# Time to Restart, I Think



## QueenoftheGN (Dec 10, 2019)

I’ve been rebuilding my track and it’s scenery, and I’ve decided as much as I love the GN, I’ve got to go with something I like even more, and can relate to, I grew up (I know 14 is still considered “growing up” but... whatever) in a small town called Penton, in central Alabama and we didn’t have a railroad nearby, but I know the land type and the tree species there by heart. So I’ve decided I’m going to be creating my own railroad. It’ll be called the Alabama & Eastern, I’m currently creating a backstory for the railroad, and I’ll post that here when it’s done and I’ll be updating y’all on the progress, I hope this goes well...


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## Dennis461 (Jan 5, 2018)

Yea, we've all restarted at one time or another. I switched to Union Pacific after trying to letter loco's and cars for my hypothetical Utah Federal Railway !


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## Spruslayer (Dec 13, 2020)

As one of many rookies here I have learned a great deal of information about the mechanics of just putting track together to make a.functional layout. What inspiration I do have for my fictional RR is still stalled behind getting the layout to work. Watching those with experience create life like scenes is like poetry in motion to me. The skill and effort involved can be compared to an artists creating the next Mona Lisa. Wishing you all the best with your new layouts and looking forward to see it take shape


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

The beauty of modeling European is that cross-border operations allow a variety of railroads both foreign and domestic to operate on each other's track. Including privatbahn railroads that haul cargo.

You can see an ÖBB train on DB track and a DB train on SBB track. You can even find a DB locomotive hauling an SBB passenger consist. The variety is limitless so you don't have to be locked in to one particular railroad you like. You can have any or all of them that you like.


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## clovissangrail01 (Oct 8, 2019)

MichaelE said:


> The beauty of modeling European is that cross-border operations allow a variety of railroads both foreign and domestic to operate on each other's track. Including privatbahn railroads that haul cargo.
> 
> You can see an ÖBB train on DB track and a DB train on SBB track. You can even find a DB locomotive hauling an SBB passenger consist. The variety is limitless so you don't have to be locked in to one particular railroad you like. You can have any or all of them that you like.


If you are into passenger trains, you can get somewhat the same effect modelling US Union Stations, which served passenger service from multiple lines. For example, at St. Louis Union Station, you could have seen B&O CB&Q, GMO, Rock Island, Illinois Central, L&N, Katy, MoPac, NYC, Pennsy, Southern, and Wabash backed in under the train shed. (A wonderful sight which I got to see a lot of in the early 60s because my father work for Mopac. I even saw a working 4-4-0 American there -- the restored General, which toured in the early 60s.)

You can even sneak in a little early Amtrak if you are willing to accept a wee bit of anachronism.

Now to get this back on the subject of Alabama railroading, there is a beautifully restored union station in Montgomery, Alabama, which served the ACL and the Seaboard Air Line.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Well, you've had a couple of do-overs, but that's ok. Keep changing it up until you get something you're happy with. Otherwise you'll quit.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

I was a little young to remember the trains at St. Louis Union Station while growing up. I was around then, but too young to remember.

I do remember Amtrak quite a bit just before the station closed all together to passenger traffic and relegated it to a small side station before you got to where the north leg of the wye was located.


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## clovissangrail01 (Oct 8, 2019)

MichaelE said:


> I was a little young to remember the trains at St. Louis Union Station while growing up. I was around then, but too young to remember.
> 
> I do remember Amtrak quite a bit just before the station closed all together to passenger traffic and relegated it to a small side station before you got to where the north leg of the wye was located.


That little side station is still there, or at least it was a few years ago when my work took me to Normal, Illinois for a few weeks. It's called Gateway Station, and it is multi-modal with Amtrak, bus service and MetroLink.

Normal, Illinois is in the middle of the state, about equidistant from St. Louis and Chicago. I had to go there every week for about three months, and instead of flying into Lambert or Chicago and renting a car and driving, I could fly into Lambert, take a cab or Metrolink to Gateway Station, and ride to Normal in a nice business class seat on the Amtrak Lincoln Service for less than 50 bucks. It was luxury. The Lincoln Service stopped literally across the street from my hotel.

