disturbman - Discussion thread

[disturbman]

Thread reserved to discuss disturbman's project and updates.

[disturbman]

Ok, I'm having quite a few technical problem with the forum this morning. I can't upload any images and for the moment I can't even open my own "In progress thread"... Maybe it's the computer, I don't know. Hopefully everything will get back in order soon. I'm going to try one or two things to sort this out.

[disturbman]

Since my previous discussion thread is dead I opened a new one here.

[Martijn Meerts]

Your masking looks pretty well done. One thing I would recommend though, is if you spend that much time and effort into the masking you should really try using an airbrush or some spray cans. When you use a brush, you use a lot of paint in general, and the paint will cover up the masking tape. When you then take off the tape, there's a fair chance part of the paint will be stripped off the plastic.

[disturbman]

You're right and I discovered this with a little bit of disapoint/anger/disgust (pick one). But I can't afford to buy a airbrush. I will maybe look into cans. If I could find something with the right cement color it will be perfect. If not I will give shot to this Q-Tip technique I tried during the week. It will be a lot lighter than the brush and hopefully the paint will not be stripped off like it did. But the damage are within control, very subtle and light.  Problem is, I have to redo some masking.

[Bernard]

Vincent - Sorry, but on your last post about the module I not really following you. Is it possible to show which part of the track plan you are doing in the overall scheme?

[disturbman]

No problem Bernard. Since English is not my native language my explanations can sometimes be a bit confused or confusing.

For this project, after much toying arount and despite my first idea, I choose to do a "linear" layout. Also designed as an end module of a bigger modular layout, the project layout feature a terminus station, two tracks that will connect the layout to other modules and a sidding. I did't have any updated version of my actual track plan but I worked out a quick version. The part I'm will be doing here is more or less the one represented in the bold and dark quadrilateral. Sorry for allmost monochromic schematic, I couldn't find how to add color to this Photoshop file at these very late hour.

More details...

I hope it's clearer now. Just tell me if it ain't.

[Mudkip Orange]

The paint on the houses is pretty spiff.

[disturbman]

Thanks Mudkip! It's allways recomforting to have feedback like that. :)

[serenityFan]

Are the buffers too long so that it won't fit in your base? How long are they?

[disturbman]

The buffers are 70mm each. Which add 140mm to the track plan. Even the little fold I have on the layout can't help too keep the tracks on the base. Everything has become too big.

I have too find an alternative solution knowing that I absolutely need (at least) 300mm between a point and a buffer in order to stock a 4 cars B Train. I have ordered a package of very small rail (18.5 and 30) just in case, before I even had this problem, but they will not arrive untill three weeks now. So, for the moment, I'm stuck.

[disturbman]

Anyway, if someone as an idea, even an alternate trackplan to submit, I will gladly hear it. I do like mine but I still don't see any options.

[Bernard]

If you like your track plan than stick with it. If it's the dimensions you're worry about because of the specs of the project, I wouldn't worry about it. Make the adjustments that you need to make so the track fits.

[disturbman]

Thanks Bernard. I think I will take your sound advice and change the focus of this project. That should allow me to keep my beloved ( :p ) trackplan. So, instead of having a terminus station, suburban city center and a one track yard, the module will be from now on limited to the station and city center. The yard will be build on another adjacent module.

At the end, this option is clearing space on my first board. I'm still thinking about cuting it so it will match the new track size and plan but I'm also toying with the idea of leting the baseboard has it is now. It will give me more room to build a city and give a more urban feeling to the module. That might be a good thing.

I'm also questioning wether I should add two tracks to the station so I could have Limited Express finishing their run here. Or maybe they will stop here coming from one line before entering in another one. You know, they will make a cusp.

[Bernard]

The photo of the scene you are modeling says a lot. I see what you are doing and it's looking good.
At this point I would worry about dimensions, the most important thing is to have a layout that runs smoothly and that you'll be happy with.

[disturbman]

Thanks Bernard.

I'm now in the process of finding the right product to model the platforms. But today is Germany's National Day, everything is closed and I will have to wait until next week.

[marknewton]

Vincent, how's your project going? Looking your in-progress thread, you've chosen an interesting subject. I hope you've sorted out the problems you mentioned with dimensions.

All the best,

Mark.

[disturbman]

So far no real progress since the last post. I got clogged up in work. The dimension problem is solved and I found some building material that should allow me to get a step further. Might have a new update soon.

Thanks for the kind words Mark. :)

[disturbman]

Advice welcome. I'm thinking of adding a layer of cork under my tracks (I'm using finetracks) before gluing everything done but I can't decide if it will add something to the layout. 

I know cork is used for defeaning the sound produced by the running trains but, should that alone be a good reason?

[Bernard]

Vincent - I don't know if you need to add a cork roadbed, that's usually for track that doesn't have one and your track does. Also by adding a cork roadbed will raise the track and it you have tunnels or other extensions you'll have to compensate.
But what you can do if you want, is do a test with a piece of cork roadbed under a section of your finetrack and see if there is difference in the sound.

[marknewton]

Vincent, as Bernard says, cork is usually used with track that doesn't already have roadbed/ballast attached. It does have some sound-deadening qualities, but that depends on how it is used. For example, if you use crushed stone ballast and white glue, the sound reduction will be minimal.

Also the height of the track would be excessive with cork under the integral ballast/roadbed of Finetrack.

Cheers,

Mark.

[disturbman]

The word was "deadening" not "deafening"! I can't believe I was so confused! 

Thanks for the advices guys. I was in fact thinking of covering the whole baseboard with some thin layer of cork. The track will then not be higher than the rest of the layout.

[marknewton]

No worries, mate, we knew what you meant! 

Covering the entire baseboard is not a bad idea for a yard or station scene. Then you can easily incorporate drainage ditches and other shallow relief features with minimal effort.

Cheers,

Mark.

[Bernard]

Vincent don't get upset with you Furry friend, these things happen and hopefully it can be fixed.
It could be worse, how about finding out that your Furry friend, decided to shred all the toilet paper in the house!
I did.

[serenityFan]

Yup, no need to be upset, he/she didn't really mean to wreck your module (or did he/she?? )
So how are you going to cover all that cork? Are you just going to paint over it?

[disturbman]

Knowing him, I would say he made that on purpose. Its part of his behaviour, his way of dealing with us. This cat is devilish. He has a gift that allows him to find things that you care about and try to wreck it so you will get up and feed him. It's part of the morning/night ritual.

It's every time the same story and you can't let things lying around... So it works quite fine: He messes around, I get up, get angry (because he is ruining my sleep paterns and my possessions), feed him, pet him, love him and everything starts again. A nice circle...

As far as the cork is involved. It will partly covered by more cork (for the station platforms), painted pastic sheets and buildings... I still have to find what I will be using to make the roads and the "earth". I'm wondering how a black painted cork will look like, could it mimic road texture?

Anyway, I didn't have time to try things this (long) week end. I had a friend home and drinking got a bit out of hand.

[Bernard]

I was just reading an article in Model RR mag about making roads with cork. What the modeler did was to take cork cut it to the dimensions of the road he wanted and then got thin sheets of styrene and cut them to the same dimensions as the cork and glued it on top. He then painted the styrene black. (you could do gray if you want)

or...yes you can paint cork. I painted it black for the inside of the tunnel for my project at the Party.

[disturbman]

Thanks Bernard, that's exactly the process I had in mind for my platforms.

Newbie question: Can I glue my tracks down with some carpenter's white glue? Does it work? Is it strong enough or should I try low-temp glue gun?