jeff train: febrúar 2011

laugardagur, 19. febrúar 2011

Waterbury - Early test fit

One of my main goals in building this layout is to recreate some of the wonderful prototype photographs taken of the CV during the late steam era. Perhaps one of the best known photographers of the era was Philip Hastings. In fact, it was one picture of the Ambassador slowing for a stop in Waterbury that appeared in Bob Jone's book, Central Vermont Railway, A Yankee Tradition Vol. 5, that made me decide to shift my era back to the steam era.

If the scene looks at all familiar, the header image for this blog is a Bob Carey photograph also taken in Waterbury.

I've built - actually the better term is I've started to build - bits and pieces of the elements needed to recreate that photo over the years. And, although I still have a ways to go, the rudimentary mockup here shows that I will, at long last, be able to recreate that scene.

I built the feedmill from styrene, and the station is a product of my good friend Bernie Kempinski's laser engraver. I have a ways to go to get all the necessary elements in place, but I was so excited about the prospect of what is to come that I wanted to share it.

At this point I haven't decided if I will work on this scene, Essex Junction, or "the bridge" first - it will most likely be the latter since, well, it's the closest to being done, but I can't wait to finally get the Waterbury station scene built.

Test-fitting Essex Junction's trainshed

Progress has been a little slower than I'd hoped, but things are starting to pick up!

I'm happy to report that this evening, after spending a pleasant day with a bunch of C&O modelers, I came home and got a coat of sky blue paint on the new peninsula backdrops. It's a simple task, but not a particularly enjoyable one - likely the reason I'd been putting it off. But at least it's done. It's amazing how much it brightens up the room.

I also dug out my drawings of the Essex Junction trainshed and used them to make this somewhat rudimentary mockup of the shed and station. I know it may be a while before I get around to building the real model, so this will help with planning the scene. Also, I wanted to confirm the dimensions of the actual model just to be sure the trains can actually run through the shed without hitting the roof joists.

The mockup is made from matte board. I have some black matte board that I'll use to add a roof. Seeing the building "full size" in mockup form convinces me I need a good plan for getting inside the the finished model for access, track cleaning and maintenance.

A removable roof - or at least some portion of the roof being removable, seems to be the answer. I need to think through that one.

I also started toying with building arrangements in Waterbury - but I'll keep that in a separate post.

föstudagur, 4. febrúar 2011

A little housekeeping

I've made some changes to the appearance of the blog. I've also been making some progress on the layout. I will post an update this weekend.