Commuter Service Returns to Bedford Valley

It's always nice to see train services being expanded and extended, and even better when they happen in our home town. Many years after commuter rail service was withdrawn, and replaced briefly by express bus service, Metra announced the newest route to it's web of Chicago services. Dubbed "West Central Service", Bedford Valley will see two train an hour peak, one an hour off peak and Saturdays, but no Sunday service as of now.


Service was originally provided by the Pennsylvania Railroad, then Penn Central, but limited ridership (due to the deplorable state of the trains perhaps?) lead to the transit commission's endorsement of a request for termination at the start-up of Conrail. Independent service provider MARTA (Metropolitan Area Rapid Transit Association) ran trains, and then replacement service via express buses for a two years, but folded up after rumors of financial  misconduct were reported by the Tribune.


Here, Metra's newest equipment makes a trial run through Bedford Junction the day after Christmas:

Hopefully we get to keep the depot, but time will tell whether it gives way to standard-issue bland...

White (and Yellow) Line Fever

I finally stumped up the courage to take on the road markings; well to start them:

A little selective compression as always, and the RXR in the middle will be done once everything is dry and I make or find a stencil. Since I compressed it, make will probably be the outcome. Still, using paint pens it wasn't hard, so maybe it will go quicker than this part did!

Scenic Progress

Following the installation of the overpass, I needed to patch and add to the scenery in the area of the bridge, so I figured the best place to start was where I left off: shrubberies!

Inside (of the loop) end pier

Other end pier.

Along the road. I plan to add some very fine gravel-looking material for the shoulders, and if I can find a paint pen(or two), add the road markings. Now that the dark and gloom is coming it may be time to start some trees. That could give me an area "practically" finished!

It was also a great time to touch up, and repair some minor nicks and scrapes in the old. I also learned that alcohol on a Q-tip is the perfect tool for removing stray paint form the ends of ties! I had a few spots where I hadn't realized I did this, as well as some new ones, and the Q-tip did the job just fine. Toothbrushes and such can do more harm than good.

And I didn't want to let the station area feel abandoned, so I applied the ground base (paint, earth mix foam, and coarse turf), in preparation for the rest of the scenic details:

I've planned lights on the platform, trees, and a wooden bridge to connect the station area to the town, but need to plan it for scratching, as the kits don't quite fit what I'm after...

Bridging the Gap

I've been toying with the idea of putting an expressway overpass on one end of the lift-out section to help disguise the transition between levels and break up the "loop effect" of the small layout. Six lanes, plus median, plus breakdown lane, plus the related bulk of a modern expressway structure would, I thought, overwhelm the area I had available. So I went a "smaller" route.

I finally decided that the Rix Products 1930s Overpass (http://www.rixproducts.com/6280103.htm) was the one I wanted; could have gone with the modern version, but I wanted to stage earlier pictures as well as modern ones, and surely there must be an example of this kind of bridge still in use? This is two of the four piers, and will probably leave the overpass itself loose to fit into the piers when the lift-out is in, to keep the total height down.

Some of the changes made - Railings and detail applied; test fit to see how it would look...

More or Less Finished - The far railing is attached, and all that is left is to attach the railings supports and cement the overpass to the pier tops. The posts are cemented into the pier tops, and the bottoms will be loose in the lower pier, to facilitate removal. After that, just need to paint and weather...

Track View - Still need to do something about this view; maybe some dark grey paint or a view blocker?

Traffic View - A collection of vehicles from a number of manufactures shown off.

Super Chief under the Overpass - A diverted Super Chief scoots under the highway as it tries to make up lost time. A fire near Joliet has closed the Santa Fe main line, and "essential trains only" are being diverted or the C&NW and CB&Q. We were lucky enough to catch the Chief

Overhead View - The old highway to the right (at track level), the new overpass, and the dual tracks of the container terminal can be seen here.

A Shrubbery!

I moved away from the structures to prep for the bridge on the lift out section, so shifted back to scenery. Some Woodland's Scenics clump foliage.

As part of the "do and leave it" approach, I left it overnight, came back, left it, came back, etc.


After finding a good portable light, and at the request of a friend, I wanted to try a video, so I grabbed this quick

Still need a better way to mount the light (temporarily) in the home train room, and probably a kicker in the back for shadow control. But it is a big improvement IMHO

A large step up from plastic kits

Two of Seven; It Begins...

