Details

During the covid-19 lockdown, I've find some time to rearrange my storage boxes and rediscover some things I've made some years ago to populate my little pike. I've detailled this 1/72 bicycle for the station scene at San Jacinto. The 3 D printed navy sailor will be demobilized and he'll get a hat instead of his Dixie cup hat. But it was not the only things unearth. More on that later. See ya'

Setting the place

Just before the lockdown, I've laser engraved two small panel for my upcoming lower fascia. Those set the place Santa Fe-style for visitors and operators with the name of the station and one for the tail of the wye where actual North State Street cross the track opposite of the station in my layout room. Not a big deal but I hope a nice sight when the fascia will be finished.

The Backdrop is on the way-Part 2-Almost blue...

Blue or almost blue, is on! At last the blue gradient is here. I'am not entirely satisfied with the result when seen too close. The low pressure spray gun have done mixed result here and there and I've to modify some things, this time with my airbrush. Overall, the color is good for me but, as you could see in the photos, lighting is determining. Next will be the backdrop painting strickly speaking with the scenery. To be continued...

    The lighting at left is LED (mixed cool and warm) and classic fluorescent at right. I've yet to decide between the two.

    And no light at all...

    The area where Mount San Jacinto will be painted.

The backdrop is on the way. Part 1

Just a quick post to show the progress done on the backdrop. My backdrop base is made directly on the plaster wall rounded on three angle of the room with a coating. My problem for some years was that the initial base was ruined by an attempt at doing something that, at first, looked pretty good. But when the definitive lighting was installed, the result was awful and very grainy. I'am not so skilled to do this kind of coating as I want a reallly smooth one. So doing some trackage or scenery on the layout halted for years due to this poor backdrop and the need of having it completely redone. At last, by chance, I've find the right person to do so. And he redo the coating like a pro with a nearly glass smooth finish this past week. I've painted the coating a basic white with a low pressure spray gun then sanded with fine sandpaper this week-end. I hope the blue sky will be made on tuesday or wednesday. I cross my fingers...Stay tuned!

I'am still alive 2

I'am still around doing some of my own modelling as time permit. But since my last post in mid-2018 many  things, good and bad, took places. What I could call a "good thing" was the fact I've been appointed as editor of two french magazines, one about everything USA called "American Legend", and the other is a model train mag called "Rail Miniature Flash". Quite a lot of work but in two fields of interest for me...

 

On the modelling side, I've resumed work on my layout beginning with the lighting of the State Street extension with some LED. I've also tried replacing some of my Neon lights with LED ones and I'am pretty satisfied. The downside is that my provider is out of stock of the references needed to re-equip my layout...Damn!

I've received some 1/64 trucks for my potatoe plant. The manufacturer is called NEO and they look like real models, not toys. Not perfect like the Top Shelf Replica Mack in the photo at right but quite good and nearly OK for my era (1948-1952).

From left to right (All three from left are from NEO): a  Peterbilt 351 from 1961, a GMC Cannonball 1954, and a Kenworth Bull Nose 1950. The first two could be backdated to fit a 1951-1952 period as the two models evolved very lightly over the years. The Kenworth is perfect for my era but the Mack is a bit too modern in this fashion with dual front lights. But it's a marvelous model from Top Shelf Replica (a manufacturer maybe out of business) and I'll find a trick to include it in my scheme. I think I'am OK now with the tractors, I'll have to find now some period trailers to fit. Not the easiest task, in fact...Stay tuned.

I'am still alive!

It's been a long time since I've published here! Too long...But I'am very busy modelling  (alas not for me!) but for the main french modeling magazine for which I'am a regular contributor.
Every year I published a special issue on different subjects (A First Layout, Modelling the 70's, the 50's, etc...).
You could see a photo of this year subject below. But I can't tell more about...Just French subject, HO scale, beginner in mind...It will be in newstands in late september. But it was a lot of work to build a complete street, shooting hundreds of photos, writing to fill a 100 page issue. It still lack some final details, but..It's vacation time now!

I'll find some time during the vacations to read again (and again...) the "bible" for any Santa Fe Los Angeles enthusiast. Very inspirationnal at least...
Have a good holidays. See ya'

What's on the worbench this week ?

This last two months were quiet, at least regarding my own modelling. I'am mainly at finishing a batch of flatcars. The one still in bare brass is a Southwind Erie AAR/WPB 53'6" which is very close to a Santa Fe model. I've modified some minor details and he's waiting for priming and painting. The two others are more on the finishing lane. The middle one is a SHS GSC and the first in the row is an American model 46 footer that will mimic a 44'6. Of course all will wear the Santa Fe uniform! As usual in S scale, they're not exact replicas for the ATSF prototypes but close enough and it's OK for me.
I've recently discover that the ATSF GSC have plenty of hooks between the stake pockets. It's a detail I've missed for years and now I realize how important they are. But those were very tiny pieces and my attempts at creating them with brass were unsuccessful. So, they were create in 3 D and printed by Shapeways and yet to be installed. But thanks Hi-Tech for the help!
See ya'

The micro 3 D printed Hooks.

