What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

[Roy]

Well at this point, I am going to try the following options:

• Try applying the shellac with a paper towel or rag to see if I can get a smooth, no-drip look and still make reasonable progress.
• Try applying a stain+polyurethane product I picked up with either a paper towel or a rag.

Something tells me you're going to end up with a bunch of paper or cloth stuck to your wood. They do make paint pads and rollers, which might work. Or, perhaps use a paint sprayer.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Well at this point, I am going to try the following options:

• Try applying the shellac with a paper towel or rag to see if I can get a smooth, no-drip look and still make reasonable progress.
• Try applying a stain+polyurethane product I picked up with either a paper towel or a rag.

French polish --> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_polish

[chuck]

You could try knocking back the raised grain with 400 grit sandpaper and then apply a second coat. It should finish completely smooth. Trying to polyurethane over the shellac at this point probably will not go well. I suspect the urethane will bead up and make a mess.

When painting over wood I used to use base coat of shellac, sand with 400 grit, wipe with tack cloth, second coat with shellac, sand with 800, wipe down with tack cloth. Use a smooth foam roller for the paint. Semi gloss really works well. If you have the time/patience, do the final painting with the surfaces horizontal. These means letting it dry between sides and flipping it around. Other option is to use a sprayer. Much faster, no flipping around but you need a decent sprayer and it's harder to keep from painting stuff you didn't intend to.

Newer coating can create incredible finishes BUT they work/behave differently.

[G3750]

Updated 9/21/2017:

And so the real work on PRR Panhandle 2.0 begins.

First, the clean slate. This is the far right end of the plan that will become the Staging Area.

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I believe, thanks to my wonderful wife Judy, that the issue with applying shellac has been solved. She found some old t-shirts (cotton) and helped me apply the stuff evenly to the spruce 2"x2"s. I have been pretty frustrated looking on-line for expensive bundles of rags or painters cloths. The answer is pretty simple - go to Goodwill or a dollar store and buy some cotton t-shirts.

For spreading stain or shellac, old t-shirts cost less and work better than the commercial rags at Walmart, HD, or Lowes. And these stores don't even carry them. They have to be ordered.

We applied the shellac in the garage. The 2 bundles to the right are the poplar legs that will be used for the most visible parts of the layout. We are going to try out some stain on them tomorrow.

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In this photo, the topmost 2"x4"x10' had shellac brushed on (don't worry they will be hidden deep under the layout). The 2"x2"s in the foreground had shellac applied with cotton t-shirts. Wow, what a difference!

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We are officially rolling on Panhandle 2.0 construction!!

George

[G3750]

Updated 9/23/2017:

I have been thinking about what my short-term construction schedule should look like:

1. Complete the application of shellac to all the lumber to be used in the Staging Area.
2. Install train storage shelves on the wall.
3. Assemble the 3 train tables of Staging Area.
4. Install the 6 tall 2"x2"s that will support the sheets of masonite (from table top to ceiling).
5. Install the masonite (this will support a backdrop).
6. Install the other train storage shelves on the tall 2"x2"s.
7. Complete the photo-shoot for the backdrop.
8. Install the backdrop across the left, back, and right (masonite) walls of the layout.

It's a guess, but the above should take me until January (I hope).

George

[healey36]

What's the plan for developing the backdrop? Another run with the artist or something available commercially? Personally I liked the artist's rendition on 1.0, but that lengthened the schedule quite a bit as I recall.

[G3750]

What's the plan for developing the backdrop? Another run with the artist or something available commercially? Personally I liked the artist's rendition on 1.0, but that lengthened the schedule quite a bit as I recall.

I liked the artist's rendition as well, but I'm looking for a more accurate depiction of the area. There is also a much larger wall(s) area to cover. And steel mills will need to be incorporated on the right side of the backdrop. It's a complicated combo photo / photoshop job.

We are going with a photographic backdrop shot by RailroadBackdrops.com. They have a photo-shoot trip planned in the Northeast in October and are going to stop in the Weirton area. I've scouted several locations; we are going to try shooting (on a boat) from just below the Veterans Memorial Bridge (looking north). We will also shoot from its deck.

