Here’s a quick cell phone video showing some progress on my N scale Housatonic RR. I just got the phone and tried a test video. I am sorry about the poor lighting and depth of field issues, as this was my first quick attempt at a video.
There are 1,000’s of trees needed and the scenery is only base later and test patches. It starts with the purely fictional 'Letourneau Gorge" named after a friend of mine, then goes along some of the industrial areas in New Milford, CT. The buildings are not finished yet, but give an impression of the actual industries served by the HRRC.
For a quick first attempt, the video turned out very well. You have a "N"ice realistic layout on the go which seems well executed in composition and setting and is just what you would see if you were trackside watching trains roll by. Maybe for your next video you could do a tour of the whole layout and show us more of your progress.
Here are a few more grab shots as I am roughing in Specialty Minerals, in the Canaan section of the layout. This was formerly a quarry owned by Pfizer and had been here a long time. It produces a specialized form of limestone used in pharmaceuticals, food, and tile industries. It was also one of the primary producers of magnesium during WWII.
The prototype plant is a major customer for the Housatonic RR. I would love to see some nice Flexiflow Hoppers produced in N scale, as I need a ton of these to represent the actual traffic at Specialty Minerals.
Wow, it has been over a year since I did anything with the layout. I finally got back in the groove about 6 weeks ago and am moving forward on completing phase 1 of my industries. Everything needs paint, details and finishing touches, but at least my track placement is finalized, now that the basic buildings are in place. I am trying to capture the feeling of the actual businesses and actual car capacity as well. Here are a few progress shots:
Becton Dickenson, in Canaan, CT. This is a medical supply manufacturer.
Sheffield Plastics - Sheffield, MA
New office section for Kimberly Clark - New Milford, CT (Note, the saggy roof on the office section has been corrected since the photo was taken.)
Here are a few more new industries. Sheffield plastics (shown above), Schweitzer Malduit (Medical specialty paper) and Mead Paper Co. are in a 2’ x 11’ closet. The industries provide switching, similar to the prototype, plus they hide a small staging yard representing the CSX interchange in Pittsfield, MA. I’ll post photos of Mead, later, as it progresses.
Yes, the earlier posts don’t have any photos. The photo hosting site I used had major issues, and I no longer have the originals. There should be photos visible in the last post I made.
Wow, it has been over a year since I did anything with the layout. I finally got back in the groove about 6 weeks ago and am moving forward on completing phase 1 of my industries. Everything needs paint, details and finishing touches, but at least my track placement is finalized, now that the basic buildings are in place. I am trying to capture the feeling of the actual businesses and actual car capacity as well. Here are a few progress shots:
Becton Dickenson, in Canaan, CT. This is a medical supply manufacturer.
Sheffield Plastics - Sheffield, MA
New office section for Kimberly Clark - New Milford, CT (Note, the saggy roof on the office section has been corrected since the photo was taken.)
Here are a few more new industries. Sheffield plastics (shown above), Schweitzer Malduit (Medical specialty paper) and Mead Paper Co. are in a 2’ x 11’ closet. The industries provide switching, similar to the prototype, plus they hide a small staging yard representing the CSX interchange in Pittsfield, MA.
Thanks. My teenaged daughters have been keeping me busy, plus work, yard work and daily life gets in the way. The size of the layout also contributed to the burnout factor, since. Taking a year off from all work on the layout gave me a fresh perspective and new energy. Prior to starting on the structures, I fixed a couple of expansion and contraction track damage issues and tore up, the realigned areas that just never felt right to me. I am committing to doing small projects to keep some progress going. The buildings will all need a few more doors, tons of details and paint/weathering.
Here are a few more progress shots:
New overhead (Traincat) crane at Neeltran. (Transformer refurbishing/rebuilding plant)
Specialty Minerals - Canaan, CT (Basic structures taking shape, including scale house/office modification to the mill building. Dozens of conveyors and storage silos to be added) The oversized blue girders in front of the scale house will be replaced by scale sized “H” columns and protective bollards when I get the materials I need.
One more of the Kimberly Clark Office Addition: Disregard the temporary paper sign.
This is a totally fictitious scenic section on the layout. I have named it “Letourneau Gorge” in honor of Louis, a/k/a Trainforfun on the MRR f
I have done some more work on structures, since last weekend. Here are a couple of more progress shots. Again, my goal is to block out the basic structures, so I can finalize track placement. All of the structures will require painting, extensive detailing and weathering.
This is the new “Pharmco” building. This company makes ethanol based pharmaceuticals as well as flavorings for the food industry at the actual plant. The office addition is not attached to the main building yet.
Here are a couple of work in progress shots of Specialty Minerals, in Canaan. I replaced the temporary placeholder for the curved roof building. I still need to add the roof. Note the windows are only taped in place temporarily. I’ll glaze them and attach them after I paint the structure. I am including a photo of the prototype building for reference.
I am not trying to make exact duplicates, but I want to capture the basic character of these unique structures.
Specialty’s Crusher and scalehouse building. I still need to add the bump out over the two storage silos on the side of the building.
I had a chance to do a few small projects over the weekend on Specialty Minerals. I am beginning to build conveyors, crushed limestome loading bins, and a truck scale. Covers on the conveyor are just placed and not glued. I will paint, weather and place limestone on the belts before attaching the curved covers.
Truck scale. Needs paint and weathering.
Weathered the bridge shoes on the three span crossing of the Housatonic River, in New Milford.