Proto 64?

We've talked yesterday with a friend about Proto-Modelling. He's involved, here in France, in a beautiful layout made in Proto 87 and he's also one of the few remaining S scalers in France, specializing in Rio Grande. And we chatted about the subject of Proto 64. I was tempted some years ago by the challenge and bought some wheels from NWSL. This resurfaced some time ago. While interesting the idea proved to be too challenging, at least for me and my limited capacities. This is not the rolling stock, track or turnouts that made an unsolvable equation. Even diesel engines are not too much of a problem, but I love steam engines. And it's another affair! You can easily guess the work involved in modifying the few existing steam engines or sourcing wheels to do specific models, not speaking of three point suspension... And no supplier support the Proto 64 in any way as opposed to P 48. That said it's not an unreachable goal as our english colleagues of the S Scale Model Railway Society proved regularly. But we reached the conclusion with my friend that it's too much for me and my friend agreed, too much for him also!
And in fact, it's not the width of the wheel tread that bother me or the height of the flange, but the profile and appearance of the wheels.
I 'am not satisfy with the look of the SHS and American Models  wheels. The solution?  I've changed all of them with SSLS (sadly no longer available) or NWSL ones. Their appearance is much more satisfying and I finally forgot the P 64 way.  And it's better! The present NASG standards are finally  good enough for me and much better than the equivalent RP 25 for HO. No more wandering, I must stay stick on my goal...
See ya'

What's on the workbench this week?

This past two weeks were a bit quiet on the modeling front (at least for my own modeling). I've finished installing Sergent couplers on the steam engine, coach/caboose, and boxcars that needed replacement. What's could have been an easy task take some hours due to the need to paint, assemble, and install the couplers. It's one of the last things we do on a model, and it's sometime a pain. Broken parts, some paint touch up on a model you do years ago and the color doesn't not match, and so on. And some are still on the workbench needing some milling to fit (Cryer Gray Foundry war emergency gondola and River Raisin Models 44 tonner as example). Gone are Kadee 5's, 802's  and Accurail couplers I've formerly used on my rolling stock!
Apart form this I've two boxcars one Reading Xmu (Southwind Models) and ATSF Bx-27 waiting for some detailling and wheathering. But it's the fun part of the job. See ya'

Wordless Wednesday

Some thoughts around a track plan

Most of the readers of this blog may think I'am primarily a rolling stock modeller as most of the posts recently showed this kind of stuff. And the dreamed layout is just a dream or words... In fact no!
I've drawn the basic track plan for this project around 2013/2014 and polished it ever since. It's not that easy to fit even such a small station into a 12 ' X 12 ' room adjacent to my office/workshop. At first, all the layout occupy only this room. But in 2015, modifying the track plan to include the San Jacinto wye and a staging yard led me to change my plan and the initial drawing. The track to the staging area and one tail of the wye then passed through the wall into my office/workshop. It was one of the wisest decision I've made for years (apart staying in S scale along all of these years!). It made things flowing...or something like that. I know that most of my north american readers may be horryfied by the small size of the room but at first it was planned for a 1/35 scale 2 feet logging layout. In an another life, I was very involved in narrow guage circles till the early 2000 even if I've gathered 1/64 models since 1995 and built some exhibition modules in this scale (see my earliest posts). I could have had larger when I've had my house built but now it's over. I've to cope with what I have and it's 12' x 12'!
At  a second glance, I'am quite happy having not a too big surface to occupy. I don't have that much time to spend in my own modelling and it forces me to be inventive.
Back at the track plan now, I've worked on it with some ATSF station plat obtained from the Santa Fe Historical & Modelling Society (Western Archives) from which I'am a member, one from the 1920's, the other from the late 50's. Add to this an insurance map, photos, books, etc...And here's my layout track plan!
The 1948-1952 track plan have some differences from the one below. The main is that the turnout at the end of the house track was removed probably during the 1948 station remodeling and a new curved storage track was added. Two things I've tried to mimic. The main compromise made was to have a curved turnout at the station entrance. Clearly, I'am not satisfied with this feature but I could no do without.
Another compromise made was to reverse the wye to fit in the available space.
Still too small my tiny station!? Not so, the 1942 Los Angeles Division System Employee Timetable listed only sixteen 40' cars capacity for the sidings at the San Jacinto station. I'am in...
As you could see in the photos below, the staging yard is alive. I've still to permanently lay the track and turnouts, wire the whole but I wish to clean my shelve of old projects and built a small fleet for two consist before. This is my first task at present.. But the benchwork in the layout room, the lighting, the fascia or part of it, etc....are done and just wait for the tracks. We'll talked later in some other posts about all of this...
See ya'

Station plat from 1916 (copy from Hanson and Jennings book, The San Jacinto Valley Railway-All right reserved)

The present trackplan with the third staging track omitted. D, the San Jacinto Packing Co is not drawn, I still have to determine the size of the warehouse.

The staging yard is located just above my workbench.

The storage space of my workshop where part of my paints, tools, waiting projects are located.

Storage space everywhere! The projects queue is partially here (I've since made some progress till then...).