Then I reversed the process going back, although once I grabbed a compartment on the Texas Eagle and rode it to Texas, then road it back the next day. This was also way cool, but the dining car experience is no longer what it was even 15 years before, let alone in the 50s and 60s. 

Remember the cardinal rule of Amtrak -- It takes longer, but the worst seat on a train is better than the best seat on an airplane. And no TSA bullshit.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

QueenoftheGN said:


> I’ve been rebuilding my track and it’s scenery, and I’ve decided as much as I love the GN, I’ve got to go with something I like even more, and can relate to, I grew up (I know 14 is still considered “growing up” but... whatever) in a small town called Penton, in central Alabama and we didn’t have a railroad nearby, but I know the land type and the tree species there by heart. So I’ve decided I’m going to be creating my own railroad. It’ll be called the Alabama & Eastern, I’m currently creating a backstory for the railroad, and I’ll post that here when it’s done and I’ll be updating y’all on the progress, I hope this goes well...


How about Eastern Alabama Railway? 


Eastern Alabama Railway – A Genesee & Wyoming Company


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## Wooky_Choo_Bacca (Nov 13, 2020)

QueenoftheGN said:


> I’ve been rebuilding my track and it’s scenery, and I’ve decided as much as I love the GN, I’ve got to go with something I like even more, and can relate to . . . . . . It’ll be called the Alabama & Eastern


 Annie Good deal on the rebuild, be lucky in that you have come up with a name, I'm still pondering at what to call mine, and well into my redo as well

MichaelE The two years I was in Germany, '80-'81, most every trip to downtown Frankfurt was on the "S-Bahn" commuter trains, walked to Hoechst Bahnhof and caught anything going into downtown, a 20 minute ride, going out it was the S1 or S2. The neat thing was after buying a ticket you had roughly an hour to take any train, bus, subway, or streetcar to get to your destination. Upstairs at the HauptBahnhof is where one caught trains to other parts of Germany and Europe. In the main hall there was a glass case that you could drop a coin or two and watch the model trains they had in it


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

My father took the family to the HBh in Frankfurt when we lived in Wiesbaden. I don't know if they had any layouts back in the late 60's, but if they did I would have been mezmerized as a six year old.

We were there several times to pick up or drop off one of my mother's English relatives who lived in London and took the train from France to Frankfurt after crossing the Channel. She would visit a couple if times a year.

That was my introduction to European railroading. It is a lot different than US railroading.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

clovissangrail01 said:


> If you are into passenger trains, you can get somewhat the same effect modelling US Union Stations, which served passenger service from multiple lines. For example, at St. Louis Union Station, you could have seen B&O CB&Q, GMO, Rock Island, Illinois Central, L&N, Katy, MoPac, NYC, Pennsy, Southern, and Wabash backed in under the train shed. (A wonderful sight which I got to see a lot of in the early 60s because my father work for Mopac. I even saw a working 4-4-0 American there -- the restored General, which toured in the early 60s.)
> 
> You can even sneak in a little early Amtrak if you are willing to accept a wee bit of anachronism.
> 
> Now to get this back on the subject of Alabama railroading, there is a beautifully restored union station in Montgomery, Alabama, which served the ACL and the Seaboard Air Line.


 I have a simpler version of the same idea on my layout. Principal focus is Seattle Union Station, owned by Union Pacific, with the Milwaukee Road for a tenant. Across the street was King St. Station. It housed Northern Pacific and Great Northern passenger service. There was a local short line called the Pacific Coast Railway, over who's track the UP & MILW trains gained access to downtown Seattle. In my much compressed model version all four big transcontinentals use PCR trackage. So I can run trains from any of the four, and each of them had plenty of passenger trains in the 1920s & 1950s eras that I model. Unlike the sprawling trackage & giant station in St. Louis, Seattle's Union Station is small enough that I was able to model it 90% of N-scale size.

