grant Line canopy support brackets. This is the furthest I've ever got with layout. and so far it all works! (wonders will never cease). Nothing's perfect but I'm happy.:D

Errol
 

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Hi Errol,
Very very nice indeed, love that fence and of course I just love the Shay. Looks as if it belongs right there.

 
That's really nice work, Errol!:cool:
I love the board fence, & the grade crossing!
In addition to some people, how about some junk strewn along next to that beautiful fence?
Keep those pictures coming!
 
Thanks for your encouraging comments guys. Geeee...I needed them.
I'm pretty frustrated with the layout at present for the following reasons:-
1) When there was only track on the baseboard, it looked as if there was an enormous space to be filled with scenery/buildings/whatever. Now that ballast and intervening areas covered with general scrub/grass etc, the space between tracks won't hold much.
2) I was happy to scratchbuild kitbash part relief buildings against the backdrop. After bashing two with lights, I find it's tedious making the interiors lightproofed and making windows that would look good by daylight AND night! Also my accumulation of HO buildings kits don't particularly fit the general theme I had in mind.
3) I have old time 36' and 40' cars plus mid 20th century 50' cars and find the "run-around" track will be "a wee bit dodgy" as regards clearance for 50' cars. This will restrict movement of some stock I have.
4) I have a fair amount of Preiser figures representing mid to late 19th century. At present I can't place them as they are mostly for streets or train passengers. I had intended changing times to suit my mood from time to time so designing a range of buildings to suit such a wide timespan doesn't come easily to me so I leave off thinking about it and just run trains on only one leg of the "L" pike.
5) My biggest mistake was to dive in with construction BEFORE thinking about preparing the room for it. I believe I am certainly not alone in doing this :) . The lighting is rubbish (Two strip lights) way too close to the pike mounted under kitchen wall cabinets a mere 14" above the pike. If I relocate the cabinets they will have to be mounted in the area I've set aside for my next N gauge layout. Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place? :) :) .
6) I have 5" clearance between the layout frame and the work surfaces it rests upon. No way can I easily get under it to add wiring! Fortunately I planned the wiring before connecting the modues and ballasting the tracks over the joint.

There are times I sit and look at it (and look at it, and look at it :) )
and am pleased with the progress ....... BUT ..... lapse into near despair because of these dimensional restrictions I've created for myself. Surely there are others who despair at times for similar reasons?

Lessons learned the HARD way????? Planning, planning, planning.....paper plans are easier to alter than a room or a pike!
Hell, at my age I should have known better... but you know what enthusiasm does to us huh?:) .

I'm alone on my projects and appreciate your encouragement as well as my wife's. You guys have given me inspiration and a kind of companionship I've not had before. Thanks for being here.

I shall endure (once I have another beer :D )

Errol
 
Chin up, Errol, my friend! :D
Welcome to the club...have a beer on me! Think I'll sit down & have one with you!
I had to smile at your complaint about the Preiser figures...mine were "passengers" too, & I put them to work in my industrial setting, & what LAZY workers they make! Just sitting there, like they're waiting for something! (a paycheck? :D )
And I too, must plead guilty to "painting myself in a corner" on numerous occasions, through a lack of planning, &/or an itch to race through something without doing a sufficient job of it.
Sometimes I think the best approach is to sit & look, & look, & look...inspiration can come to you this way sometimes, & you're not up to ypur elbows in messing it up!:rolleyes:
Suffice it to say that you do have a kindred spirit in me, & I suspect there are others here among us as well.
And I too, relish the encouragement, inspiration, compliments, & yes the critisism, that everyone here provides me with.
I enjoy the hobby a lot more because of all my friends here! :)
 
Errol, I am more than impressed for the scene you have created.
I am in full agreement with the comments others have made You show that you have the skills and creativity needed for this hobby.
It is the realism of the scene that caught my attention.
Good work and keep it going.
 
Errol you are not alone! There are times I spend 2 hours in the train room and get 10-15 minutes worth of work done (if I'm lucky). :D As far as you not having that much space "between" the tracks for buildings, etc. On this side of the pond there really isn't anything "between" the tracks in a yard area. If you look at the yard area on my layout you won't see anything except along side the tracks in the yard areas. You have done a really nice job , but if the space problems over and under the layout bug you too much, well you won't be the first to rip it out and start over(don't ask me how I know that! :D :p :D ). Like you there are no other model railroaders around here and that makes this forum a Godsend! The advice and critisisms I get here help me make far faster and better progress then I would on my own. The point is you have done some good work whether you decide to keep it or not, you now know you can build a nice layout!! As far as planning first and building second, I know I've violated that rule on more than one occasion and I'll probably scew up and do it again sometime. But then thats why God invented chainsaws and dynomite!:D Now get a fresh beer and get back to work in the trainroom!!!!!
 
Errol...Errol.....................Eroll,


Relax every thing will be fine. Your doing a wonderful job that looks great. I'd toast a beer to you but I'm stuck with Diet Coke for the next six to nine monthe while my back heals up. But I'll take a long pull for you hows that?

I got it............ You need the RI to come in and get things going for you!!!!!!!!!!!:D :D :D

Keep on chugging:) :) :)
 
Errol - your work looks great (that fence is really something...). As a 'first-timer" I have been fortunate enough (so far) to have taken heed of the creedo so often expressed here about "plan,plan,plan" and I have say that hearing someone such as yourself, having done such wonderful work as you have already, apply self criticism to his "lack of planning" has just made me groan to myself:eek:
What awaits me?? With all my planning and hope for near perfection (yeah right) will I too (no doubt) start tearing my hair at my "lack of foresite" some time in the very near future?
Oh woe is me....:(

Just kidding (sort of). I am actually physically holding myself back from going crazy and laying track and crafting scenery and kit building and doing EVERYTHING I want to do, all at once, and I never knew why I was holding myself back. Now I do.
I need to plan some more I think ;)

Any excuse to sit down with my layout sketches and books and catalogues and sit on a beer or two and just plan. (sigh) one day I'll start this layout I'm sure....:p

Bruce
 
FRUSTRATIONS!

Errol, Don't feel alone my friend....If I had a penny for eveytime I had to say..."Why did I do that?" I'd be a rich man and could afford that live steam 1.5 inch scale D&RGW C-16 I've drooled over for years:D

Sometimes we just have to " go back to the drawing board" and assess the situation....usually it all works out!!!!

From what you've posted so far......EXECELLENT WORK!!!!! Keep it up!!!!:D :D :) :)
 
Errol I also agree with the others that you have done a fabulous job with this scene and it inspires all of us to continue on with our own respective layouts...either planned, half completed or never completed :D With a little help from our friends here at the Gauge. I also agree that people will make your scene more lively.

I have my own plans to take a few key spot on my layout and install a focal point of some sort...be it a kid on a swing that moves or a couple of hoboes around a firey 55 gallon drum. These little details really make a difference I have found and want to incorporate them into my own layout.

I once had the honor of learning some detailing work from a lady model railroader who has since passed away and her buildings were incredible with details. I have included a link to a picture for you all to look at:

[http://www.geocities.com/miraclestriprrclub/newlayout/pleasureville1_3182.jpg

By the way her name was Pat McCue and she was a awesome teacher...I just wished I had had more time to learn more from her.

Press on gentlemen and any ladies out there...until next time

Bob,
 

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