A LED strip give light to the staging tracks.

Jump the cat, the track lifter!

Building a fleet-Part 8

Pennsy, at last! I could not make a consist or at least build a small fleet for my layout without having some Pennsylvania Railroad cars. In the late 40's and early 50's, this company have the largest fleet in the US, equal or nearly equal to the New York Central rival. The ATSF and SP were quite distant second. This said, it seems normal to have Pennsy freight cars everywhere in fair number even on my little So-Cal line. One photo of the 505/506 out of San Bernardino clearly show a Pennsy 50 ft round roof car. Difficult to say if it's an automobile box or not. I've this one on hand, a River Raisin X 33a, already painted when bought and that I wheathered in 2015/2016, so... Couplers and air hoses added, he's now ready for service and it fit the bill. I've two X 29 kit in stock and maybe I could search for a 40 ft X 31 round roof one day (alas the X 26 gons seems to be a tad too long), and my PRR fleet will be OK for me. Piece after piece, my little fleet is taking shape!
See ya'

Building a fleet-Part 7

I'am still cleaning the shelves off of the many projects on hold sometimes for years. This Overland brass M 53 boxcar is one of them. It's the kind of box I must have for two reasons. First, it's a real signature boxcar that could be seen everywhere across United States, and due to the B & O sizeable freight car fleet I must have one or two cars of this road (not only a M 53). And second, I've photos of one in a San Jacinto district train. He's typical of a one evening wheathering project. I've bought it decorated, and I've just made the chipping paint and dusting from photos I've gathered on the web. The dusting was made with enamel wash from AK Interactive (one of their dust products. Sadly I don't remember which one...). The finishing done recently was just adding a pair of Sergent couplers, San Juan On3 brake hose, painting and wheathering them, cleaning this little boy a bit and said "good for service"!
See ya'

Scenery Trials

The scenery in the San Jacinto valley is quite different from many places in Southern California as it's mainly agricultural and much more greenier. But here and there along the route typical So-Cal semi-arid scenery take place. I know I've to combine all those elements into my layout. After some limited tests, I've found time this week to do some more trials on a larger scale and used the board with track already in place to do so. The dimensions are 65 x 25 centimeters but the scenery will take place only on the two strips along the track. One side will have general scenery, the other a potatoe field with different stage of crop. So far I've only done a part of the general scenery with not much consistency along this strip. I've tried to crammed much of the cases I could encounter (dried weeds, not so dried weeds, weeds along the tracks, in tracks, etc...).  But it helps as I better see now which way to use or not. Work is halted at present in this state for some times. See ya'

Here and above, some early steps with the basic soil.

A bit dryer

More weedy and greenier like near San Jacinto station (as seen in some photos).

Close up of dried bushes (a bit blurry sorry...)

Overal view

Building a fleet-Part 6-Tank cars

I need some tank cars for my consists. There were some oil dealers along the district : at least two in Hemet and  one in San Jacinto, and probably some in Perris. Photos evidences shows one or two tank in typical consist of the days, so... S scale is blessed with a nice selection of classic tank cars (thanks to the NASG brass comitee/Overland, WA Drake, Southwind...), curiously as so many lack in some categories...
Like too many of my freight cars, the story began quite a long time ago. Maybe this former SP tank was decalled as Sinclair (CDS transfer) in 2005/2006 and very lightly wheathered. I've also changed the original trucks as mine didn't tracked well with some from American Models. In 2015, it was re-wheathered a bit and I finished it only this week-end. Black is a very difficult color to wheather (light colors like yellow are generaly easier) and it was the case here. I've spent the time of two or three boxcars wheathering on this one only!
I don't have that much photos of real wheathered tank cars in colors so It was a process of trial and errors, mixing acrylic (black), oils (black, raw umber), and enamels paints (AK fuel stains 025, shafts and bearings grease 7012) for the dome and oil traces only. I hope there was a Sinclair dealer along the line to justify the efforts! The next tank will be a yellow Shell 10000 gal tanker with custom decals. I hope it will be easier to do...
See ya'

Building a fleet-Part 5

No I don't have only boxcars! If they were during my period the mainstay of many roads (except with some specialized roads like the Norfolk and Western where hoppers averaged two third of the fleet), I have to have some other kind of rolling stock for the branch. I will discuss later, specifically in an other post, how and why I build my modest fleet like I do. At the moment, I'am concentrated to, at least, build a consist or two to run on my layout when this will be possible and try to finish the too many projects I've started years ago. So that's why I've kept this GS gondola in my collection. At one time in the late 90's I've had two more of this kind but in Rio Grande livery. I've sold them at one point in the early/mid 2000 to a friend more involved with this rocky mountain road.
. Two reasons why I kept this one: I must have cars from neighboring southern California roads (SP, UP), and I must have cars for a customer that ship or receive gravel/construction material close to State street crossing on the tail of the san Jacinto wye. This one combined both. Otherwise, the car is a very nice W.A Drake GS Gondola factory painted that I wheathered with my usual techniques. I really miss this brass importer and hope I could gather one of their tank car in the future.
See ya'

A side

B side