Traction Fan 🙂


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## Wooky_Choo_Bacca (Nov 13, 2020)

MichaelE said:


> My father took the family to the HBh in Frankfurt when we lived in Wiesbaden.
> 
> That was my introduction to European railroading. It is a lot different than US railroading.


On a "funny" side note, we stood in the very same place that Elvis stood when he was both in Germany in the Army as well as in the movie, the front of Frankfurt's Hauptbahnhof has changed little over the years


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## QueenoftheGN (Dec 10, 2019)

Big Ed said:


> How about Eastern Alabama Railway?
> 
> 
> Eastern Alabama Railway – A Genesee & Wyoming Company
> ...


Huh. I think maybe a little more research might have been better, Oh well, It is what it is, that one is fairly small (In the grand scheme of things) and mine will extend from Penton AL to Candor NC


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## BigGRacing (Sep 25, 2020)

I hope that station never changes....Magnificent architecture !


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## QueenoftheGN (Dec 10, 2019)

Update; 
The railroad has Acquired its first car, a budget MOW car


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## QueenoftheGN (Dec 10, 2019)

Major progress today; 
Mountains (they look a bit to big for what was in/near Penton, so they might be shortened later). And some scenery, like this hobo camp


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

QueenoftheGN said:


> Huh. I think maybe a little more research might have been better, Oh well, It is what it is, that one is fairly small (In the grand scheme of things) and mine will extend from Penton AL to Candor NC


It’s your railway Annie, don’t let anyone try to tell you different.....


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

QueenoftheGN said:


> Update;
> The railroad has Acquired its first car, a budget MOW car
> View attachment 551962


Annie;

I like your hobo camp. It's very clever. Congratulations to the Alabama & Eastern on acquiring it's first car! The flat car looks a little too flat though. Did you use the floor of a boxcar? Normally a flat car has steel framing under the deck. The frames show on the sides. Often they have stake pockets lining the sides of the car. You might consider gluing some cut styrene side frames under the car, but only if you want to. It's OK the way it is.
I've also used brass to scratchbuild a flatcar, since they are usually way too light and sometimes derail for that reason. I cut sheet brass to the shape of the deck and the side frames, all in one piece, and then bend the frames down from the deck. A thick brass "subfloor" adds weight and I glue scribed basswood on top for the deck.

Keep Having Fun

Traction Fan 🙂


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## QueenoftheGN (Dec 10, 2019)

They both are very lightweight, and both have the derailing problem, I got them both as kit for about 50 cents total and assembled them without instructions, here’s the bottom of the other.


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## Wooky_Choo_Bacca (Nov 13, 2020)

Nice Hobo camp there Annie. I know what the problem with the derails is, ya got the brake wheel on the bottom of the car LOL kinda hard ta steer it from under there 😳 seriously though I don't know except maybe it doesn't weigh enough, I've got two tankers that I took part of their weights out of, gotta put them back


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

Trackwork in N is a little more fiddly. Because of the NMRA standard car weight, the trackwork has to be nearly perfect. That includes not only NO kinks in the trackwork, but that both rails be level to one another going into curves, coming out of curves, and the same for turnouts. Also, turnouts have to be level throughout the entire turnout with no high or low spots.

If trackwork isn't good niether will be your operation sessions.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

QueenoftheGN said:


> They both are very lightweight, and both have the derailing problem, I got them both as kit for about 50 cents total and assembled them without instructions, here’s the bottom of the other.
> View attachment 552055


Oh, I see they are wood kits. Yes those can look nice, but they are always way too light. You might try super gluing thick brass, or steel, strip down the middle, under the car. You could use it to replace the wooden "center sill' The long center beam that the trucks are attached to.) Weight works best the lower, and more centered, you can get it.
I prefer brass weights to steel because they're non-magnetic. I use Micro-Trains magnetic couplers, and magnetic uncoupling ramps. A steel weight can pull the car toward the magnet, just when you're trying to get it in position for delayed uncoupling. I saw in your photos, that you're still using Rapido couplers, which are not magnetic, so that may not be a concern for you, at least for now. However, sooner or later, most of us switch to using Micro-Trains (Kadee in HO) couplers. So it might be a good idea to use non-magnetic weights, like brass, or lead.

