A New Altomare Model Railroad

It has been some time since I have been active on here; of course a whole lot has happened to the layout. Those who follow me on youtube already know that I dismantled it entirely, and have started to build a new one. It is coming along nicely and for the most part I have not repeated any old mistakes learned from the last layout. This time around I used xtrkcad to design (and redesign) the track plan. It has been a great tool allowing me to gauge what can actually fit in the space allotted. 

This is the main layout. Which will be freelanced in California from post WWII to present era. 

Here is the latest track plan as of the fourth of April. Of course a great deal of thought has gone into designing this layout. First up was identifying the main purpose and prioritizing what I could and couldn't sacrifice. My main goal was to be able to run my passenger equipment (i.e. the BLI California Zephyr and Coast Daylight) continuously with minimal issues. That means a minimum radius of 28"(managed a min of 30") and as few switches as possible; which was a contradiction to the need for switching operations. 

On the old layout I noticed a tendency to use the passing siding more as a storage track, parking passenger and intermodal trains. This time the design features a very long passing siding with two single crossovers to change tracks, one in each direction. This allows multiple trains at once, and/or run arounds for switching. Still, both "mainlines" have as few switches possible. The inner track will primarily be for passenger and the outer track primarily freight/switching, which works out very nicely as background buildings will be industry of choice. 

Beneath the main deck will be a storage/switching layout

The layout is in my parents family room: we all need space to move around and the: television, chairs, piano and other furniture items are not leaving (some not even moving). Really liking the looks and feel of the shelf layouts seen around the web, I figured that format would be best. Especially since the benchwork needed to use as little horizontal real-estate as possible. 

Originally I attempted incorporating as many of the structures I already own as possible. Especially the 5ft factory you see posted on here I built this summer; that simply was not possible as I also wanted this layout to be more natural and realistic in appearance. Since selling/getting rid of those structures isn't an option (personal attachment) a second deck, entirely separate from the main deck, will be built. 

For the second deck the priorities included incorporating all leftover structures and provide fast and easy storage of trains. Since I'm often to lazy to put everything back into their box I wanted a simple way to rotate out equipment from the main deck. For fun it is designed as a switching layout, it includes a nice sized yard with #5 and #6 Walthers and Peco switches. The leftover structures all happen to require a large/long footprint: the Walthers Railroad Shop, ADM Grain Elevator, and Ford Dealership, the Atlas Passenger Station, and the giant custom/scratch built factory. After moving things around the track plan fell into place - if it ends up operating great that will be a big bonus. 

A zoomed in picture of the storage/switching deck. 

I did consider adding the second deck above the main layout, however that was too much work as 1) I really want the layout to be as self-contained as possible and 2) I don't want the room to feel even smaller then it already is. The the second deck will be under the main deck, at an ideal height for sitting on the floor to operate. 

The benchwork is modular tabletop, the idea being that this time the layout can truly be moved around if necessary. Each section, or group of modules, use some variation in construction. The modules in the section pictured on the left will be made up an entirely self-contained boxes on wheels (a rolling workbench). Whereas the already built benchwork is more the tabletop with legs to the floor. I will create a dedicated blog post for bench work, but for now here is Layout Update #1 which covers some other details about the already built benchwork. https://youtu.be/UUCJYsyxryY

Thanks for reading and following, until next time. Cheers!

Southern Pacific GP40-2 Project

Welcome to another project that will be worked on in a college dorm!

This project will be making a prototypical(ish) HO model of the GP40-2 Southern Pacific had in there fleet. This will have the "L-window, SP Light package front/back, and other items that were iconic to the SP

The shell was an Athearn Bluebox Early GP40. What I have done already is remove the radiator grill, it will be replaced with Cannon and Company  part RS-1402.

Next I will also be replacing the Cab, Cab base, and Nose with Cannon and Company parts.

Since this is my first real locomotive detailing/modeling project I will be trying my hand at replacing just about everything possible within reason and budget.

The parts I have now I was able to get at a local hobby shop, the rest are on the way direct from cannon and company.

Seen here is the EMD GP fuel detail kit, new fans, the new cab, and new cab base (SP Split doors on the way)










Other parts on the way are,
2103 EMD Dash 2 Anticlimber
1805 Extended Range Dynamic Doors
1355 Dust Bin - GP40-2                     
1952 Turbo Hatch - 40 Series and Dash 2 
1301 Inertial Filter Screen - Late Dash 2  | GPs 
2001 Tread & Steps Athearn GP38-2 and | GP40-2                                                                  
1203 SP Split Equipment Doors
1104 Short Hood - 88 Inch
1853 Thinwall 48 Inch Dynamic Brake Fan
2052 Step Lights 
2155 EMD Air Reservoirs

A Tar roof Out of Masking Tape and Paint

Work continues, and this time it is on an often neglected area of the structure everyone sees, the roof! The latest development is the addition of some roofing detail, like the tar roof, concrete facade painting,  and some vents from the Walthers Rooftop Details kit. 

