In my previous update I alluded to future improvements to the engine terminal portion of the layout. For my 2025 FedEx Day project I was able to get most of the base scenery finished and made improvements to a couple of structures.
OK, here are the obligatory Before pictures.
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Aerial view of the engine terminal with various parts scattered about |
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The operational nexus of the layout except it's non-operational |
The flat black with dust overlay isn’t the worst looking simulation of a dirty, grimy work environment, but it could use some variety; weeds can grow pretty much anywhere, for example. I also wanted to cover up the remaining Sculptamold surface and break up the monochrome green ground cover. Once more for those late arrivals to the train room: Nature is Variety.
Meanwhile the turntable and especially the roundhouse need some attention.
The Turntable
Mechanically I need to determine how to wire and configure the turntable so it stops at the appropriate track with the press of a button. Otherwise there is a $300 paperweight preventing me from operating the layout as intended: changing locomotives as each train arrives, turning them around as necessary and sending them to the roundhouse for repairs as needed.
The Roundhouse
I built the roundhouse in the early 1980s using parts from three kits. It looks great if you don’t look too closely and while you can see its bones if you modeled at that time (and even now; I believe Heljan, the maker of the main pieces, is now marketed as Walthers Cornerstone but maybe not in N anymore), it is unique and a sentimental favorite of mine. However, as you can see there are some details missing and it needs a general sprucing up. The main goal is to paint it in my railroad's standard gray with green trim to tie it more effectively into the infrastructure.
I designed the layout, after all, with a few basic Givens of which one was "find a place for the roundhouse". Once I determined the location of this largest structure on the layout, everything else flowed from there.
OK, back to the work at hand.
In Progress
First of all, unfortunately the turntable proved a tough nut to crack and so I postponed that work for another day. As it happened I was able to make progress the next weekend but that is a subject for another update.
For the scenery work I gathered the necessary tools and supplies (including some ground foam I had bought 40 years ago!) and got to work. As usual they key to my scenery is Elmer's white glue, which I diluted a bit then brushed onto the surface. For some reason I couldn't locate any plastic spoons so a paper cup became the applicator:
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Varying the vegetation near the right-of-way |
For the "work" area of the engine terminal I took a three-step approach:
- Brush on glue in a random-ish pattern
- Sprinkle a blend of dirt (from Vermont!) and ballast but leaving some bare patches of glue
- Sprinkle a blend of green ground foam on the remaining area
I was so intent on this that I forgot to take any pictures. Working only a few square inches at a time was painstaking but it gave good results (no wait, don't skip to the end yet).
Once I had completed the scenery to the extent possible, I turned to structural work.
I needed to glue some missing parts onto the roundhouse so it needed cleaning, which is something I am not sure I had ever done since the early 1980s. To be fair it looked kind of realistic as nothing looks like dirt so much as, well, dirt. I started by wiping down the roof with wet paper towels but quickly realized that a trip to the utility sink with a toothbrush would be quicker.
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During the de-soiling; some actually remained even after this |
For the parts I turned to my trusty Parts Bin, in which was a giant Ziploc bag full of parts. Rummaging through it I quickly found exactly what I needed, including the exact door for the one missing from the roundhouse (as seen in the second Before picture).
Never throw anything out, you may need it 40 years later. |
Even Marie Kondo would approve |
Finally, I painted the whole thing. Its size is such that I was able to give it two coats without pausing, as the first coat dried before I made it all the way around.
So how did all this turn out?
The Reveal
I am extremely pleased with the results. The dirt/ballast/weed combination turned out great and the different shades of green along the right-of-way have helped tone down the monochromatic appearance.
Meanwhile the roundhouse looks fantastic. The lighter color not only lets it fit in better with the other structures, but reveals more detail and (I think) reduces its apparent size. I have since grimed it up a bit with my standard India ink wash but it is once more the centerpiece of the layout.
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Need to clean up the vegetation a bit but great progress |
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Compare to the first Before picture |
As always there is more work to be done. I want to cover the remaining Sculptamold areas with static grass as well as put some tufts and small bushes here and there for additional variety. But as the first layer of scenery I am very pleased with it, and will extend the work around the corner to the yard (upper left in the last picture). Structurally I need to spruce up the coaling tower and sand house as well as the diesel fuel tanks. There is also a water tank kit requiring my attention.
But not bad for a 24-hour* period!
*Actual work time was about 14 hours; I managed to catch a few hours of sleep and then the last hours were spent frenetically creating my presentation video.