You said your mountains " looked too high?" The local 4000' high "mountains" (which residents of the Rockies, or Appellations would laughingly call "molehills") would be twenty-five (real) feet high!
Mountains are one scenic feature that model railroaders don't have a hope of duplicating to scale. I doubt your model mountains are really "too high" in scale feet, compared to the real thing in your neck of the woods. 

Keep on Having Fun;

Traction Fan 🙂


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## QueenoftheGN (Dec 10, 2019)

Good idea, I’ll definitely try glueing the bass into place, I think that’ll help a lot. By “to high” I meant to many large vertical drop offs Sorry, my wording was all out of wack. I have been trying to convert couplers to MT couplers, the problem is they’re kinda pricey. Oddly most of the engines I But are fitted with MT couplers, but I buy everything used, so my cars all have Rapido style it’s the reason I have like... 8 different conversion cars.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

QueenoftheGN said:


> Good idea, I’ll definitely try glueing the bass into place, I think that’ll help a lot. By “to high” I meant to many large vertical drop offs Sorry, my wording was all out of wack. I have been trying to convert couplers to MT couplers, the problem is they’re kinda pricey. Oddly most of the engines I But are fitted with MT couplers, but I buy everything used, so my cars all have Rapido style it’s the reason I have like... 8 different conversion cars.


Annie;

I think you might have trouble catching a "bass" that will fit under an N-scale flat car! Even if you do, after being under there for a while, he will start to smell really bad too. 😄
Just kidding of course, I know you meant brass, instead of bass. You might want to try some brass side frames too.
Yes, you're right, Micro trains couplers are expensive. They are also the best. Gradually you may convert a few cars at a time. You can get Micro-Trains couplers in bulk packs a little cheaper. They would be just the couplers, in kit form, and without trucks attached. The MT couplers would be body-mounted instead of truck-mounted. The attached file has more information on couplers. Are the MT couplers on your locomotives mounted on the body, or the trucks? If your railroad has curves tighter than about 15" radius, you may have derailments from mixing body-mounts and truck-mounts.

regards;

Traction Fan 🙂


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

QueenoftheGN said:


> Good idea, I’ll definitely try glueing the bass into place, I think that’ll help a lot. By “to high” I meant to many large vertical drop offs Sorry, my wording was all out of wack. I have been trying to convert couplers to MT couplers, the problem is they’re kinda pricey. Oddly most of the engines I But are fitted with MT couplers, but I buy everything used, so my cars all have Rapido style it’s the reason I have like... 8 different conversion cars.


Well, you're right about the mountains-- they don't look right because they're just sitting there like a big giant just dropped them in place. Which is essentially what DID happen.

There really isn't a quick fix for that. What you need to do is set your rack on a flat, stable surface. Plan where your structures are going to go. Those areas need to be relatively flat too. Anywhere the terrain is shaped by man (around buildings, roads, etc) can have flat areas and abrupt changes, but EVERYWHERE else should really be more undulating, and gradually transition into higher elevations. Using balled up newspaper "pillows", wire screen, cardboard strips, or other supports, covered by hardshell of some kind, or carved foam covered by Sculptamold, ground goop, or other products, help make your terrain more believable.


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## QueenoftheGN (Dec 10, 2019)

More updates;

Road plaster stuff (something from Woodland Senics that was ridiculously marked up). And painted in a “Aged Concrete” color. Both mountains have been covered with ground foam and I am not running trains with no problems. And I’ve ordered the A & E’s (Thinking Of renaming it Dixie & Eastern) first engine, along with paint and decals.


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## Wooky_Choo_Bacca (Nov 13, 2020)

What train running problems are you having ? "Dixie & Eastern" would be good since you ARE in the Heart of Dixie (I remember that from the plates on my Grandparent's car back when they lived in Alabama) and in the East


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## QueenoftheGN (Dec 10, 2019)

Mainly just the section of track in the tunnel splitting into pieces randomly, at this point I just glued it down and its so far been working well.


