Midday Modeler – May 24th. 2023. It’s an action packed episode of Midday Modeler this week! David invites Bryson to answer a viewer submitted question about switch layouts. Steve and Eric show off more progress to structures they’ve been working on. Mitch gives an update on the “Built by Others” series. Cody and Steve takes us through recent progress on the project layout. Lastly, we head to the MR&T to take sneak peak at the new Amtrak RTL Turboliner from Rapido. Questions for the Crew? Post them down below in the comments section!
Midday Modeler – May 24th, 2023
By Vince C | May 25, 2023
See what you missed in the Model Railroader workshop!
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Steve,
I have also had that same issue with applying mortar and it coming out too thick and blotchy. This “accident” that I had has now become one of my regular modeling techniques. After I apply the mortar (which always looks overdone), I take a small flat chisel paint brush (maybe a 1/4″ wide), dip it in lacquer thinner, touch the brush on a paper towel to get the excess thinner off, and then lightly wipe down the entire side of the brick wall. You do this one tiny little section at a time. Wipe the mortar off the brush every time before you go back for more lacquer thinner. This does a great job of leaving the mortar where it belongs in the mortar lines. It works particularly well when the mortar lines are very small and shallow. I now do this on all my brick structures. I typically have to give the structure a coat of dull coat at the end though. The lacquer thinner tends to make the brick shiny and unrealistic.
Another great episode! I can help you out on the mystery ballast. There was a father and son run company in Northeast Ohio back in the 80’s called Smith and Son Ballast. I still have a copy of their “catalog” (just two sheets of paper). Item #1250 is their #50 gray ballast. The good news is that most of their product line has now been picked up by Scenic Express. That #1250 is the Scenic Express Light Grey ballast listed under their natural stone ballast section on their website.
One other fun fact about the old Smith and Son Ballast Company. They were pretty big for a while on the local train show circuit back then. It was a pretty unsophisticated operation, so when you wanted a larger purchase of ballast at the train shows, they sold ballast by the grocery bag (the old big paper brown ones). I still have three grocery bags of ballast in a box that have been waiting for me to move them to the basement for the last 10 years. It’s going to be a little while longer ’til they get moved. They weight a TON!
RE: plastic mirrors:
Will David be going over how he placed the plastic mirrors and what brand/size mirrors he used in an upcoming Olympia video? Love this series but can’t watch it live since I work to support this hobby :).
Scenic Express #50 is a light gray ballast used for N and HO.
No. 50 is probably Scenic Express Light Grey Ballast.
https://www.sceneryexpress.com/50-LIGHT-GRAY-BALLAST-QUART/productinfo/SE0163/
One other option. Was any company ever called No. 50? That could be the name of some long gone company 🙂
Who makes No. 50 Gray limestone ballast 1250?
The Google Box gave me a good idea… I do believe it is an Arizona Rock & Mineral product. The P/N seems to line up with what AR&M uses but the current product under 1250 does not match the wording on the jar. But the number could of been discontinued or changed over the years. As AR&M is a natural stone product.
Rice Harbor’s alternative configuration would also probably make a good shelf layout
Forget to add, it also has built-in staging using the carfloat in that configuration as well, if those sorts of operations would be something that’d fit the modeling theme of the layout.
Re: Turboliner
My wife, my son and I rode it in 1975 from Milwaukee to Chicago and back.
Steve the building looks great. I would call the problems you had “Happy Accidents” The way you fixed the back of the building really makes it look very realistic.