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Railroad Camp - O scale

edited February 2014 in O Scale Builds
yeah, i know, I'm jumping around on kits. Part of it is that I'm waiting for other things to be completed/ arrive and part of it is my nature (I've started an F Scale dio too (d'oh)! - oh well, if, or should I say when, Brett starts producing F scale kits we can post those too).

Anywho, I hadn't intended to build the camp building but got it from a retailer a while ago (what the heck) and took it off the shelf the other day. So the photo shows progress to date (nothing too exciting). Despite the size of the building this is a fast build even by SW standards helped by excellent templates, jigs, and, my favourite, pre-cut glazing (Booyah!). As the interiors are not meant to be viewed, structural assembly is greatly simplified.
image

Now, I have two self imposed challenges:

(1) I wanted to provide some exterior lighting for the building. The obvious place is the cantilever from the second storey which is easy enough to do by making the second floor roof removable (minor changes to eaves and elbow smoke jack). However, I was thinking of a light by the freight door and under the side shed cover by the truck bay. However, any attempt to get wiring into the warehouse would visually compromise the roof (i.e. if removable), and I'd rather not run a chase up an exterior wall etc. I think I'm going to forgo any attempt at lighting here.

(2) I use a soaking method for colouring the stripwood which means it is hard to colour match resin wood castings, such as the doors in this case. As one can see I coloured the freight door to look like peeling paint, but I'm not covinced. My options I think would be to similarly paint and weather trims at the door (maybe windows too) to better integrate those elements, or replicate them them out of wood and stain accordingly.

Any thoughts welcome.

Comments

  • Hello James,
    Having several kits in progress appears to be the norm - for awhile I thought it was a birth defect that only I had, but reading around indicates if you are really into hobbies you have a closet full of various kits. I have multiple hobbies!

    I went to a train show on Saturday and photographed Ngineering's lighting display racks which probably encompass much of their product line. I started a thread here about it. If there are any particular product they make that you'd like a close up view, check out the thread and let me know.

    Like you, I plan too "light" it but haven't reached a decision point yet. I look forward to your build.
    Respectfully,
    John
    Seattle
  • Thanks john - yeah I saw that thread - very interesting . leD s certainly are a newer phenomenon in the hobby - what I like is the bulbs can actually be painted to tone down that stark LED glare. Plus now one can get "warm" lights in all buy the smallest bulbs. A single bulb can in theory outlive all of us - plus they can be run off simple DC power.
    My build will be slow as always. Stepping back from anything for a while is always good.
  • I'm really looking forward to following along with you on this one James. It is a great kit and I thoroughly enjoyed my builds of it.
    You have made some great progress already and the colouration of the walls is great.

    Interesting thoughts on the doors and windows, certainly something to ponder.

    Lighting always produces challenges for me and I have several builds on hold waiting for me to figure out how to do them so I can relate to that side of things very well.

    As for having several things on the go at once...... well, my list of those is extensive.

    Karl.A
  • thanks Karl - I hope to have the walls up in the next few weeks if I can find time...
  • James,
    I'm just looking at your thread again and want to comment that brightness can be moderated by increasing the resistance. At some point the LED is going to go out of course, but there is absolutely no damage caused by experimentally increasing the R value to reduce brightness to a level that you like.
    Respectfully,
    John
  • thanks John - good point.
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