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David is eager to get out of the basement and enjoy the summer weather! But before heading into the great outdoors, he’s bound and determined to sort out a few track, scenery, and benchwork issues on the expanding Olympia Logging Co. On30 layout.
A quick update on my rock wall behind the approach to Salida Yard. It worked out really well to be “High and Flat” with the Cripplebush rubber rocks. The Woodland Scenics styrofoam board allowed adding plaster castings and other molded rocks to make a complete scene. I had tried backing the rubber rocks with plaster, but I really didn’t need to. It was a messy idea – but a happy mistake that left a bunch of dried plaster bits that are great rock fillers between castings. The Heavy Duty Liquid Nails ended up being the best thing for me to attach other Cripplebush rubber rocks.
You solved a major problem that I had on my HO/HOn3 Monarch Branch railroad. Going into the Salida Yard from the mainline, I have a four track curved set of holding tracks that was within inches of the backdrop. I am using the Cripplebush Santa Fe Canyon 1 & 3 pieces to go around the curve right into the closest approach of the tracks to the backdrop. I already have the 1 inch thick Woodland Scenics styrofoam board. Putting it parallel to the backdrop like on the Olympia 2 and covering with the Cripplebush rubber rocks is the perfect solution. I know what I am doing this afternoon.
David; Really like the series and the other ones you and your crew have one. Also like the outtakes at the end. Usually how many times do you really mess up, flub your lines or forget what you’re going to say? Looks like after everything is done, you’ve really had fun. Thanks
What is the width and depth of the table you built? Plus, what is the height of the roadbed, from the floor?
Hey gang,
I thought I’d jump in and answer a few comments – plus fill you in on the progress this week:
Making changes: One thing I learned early on in this business is not to get attached to my work – any of it. More often than not, if I find that if I find myself fighting strongly to keep something, it’s a sure sign that it is actually the problem – that philosophy also works with video and magazine editing as well!
Save the pond: Sorry, Gary, but I wanted my resin logs back to use again, so the “instant pond” is now bits and pieces of resin. It took a bit of work, but eventually I was able to cut the logs out of the stuff – peeling the resin off did take most of the paint too, so I’ll need to repaint them before dunking them into the new pond.
Removable hill: Funny you should say that, Rollin. I got the rubber rock casting from Cripplebush for it earlier this week, cut it and the hill up, and then realized with glue gun in hand that if I install it all permanently on the layout, I had no way to lay, paint, and ballast the track behind it! So now I’m working on the removable hill project, which should be a much better option!
Mini Coopers: Nigel, my wife and I are Mini Cooper fanatics. We’ve had four. The blue Countryman is our latest – once we saw it, we knew we needed to have it. We’re touring the Mini plant in Oxford in October, and can’t wait!
I lied: While I said I was taking the summer off at the end of Blog 6, it’s done nothing but rain here all week, which means I’ve gotten a lot of work done on the layout in the evenings. All the foam is cut and installed thanks to KJ, who loaned me his hot-wire foam cutter. (Man! Where has that been my whole life?) Last night I laid the cork for the sawmill to yet another track design. This one gives me a much better run-around track. Plus I picked up a Heisler and a sound decoder to go with it, and a capacitor unit for the Porter locomotive, so look for Log Blog 7 in mid-July. We’ll have plenty to discuss.
Have a great weekend, and thanks for the comments!
David
Saw a couple pics of a marina. Are you also a boater?
One suggestion, David: Don’t split the hillside between the two modules, that just creates another ugly seam. Make it in one piece, but removable. Then you can easily access the track behind it.
David, great use of foam layers to establish a sense of depth in the scene. I’ll have to try that on parts of my layout where scenery depth is at a minimum. Also it was sad to watch you remove the lag pond and other well built scenery but change is inevitable. Thanks.
Great segment David. I always hate to tear something out that I’ve built before, but sometimes its inevitable as I found out in my rail yard if I was to make it work ‘better’ than what I previously had. ‘We’ like to see ‘you’ have planning frustrations too in how to best landscape a scene and still keep it functional. The run-around track will work much better in future ops sessions. Thanks for this installment and the bloopers!
David, I appreciate your honest approach. You admit when there is a goof or when you have second thought. It’s easier for us amateurs to identify with that. While the Olympia is not something I would build for myself, I do appreciate seeing the thought process and the techniques used. It is one of the more novel project railroads presented.
The great track rip up was inevitable, though somewhat sad. I’m doing that at the moment – need to store son’s furniture for a while – goodbye train layout. I am going to keep myself happy with a 4×2 bit of foam and some points and an engine shed. Inspiration from Thomas Klimoski’s Georgia Northeastern engine terminal in MR mag and Cody’s Engine facility on the MR&T. Glad the pond came up in one piece – what a bonus. Anyway, good luck with it – a clean piece of ply is best place to start rather than trying to shoe-horn track.
Pigging backing on what Gary said. I too appreciate your including the second thoughts and re-do’s. It’s good to see that even the pros have an “oops” now and then.
Hey David, I could use that log pond if you don’t need it…really!
Nice to see even the pros are forced to rethink/redesign on the fly from time to time…even having CAD plans (e.g. Canadian Canyons)….this amateur model railroader doesn’t feel so dumb now! ;~)
David, I was pleased to see that you successfully rescued the log pond rather than just taking a hammer and chisel and busting it up in a thousand pieces. I know several people who chose the latter and later wished they hadn’t. Remember that model railroaders are pack-rats and we never thro-nuttin; away!! In a perfect world I’m sure like myself, many others would enjoy the chance to build something in another scale. Looking forward to future episodes of the Log Blog.
Ah, the “best” laid track gang aft agee as Bobbie Burns said. Plans on paper or even sketched on the layout don’t always fit the operation. Glad to see you decided to put in a run around. Surprisingly how much those things improve operations.
I was thinking on commenting on the middle ground hill/cliff, but that is still a work in progress.
It will be interesting to see what you may or may not accomplish over the summer what with other “real” work projects.
Hi David, great video, enjoyed watching it. I have to say I am impressed with you Union Jack Mini ! 🙂
From an Englishman in France ! 🙂 Nigel.
Very fun installment of the Log Blog. Good job on the removal of the log pond. I agree, save it, you may find a use for it in the future. Anxious to see how this all progresses. Summertime does get in the way of modeling. Thanks for the bloopers too!
Good one, David! Seeing you work out problems that arise with every solution, two steps forward one step back, start over, reevaluate, on second thought, yes/ no. Well, It might work. Throw the kid in the water, let’s see if he can swim. Hey, he made it! — I think you were a tight rope walker in your previous life.
I really enjoyed that video! Enjoy your July, looking forward to the next episode.
Great episode, David. I was struck again with the irony of being a model railroader in the southwestern part of the country. While folks in your area take time off to enjoy the out of doors, I am hibernating behind closed doors. I have left a wake-up call for Thanksgiving. This is the ideal time for indoors stuff like layout work and running trains.
Hey David-
As always another interesting video series. Great to see you reconfiguring and redesigning on the fly.