Hoovertown residential on the Richlawn Railroad

I've finally started to do the residential area behind the Hoovertown business district. As with the business district I want to do the work off the layout, so the first step is to make a removable support structure. Once the support structure is completed, I'll remove it from the layout and place it on my work table to add the streets, landscape, structures, etc.

I wanted something light and easy to work with, so I opted to try for the first time PVC lattice. I know that it's expensive compared to wood, but I like that you can bend sharp curves (using a heat gun) and that using the standard PVC primer and clamps can work very fast. For you engineer types this may look over-engineered and you are probably correct. I never claimed to be an engineer!

The next step will be to add a 2" thick foam top to the PVC base and then add individual foam pieces to get the contours I want. As you can see in the back left of this picture where the track crosses over itself there is a big change from in track heights around this area. So, basically the foam top of this area will have to be built up more on the left and even more in the left rear.

More pictures to come as I progress.

Neat pictures

Guys,

There are only a few railroad pictures in this link, but all of the pix are pretty cool. Check them out at:

http://blogs.denverpost.com/captured/2010/07/26/captured-america-in-color-from-1939-1943/

God bless,
Rick

Piedmont Meeting last night

I attended the Piedmont Division meeting last night and I must say that it was short & sweet! We were actually done by 9pm. The reason for this was that many of the "big wigs" and members were at the National NMRA annual convention. There were approximately 50 people there and I must say that the room was cooler than normal - probably because there wasn't as much hot air!

The NCIOG was well represented with yours truely, Coalfinger Ken, and Packrat Paul. I was able to pick up a free Railroad Model Craftsman magazine (May 2008) that of all things features Gary Siegel's Eastern Kentucky Division of the L&N! I didn't have this edition and it's got lots of great pictures and info on coal hauling which I will be adding to the Richlawn Railroad. It's even got good ol' #2507 U28 featured on the cover. A picture of the mag is below.

With attendance down there wasn't alot of display for this month's theme - motive power. I brought the "Grass-o-Matic Turbo 5000" for show and tell along with a little diaroma that I threw together to show how static grass could be used on a layout. During the break I had about a dozen people come to talk to me about building their own version of a static grass applicator. The good news is that the static generator (12 volt) is again available for $25.00.

Dr. Joe Nichols, Jr. gave a great clinic on Motive Power for the AP Program. Although it's not something I plan on attempting, the clinic was very interesting. Dr. Joe Jr. is a great presenter and fun to watch / listen to!

We missed the other members of NCIOG, especially Gator Scott. I even tried to bribe him to come by offering to pay for his dinner! Many of the other members were out of town and I know that Glue Bob would definately have been there had he been in town.

Take care & keep modeling!

God bless,
Rick