# Three Micro Layouts in the Offing, HO



## Chops (Dec 6, 2018)

First up is a true point-to-point. It will be a Manhattan subway utilizing Howe's auto stop, auto reverse electronic sensor. In the center of the tube, which will be cut down to 6' will be a twenty inch cut out showing a station platform of commuters, street musicians. 
















Next up will two other micro layouts, one a compressed view of Harte's Mill Crossing in El Paso, circa 1881. The other will be featuring the John Bull set.


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## Guest (Jan 18, 2019)

These are interesting projects. I look forward to seeing what you do with them.


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## Chops (Dec 6, 2018)

*Harte's Mill*









Roughing out the plan. The track plan is pretty much determined by the use of 15 inch radii, which is the minimum the Old West stock can tolerate. 

I thought about sticking a mountain in the middle of it, but will look too contrived. Instead, opting to work out to inward. The left channel will be that will be that sunken road, and the broader channel to be the Rio Grande that the old SP crossed from New Mexico into Texas. The multi-layers will be the flood plains flanking the river. A dry arroyo will be placed at the distal curve. 

Nothing remains of the sunken road, that I can find, the area appears to have been filled in at some point, probably when the former Asarco Copper Smelter was erected. 

The Rio Grande with its flooding played havoc with the US-Mexico river border, at one point slicing off a chunk of prime Mexican territory into the US side.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

A subway station inside a PVC tube?!?!? Way cool idea. Looking forward to progress / results!

TJ


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## PoppetFlatsRR (Jul 29, 2018)

Can hardly wait to see how all this goes. The subway sounds very interesting.


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## Chops (Dec 6, 2018)

Progress on Harte's Mill Crossing: 

















Monday, after work, will go down to the banks of the Rio Grande
and get some of that vintage soil for ground cover. Found some HO grape vines to go to the right side of the sunken road, as in the painting. 

As to the subway tube, is there a way to use a jig to make sure the angles are cut square?


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## PoppetFlatsRR (Jul 29, 2018)

Can't help but think of Marty Robbins sir!!!!


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## Nikola (Jun 11, 2012)

This is so cool!!!

Harbor Fright sells a tubing jig angle notcher/cutter that some folks use to build roll cages. It is an inexpensive tool that will be the tits for PVC.

https://www.harborfreight.com/pipe-tubing-notcher-42324.html

The other way, if you just need square or angled cuts, is just to use a regular power miter saw. Cut slow so that the edges don't chip. You can similarly cut slots (lengthwise cuts) with a table saw (plunge cuts)

For the subway, don't forget about the 'trenched' roadbed at stations!

That is the same styrofoam I used on my layout. Your laying out and creation of the landscaping, painting, etc. is flawless.

We have a John Bull and it always ran better without the front truck. I guess that made it J Bull.


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## Chops (Dec 6, 2018)

Thanks for the tips, Nikola. I believe the John Bull came 
without its front truck when shipped from Britain. The 
front truck was added on by the American mechanics. 

Trenched roadbed, honestly I'd forgotten that. I will take a good look at that and figure out how to make that.










OMG, I think I'd better confine my efforts to a third rail, unless you have any ideas?!


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## Chops (Dec 6, 2018)

Went down to Harte's Mill Crossing today, after some 
probing about, found a point of view that probably is 
where the painter did his painting, back in the 1880's.
Didn't get arrested by the Border Patrol, but was 
discreetly followed off the property by a security 
truck from a construction company. 





















The yellow building is like a turn of the century Army 
Administration building, not later than 1910 at least. 
Probably used by General Black Jack Pershing when 
he chased Poncho Villa back into Mexico after his 
raid on Columbus, NM. One of the first military attacks
on US soil since the War of 1812. Next one was Pearl 
Harbor. Unlike Pearl, the Army was on alert, 
and blew the Hell out of the raiders. 





















