Another year done... now to some modeling!

Just finished another year teaching and coaching, my 14th year.  As you might know, I have not done any posts since April.  Coaching in the spring takes up all my free time.  At one stretch, I believe I did not go into my train office for 3 weeks straight, not once.  I do get a little down time at the end of May and did get a little modeling done on the Memorial Day weekend.  I have some big modeling plans this summer.  I will post those in another post.  The main one is that I want to get the scenery finished.  That means no plywood showing.  That should get done. But on to what I worked on Memorial Day weekend.

I've been wanting another diesel for the Midland and ready wanted a B40-8.  I stumbled onto one at a show in April.  The price tag was a real deal.  It is in the GE red scheme so I blacked out the GE logos and did a simple VMID under the cab.  Looks good and no reason for a short line to paint a engine that's got a newer paint job. I also put a Tsunami in it with the newer GE engine.   So, the 808 is the second red engine on the VM roster.

The VM #808 looks good in the red and yellow.  Still need to weather it up.   

I also had a HH660 that was numbered 33 and was for a sand plant that was off the layout.  This concept never took off and Battlefield yard took that area.  I finally settled on it as "older power" for the Virginia Central.  It's smaller engine and used when #3 & #5 are not functioning.  I added a generic VC decal and this too has a Tsunami. 

HH660 #33 waits on the conductor for it's next move.

 

Weathered freight cars

Been doing some weathering on some freight cars in the last week and a half.  Been on Spring break this week but the railroad has not received as much attention as I would have liked.  Things like yard work and other house projects have taken up a lot of time.  Here is what I have got done.  A loco or freight car doesn't go on to the layout unless it has been weathered.  Just a pet peeve of mine!

Central of Chicago hopper.  A super detailed Accurail hopper.

RF&P gondola #3112 custom done using a Walthers gon.

Central of Chicago hopper #2.  Another super detailed Accurail hopper.

An Exactrail covered hopper.  Still got to put some scrapes and rust spots on that yellow paint.

This is a rare car I picked up at a show.  It's a Custom Finishes metal kit that turns out well.  Definitely a different car on the layout.

My 4th BB hopper.  I changed the number and tried to darken it as per the prototype.  The others were weathered too lightly.

On my Intermountain F3, I finally broke down and put a Tsunami in it.  I patched out the B&A on the sides and put the F&NN lettering on it.  I am not 100% sold on the font I chose.  The Fredericksburg and Northern Neck is a shortline that makes a occasional appearance on the layout.  They mainly bring a train in to Battlefield Yard from staging, drop their cars, pick up cars and leave.  Their line is not modeled on the layout and this fictional railroad would run the old RF&P Dahlgren Branch.

I put a Soundtraxx Tsunami in this F3 (former B&A) Still needs to weathered heavily.

Battlefield Yard update

Worked some over the weekend on the engine track at Battlefield yard.  This track is a engine/caboose "parking area" and where some minor maintenance can be done.  It has a small crew building here also.  I spruced up the area with weeds, grass and other items you typically would find at one of these places.  I also add some tan sand in the area so that the whole area does not like it's just ballast.

The sand adds a  better looking texture for the driven, worn areas.

There is still many thing s to add to the area but I believe I captured what I trying to convey.

I thought the open container door was a nice touch along with the 7up drink machine.  The bags of sand on the left are for the locos.

I'm also starting my busy season with work so post wont be as often.  So enjoy them when I do get the chance to post!  

Outside rebuilds for the Virginia Midland Shops

The Virginia Midland Shops is known for some outside rebuilds for area short lines but this week received two locomotives from the Michigan Interstate.  These two SD35's will rebuilt like the VM's lone SD20-2 but will be called SD22ECO.  The work will start this spring and run into the summer months.  When completed, both locos will be painted into the blue and yellow scheme for the Michigan Interstate.

RF&P GP40 #124 brings the MCIS locomotives into Battlefield Yard for an exchange to the VM.

The Michigan Interstate locos will then go to the Virginia Midland Shops (which is not shown on the layout) and have their rebuilds done.

Industry tour #3: Patriot Industries

Continuing with my industry tour that I started last year, I decided to show you today, Patriot Industries.
Part 1: Klotz Distributors
Part 2: Specialized Beverage


Here's a short video of a train leaving some tanks at Patriot:
Leaving 2 tank cars at Patriot Industries

Patriot Industries is tucked into the corner of the layout and deals with mainly pool chemicals.  It receives tanks of chlorine and other chemicals.  The chemicals are then shipped by truck.  It's track can only hold 2 cars and it is  usually switched every operating session.

Overall view of Patriot Industries

Gates will be eventually added to the fence.  Klotz is to the left.

The scene to the right is still not developed yet. 

A chlorine tank car has been spotted in spot #1.

The storage tanks are at the very end of the building. 

Battlefield Yard loco track

Got away from the On30 layout this week and worked on some scenery on the Midland.  I tried out my static grass applicator that I built from a electric flyswatter.  It works good but I never had static grass in the height I wanted .  I got some 6 mm in yellow and green and combined them.  I did a couple of patches on scenery that needed touch up.  No pics of this!  I did finishing ballasting the loco track off of the yard.  I put in a crossing and a small shanty for the crews.  I will put several more details to bring this area to life.  This area will represent a crew changing area and a general locomotive maintenance facility.

Wanted to go with something besides ballast but more than likely ballast would have been used.

The crew shanty with some "era" cars.  I will fill this area with lots maintenance related stuff.

VM #281 waits for her next assignment.

Short Video of my new signals

Here a little teaser video from my layout.  Not big fan of showing unfinished areas on videos by wanted to show that working signals do add a lot to a layout.