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Autumn 2008 has arrived and so has a new season of train modeling. After a nice 6 month break, it was time to remove the dust cover and get the DF&D ready for the work to come.
A new 2.8.0 steamer is raring to start steaming some Pullman cars, loaned from the New York line,out of Apple Valley Station.
Track cleaning: The Mahoney Method. I find make-up sponges mounted on a skewer an invaluable tool for delicately cleaning everywhere - especially between trees, under bridges, and in tunnels.
This year the river will be further addressed and detailed. For now, it gets a little spiffy cleaning with that sponge.
I love scale in action. Check out old Joe walking to work along the road... waaaay back there beyond the hemlocks stand.
Here you can see where the base of the painted scenery has been "dusted" (ground foam dirt mix, glued and sprayed where it lands and collects) to form the nice matte base for the grass, weeds, shrubs and trees to come. I am wrestling with the idea of a stand of trees or a little freight shack... heck, maybe both.
Here you can see that the left side mountain has been plaster hard-shelled over the framework of cardboard strip webbing. It has several layers and is is very VERY strong. I toyed with the idea of an access panel - but given that it is such a short jaunt, it did not seem necessary (he said.)
The Dumluk Mine is built right into the side of the mountain. After painting a base color, I will dress the mountain with sheer rock castings; weeds; shrubs; and trees. The mine will blend in nicely.
Here is shown the "no fuss open top" tunnel liners that I fashioned from black foam core board covered with coal for texture. So far, the tunnel are so dark - it almost seems moot to dress the walls.
Obviously, plaster work is a messy business, and inevitably it will splash on something... I covered most of the layout in lightweight plastic drop cloth before hand... but, as you can see, there will be accidents. I little paint will fix that right up when the tunnel is dressed.
This is a close up of the trestle pillars and the talus of the river jetties below. Note how the end columns are built right into the mountain rock.
That's the 5:15 headed to all points west and back by midnight for the red-eye. Tomorrow morning its scheduled to pull some coal, and if time allows, pick up some dairy for a local run. Such is the busy, varied work of a short-line.
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