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## Wooky_Choo_Bacca (Nov 13, 2020)

Yeah, one thing about tunnels is you have to make sure the track is 100%, turnouts are discouraged for obvious reasons, need to ensure clearances of any rolling stock (locos and cars), and a way to remove the "mountain" to access rail mishaps. No worries, you'll get it right


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

QueenoftheGN said:


> More updates;
> 
> Road plaster stuff (something from Woodland Senics that was ridiculously marked up). And painted in a “Aged Concrete” color. Both mountains have been covered with ground foam and I am not running trains with no problems. And I’ve ordered the A & E’s (Thinking Of renaming it Dixie & Eastern) first engine, along with paint and decals.


Annie;

I just took a good look at your new graphic, and I think it's great. The gal wearing the mask is very appropriate.
You said you were "not running trains with no problems." Does that mean you are having problems running trains, or just that you're not running trains right now, but doing scenery? The double negative is a little confusing since I'm not sure if it was just a simple typo, or a subtle way of saying your trains aren't running well.

You have discovered the sad truth about Woodland Scenics. They mark all their products up to ridiculous price levels. The only time I ever buy anything from that bunch of bandits is when I can't get it anywhere else. A recent example is some streetlights I bought from WS. They were a pretty close match to the ornate type I wanted, they were already equipped with LEDs, and while I could have scratchbuilt some, it would have been a lot of work, and not all that much cheaper.
On the other hand, their scenery supplies can easily be duplicated with much cheaper generic ones. You can buy plaster at Home Depot for a fraction of the cost of WS plaster products. Most plaster, especially the "Plaster of Paris" type, accept paint, or dye, really well. So you can make a few scale miles of "aged concrete" eight-lane freeway with it for what it would cost to pave one block with the "something from Woodland Scenics" that you used. 

Was there a real Dixie & Eastern? You said you ordered decals for your new locomotive. Of course you could have had them custom made, or you could be making up your own Dixie & Eastern graphics from individual letters. I did the latter with my "Huntington Northern" railroad long ago, before I got into the Milwaukee Road.
As far as I know, the only railroad that ever went "east of Dixie" was the Florida & East Coast, that went out to Key West on causeways over the Atlantic ocean. A hurricane wiped out the railroad long ago, but a highway still links the islands of the Florida Keys to the mainland. I was deployed, briefly, to Key West when I was in the navy. 

Regards;

Traction Fan 🙂


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## QueenoftheGN (Dec 10, 2019)

Yea, I really like it as well. I also thought it looked surprisingly like me. I tend to type fast, and as such make errors, I reread messages before I send them, but I miss a word or 2 sometimes, not was supposed to be now, lol. If I have to do roads again I'll try that Plaster of Paris stuff. No, D & E never existed, I'm still designing a D & E logo, so the decals are just a few sheets of numbers, letters, and symbols.


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## QueenoftheGN (Dec 10, 2019)

Update; 

THe town has been fully constructed!


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## QueenoftheGN (Dec 10, 2019)

I forgot to include the photo, sorry


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## Wooky_Choo_Bacca (Nov 13, 2020)

Typing too fast again eh ? LOL Nice little Burg there


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

QueenoftheGN said:


> I forgot to include the photo, sorry
> View attachment 552239


Annie;

That looks good so far! As time and budget permit, you might add a few more structures, and fill n that gap between the end of the street, and the railroad crossing. Nice work miss.  Keep it up.

Traction Fan 🙂


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## QueenoftheGN (Dec 10, 2019)

Yea, that gap does need to be fixed, not sure how but I’ll try. Actually, I’m really happy with just the 4 buildings, I might add one more, but the look I’m going for is “is this place even marked on a county map?”


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## Wooky_Choo_Bacca (Nov 13, 2020)

Something to think about, most every town has one - Billy-Bob's Gas Station and Service (could even pose a couple of junk / wrecked cars out back) or a Jiffy-Mart with pumps on the side


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## QueenoftheGN (Dec 10, 2019)

Good idea, I think I'll get one of those gas station kits whenever I have the chance.


