The Background (Scenes) Begin

 

Hi everyone for only the 2nd time in 2013! Survived the bush walk in Tassie and all the tiger snakes avoided me! However, some sort of bug caught up with me in Hobart and meant I was confined to bed for the day rather than soaking up the culture at the Museum of Old & New Art (MONA), oh well I guess that is a reason to go back! Anyway enough of the travel log onto the trains. Tenterfield now has some sky blue backboards which have given the layout some depth and made trains disappear for what seems like extremely long periods of time before re-emerging.

I have also dusted off those blocks of foam that have been stored under the house for years awaiting their chance to become New England hills and gullies. It's amazing how when you collect and store them you think there is enough to model the complete Great Dividing Range but once you start cutting, shaping and gluing you run out after about 1½ hills! At least my investment from Mr Uneek several years ago has proved it's worth. The Foam Hot Wire Tool has made life a lot easier and cuts down on those snow/foam storms! However, I must admit my 1st attempt and hill (& gully) making hasn’t been too encouraging so after some discussions with the brains trust last Friday night it was back to the drawing board.

Decided to place some templates of the buildings in their intended locations to get a better feel for how high (or low) we need to make the base layer of foam before applying the plaster soaked towels etc. Next step is to do some research in AMRM on how the layout Swan’s Crossing created those granite boulders/soft rocks several years ago. I’ve also been constructing the IDR CW cattle/elephant wagon. It’s a great kit which includes a dose of character training when you cut out the flash from between the planks. Unfortunately I fell at the last hurdle and was a bit heavy handed with the gloss coat for the decals so its out with the paint stripper! But that’s for the next post. I’ll keep this one short and include a few photos.

Until next time happy modelling!

Mainline Commissioned

Hi Everyone,

Only the 1st post for the year and it's almost the end of March!

Well at least there has been a bit of progress at Tenterfield.

We can now run trains in both directions and pass at 4 locations, all mainline points and control panels are installed and operative.

Only Shell Siding to install at “Boliva” loop, the road bed is installed, only one curved point to build and a bit of cork to lay! Then I can get into the “Darwin theories” (as distinct from the Darwin Awards!) and start creating the trees and those hill things that the trains roll through.

The 1st DCC pass at Bolivia Loop.
6028 has the brakes squealing as it passes 721 in the loop.
The future Shell siding is veering off to the left 

The layout seems to handle both DC & DCC ok and with the able assistance of the regular Friday night crew we have sorted out a few dips and bumps which has reduced the chance of derailments. Hope to upgrade the NCE Powercab in the near future by adding an “SB3A” power supply which should provide a bit more walk around ability. I have also had a play with an “iphone” as a controller via Decoder Pro and have been very pleased with the results.

I have been fortunate to take delivery of a couple of the Auscision 422 class as have a few others in the group so with that and other recent arrivals there has been plenty of new locos and rolling stock trying out the steep New England grades. The 73 class have also been trialled on the Abattoir branch and appear to handle the light track and tight curves very well.



Two new arrivals are having their trail runs on the same night!



I’ve included a photo of the Molesworth St Bridge after reading the latest posting on the Bolivia blog site just to confirm the comment that the Tenterfield road bridge also has a brick foundation. However the Douglas St bridge at the southern end of Tenterfield yard has the more traditional timber piles on brick foundations. Both of these bridges have had their roadways upgraded since I took the photos several years ago.

I also want to take this opportunity to showcase the talents of one of the team who has leant a very valuable hand or two to this project from the start. Not only is "Bazza" the resident cartoonist but he can also knock out some very good scratchbuilt models. The accompanying photo of a weedkiller tanker is just one example. 



Scratchbuilt Weedkiller Tank Car

Well I guess a quick post is a good post.

Work tomorrow and then an early flight to Tassie on Tuesday for a (train free) walk in the bush over Easter.

Until next time hope you have a great Easter and enjoy your trains!