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The 46" Pub table (shown left) determines everything; it's defining space is the "world" and everything must accommodate it. My wife is to thank for finding it in a clearance warehouse (got it for a song along with two matching chairs.) The height lends itself well to an N scale layout, being that it chest high. Anything less, and viewers would have sore backs. Note the side of the table is nice and perpendicular with not too much of a round edge, perfect for mounting the future hardboard contour facia skirt.
This is not a research session, its the books and such weighting down the glued high density foam boards that will define the medium height of the landscape. The river and other depressions will be carved out of this material. Foam glue was used to adhere both panels together and then to the table top.
This shows the foam board trimmed to the circumference of the table. It was a messy exercise in static foam detritus using a fine hacksaw blade held freehand, until I realized that a good sharp non-serated kitchen knife gave me the smooth and clean edges I wanted.
The addition of 4% gradient foam risers and some test track laid out for test runs...I bought a little diesel loco to test the grades and pulling power. So far, I can get a nice train of six cars to horse it up that steep incline smoothly at low speeds. Very nice, and appropriate for a local "short line", after all, this ain't no Santa Fe main line! I simply power the track with some alligator clips from a test transformer. The DCC command/booster will come later.
Note the "river" carving has been started to accommodate the placement of the mountain gorge stone viaduct. The river bottom is table level(check the layout PDF.) It was at this point that I needed to start construction of the structures for the layout so I could place them and make adjustments before the scenery base was set in stone...er, plaster.
So here I am with my big, arthritic mitts, more adept at slinging a sledge hammer, delicately tooling and gluing teeny tiny laser cut model parts. I've pulled splinters out of my fingers that were bigger. This is to say nothing of the 4X glasses I wear and tabletop magnifying glass. I look like some frustrated superglue-crusted surgeon with a foul mouth. But in the end, there is a satisfaction you just can't get from buying a pre-assembled model. At left you can see the Dumluk Coal Mine office and it's steam shovel. When I saw that the stairs need assembling, I nearly packed it all in.
I almost lost faith halfway through this model of "Yoder's State Line Farm Supply" but persevered and was very satisfied with the end result. Looks like Yoder's is really pushing the John Deere line. I wonder if they roll them inside every night?
Let's see... that's two models done, thirteen to go (give or take.)
Here's a plastic coal mine I painted and weathered, It's one of the larger structures and having it ready will help me determine track and spacing issues. That pile of coal
is interesting... I wadded up a little facial tissue soaked with glue, placed it on a wax paper base, sprinkled it with Woodland Scenics "Coal" (which in my mind is a little lackluster) and mixed in some dark glitter glue giving it that anthracite rainbow sheen. When it dries, I trim the wax paper and I have a portable coal pile. Very cool.
This was fun. Judging by the penny, I guess you can see that I might soon qualify as a microsurgeon. It's amazing how focused one can get with details that will never be appreciated. Heck, I can't see my own work without "Guyglasses" (so called.) I remember the Mobil pegasus winged horses from when I was a kid in the 60's.
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