Back to work!

I have resumed working on my Madras Switching layout with the figuring out the location of the structures along the backside of the module. I have decided that since this is for training I am going to make close approximation for the structures and will not super detail them at this time. I will design them so I can come back at a later date to add details if I decide to. The three buildings I am focusing on are Clowers Seed, Madras Produce and Cascade Potato. They are all three corrugated metal buildings, but each have some unique features. This will make it more interesting too look at then a bunch of Pikestuff styled buildings. I plan to have the base of the three structures by the end of the month. This means that they the walls and roof will be assembled so they are solid structures. Here is a view looking along the track.

Let there be light...very very very tiny lights **UPDATE**

** I started a post of Model Railroad Hobbyist covering the work I am doing with these LEDs **

http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/24856 

 

One thing I have been wanting to do is try the small LED offered by companies like Ngineering. Once I did a little research I found that I needed more tools then what I already had in my collection and moved on to other projects. With a few projects on hold waiting for me to decide on what to do with the interior lighting I bit the bullet and purchased the Super Starter Kit from Ngineering. This is almost everything you need to start soldering Micro and Nano LED's. Everything else that is required is pretty standard issue model railroad supplies. So here is the box with all the list of goodies:

Here is all the goodies out of the box:

Next step will be to finish reading the instructions and then begin experimenting with the LED's 

2015 Goals Reviewed and 2016 goals

As the year comes to a close I am taking time to reflect on the goals I set for this year. Even though the number of goals was small I still had a hard time completing them. This is due to a number of factors which include family, work and some unforeseen things that happened this year with our house.

First a review of  the 2015 Goals: 

1) Finish that house: 70%
The house structure is complete, including the interior and roof.
The next step is to add interior lighting, weathering, window glazing and find a place for it.

 2) Finish Had's McCulloch Chain Saw Shop: 70%
The main structure is complete and interior has been detailed.
The next step will be to finish the roof, add interior lighting, weathering and place it on the layout.

3) Finish ground throw pulls on Madras Modules 100%
Kind of changed my mind on what I wanted to do, but they are functional and that is good for now.

4) Basic Scenery completed on Madras Modules 80%
I have the scenery on one module pretty much done. I have structures and details to add  but they are not vital. As for the rest of the modules I have the basic scenery down and now need to fill in the flat areas with Hydrocal so I can place my buildings.

Goals for 2016 

1) Purchase no new projects or freight cars.
In looking at my inventory I have enough projects to keep me busy for 15 years. I do not need to buy anything that does not assist me with finishing an existing project. I also have plenty of rolling stock and no real place to run or display it. Unless I find a car on a very short list I keep, no new freight cars for 2016.

2) Finish the House
 Add interior lighting, weathering, window glazing and find a place for it.

3) Finish Had's McCulloch Chain Saw Shop
Finish the roof, add interior lighting, weathering and place it on the layout.

4) Finish Madras Switching Layout with Structures
Finish the basic ground cover
Ballast 
Build all structures and place them on the layout
Add derails
Begin work on track details


I will post a progress report at the end of March 2016 to see how I am doing.

A walk down memory lane...

This year for Christmas we decided to stay at my Parents house. During our stay my parents mentioned my model railroad stuff was still upstairs in boxes and they wanted to know what they should do with it. It seemed everything I had ever had for model railroading had been packed away. I took some time to go through the boxes of items that had been carefully packed away finding mostly detritus, but also some treasures. For the most part there was a lot of Tyco, Bachmann and other cheap models along with a lot of my first attempts at painting and Kitbashing projects. Most of these items should have been recycled or thrown away. I did find a number of items that I will be taking home that include a bunch of Athearn Bluebox that my son will enjoy and I also found a few items that I need for some other projects. The items I no longer need are being boxed up and donated. I also found a bunch of scratchbuilding materials and some rail I will be finding a use for. So, overall it has been a neat walk down memory lane, and I even found some items I had completely forgot I had.

No more Shed...

As stated in my last post the shed that I was going to convert into a workshop/layout are has been converted back to a garden shed. The cost to convert it to a usable space is not in the cards right now and I would rather use the funds to build modules or finish projects. I am a little disappointed but I am moving my painting stuff to the garage along with my Free-mo modules, I will be able to setup most of my modules and work on them during the year.

I am also looking at refocusing my Free-mo modules into focusing on the more iconic section of Bend, which makes more since in the long run of trying to model Bend. I will post a new plan for my modules in the near future.

A review of my goals

As part of my goals for myself is to do a better job setting and keeping goals. So far I have been doing okay this year, but I still have more I would have liked to complete that probably will not all get done.

The unplanned remodel of the the house still has my free time wrapped up, even though the project is done, the task of getting everything back to where it goes is just beginning. There is some good news in my model railroading world. My wife has decided to move her studio from downstairs to upstairs and has allowed me to have a area to work on projects. By now I would have thought my shed would be well on its way, but the needed upgrades are cost prohibitive. We have decided to convert it back into a gardening and storage shed ans I will be setting up my modules in the garage. This will allow me space to work and run on my modules when the time and weather permits. My wife has also made a comment about me being able to build a shelf layout in the spare room. No promises, but I may have a home layout to work on in 2016.

So as for goals in 2015

1) Finish that house, so close yet so far away (project 1 when I get my workbench back together)
2) Finish Had's McCulloch Chain Saw Shop (project 2 when I get my workbench back together)
3) Finish ground throw pulls on Madras Modules  (Done for now, may convert to tortoise)
4) Basic Scenery completed on Madras Modules (Basic scenery on one module has been completed, the other two I have the base coast down and need to finalize building locations.)

I will post a year in Review at the end of December along with a list of goals for 2016.

Madras layout published in MRH

An article based on some posts on the MRH site along with some information from the blog has been complied into an all inclusive article and is in this months MRH magazine. you can check it out by click the link!

http://mrhpub.com/2015-10-oct/port/files/220.html