Happy newyear!

2012 ends here in about 10 minutes, I wish all a happy newyear and a good and healthy 2013, and let us be productive in our beautiful hobby!!

Ronald Halma, the Netherlands

Working on a Sunday afternoon / evening

My wife did the small chimney tonight, it is not straight yet but that will come. The items are loosely placed just for the photo:

I went on with the closed boxcar and planked it overall:

After that I tried a reddish brown colour, I think it will pass the test:

Later more!

Working on a Sunday afternoon

Today I started the second flatcar. In the mould I made it is easy working. The base is ready:

With the rest of the wood parts attached and sanded lightly:

And planked. Not to tight, I do that a little "loose". I think these cars wheren't that straight in those days:

My wife is still busy with the Lacy hotel. She wasn't satisfied with the chimney so she used the foam base she made to pour one and covered that with clay that is normally used by children and is the stuff that drys in a hour. After hardening she carve the stones in it:

As foundation there has to be a few row of stones in sight onder the wooden walls. She starts this way, a slab of clay straightened and ready to be made to fit and to be carved:

The chimney on its place and the foundation lies to dry. I think it looks good:

Later more!

Building goes on with the shed

Tonight I went on with the goods shed. I finished the front so far with the 2 doors and the long window. Left there will be a Grandt Line window build in:

What's in the back I don't model because you can't see it from either side. I planked the corner so it will be possible to finish this neatly:

Then I had to make a frame for the platform along the shed. 4 long beams are carried by some short strings attached under the building:

Then I started the planking on the long sides:

On the head sides I lenghtened the planking:

And on there (almost) places, not exactly pointed out. I think the look is good!:

My wife finished the porch roof with the shingles on top of both halves of the roof:

And a overview of the coming camp:

Last but not least; my cell can take a panoramashot, so here it is (allthough a little "crumbled"):

Later more!

The watertower

Still the watertower wasn't ready so I went on it today. First I took 2 pieces of cardboard and made them around 2,5 inch diameter:

 After that I glued the 5 pieces of wood to both pieces, dryed them and planked the whole thing. After that it got a lit on top. Mine is closed, I know there where open ones but for this one I don't know:

And seen from the front of the layout. I'm happy with it!:

It still needs a ladder and some other stuff. Later more.

A example as how it should look, a piece from a youtube movie about the H0 scale layout of Thom Radice:

Well, I'm on my way!

Small correction....

A guy in a Dutch forum pointed out to me that the sleeve decoration supposed to be gold instead of red... I quickly re-did that this morning:

I also order some stuff from Redoubt Enterprises and Perry Miniatures. These are the last details items I need. If I wait to long with ordering it maybe to late when it will be delivered.

Later more!

A little (after)Christmas work part 3

And Longstreet rides it horse:

Later more!

A little Christmas work part 2

Bad picture but both (horse and Longstreet) are painted and had their wash already. Also one of the guncrew is painted and washed:

Later more!

A little Christmas work part 2

Did some paintwork this morning. Longstrreet's horse is almost ready:

Later more!

A little Christmas work

Did a little this morning, painted the horse of general Longstreet (from Perry Miniatures) in its basic brown colour. The groundcolour I used is black:

Its not much but social events will follow today. So; more later!

Some small work done

I wasn't in my train room for a few days... now I was to see that my almost 18-year old boy was a little naughty. Look where the stick is:

He is forgiven ;) Further I did the painting of the flatcar better. The sides where painted brown, the trucks black, the wheels rust and the whole got a little drybrush. It looks a lot better to me:

As my back gives some problems at the moment my best work can be done at hte living room table. This way we both are busy on such a evening like this (rain, bad weather):

Oke, later more!

Video of coupler test

Here a short video of the run with the link-and-pin coupler. It works quite well!:

Later more!

Testing link and pin couplers

Today I tested the Wiseman link and Pin couplers. Therefor I installed them on the Bachmann 4-4-0 tender and on a half-painted flatcar. Not totally sharp but you get the picture:

And a small overview, I start to really like it!:

Later more!

A little scene part 3

Did the last figure from the set tonight (the right one):

And the xcomplete group, they are a little to dusty, I will rework that tomorrow. But they look good to me!:

Later more!

A little scene part 2

Did a second one now in a Confederate yellowish colour, will redo the spokes. They are a little too blackish:

Later more!

A little scene

Although Big Shanty didn't had a redoubt I'm considering adding one. These redoubts where very prominent places in pictures:

This is a little my idea... I have 2 sets; one firing (this one) and one loading:

Well.... you get the idea! I proceed with painting my sets.

Later!

Part 2

Did the cannon again in only black with a drybrush. Like it better this way:

Later more!

Painting the first white metal cannon from Perry Miniatures

As I am not that mobile at this very moment with my backproblems I can't work on the layout. Instead I took a Perry kit yesterday and started with that one.

After asking in the Civil War Yahoo group about the colour I decided to make the first one olive green. For that I used the Revell Aqua nr 46. The black parts where painted with the Vallejo black nr 169. The rope got Vallejo nr 138 (saddle brown). After drying it got a black wash Vallejo lavado negro black shade). When that dryed I brushed the green parts lightly together with the black ones. Last I drybrushed with Vallejo sky grey 154.
The result:

Maybe it is a little overdone but I'm reasonably glad with the result. 

Later more!

4-4-0 with sound

There is not much progress at the moment, I do hav problems with my back at this moment and working on the layout isn't possible. Instead I transplanted a Esu V4.0 Loksound decoder from my 0N30 Climax into the 4-4-0 American. After that I downloaded the Esu file but wasn't satisfied with it. Because I own the programmer for years now I easaly can alter these decoders. So I searched a new bell and airpump for it, and also adddad the blowoff sound.

I do this at my computerdesk in the living room. I have a Marion Zeller (www.marion-zeller.de) roller stand wich I set my loco on. This is connected to the Esu programmer which is coupled to my computer with a special USB cable. The software is capable to load new sound in the decoder but also to test-run your just-programmed loco. A great feature!

Here my video of this morning:

Enjoy it, more progress later!

Video overview of the build so far

I made a short video today. Worked on the goodshed, so far it has 2 closed walls. It stands higher because of the platform that will be attached to it.

Enjoy it!

Later!

Lacy almost ready

My wife did some extensive modelling on the Lacy hotel. She cut the roofshingles by hand and one  by one. I think that is the only way to give the buildings from this time period the correct look and "feeling".

Yesterday evening she finished the front side, only the corners have to be done yet:

And as this morning, I think it starts to look pretty good:

I myself am busy to try work out a solution for the link and pin couplers. Also the frog of the turnout has to be constructed in a different way than I did now. At this moment there is a sort of "hole" or "gap" in the turnout. So I nee to construct the frog seperate from the turnout itself and before starting the latter.

Later more!

Tracklaying part 5; it works!

Did the final check, the turnout does what it has to do. Straight:

Turn:

And with a truck to see if it will negotiate the little "knick". And it does!:

I'm happy with it, so let's go building the rest of the trackwork.

Later!

Tracklaying part 4; the turnout

Today I started the first turnout. First I laid the outer length and the first part of the point. The latter was made so the second part fits smooth against it:

Then I make the second part and the outer rail on the other side. Also I solder the point to one piece:

After that the inner railpieces are made. Here it takes dome time to make it fit properly:

It almost looks like a turnout, it only needs the guard rails:

And with them in place. Only the switch tie is to be made ready:

Later more!