Monday, November 23, 2015

November 21 Work Session Update

A number of our members attended the WNYRHS train show in Hamburg, N.Y., while others stayed behind to work on various projects on the layout.

Matt touched up his excellent ballast work along the mainline from Lockport through Albion to CP 373. This leaves some of the sidings at Albion to complete, but some buildings need to be placed before work can proceed.

Ben came down to help out in the afternoon. He applied some ground cover around the edges of the transload track in the Niagara Food Terminal to help better blend it in to the surroundings. Next, Ben helped Otto fit in and install a styrene base for Buffalo Road. Otto used 1/16" walnut veneer to simulate the wooden ties protecting the rails at the crossing.

The embankment that will support the B&O Belt Line was painted and turfed. Ben cut a patch of 1/8" masonite to cover a hole and provide support for a future structure.

Otto spent the better part of the afternoon gluing up two structures that had been temporarily taped together as a mock up since last year. First was the Walther's beverage distributor warehouse, which will sit alongside the abandoned customer siding in Niagara Falls. The other is a low single-story warehouse that is being kitbashed from a City Classics kit.

Ben spent the better part of the afternoon putting together an old Proto 2000 covered hopper kit. He learned very quickly that "highly detailed" means cutting and gluing many, many tiny pieces together.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Tiger Tracks Train Show is just a few weeks away!

The beverage distributor warehouse needs windows and doors next.

Ben applied glue and turf at the transload area

Matt touched up his ballast work in Albion

Ben worked on his Proto 2000 covered hopper kit

Ben shimmed and fitted the Buffalo Road crossing 

1/16" walnut was used to simulate wooden ties at the Buffalo Road crossing

Otto kitbashed a City Classics building into a warehouse for Niagara Falls

November 14 Work Session

Scenery projects continue to advance all around the layout. Matt continued ballasting the R&IT mainline east from Niagara Falls through Lockport and Albion. The curve was repaired and reglued where the R&IT peels off from the CSX mainline at CP 373.

The Occidental Chemical plant saw additional work at Building 3, with the installation of earthen dams to surround the three large tanks next to the loading track. Joe Cermak continued working on the warehouse building next to the unloading tracks, completing the roof. Unloading racks were completed for Building 2.

Electrical work continues as Charles Rothbart and Dave Stavans worked on detection system installation. Both Syracause and Buffalo staging yards now have full block detection, which will work in sync with our JMRI desktop control system.

Ballast has reached the end of the R&IT mainline at CP 373

Completed unloading racks for Occidental Chemical

Charles wires up additional block detection segments

Ballasted main line through Albion


Tuesday, November 3, 2015

October 31 Work Session

Wrapping up the month of October! Elliot and Joe worked on constructing additional kits for the chemical plant in Niagara Falls. Otto added walkways to connect the two service platforms at the switcher pocket in Niagara Falls. David Stavans cut and glued pieces of masonite for street subroadbed in Albion. Charles and Matt continued to wire up NCE BD20 block detection around the layout. Matt later ballasted a few more sidings and switches in Niagara Falls. Otto finished the through truss bridge that Elliot began constructing for the Buffalo Road overpass, and also completed the scratchbuilt abutments for that scene.

David glues subroadbed for streets in Albion.

Matt ballasts one of the checmical plant sidings in Niagara Falls.

The completed B&O bridge over Buffalo Road near CP 373.

Elliot and Joe build kits for the chemical plant in Niagara Falls.

The completed service platforms in Niagara Falls.