I've collected seven of the Downtown Deco kits over a few years, and finally decided to start building. The hardest part was thinking about starting, and once I got on with it the construction is actually quite easy. If I'll say the same when I get to painting and details is another matter, and the BBQ Shack has a very interesting roof to be built.

Blair Avenue Part 2 and the Trackside Tavern

I've built the two Blair Avenue buildings, and three walls of the Trackside Tavern, mostly to see if I could do it and try methods. So far ACC does not seem the way to go. I'll have to try the epoxy method next...

Back View of Blair Avenue Part 2

I'll make a slight change from the "given" arrangement and place the storage shed behind the structure instead of alongside of it.

BBQ Shack under construction

A view of the partially completed BBQ Shack; you can see the other half of the problem. Both sides should have the "ridge" detail, not just one.

There is a slight problem with the kit; the two side walls of the BBQ Shack are the same, making the construction a bit of a challenge, but not impossible. This side will be out of view on this layout, so no big deal...

Once the glue sets solidly I'll press on, but definitely not doing more without getting some epoxy...

Evolution of a Structure Kit - How to "Americanize" a European Kit

Introduction:

For most of the early years N-Scale structures were dominated by European imports that looked, well, European. While many areas of the United States and Canada have strong European backgrounds, some of the building features and materials portrayed look out of character on a North American layout.

Some simple modification (i.e. kitbashing) can make dramatic improvements in the appearance of a very European looking structure:

Into something less out of place on a North American layout:

I’ll go through the step-by-step process I followed to make these changes.

Inspiration:

Some of the inspiration for the project:

My biggest concern WAS the round-topped (arched) entry door, but these even had arched windows! I might cut the vertical muntin to make two panes instead of three, but I'll keep looking for more examples like the kit windows first.

My original inspiration pic seems to have gone AWOL; so here are a few that give plausability to the project:

http://sjconnor.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/chinatown-balcony-wp.jpg - a building apparently in Chinatown, Vancouver

Notice the the three pane windows, with a vertical muntin separating the lower section, with approximately the same proportions as the kit windows. So not completely alien...

http://shoutyoungstown.blogspot.com/2011/07/federal-building-is-fully-rented-before.html

A much cleaner looking structure, and granted, no fancy trim, but the arch-topped windows at the top floor. I may have to try this one some day...

Preparation:

I added some of the "out of the box" details that would use on the finished structure, both for ease of working and to add strength to the finished product.

The first pic below shows the starting condition of the parts to be modified:

For reference, the right-hand opening on the front (pink) wall will become the doorway. The other larger opening will be partially filled in and a window (like those in the upper floors, but without the 'detail' surround) will be added. Both front and back walls will need trimming to remove the peaked roof, which by itself is both the biggest change and the feature that made the structure 'passably' American.

I also trimmed the front 'trim' section to retain the cornices but remove the vertical trim bars. The top curved molding was left to give me something to hold on to, but will eventually be trimmed off when the wall is de-capped. Below is the image of the cuts made to separate the cornices from the one-piece molding:

I then joined the lower and upper front walls, and used the edge of the joint as a guide to position the lower cornice. This is glued to the surface of the front wall. I removed the vertical bars as I thought the glue would seep under the edges and mar the surface, and I wanted to retain the molded stucco effect.

I also cut down the separate vertical trim bars and cemented the mounting lugs into the holes on the wall surface. I trimmed these as small as possible to minimize the marring of the surface, but still left enough to handle the piece.

Unfortunately my progress was limited by the availability of cement; I was at my son’s house and packed up everything I needed, but the bottle of plastic cement tipped over in the bag on the way here and evaporated, leaving me with the alternative of nasty, thick, filler based cement. Yuck! That is the stuff that leaves strings and a blob of itself behind if you are not careful, so I carefully used that and did the bits you see here, and will carry on with construction when the new cement and filler (found a source for squadron green and white over here: woo hoo!). Hopefully the next 

installment will be within the week...

Cutting the walls to the new shape:

Right, time for some progress. And regression.

I had a fairly productive evening on two of the kits, and have almost a shell completed.

I have trimmed the white 'details' off the top section of the front wall in preparation for topping it. The peak is going to go, and a piece of strip styrene will build up the front.

The rear wall was also peaked, so it had to get cropped as well. Thankfully the trim makes a nice guide for the razor saw, but be sure to not cut into the trim itself, as it will be visible if the roof is visible...