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## QueenoftheGN (Dec 10, 2019)




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## Wooky_Choo_Bacca (Nov 13, 2020)

I like that mountain over there Annie, I'll need to build something similar, gotta have someplace to "hide" the moonshine still


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## QueenoftheGN (Dec 10, 2019)

Which one?


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## Wooky_Choo_Bacca (Nov 13, 2020)

The taller one over in the far corner though I'll be needing two, a smaller one as well


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## QueenoftheGN (Dec 10, 2019)

Update;

More scenery products have been ordered, and I'm officially out of money... again. (Maybe I should rename this railroad to "Broke & Cantaffordit").


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## Wooky_Choo_Bacca (Nov 13, 2020)

Don't feel too bad Annie, I'm on a retar'd budget (retar'd as in I don't work any more) , juss work with whatcha got and when funds come available ya kin gitcha some more, meantime ya kin watch da choo choo go roundy round like I do

Juss got word that what I ordered is now on it's way WOO HOO


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

QueenoftheGN said:


> Update;
> 
> More scenery products have been ordered, and I'm officially out of money... again. (Maybe I should rename this railroad to "Broke & Cantaffordit").


Annie;

Your scenery looks pretty good! Maybe a little heavy on the grass. There should be more dirt. Is this your first attempt at scenery? If so, you did a remarkable job. Yes, commercial scenery products are expensive. Fortunately you can cut the costs down by using generic materials. The file below gives some examples.

Keep Having Fun;

Traction Fan 🙂


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## QueenoftheGN (Dec 10, 2019)

I have done grass before, although it was just one color, not a mix like this current grass setup. I’ve also found a huge pack of Lichen to make bushes out of, so that might make this look more... presentable.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

QueenoftheGN said:


> I have done grass before, although it was just one color, not a mix like this current grass setup. I’ve also found a huge pack of Lichen to make bushes out of, so that might make this look more... presentable.


Annie;

The bushes look fine. What did you use for the support structure of your mountain?

Traction Fan 🙂


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## QueenoftheGN (Dec 10, 2019)

Old notebook paper, and some masking tape, on the back side it’s all held in a piece of styrofoam and some hot glue.


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## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

One tip Annie, take that Lichen and put it on a piece of waxed paper and soaked with white glue.
Sprinkle some grass ground cover on it, will make better looking bushes.
The glue won't stick to the waxed paper so it comes right off.

Looking very good so far, nice work.  

Magic


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

QueenoftheGN said:


> I have done grass before, although it was just one color, not a mix like this current grass setup. I’ve also found a huge pack of Lichen to make bushes out of, so that might make this look more... presentable.


I don't know if you are aware of this, but you nearly duplicated a scenery method that's been used since long before you were born. Way back in the olden days, people used wadded up "newspaper", (a Jurassic predecessor of social media 😄) taped together and covered with plaster-soaked paper towels. Everything old is new again. Nice job Annie. 

By the way, another trick you can do with Lichen is to soak it briefly in water with a bit of Clorox bleach ten parts water to one part bleach. That takes most of the garish color off it. Then the Lichen itself can be used as the "branches" of a bush, or tree, sprayed gray or brown, and have green ground foam sprinkled over it for "leaves."

Traction Fan 🙂


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## QueenoftheGN (Dec 10, 2019)

I actually found the instructions for it on the bottom of one of my old Life Like boxes, so thats pretty cool. I’ll definitely have to try both of those methods for the Lichen. On a bit of a side note, have had this thought pop into my head during math class, my name doesn’t fit anymore, lol I’ll have to find something I like, because “QueenoftheD&E” just does not sound right.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Stick with the old screen name -- that way we can keep track of you and all your posts.


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## QueenoftheGN (Dec 10, 2019)

Yea, probably a good idea.

I’ve since added some trees (fall, because they were pretty, it doesn’t really fit the mid fall look I’m going for, as these trees would be this color about mid October to mid November) and I’ve added a pond.


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