Fun With Foam | 0 Comments - Click Here :

This past weekend I paid a visit to the local Home Depot to gather materials for the two staging cassettes which need to be constructed. Instead, I came home with a sheet of pink insulation foam. I immediately went to work with a hack-saw blade and carved in the basic land forms. A messy job, but someone had to do it!
After gluing down the foam, I applied two coats of grey latex paint in preparation for a layer of Sculptamold goop to be added at a later date.
Despite my poor photography caused by an iPhone, bad lighting and the temporary grey color of everything; to my minds eye, it's starting to look allot like Dickey. Maybe its because it looks much like a cold wintry day so typical of the area.
I'm excited to get some real scenery started. But the shadow box and lighting must come first.
~ Cowboy Up!

Up Next.... | 2 Comments - Click Here :

With the track work completely finished and operational, it's time to move on to the next phase of construction; the backdrop and valance (the shadow-box). As tempting as it was, I purposely waited on this stage to make it easier to lay the track. I was able to work from above and both sides rather than having to reach in and under.
I plan to use Gatorboard for the backdrop and fascia. It is strong, lightweight (the layout is heavy enough as it is!) and resists warping better than masonite. It is also available in a 10' length, so there would be no seam in the backdrop or fascia. It is rather expensive, but I think the trade off will be more beneficial than going with a lesser material.
While I wait for the Gatorboard to arrive, I will investigate lighting options and maybe even build the two hidden staging cassettes.
I'm looking forward to recreating scenes such as below with a backdrop behind it!
- Cowboy Up!

Painted Rail | 8 Comments - Click Here :

In the past, I've always spray painted individual rail sections with rattle cans of Floquil roof brown and grimy black before spiking it down. For this layout, I hand laid the un-weathered rail first. This created the problem of how to paint the rail once the track laying was completed. I considered using my airbrush; but it is a siphon feed as opposed to gravity feed (meaning it feeds paint from the bottom as opposed to the top, thus making it difficult to get it down low on the layout). Even then, it would require an extremely steady hand to accomplish.
Enter Floquil's Rail Marker set. What I would consider as one of the top tools to come along recently. I hesitated on them at first because I am using code 55 rail, and I thought the pen tips would be to large. As a test, I caved in and spent the measly $9 for a set of three (Rust, Rail Brown, Tie Brown). Am I glad I did! These things worked great!
I applied the rust as a first coat and it had a slight translucent effect after it dried. After letting that cure for two days, I followed up with a coat of Rail Brown. The results can be seen below. I am more than pleased with the effect and highly recommend these pens!
- Cowboy Up!

 

New Locomotive Type? | 3 Comments - Click Here :

My other brother Derrell has pointed out that I own three 0-4-0T "Jughead" types (T for tail).
Lol! That name couldn't be more appropriate!
Thanks d!
- Cowboy Up!

Missing At The Bar (Missy)

Dash For Sonshine (Sonny)

Joes Royal Jay (Joe)

Turnout Servos Installed | 2 Comments - Click Here :

I have successfully installed all of the turnout servos. I utilized the micro servos available from  

Tam Valley Depot. They are very small but work great! Come to think of it; anything bigger is overkill when throwing Sn3 turnouts.

I modified the positioning of the servo bracket by mounting them sideways on a block of wood. This allows the servo arm direct swing to more precisely line up the stub turnouts. To control the servos, I utilized Tam Valley's Quad Pic, Dual Three Way and Hex Frog Juicer. There will be no control levers or switches on the fascia of the layout. Control of the turnouts will be from a wireless NCE DCC throttle. 

I found the installation and programming of these to be easy and am very pleased with the way they operate. I am looking forward to operating the layout using this method!

- Cowboy Up!

Roper Sez: | 0 Comments - Click Here :

Stay thirsty, my friends.

Making Progress | 1 Comments - Click Here :

Having the Labor Day weekend off from rodeo gave me the opportunity to make some real progress on the layout. I am happy to report that all of the rail has been completed with the exception of the hidden staging yards, which have yet to be constructed. I have also installed all of the feeders and completed all of the layout wiring for DCC. All that remains is to install the turnout servo motors.
The layout will then be put through a vigorous shakedown, working out any bugs before painting the rails and adding dirt and weeds. After all of this is completed, I can move on to the shadow-box and lighting installation!
For reference; I used code 55 rail from Micro Engineering and 150% HO spikes from the Proto:87 Stores. The turnout modules and servos are from Tam Valley Depot and the wireless DCC system is from NCE.
I took the following pictures with my iPhone so please excuse the quality!
- Cowboy Up!

Roper Sez: | 3 Comments - Click Here :

All these miles chasing rodeos is fine and dandy;
But when are we gonna get back to workin' on the railroad?

Rail going down | 0 Comments - Click Here :

Just to update that I have been spiking rail. The wait for some materials to arrive and my busy schedule has slowed progress; but it has all been forward progress! The details and photos to follow after enough has been completed to make it worth my while.
- Cowboy Up!

Cinders for ballast | 4 Comments - Click Here :

I've completed ballasting all the roadbed with cinders. My previous experience has been that it is much easier to get this completed before hand laying rail. The look of a heavily used mainline is only temporary as much of this will be overgrown with dirt and weeds once scenery is complete.
I begun by sanding the ties level. Then proceeded to use a four part process to distress and stain the ties. After they were dry, I poured cinders from Mountain Modelcraft, securing them with the tried and true white glue method.
- Cowboy Up!

Step 1: Stain with Silver wood. Step 2: Distress ties with a heavy-duty wire brush tool designed for use in a drill.
Step 3: Stain with Weather-It. Step 4: Dry brush with Quaker Grey.