The regression: I never really like the arched, euro-style back door, and the kit contained extra castings for doors and windows, one of which (IMHO) was much more plausible. But it meant filling the hole. And shaving off the raised trim. I used a flat 'chisel' blade to carefully shave the raised detail off around the door frame.

Since the kit wall is approximately .040" thick I used a similar size of styrene strip; you could use the plastic cut off the roof peak, but that seemed a bit more complicated than trimming strip stock to match a rounded whole. After the glue dried I filled it with Squadron white putty (I love this stuff!). Once the  was dry (within a couple of hours) I sanded the surface smooth with very fine sandpaper from Testors.

This also shows the future door. I am considering retro-fitting the same door to the other structures almost completed...

The front of the structure has two arched doorways, and I replaced one with a standard window from the extras supplied with the kit. This meant filling and smoothing, but thankfully not the trimming as the raised detail is a separate piece. You can see the two in comparison:

I made windows opening the same height as an adjacent structure, which worked out to about .040" below the existing window frame. This 'size' is becoming part of my n-scale life in a big way, especially considering it is also the height of code 40 rail! But that's another story...

Once the cement was dry I filled the gaps with more white putty, and smoothed it after drying.

I also discovered it is MUCH easier to cut the hole to a rectangular shape instead of trimming the plastic strips to fit the arched hole. Go figure! I also used the strip from the sides of the front detail (cut off earlier) to fill in the sides, and they were exactly the right size. And besides, recycling is better, right?

After I was satisfied with the finish of the surface I used ACC to attach to small strip to the top and bottom of the window opening to match other structures. It made a huge difference in making the window look 'finished'.

Attaching the rest of the front detail was as the kit instructions intended. The windows details have small pins to hold them in place which makes the job a LOT easier...

Likewise, attaching the sides is straightforward. I did discover that I had sanded too much off the bottom of the front wall under the new window, and will have to be more careful on subsequent kits and fill this  in. I also added a strip of HO scale 6x8 on its side to build up the top of the front detail.

In the next instalment I'll add interior floors and walls to break up the open-ness of the structure's interior, and hopefully discuss lighting...

Floors:

I have spent considerably more time doing other than Model Railroad stuff this week, so I did not get a chance to even think about lighting. But what I DID do was cut the floors for the existing structures, and add the floor bracing for the two still "in progress", in order to document the progress.

I used strips of .060" plastic square stock to position the interior floors at approximately the right height, about balanced between the rows of windows. You can see this below:

This is much easier to do while the side walls are lying flat, instead of adding it later, when the building is assembled. This way you can easily use a square to enure the floor will be roughly level, or at least perpendicular to the wall. You can see the bracing in a standing structure:

I then cut .020" styrene sheet for the floors. Once you have one cut you can use it as a guide for the size of the others. I did not glue them in yet; they only sit loosely on the bracing at present. 

You will also need a new roof, as this WAS the whole reason for doing this, right? DO NOT use the floor as a guide for the roof, as this needs to be a touch wider than the floors. It sits partly on top of the side walls...

A view of the floors:

Why do the interior floors?

It is not necessary, but DOES make a considerable visual impact on the finished structure; as shown here:

Looking 'through' the structure you will not be able to see the 'downstairs' windows, only those on the same floor. I will be adding interior walls as well, in order to break up the interior and add more detail, but you should AT LEAST consider adding floors and painting them if you go no further on the inside detailing.

An Alternative method:

I was experimenting  with some heavy card the wife’s employer uses for advertising, and decided that in addition to a wonderful sub-base for the structure ‘blocks’ and sidewalks, it is an excellent material for interior walls! So I added floors and some divider walls using this same card. It will block the light better than plastic would, and is just as easy to use as plastic. From the outside you cannot tell the difference.

Card:

Plastic:

About the only difference is the thickness of the material, which allows the better light control. It is also a bit easier to work with, using PVA or Elmer's glue as opposed to plastic cement. Adding vertical walls was also a simpler process, as it involves a bit of trimming and fitting, and went together with a little less hassle than the plastic walls.

Next: Stairs and interior walls...

A Little More Block Progress

In addition to cleaning up the train room, I managed to make more progress on the town, and finalized some of the features I was contemplating.