To make the tar roof I used off-white masking tape, cutting it into small rectangles. I overlapped the tape tiles some and painted with craft store acrylic paint. The different colors are the result of different mixes of black and white. Then I used a black fine point sharpie to draw the black lines around each of the tiles edges. The roof turned out very nice in my humble opinion. The tape really gave it good texture. I decided to make it look like each roof section was replaced/laid at a different time, hence the three different shades of black. 

Under the tape is styrene that I painted on both sides with a rattle can. The inside is gray and the top black. Painting the top wasn't really necessary since I planned on adding the tape roof anyway. But there being no harm in extra black paint, I gave it a good coat of black. It further blocks any light coming thru, also it hides any areas I may have missed when laying down the tape. 

The only little thing I don't like is that the sharpie lines give off a red tint. It is more obvious the darker the tape was painted. Im planning to weather the roof further, and add dull coat which will hopefully solve the issue. 

As far as this project has come….it still has a long way to go just to be considered as "base layer complete". Meaning everything done with the exception of adding details, decals and the like.

For example I still need to finish the base coat in the loading dock interior. Then paint the I-beams and columns (my guess is a red color or something? Still uncertain).  Not to mention I still need to install interior and exterior lighting.

Structural Integrity and Paint.

 It has been a little bit of time since I have last updated all of you. But yes, I have been working everyday for a few hours on this structure.

The window frames are in! Mostly. There are a few openings at the bottom that I still need to decide, as the kit allows for a few options. I can make them a solid brick, or a window section with brick like the rest of the structure, or even a loading dock! Im doubting that I will put in a loading dock in all four openings, only in the right side that is next to the loading dock area.

The left side of the building, also has window frames and painted brick with aged concrete. It is still a little awkward looking. The windows are not even one each half. But each half is a mirror of each other.

In the back, on top and bottom is styrene to reinforce and strengthen it.

 For the roof section on the right side of the second story. I devised a tab locking section to hold the roof straight with the wall. There is a gap between two styrene strips that are used to reinforce the wall. I glued some square beams to on the underside of the roof to fit right into the grooves. I still need to construct/frame the back to it will stay up.

 Here is an inside view of the loading dock. The styrene was painted with Model Master Concrete colored acrylic paint. Under the entire structure is a .010" thick. styrene that holds everything in place; Glued to that is the loading dock and .040 styrene. I made cuts to allow the track to fit in, then on top is the painted styrene which is also .040 thick. The white I-Beam is glued onto the wall/window sections, the roof just rests on top of it. Still am deciding how I should paint the ceiling and what color. 

From the top with the loading dock area roof off. There are styrene rectangle beams used for a few reasons on top the back end that buts against the second story. I offset them so the roof sections now fit in a certain way. I know the roof will probably be black, but here again, I am currently not sure if the beams will blend in with the roof or with the aged concrete. 

For the far side where the truck docks are located I scratch built this corner-piece to hold up the roof section. Since the story is that the peterson tool specialty is an add on my story for this little piece is for some "seismic retrofitting" on the older section. I may or may not put in some angled crossbeams to really simulate structural reinforcement. 

  

The section will also remain as a separate piece front the structure (okay at least for now). I can't glue it to the ground because of how I remove the second story that is over the loading lock area, that part slides out. The little piece is held into place by the concrete ground styrene, it drops into a channel. 

Speaking of the wall section sliding, here is picture proof of how its rigged. An I-beam installed for reinforcement extends past the end of the wall; on the connecting wall is a perfectly sized hole for the beam to slide in. I may add second one just to be fool-proof. But for now this is working swell. 

It might be a little hard to see, but the American Tool Supplier wall actually drops and locks into place. I cut a small notch here and there so it drops in perfectly and is held at a 90 degree angle (more or less) on all sides. Off on the right side you can see the left side wall section sitting on the loading dock with the I-Beam protruding past the side. 

Last for this post is some of the back structuring I have scratch-built primarily to hold up the roof on the Left wall section. Unlike the rest of the roof sections on the right side, the left side roof was constructed using the roof that came with the Walthers kit instead of plain white styrene. Although It will likely never be seen, I plan to detail the brick on top facing the wall just as I am the rest of the building, even touching up some areas. 

Windows, concrete, and roof.

Back Home for a Test Fitting!

Went home for the fourth of July weekend decided it would be a good time to test fit the structure to see if I have actually been working off of the right measurements. Overall I say everything fits just about prefect. As a bonus I cut some styrene to size for the concrete floor the tracks run in

The overall length of the structure is about 5' 2" from all to wall. It will be made up of three sections, like I said earlier. I will be more description in another post.

One item that may be a tad more complicated is the base for the wall section that isn't the loading dock area.

 As a bonus I cut a patch in the styrene base for the tracks to run in on an used .010 styrene under that to hold everything together. Then I added some styrene on the tops of the ties for the concrete floor. Making it appear that the tracks are cemented in.

Already I think this view from inside the main door is fairly nifty. It will of course look much better with all of the concrete painted.

Running Video: July 4th HO Trains