Thursday Night Round Robin

Timmy's Bridge over Stockwell Creek

2024-04-07T18:39:00.001-04:00

I started this project because I lost my original bridge scene when we moved the layout to its new home. Originally this was where the station and freight house were. I pulled the team track to the station, cut the foam to make a shallow creek coming down the hill.

Bridge abutments are laid, rock castings are placed.

Tested fitted the double track bridge.

Different layers of paint and plaster, add rock and trees.

Tim Stockwell donated old 1970's Tyco bridge, I cut out the center half to fit the creek, to represent a single lane county bridge of the 60's with a concrete deck.

Finished product with both bridges in place.

Rob D

Thursday Night at Frank Adamec's

2024-03-24T07:17:00.000-04:00

Thursday Night at Frank Adamec's ...and Mr. Hickey's brass GP30 demonstrators!

Front End Friday!

2024-03-24T07:05:00.001-04:00

Old school yellow box Atlas Alco's and a Railpower GP35!

Let's talk brick

2024-03-24T06:48:00.005-04:00

Let's talk brick. I've been working on many different projects. I wanted to get these City Classic and DPM kits out of the box and on the layout. Shown are four different approaches to modeling brick. From left to right, first is spraying the mortar color on first and then carefully wiping the brick color over top. Second is spraying the brick color, then adding mortar color in the form of DAP wall patch. Third is sponging, multipliable colors and then adding the DAP wall patch mortar. Lastly, spray the brick color and use watered down white paint to act as the mortar.

Rob D

NYC Transfer Caboose by Wayne Sittner

2023-06-18T08:46:00.002-04:00

I'm still doing non-revenue equipment. The prototype for this was shot at Croton-Harmon 7/74

I spent a week on the model finally giving it a crew. I kit-bashed it from a standard caboose. I gave it a wooden floor to match the prototype that was built on an old flat car. The biggest job as the railings.

Regards, Wayne

Paper Rolls for IP

2023-03-25T09:27:00.006-04:00

Friend of ours wanted paper rolls for his IP Mill. Thanks to Dan at Yelton Models it came to life! Check out their website Yelton Models

Rob D

PRR/CR Flanger by Wayne Sittner

2023-03-19T08:48:00.003-04:00

Been working on this for 2 weeks. During the Conrail era there was always on at the Kingston engine house. When that was torn down one sat on a siding by the yard office.

I had several prototype photos to go by (Goldilocks choices). The one from 1990 would have been fun and unique but, too late for the era I model.

PRR/CR Flanger complete!

Wayne Sittner

What's old is new again.........

2023-03-19T08:41:00.001-04:00

Been a few years since I've posted on the BLOG........things have changed! I moved to a new house, had to take the old layout down and reassemble it into it's new space. A challenge to say the least! The big change was folding the layout to fit....I lost a few favorite scenes but also got rid of the lift out.

This is where the station used to be. It was a diorama, so nothing was lost here, but I needed a bridge scene since I lost the old in the move.

Dry fitting the bridge and track for the first run!

Rob D

Geoff Wood's Mohawk Terminal Railway

2019-04-27T18:40:00.002-04:00

My layout is a industrial switching layout with staging on each end. It is located in my attic. In my world the Mohawk Terminal Rwy. And serves several large industries and is jointly owned by the B&M and the D&H in the 1970s.

Congrats to Lee Schamberger on 1st Place!

2019-04-27T18:25:00.002-04:00

Congrats to Lee Schamberger on 1st Place!

Nice interior!

Stephen Lamora ‎Modeling Bushes for the FJ&G

2019-02-26T17:24:00.000-05:00

This is everything you will need. Super leaf. Hairspray, Krylon Camo paint dark or light your preference, twine purchased at Walmart 3 or 4 dollars, tacky glue. And a 12mm static grass mine is Noch. But the woodland scenic would be great and cheaper. You do not need a static grass applicator for this!!

I separate them to make a smaller Bush. But you could use the three pieces all together for a full one.

Cut the twine to what ever length you want. Leave space at the bottom for planting into the layout.Push down on top the the twine and spread the fibers out Until you get what looks like a bush.

Then add the tacky glue around the piece. This will hold it together during the process. It you don't they will fall apart. I know this from experience, let it dry over night. After it has dried you can push it out again to get the desired look.