Some Base Added

I glued down some more foam and glued the bases for the row of townhouses together for better alignment. Also changed a few off the Downtown Deco structure locations. Compare the layout to the previous posted "version":

I might use the wall and guard's shack in a slightly different location, kind of around the corner from where it is in this photo.

A Little Closer

I decided to use the existing sidewalks as a guide, and probably at least as far as "Blair Avenue, part 2". The Trackside Tavern comes with a base, but I found it too thick to consider, and unles I can sand it down a LOT, I may have to improvise.

A longer Look Down Main Street

A slightly longer look down the street. The stop sign and dude against the wall are just props. Might go with either theme in greater detail.

A Look Down Townhouse Row

Seven of the eleven strcutures are kitbashed, and able to occupy their spaces. The other four are just needing doing, though the doorway modifications take the most time, followed by interior walls and floors. Using the cardboard makes it go a bit easier than plastic, and pre-mounted LEDs might even mean I get them lighted this century.

Sitting at the dinner table two things come to mind (and I am surprised no one else picked up on one of them): I don't have a church, and a town like this would have a movie theater.  I found this one at a "friendly on line merchant"

Photo from http://www.coalregionrails.com

Anyone think it would look out of place in my city? Now to locate a reasonable church for my flock...

Planning Concepts - Another Block

I used some scraps of card (the same stuff I have been using for the roads and floors) to make "space blocks" for the Downtown Deco building kits:

This is going to become the edge of "North Bedford", a seedier side of the big city, behind Townhouse Row. Still haven't decided on a name for this street yet. Run down buildings, crime, litter, and the charm of modelling it, as a barrier between the softer side of Bedford Valley and the railroad industry. Every city needs a "down by the tracks", and this will be mine. I've already acquired the call girls, the bikers, and the bars...

I know some of you have built the kits already, and do the dimensions quoted on the box only refer to the structure itself, or does it include sidewalk areas (where included)?

Structure Interiors: A New Material

Feeling used up from hay fever and hopefully not a chest infection (though I know when to get it seen to) I decided to do a little something productive. Well, two really, this is part one.

Added floors and some divider walls using the same card I used for the sidewalks. It will block the light better than plastic would, and is just as easy to use as plastic. From the outside you cannot tell the difference.

Letting the Grass Grow

I posted this elsewhere over a few days; I know some of you like to keep up with what I'm doing, so here's the update:

Woodland Scenic’s Field grass (Light Green, FG173) cut and glued by hand, but in clumps. Once the glue dries I'll trim it down, as it's currently over six feet (scale feet) tall!

I added a few more clumps while the glue was setting, to give the area a more realistic appearance:

The challenge will be to trim it and keep the randomness of height.

I also wanted to do a "signature piece" so tried this clump between the tracks near the bridge:

Of course it is just part of the ultimate effect.

A friend commented on it being taller than a man:

I placed a figure from the Preiser Wedding set next to the grass to show how tall it is. Presuming the guy is average height I am not as far off as I thought I was...

So I let the glue dry overnight, and did a little trimming; the idea was not to do everything at once, but to cut it a bit, and leave it to dwell on for a while, and maybe come back and chop some more...

"Hairdressers have scissors that cut every second hair, or something to that effect. If you can ge tyour hands on some of those, then you could play the randomness by cutting the grass a few times at varying heights.

Otherwise angle the scissors into the clumps and chop a few times; this-way, then that-way..."

Great minds think alike; the 'every other' option wouldn't do, as it is too close in, and those types of scissors never seemed to come out on my short head crop, so I'll assume it's a long-hair thing lol. But I did have access to some very small, very sharp cross-stitch scissors, which are used to cut individual threads in a needle point project. The natural fibers seem to be easily cut.

After taking the photo I went back and chopped a few of the tallest ones down some more:

A little more randomness to come, and maybe some more color. I'll try to get better pictures in better light, but mainly wanted to capture the height against a GP35.

Tried a few more minutes of the "Do a bit, leave it, and come back". I must admit it is coming a long nicely, and this would make interesting effects for a large scale layout. But back here in 1:160 land:

I think this is just about enough for this side of the tracks. Now to add some clump foliage and eventually some trees. They need to be sturdy here, or cheap, since this is the grandson's favorite part of the layout (you can see one of his cars in the first picture)...

And looking at the other side of the tracks:

That one long strand got chopped, and I added a few more bits to give a better "high level" view. That's all for now...