Progress

Item #1 trackwork:

I have put all track in place, wired up (including the turnout frogs).  I have not fully fixed anything yet as I am still testing the track work.  I have found several spots where I am getting derailments and a lot of places where the loco’s are stalling out.  I have fixed on derailment and have a good idea what I need to fix the others.  As for the stalling loco’s, I’m not sure if it is track, wheels, or poor loco performance that is the cause.  Testing will continue.

Item #2 industry:

To continue work on the industry, I printed out a footprint of the building to test fit on the layout.  I decided to cut down the length of the building so that there is only three doors at which to spot cars and an open spot to set out a flat car or whatever I feel like.

With the footprint print out, I cut out a foundation and roof out of foam board.  I painted the edge of the foam board gray to simulate a concrete foundation.  I proceeded to cut out walls to provide support.  I glued it all up and this is as far as I have gotten.  I need to add support to the loading dock, print out the remainder of the dock, create a roof, and add any additional details.

Item #3 staging:

I have built the frame and laid the cork.  Nothing too exciting here.  I am going back and forth on if this will be big enough.  I would like there to be some sort of operation going on in this little stretch of line, so I have been trying to come up with a plan that will make things interesting.  I will need to make sure my staging has the function and capacity to make this work.

Item #4 complete rolling stock detail:

Nothing done here.

Item #5 weather at least one piece of equipment:

Nothing done here.

Item #6 install one decoder:

ITEM COMPLETE.....I have installed a tsunami mobile decoder ( MC2H104AT).

I picked up a Stewart F3 Phase 1 A&B D&RG unit at a garage sale for $40:

When I first opened it up, I found that it had already had a decoder installed!

It was my lucky day....until I tried to run it on the layout.  The headlight turned on but the unit did nothing else.  I was not sure what was wrong as I have a limited knowledge of DCC, so I took it to work to have one of my coworkers look at it.  He has a really nice layout and the knowledge and connections to find out what was up the loco.  He determined that it was a pre-NMRA standard decoder and therefore, junk.

So with this knowledge in hand, I picked up a decoder from my LHS.  For my installation, I first needed to remove the old work and clean up the wiring that was in there. I also added some shrink tube to help isolate the connections.

Item #7 mount the layout to the wall:

I have mounted the layout to the wall (you can see it a little bit in item #1), but it is purely temporary, and I fear, not very stable.  I did not want to put too much effort here in hopes that I will be moving soon.

And a final few shot:

Items #4 & #5

Item #4: I was able to get some time in and finish the proto 2000 BN gondola kit. 

Item #5: Weathering

I took my first shot at weathering one of my boxcars over the last couple of evenings.  Since this was my first time, I grabbed one of "grab-bag" cars that I got in a box of randoms off of craigslist.  Its is a very shinny, white sugar boxcar:

 I started off by breaking the first rule of weathering: "Get a prototype picture to go-by."  I looked (not to hard) and didn't find anything that matched too closely, so I just decided to wing it.   I used acrylics and weathering powders.

Overall, I think the car looks a lot better all grimy.  It is better than the florescent white that it was before.  I think the outcome looks redder than I would have liked, but for my first time, it's good enough for me.

Weathering

For your first shot that looks great! Shucks, even if it were your twentieth attempt it looks great.

Thanks Alan

That means a lot coming from you.