Then you spray it with the spray paint. Put a good coating on this is what the static grass will adhere to.

Then take the 12mm static grass a pinch in between your fingers and sprinkle it over the bush.

Then spray it again with the spray paint .

Now take your scale leaves and sprinkle them over the top .Then I turn it over and do some from the bottom.Next I spray it with hairspray and set aside to dry overnight. I have found without the hairspray I lose a lot of leaves. When planting I trim it close to the Bush itself and make a hole and use the tacky glue to set it.

You can make them as big or small as you like. This is up against a fence to give you an idea of height.

Stephen Lamora

What Can I Get For $5?

2019-02-20T18:57:00.006-05:00

I'm really a plastic kit builder. I kitbash, save every extra part from every kit I've ever build. I used to build them for others and sometimes build to sell them, especially when I didn't have a layout. So working with plastic is my gig. I spend time at shows looking for old kits of my youth, Revell, Tyco, Like-Like, AHM, etc...buy them cheap, build them quick. I needed a quick and easy back round on my layout. I spent $5 on this Tyco, truck terminal. Pola actually made this kit for Tyco so it looks very European. First thing I had to do is get rid of that weird looking roof. I found sheets of Kibri "metal roofing" I bought years ago at a hobby shop closeout for 50 cents. Measured it up and cut it up. The sheeting actually came with the roof cap which is really nice. The building is molded stone which doesn't make sense for modern building, so I painted it dark grey to hide the stone look. These doors on the building are meant to operate, but not realistically at all so glue them shut! The steps are new from another kit and I will add scale handrails.

I weathered it up, took about 8 hours of total work and ready for the layout! This will hide in the back and do its job!

Rob D

Ken Karlewicz February 2019 Layout Update

2019-02-19T17:28:00.001-05:00

After buying some wonderful new scenery products from Scenic Express at the Springfield show this month, I’ve spent much of the past couple of weeks planting and detailing the Cherry Valley area of my layout. I have been working with materials from the Martin Welberg line, and have been astounded by how beautiful this material really is!! I will let the images convey what is so special about all of these wonderful textures. The coal dealer at Buesing’s Bridge still needs a bit more weathering in order to make it look truly abandoned, but I plan to have vines growing up the sides, rust added to the chutes, and the remains of an auger pit added as well.

The stream still needs to be finished, but I’ve been working on the foliage along the embankments as thing move down the branch.

This scene was inspired by the Battenkill Railroad AKA, the D&H Washington Branch.

Real sifted cinders were used on the line (above and below) and the late summer landscape takes form across the valley and up into the hills.

Many varieties of flowering plants were combined with grasses and shrub like textures along the embankments.

A newly planted field is seen above as we round the curve into Cobleskill.

The scenery creeps down into Cherry Valley above ,while also expanding across Richmondville and into Cobleskill below.

All scenes are still developing and under construction, but progress moves along with a huge boost from Scenic Express and the new Martin Welberg line!

Happy Day to all 🙏🏻

Ken Karlewicz

The Confalone Weathering Dojo

2019-02-19T17:19:00.003-05:00

I started doing this car up at Mike’s over the weekend and I am about 95% done with it now.I just need to finish the trucks, wheels and couplers and I think this guy will be ready for the rails. Watching Mike weather cars is something to see cause he just goes at it without hesitation and certainly inspires the hell out of me, to strive toward excellence in weathering as well. This car was done using one color of oil and two colors of powder.Only the Dullcote was sprayed from an airbrush, but that could also have been done with a spray can. Halfway through, I was struck with a bit of fear and wanted to quit before I “ruined the car” when it looked like this photo below.

Weathered yes, but lacking any real contrast and the impact I had initially hoped for, given the cars cool periwinkle color. Mike convinced me to keep going, and I began to hit the car with some Titanium White oil.I was instantly excited with the results and happy I had gone beyond where I would have likely stopped. I’ve learned from Mike this weekend among other things, to be bold when approaching weathering, as the most it could cost you is a car and your ability to move beyond your current skill level. When we venture beyond our comfort zone, we are able to create huge breakthroughs in our modeling and in other areas of life as well. I wish you guys some breakthroughs of your own this week...

