Host Gerry Leone is back for more work on his double-deck model railroad, specifically targeting the lower-level yard recently featured in Spaces to Places VII. Follow along as he finishes out the scene by restoring and recycling ballasted track from his previous HO scale Bona Vista layout!
Want to see more of Gerry’s work on a classic, familiar format? Look for his Turning Spaces into Places Vol. 1: Rural Scenery DVD, available from the Trains.com Store!
Thanks Gerry! I should have known that before I ripped up my track but something better is coming to that module and I should have that finished pretty soon
Ah ha! I knew I kept that old electric toothbrush for a reason!!
A good model railroader never throws ANYTHING away Ken — you know that! If you don’t need it tomorrow or next week or next year you MAY need it someday maybe.
Interesting that you have used techniques that pay off later in the layout. But if you’d just stop changing your mind…? 😉
As it always is, how it looks to you today may change overnight when you return and turn on the lights again.
Absolutely right, Andrew! A good night’s sleep always lets you be a little more objective about things in the morning.
Hi Gerry. Love your videos. While hot water may take longer, IPA costs a shedload down here in Australia, so removing any significant amount of ballast would be a pricey undertaking.
You used 70% alcohol. I have some 99%, could I just dilute it with water? And would I have to use distilled water, or would tap water be OK?
Thanks
Ron V
Wow, Ron — I wonder why it costs so much down under! We’re able to get it here for US79cents/quart. I’m not absolutely certain about diluting it though. I THINK I remember hearing that 70% IPA is 30% water but don’t take my word for it. Use hot water and save the alcohol for staining stripwood!
Now that this yard upgrade is complete, how about some shots of switchers handling the incoming trains, classifying cars and creating outbound trains? Goal is operations, right? And maybe a few thru trains passing by?
Roger, that’s a good idea. However, as you’ll see in the next few episodes, there’s still a ton of work that needs to be done on the classification yard, especially down by the roundhouse. But I’ll keep that idea in mind and someday will do a “how I operate” video. Thanks for the comment!
Gerry, I tried this on a curved section like yours but my iso loosened the glue underneath the cork and it sprung out. I think I will use t-pins to hold the cork in place next time I try this. BTW, what do you use to glue the cork down?
Thanks,
Ted
Hi, Ted — thanks for the comment. I use yellow wood glue to hold the cork down, mostly because it dries quickly and it’s waterproof. Apparently it’s alcohol-proof, too, because I’ve never had that problem. Good luck next time!
Nice – I gather when you made up/mixed the ballast color
that you used in the yard that you made more than you needed for situations like this (re-ballasting the yard lead)?
Thanks again,
Artie
Hi, Artie — Yes, I made more than I needed, but by accident. As I showed in a previous episode, I spent a lot of time putting the sand through a fine sieve just to get the smaller pieces. And I did that for hours. Turns out I didn’t need as much fine sand as I made, so I was able to mix the leftover stuff with the brown ballast and use that. And as you’ll see, I still needed a boatload of it for the servicing area of the yard. But I still have more in case I need to rip up some stuff from the yard.