Here’s a short video that the True Scene folks have produced that describes the product and shows it in use:

There are a couple of interesting properties of True Scene that I’m really curious about — specifically, the ability to re-shape or re-use it after it’s dried. I’ve not tried that with Cell-u-Clay, but will try it with a small hunk when I get back down to the basement on Sunday.

If any of you have used the True Scene products, I’d love to hear about your experiences. You can leave a comment here on this post, of if you’re not comfortable with that, you can use the Contact page to send me a note.

Available now are kits for various sizes and shapes of modules which use a rigid, lightweight construction method; parts for securing track at the end of FreMo style modules in HO and On30; and a drilling template for module ends which virtually guarantee proper module alignment.

Coming soon will be a unique set of track planning and layout template tools which will make laying curves — including easements — a breeze.

Kevin also offers custom layout design and construction services.

Train Troll Apr 10, 2011 Update

Upon returning from the train show today, I received an e-newsletter update from Andy Small at Train Troll. There’s lots of exciting stuff here — particularly the WW&F Wiscassett Wharf Station, as well as the news that  Andy and crew will be on hand at the National Narrow Gauge Convention in Hickory, NC this coming September.

At Peach Creek, I picked up two pair of Pilz/Tillig HOn30 switches and a few pieces of HOn30 flex track. I also had a good chance to look at Bachmann’s scenic items — particularly their line of trees. For smaller scales (HO included), they’ve got some really nice, affordable boxes of trees. I’ll certainly be using them on the HOn30 layout(s), and likely some will find their way to the On30 as well.

Tillig HOn30 Turnout (Bottom)

Tillig HOn30 Turnout (Top)

Back to the track. The Pilz/Tillig turnouts are really quite nice, and have a couple of unique features, the most notable being that they are flexible. Yes, you read that right. While they have a nominal 14″ radius diverging route, the entire turnout can be bent to create a curved turnout or a wye. A close look at the picture of the bottom of the turnout shows how that works.

Tillig have also seen fit to pre-install a solder tab so that the frog can be easily wired, and they include a pair of insulated rail joiners, a pair of regular rail joiners and a couple of extra solder tabs. Nifty.

There is a drawback to these turnouts over the Peco — some sort of switch throw is mandatory. While the Peco have an integrated hold-over spring, the Tillig’s have none. And, with the point rails being continuous into the frog, they tend to want to stay centered. That said, I do have a large quantity of micro-slide switches that I think I can attach to the bottom of the turnout. That would allow holding the points appropriately, and also be able to be used to route the power to the frogs.

Bachmann 32008-1 Elm Trees

The picture above shows one of the many types of Bachmann trees (they have almost 40 varieties/sizes). They really look better in person than they do in this picture, and will make excellent foreground HOn30 trees (and very good mid-ground On30 trees). They tend to be under $7 a box (typically three trees) at either Peach Creek or Moose Caboose. (For “background” trees on the HOn30, Scenic Express “Super Trees” will also be used — they’re really economical!).

I also stopped by The Moose Caboose to pick up a box of cork roadbed and see what other trouble I could get in to. Glenn did a good job, though, of keeping me in line (I think Donna must have called ahead!), though I did look around the shop to see what interesting HO stuff was there. Woodland Scenics have some beautiful built-ups, although they’re really expensive.

At JoAnne’s, I picked up a couple of rolls of moss ribbon. I have no idea what this stuff is intended for, but it looks like it’s going to be fantastic for making vines and ivy. From there, I moved on to Michaels, where I picked up about a half-dozen different kinds of floral wire (for tree-making) and some really tiny tools. Also, for tree-making, I picked up some masking tape and a couple of gray and brownish spray paints from Lowes.

All that was just about a hundred miles on Donna’s car. Can’t wait to get mine back from the shop!

