What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

[G3750]

Here are some photos of the river's boundaries.

The pencil line is the boundary. This is the western shore with Pier 7 to the left.

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Here is the WV side. Note the backwater.

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George

[G3750]

Updated 1/17/2019:

Sorry it's been awhile, but the holidays, family, and work have been keeping me busy. Over the past few days I have been busy sampling color candidates for the Ohio River. I have also decided upon a product for modeling water - Crystal Sheen. Below is my sample pallet.

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My choice for the color of the river is #9 - Nantucket Blue.

I still need to paint a representative section of river bottom from shore to deep water.

George

[chuck]

Like the choice for the river base coat. The "water" will be pretty shiny and should reflect the blue sky in the backdrop.

A couple of cautionary notes on the resin. The surface has to be COMPLETELY sealed. You may want to mix a small batch and "paint" anything where there is a joint or even a remote possibility that the stuff can run under something and start dripping.

Be careful about any joint "compounds" or scenic materials the resin may come in contact with. I've had a few bad surprises where the resin starts attacking stuff. Note, this speaking in general, I've used different two part products for a number of projects and I am not saying Crystal Sheen WILL do these things but it's best to test.

If yo can degas the resin, do so. I've never had to mix enough to do a large pour but I have seen what happens with resin pours for flat castings from student projects at work. A vacuum pump/chamber really makes a difference.

One of the big issues with modeling water on a layout is we tend to forget that we are usually looking at the layout from an arial perspective while we rarely see things that way in real life. For "O" scale it's like we are in a helicopter at 100-200' altitude. For HO and N the perceived height is dramatically greater. The water color can change dramatically just from the point of view. A section of the old Tappan Zee bridge had to be explosively demolished earlier this week. There were a lot of video feeds from various view points, most of them ground or near ground level showed the river as a steely blue, aka a reflection of the clear blue sky. The most dramatic shot/shift was from a tower cam on the new bridge from an elevation of ~400 feet looking south east (aka into the sunlight). The river was "Nantucket Blue" with ribbons of amber/brown. The ribbons were light refracting through the 1-3 foot waves running parallel to the shore line from the prevailing winds.

[G3750]

Like the choice for the river base coat. The "water" will be pretty shiny and should reflect the blue sky in the backdrop.

Thanks Chuck! I appreciate your very informative post! A few comments / questions below.

A couple of cautionary notes on the resin. The surface has to be COMPLETELY sealed. You may want to mix a small batch and "paint" anything where there is a joint or even a remote possibility that the stuff can run under something and start dripping.

Yes, that is my intention. I plan to seal around the piers, the shore-lines, the front edge (there will be a small 1/4" dam across it), and the back (against the backdrop) of the table. I'm not sure about what I will do about contact with the backdrop. That's still TBD.

Be careful about any joint "compounds" or scenic materials the resin may come in contact with. I've had a few bad surprises where the resin starts attacking stuff. Note, this speaking in general, I've used different two part products for a number of projects and I am not saying Crystal Sheen WILL do these things but it's best to test.

I think testing will be required.

If yo can degas the resin, do so. I've never had to mix enough to do a large pour but I have seen what happens with resin pours for flat castings from student projects at work. A vacuum pump/chamber really makes a difference.

Please tell me more about de-gassing. The area (roughly, excluding the piers and shore-lines) measures roughly 18"x 8'. What would you suggest?

One of the big issues with modeling water on a layout is we tend to forget that we are usually looking at the layout from an arial perspective while we rarely see things that way in real life. For "O" scale it's like we are in a helicopter at 100-200' altitude. For HO and N the perceived height is dramatically greater. The water color can change dramatically just from the point of view. A section of the old Tappan Zee bridge had to be explosively demolished earlier this week. There were a lot of video feeds from various view points, most of them ground or near ground level showed the river as a steely blue, aka a reflection of the clear blue sky. The most dramatic shot/shift was from a tower cam on the new bridge from an elevation of ~400 feet looking south east (aka into the sunlight). The river was "Nantucket Blue" with ribbons of amber/brown. The ribbons were light refracting through the 1-3 foot waves running parallel to the shore line from the prevailing winds.

Several good points here. The 1950's version of the Ohio River was probably not a nice place to swim. I'm pretty sure the water contained lots of brown / amber streaks as well as algae blooms (greenish spots). The "lagoon" will be more green in color as it is much more stagnant water. There should be grapevines on the shore and cat-tails in the water as well.

Thanks again.

George

[chuck]

You degas before you pour. The resins are mixed and then put in a "chamber" that can handle vacuum. The bubbles are pulled out and then you release the vacuum and carefully pour the resin to not introduce new bubbles.

[healey36]

Perhaps a dumb question, but does one have to use any sort of "wetting" agent to get the pour to run/adhere to immersed objects, for example the bridge piers? I've had issues using Woodland Scenics product in the past.

[chuck]

Healey36 asked:

but does one have to use any sort of "wetting" agent to get the pour to run/adhere to immersed objects, for example the bridge piers

You don't have to but it's not a bad idea. This also applied to any "sunken objects" you intend to embed in the resin. Carefully brush on a coating and try to avoid introducing new air bubble while doing it.

[healey36]

George, poured any water yet? I haven't been in the basement for nearly a year (other than to do laundry), so I'm vicariously living layout construction via your posts here...how's it going?

Paul

[G3750]

George, poured any water yet? I haven't been in the basement for nearly a year (other than to do laundry), so I'm vicariously living layout construction via your posts here...how's it going?

Paul

Hi Paul!

No, but I have created some test "ponds" and have been playing with various combinations of materials for shorelines, rocks, vegetation, etc. I plan to pour some soon. That will also test my caulking of the ponds. I hope to do some of this soon. Work continues to get in the way - I am part-time at a local hobby shop.

George

[healey36]

Wow, there are still hobby shops in that little time-warp town of yours? Amazing.

[G3750]

Wow, there are still hobby shops in that little time-warp town of yours? Amazing.

Paul, I now live north of Pittsburgh. The “local” hobby store is probably the largest in the area. It’s VERY WELL STOCKED - last man standing, if you will.

[rogruth]

George,
Enjoyed your article on layout planning in the latest O Scale Trains.

[G3750]

George,
Enjoyed your article on layout planning in the latest O Scale Trains.

Thank you so much!

George

[G3750]

Updated 2/24/2019:

All, I just got TMCC installed on my 3rd Rail Pennsy I1s Decapod (2-10-0). I am psyched! Here are some photos.

There is a video on the Panhandle post over on the other forum.

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George

[rogruth]

George,
Beautiful locos.
Except for one thing.
I never saw a Pennsy loco, especially an I1s, that clean.