A click to the North and here is the trestle that replaced
the wooden one, in or about 1910, coming in from 
New Mexico. Here in the desert, underground rivers
give way to surprising streams of water out of 
nowhere. 

























Down to the river, but the river was dry. Before 
cotton and pecans and Elephant Butte Dam in 
NM sucked all the water up, the river was a wild
thing, several feet deep, swiftly running, and 
populated with ancient sturgeon. The air smells 
like the sea here, which is perhaps owing to this 
whole region being an ancient seabed. The soil 
is extremely alkaline. Dinosaur foot prints were 
found, about a decade ago, on the facing side of
Mt. Cristo Del Rey. And I got my dirt!!


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## 89Suburban (Jan 4, 2017)

Chops said:


> Went down to Harte's Mill Crossing today, after some
> probing about, found a point of view that probably is
> where the painter did his painting, back in the 1880's.
> Didn't get arrested by the Border Patrol, but was
> ...


Nice post and pics thanks.:thumbsup:


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## Chops (Dec 6, 2018)

Nikola, I obtained some JC. Containing acetone, I was fairly suspicious I had obtained the correct compound, and sure 
enough a small drop almost ate its way through the 
Styrofoam. What brand/type did you use??


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## Nikola (Jun 11, 2012)

Chops said:


> Nikola, I obtained some JC. Containing acetone, I was fairly suspicious I had obtained the correct compound, and sure
> enough a small drop almost ate its way through the
> Styrofoam. What brand/type did you use??
> 
> View attachment 482012


Not sure. It was a five gallon pail of joint compound that was in a construction dumpster. (It was at the apartment complex where I live, so figure on the cheapest crap available. LOL.) I wanted the bucket and was happily surprised to find about a gallon and a half of good JC inside. I added some water right away so it would not set up, and as I need some I decant it into a jar and add more water to get it as thin as needed.

I suppose you can always first paint the styrofoam with a cheap interior latex paint. Then add whatever you want on top as it will be sealed.

EDIT: Wait a minute. By JC I mean joint compound, as in spackle, for sheetrock. Not what is used to attach PVC pipes. The can in the photo is what you use to clean PVC pipes before gluing.


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## Nikola (Jun 11, 2012)

Chops said:


> Thanks for the tips, Nikola. I believe the John Bull came
> without its front truck when shipped from Britain. The
> front truck was added on by the American mechanics.
> 
> ...


The trenches are not that deep. I would guess half the thickness of a RR tie at the deepest, tapering to much less (this is for the drainage). I doubt they add 6 inches clearance; with the height of the rails and the ground clearance of the subway car trucks, that is all that is needed.

If you glue the track down under the rails, you can hog out the center and lay forms, then flow in a thin mixture of spackle. Should be pretty easy.


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## Chops (Dec 6, 2018)

Therein lies the rub, spackle, not this acetone stuff.


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## Chops (Dec 6, 2018)

*Progress on Hart's Mill Crossing*










































The mud hut is under construction. Modge Podge on Styrofoam scrap, rolled in river sand. Old West structures by an unknown craftsman, I picked up cheap from a junk store. The ox cart by the late "Doc" Harrison, a bovine veterinarian, long time member of the El Paso Model Train Club, scratch built, by him. The half dead scraggle trees on the left from tumble weed trimmings dipped in Modge Podge and rolled in WS turf.


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## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

That's shaping up very nice, good work.

Magic


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## Nikola (Jun 11, 2012)

I love the old west theme. Looking really good! I like the idea of rolling a MP'd shape in sand.


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## Chops (Dec 6, 2018)

*Updates: Hart's Mill Crossing 1881*

































Getting started on the Mahattan Subway project, too.


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## Chops (Dec 6, 2018)

*Manhattan Subway Project*


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## Nikola (Jun 11, 2012)

Chops said:


> View attachment 484076
> 
> 
> View attachment 484078
> ...


The pond and stream are amazing - how'd you do it?


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