I am plodding along with my phase 3 construction. I have wired and debugged the lower tracks through the Manayunk/Schulykill River, 30th Street station and Camden scenes. (Pavonia yard is in but not connected to the mainlines). Now I have to construct the higher level return tracks.
Above the desk (and computer) I have a 10" wide section that has to handle 7 tracks (3 tracks lower level, 2 tracks upper level and 2 yard leads). I am attempting to hide 3 of the tracks with a bridge (Atlas viaducts) and earth fill between the piers. I have spray painted the viaduct brown and am attempting to match this effect (found near 30th street):
While I am at it, I am assembling some IHC Philly row house kits that I have had sitting around for 40 years. They still need steps, balconies, dormers, and shutters added. The great thing about these old kits is that they have an abundance of extra windows and doors.
To brighten my day, a friend from Barnegat Light sent me a 1950 PRSL
passenger schedule. I was shocked to learn that 13 commuter trains ran through
Woodbury daily each way in 1950. (By 1954 they were down to 6
each way.) This was prior to the RDCs coming on board (6 late 1950; 6 more in
1951) so the PRSL used several doodlebugs in addition to the engines (steam and
diesel) with Pennsy P70 coaches.
I am trying to make the most of boring through the desk bookshelves and
treat them almost like individual scenes or dioramas. The corner one is the
Schuylkill (pronounced school'-kill) River / Manayunk bridges scene which gives
me my one chance for a decent sized hill/mini-mountain. Some of the hillside
faces are almost vertical, but since they can't be seen from the side I should
be able to minimize the effect.
I used cardboard
strips and a glue gun to rough in the forms. Then covered them with paper
shopping bags.
The green circular
wood in front of the lower level tracks is the foundation for the Schuylkill
Expressway (know to the locals as the "Sure-Kill Expressway").
Adding some trains
gives a better indication of the scenery size.
Made the first batch of sculptamold drier/thicker
and slopped that on. Some sagging but everything held in there. I had a friend
over to help. That made things interesting as each batch got bigger.
Consequently I had a lot of material left over and began doing unplanned
sections around the Camden yards and the Philly approach grade.
Now everything was so brown I thought my trains had
left New Jersey and were now somewhere in the deserts of the southwest.
Next some more messy work. Scenic glue and grass
blends. Try getting it to get it to stick to the steep slopes.
Finally puff ball trees to give it a forested northeast feel.
Someday I'll get to the river surface and the bridges!
I have also been taking pictures of my freight cars
to add to the waybill system and make it easier for the brakemen to ID the car
they are looking for. I have taken 407 so far. (Next I need to do the 300+
freight cars I am trying to sell. It is a good thing the camera has lithium
batteries!)