This is an overhead view from Google Earth. We will be shooting from the Veterans (leftmost) towards the left (upriver).

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This is at near water level. Again, we will be under the Veterans Bridge shooting towards the left.

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This final shot is a bit dated as the Ft. Steuben bridge (to the far right) no longer exists.

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George

[healey36]

Wow...that will be an interesting process. Can't wait to see what you guys come up with.

Healey

[G3750]

Wow...that will be an interesting process. Can't wait to see what you guys come up with.

Healey

Yes, it will. Hope it's worth the wait and the cost.

Hey, as they would say on my kids' athletic teams "Go big or go home!"

George

[G3750]

Question: What are your thoughts on layout (bench work) height?

I'm am getting shorter as I age and am having second thoughts about my initial choice of 48" height. Panhandle 1.0 was at 46" (Steubenville) and 42" (Weirton) initially, but I elevated Weirton to around 44" in the re-build.

George

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Question: What are your thoughts on layout (bench work) height?

I'm am getting shorter as I age and am having second thoughts about my initial choice of 48" height. Panhandle 1.0 was at 46" (Steubenville) and 42" (Weirton) initially, but I elevated Weirton to around 44" in the re-build.

Set up a table and see how far you can comfortably reach over it and how far you can reach and pick up an engine w/o stretching, bending and/or stressing your back/neck/shoulder. Determine this empirically for your personal needs and comfort. It's your layout.

[G3750]

Question: What are your thoughts on layout (bench work) height?

I'm am getting shorter as I age and am having second thoughts about my initial choice of 48" height. Panhandle 1.0 was at 46" (Steubenville) and 42" (Weirton) initially, but I elevated Weirton to around 44" in the re-build.

Set up a table and see how far you can comfortably reach over it and how far you can reach and pick up an engine w/o stretching, bending and/or stressing your back/neck/shoulder. Determine this empirically for your personal needs and comfort. It's your layout.

I took your suggestion. I actually used a wardrobe box left over from the move to simulate various heights. Then I put a car on it and tested the amount of bending needed to view it. I believe I have enough access holes so that reaching for or picking up a locomotive is not a concern. To my own surprise, I have settled on a height of 50". From the bottom up, that's:

• 1.5" glide length (adjustable)
• 46.5" leg length
• 1.5" rib thickness
• 19/32" plywood table thickness

Subtract approximately 1/16" by adjusting the glide and you've got 50" height floor to table top.

Thanks Rufus!

George

[healey36]

Fifty inches seems a good height. My own is forty inches off the floor, built twenty years ago, and there are times I wish it was a bit higher (especially when crawling under the Hellgate duck-under). Dealing with the electrics is far easier with the additional height. One thing, though...if you're planning on holding operating sessions with the grandkids you'll need to build a small portable platform/step-up to avoid the Kilroy-effect.

Healey

[G3750]

Fifty inches seems a good height. My own is forty inches off the floor, built twenty years ago, and there are times I wish it was a bit higher (especially when crawling under the Hellgate duck-under). Dealing with the electrics is far easier with the additional height. One thing, though...if you're planning on holding operating sessions with the grandkids you'll need to build a small portable platform/step-up to avoid the Kilroy-effect.

Healey

Yep, I realize that. I've got a couple of stools for those occasions.

George

[G3750]

Updated 9/28/2017:

Installation of train shelving has begun.

I have decided on the power districts for the layout. There will be 8 and power will be supplied by 6 Lionel Power House 180 watt bricks. Current thinking is:

• Steubenville (part of the mainline) supplied by PH180 #1
• Coal Mine spur (may end up being renamed and / or re-purposed) supplied by PH180 #2
• River Route supplied by PH180 #2
• PRR Bridge (part of the mainline) supplied by PH180 #3
• Weirton Junction Yard supplied by PH180 #3
• Weirton (part of the mainline) supplied by PH180 #4
• Weirton Steel Yard supplied by PH180 #5
• Staging Area supplied by PH180 #6

The yards sharing a PowerHouse 180 lack enough activity to justify their own power supply.

George