Second up, I’ve looking at some stuff for bashing HOn30 locos. A fellow I’ve corresponded with in the past (Tom Bell) has designed several HOn30 items, which can be purchased through Shapeways. Here’s a link to Tom’s designs: http://www.shapeways.com/shops/tebee

Finally, Dallas Mallerich just posted this link on facebook: http://www.009.cd2.com/members/how_to/nouaillier_a.htm

In our modern society, that’s business practice that’s pretty much unheard of — and is certainly goes a long way towards garnering my business next time I need something.

On30 version of the Victors Scale Models SR&RL #19 kit. Photo from Victors Scale Models web site.

It’s a shame, as they were offering what appeared to be a beautiful kit of SR&RL #19 in On30 (and also On2 and HOn30), and were working on a kit for one of the Forneys as well.

If anyone has a definitive answer about the company’s status, please drop me a line. I’m wishing now that I’d found the U$460 the model would have cost me…

UPDATE: Indeed, Victors Scale Models have gone out of business. Word is that Neil Sayer may begin producing his own etched kits in the future.

We also spent some time poking around Searsport. It’s amazing that almost no evidence of the once major shipbuilding industry remains. I did find one original looking boat shed and some evidence of the marine railway that used to serve it.

Many of the buildings in the town of Searsport are intact, based in the few pictures I’ve been able to find. Of the nine shipyards once in operation in Searsport, I could find obvious remains of only two — maybe three. Searsport was once the busiest port and shipbuilding center in all of Maine, but it is curiously un-documented, unlike other ports such as Rockland.

On another interesting note, there’s a print on the wall in our room that shows the two four-masted schooners (Hester and Luther) that were brought to Wiscasset in 1932 by Frank Winter, who was owner of the WW&F at the time. The ships languished after the railroad’s demise in the mid-thirties, and were finally removed in 1998. (more details on the Hester and Luther can be found here).

Atlantic Scale Modelers Harbor Master's Office

Just downloaded my advance copy of MRH this morning, and in the news section, found an announcement of a new kit from a “new” supplier, Atlantic Scale Modelerrs. Atlantic Scale Modelers got their start back in the 70′s providing scenery materials to modelers and were a pioneer producer of what has become a staple in the modeling world — ground foam!

Atlantic’s first kit offering is this Harbor Master’s Office, which was inspired by a structure on Dave Frary’s layout. Dave Frary’s modeling, along with that of Bob Hayden, sparked my interest in Maine 2-footers many years ago.

The small footprint of this model make it a perfect “fit” for the shadowbox shelf layout I talked about yesterday, and I’m sure it will look great on the big layout, too.

Scotty Mason LCL Freight House

Another must-have for the big layout looks like it may be this new freight house from Scotty Mason. It’s patterned after a much larger structure located in Franklin, MA, but I think it would work just as well somewhere in Maine.

On30 version of the Victors Scale Models SR&RL #19 kit. Photo from Victors Scale Models web site.

Stumbling around the internet this evening, I found this — an On30 brass kit to make Sandy River & Rangely Lakes 2-6-2 #19. I’m very seriously considering ordering one of these, even though I need another locomotive like I need another hole in my head. The kit looks beautifully designed, and it’s set-up for sound from the start. I can see only one detail I would change — the headlight (and of course, that would mean having to add a generator).

More info can be found on the Victors Scale Models web site [UPDATE: web site no longer active. Link has been removed]. At £245 (post paid), it ain’t cheap. But wow! What a beautiful model it makes….

November 10 – Kadee has announced these new On30 items:
On30 Griffin 24″ Ribbed Back Wheels Sets

 

 

 

 

#300 Griffin 24″ Ribbed Back Wheels
8 Sets Per Package $7.90

I don’t know how new the information is (or, how old!), but it’s certainly intriguing.

This link came through on one of the e-mail lists some time today: Clever Models 

Clever Models designs and produces high-quality structure kits and texture sheets — made from paper. The textures and designs come from a CGI artist and, presumably, modeler in the motion picture industry. He’s learned to apply the effects we see in movies to 3-dimensional models, which are sold at very reasonably prices. From the pictures on the web site, I’d say they look fabulous.

I’m going to order one or two, and see how they come out.