Have great day!!
Ken Karlewicz

Few Pictures from Springfield 2019

2019-02-19T17:13:00.001-05:00

Rob D

Build A Compressor with Wayne Sittner

2019-02-19T17:07:00.004-05:00

I got the idea to build the compressor after finding an old B&W print from the Wilkes-Barre D&H roundhouse taken in 1968. I used the castings in a JL Innovative Design kit to get a head start. (To say it's crude is an understatement.) I used Evergreen styrene for all the detail corrections and additions.

Since the kit showed the innards I decided the leave the door on one side slightly open. The air hose was a left over length of insulated wire.

Wayne Sittner

Check out Gino's Rail BLOG!

2019-02-17T17:35:00.001-05:00

Gino's Rail Blog

Railroad and trolley history from Gino DiCarlo, author of Trolleys Of The Capital District and The Saratoga And Mount McGregor Railroad.

Rebuilding the FJ&G with Steve Lamora!

Merry Christmas 2018

2018-12-22T06:49:00.000-05:00

My office view....Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Rob D

Sense of Place

2018-12-22T06:45:00.001-05:00

Jack Cutler’s Juniata Secondary

2018-12-22T06:44:00.001-05:00

Jack Cutler’s Juniata Secondary HO Scale layout. The Juniata Secondary is a large double-deck PRR themed layout depicting a fictitious PRR branch pressed into mainline service after WWII sabotage has shut down horseshoe curve.

Tunnels into the helix

Jack experimenting with some scenery

Jack builds his own working PRR style signals

Working CTC, very nice!

Upper staging

Upstate Modelers Train Show in Glens Falls 2018

2018-12-22T06:09:00.002-05:00

Brad Peterson's collection of his Uncles Boston trolleys

The Great Train Extravaganza 2018

2018-12-22T06:05:00.003-05:00

The Great Train Extravaganza is eastern New York’s largest model railroad and toy train hobby show. It’s held every year at the Empire State Convention Center in Albany, New York, usually on the first Sunday in December, coinciding with the tree lighting ceremony at Empire State Plaza.

Vermont Paper

2018-12-22T05:55:00.001-05:00

I needed a new project away from the rest of the layout, Vermont Paper. It's a fictional space, modeled after the Finch papermill in Glens Falls, NY. Thinking about stuffing a papermill in a 2x 12 space took some planning. I wanted to reuse everything I could from my old layout, plus whatever is in my junk bins. I got a great deal on used code 83 # 5 switches off eBay, that was a start. I realized my original plan wasn't really going to work using what I had so I modified it.

Since I worked the 3 mills on the D&H, I realized what I needed for car space, and different products, and to able to switch. So I planned how many cars would fit where and what a typical inbound and outbound train would look like. I also modified the Walthers mill with a opening on both ends of the main paper dock to increase capacity and ease of switching.

A view of the new old parking lot....
Enjoy, Rob

Pigs on the A&S

2018-10-02T14:47:00.000-04:00

I recently decided that my layout needed some TOFC and COFC in order to really look like the D&H.
Now that the highway overpass had been raised, and inspired by MC’s Allagash photo and some prototype photos from my era, I ordered some Athearn trailers for the project.

Ken Karlewicz

“Modeling a sense of place”

2018-10-02T14:42:00.001-04:00

An important milestone was reached on July 26, when my layout upstairs turned two years old.. Don and I met the week after, for work session #42, which brings our work time together to ( 84 )- ten hour days on the layout. Our work schedule originally called for the installation of new “ fill “ track lighting above Central Bridge and Cherry Valley ( now discontinued at Lowe’s and Home Depot we sadly learned ) so we moved to plan B.

Cherry Valley, which had been the workbench during most of the layout construction, has slowly been coming to life over the past few months, so we decided to extend the riverbed along this area

Rip Rap was added to areas prone to erosion and we also made a trip to a
local site, to collect the appropriate “boulders” for this purpose.

Structures above are by Rich Cobb and the 502 was done by Bob Harpe

The overpass at Frog Hollow was also raised and now allows for TOFC and Allagash woodchip cars. While removed, styrene curbs and gussets were carved, painted and weathered, then added along the roadway area of the bridge, which really makes a big difference.

Down in Cherry Valley,there will be a few houses situated on a small hill near the freight house, whose backyards will face the yard.

There is lots more to do down the road of course, but here

is where we are at the two year mark!

Hard to believe but my story

“Modeling a sense of place” will be the cover story in MRP 2019!!

Hope you guys are all having a great summer!!
Ken...😊