What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

[G3750]

George, You have a spectacular bridge there. IMO, the more you "flesh-out" its environment and surroundings, the more fun you are going to have making it all wonderful, and the more you are going to be happy with the results and with the bridge itself, as time goes forward. Pull out all the stops, and wig-out on this project, sir. It's well worth it, for sure.
Murph

Thanks Murph! I intend to do exactly that. The bridge is the centerpiece of the layout. I am currently playing with the weathering for the piers. Yesterday, I took a stab with some weathering powders. I didn't like the results. Fortunately, I had not applied DullCote so I was able to wipe off most of it. I am going to try again with some washes. I am concentrating on the "shorty" pier, which is one of the oldest ones. In the photo below, it is the one farthest away from the viewer.

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George

[MurphOnMillerAve]

This is one very interesting journey. Thanks for welcoming us aboard for the view. I can hear the enthusiasm in your voice, which tells me you are happy. That is the best part to witness.

[ogauge47]

I am enjoying your layout adventure and seeing the amount of care and attention going into each step! It's been about 10 years since I've had a train layout, so I always love seeing other people's progress threads

[G3750]

This is one very interesting journey. Thanks for welcoming us aboard for the view. I can hear the enthusiasm in your voice, which tells me you are happy. That is the best part to witness.

You are welcome. As you can tell, I am getting a lot out this as well, particularly the intelligent responses to my questions and the great suggestions. MTJ's denizens have caught a number of items I would have overlooked. There's a very high signal-to-noise ratio here.

I am really happy with the bridge and the way it fits the backdrop. As Roger pointed out earlier in the thread, there is no doubt as to the location being modeled. That really pleases me. I just want to model the area as accurately as possible. The photos I took over the past two years are proving to be invaluable in that regard.

George

[G3750]

I am enjoying your layout adventure and seeing the amount of care and attention going into each step! It's been about 10 years since I've had a train layout, so I always love seeing other people's progress threads

Thank you! It's quite the journey. I'm trying to learn from it all - both good and bad.

George

[rogruth]

George,
An interesting detail to me. The B&O bridge at Bellaire was built @ 1870 and the stone piers look almost black while the stone at Steubenville is seemingly a light tan. May be a difference in rock type.

[G3750]

George,
An interesting detail to me. The B&O bridge at Bellaire was built @ 1870 and the stone piers look almost black while the stone at Steubenville is seemingly a light tan. May be a difference in rock type.

Roger, are you referring to the westernmost bridge abutment (stone)? This one just west of Ohio Route 7?

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PRBridg2-_064_.JPG (43.53 KiB) Viewed 3843 times

PRBridg2-_066_.JPG (34.8 KiB) Viewed 3843 times

I believe it dates from the 1st bridge! It's so old the engraving is hard to read.

The color could be due to differences in rock type, air pollution, or even the aging process (exposure to air). When I was a kid, I visited the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. It was a black building. Thirty or forty years later, it was gray in color. The soot and air pollution deposits had been removed. I never knew its original color!

George

[rogruth]

I recall the sand-blasting of many of the stone buildings, monuments etc,. in my home town @ 70 years ago.
They changed from almost black to lighter shades as you mention. Removal of pollution could be the reason.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

I recall the sand-blasting of many of the stone buildings, monuments etc,. in my home town @ 70 years ago.
They changed from almost black to lighter shades as you mention. Removal of pollution could be the reason.

The recent cleaning of the inside and outside stone of St, Patrick's Cathedral, 5th Avenue, NYC, accomplished a similar effect - the entire edifice is its natural stone-white once again.

[rogruth]

Quite a change.

[G3750]

Quite a change.

Yes! Wow!

George

[MurphOnMillerAve]

I'm glad you didn't mind that mini-tangent, George.
Murph

[G3750]

I'm glad you didn't mind that mini-tangent, George.
Murph

Mini-tangents? Here on MTJ?

That never happens, does it?

George

[MurphOnMillerAve]

If I were to answer, George, I'd be mini-tangenting.
Oh wait. I just did (!)

[G3750]

Not much to report. I am experimenting with acrylic paints and water to create a wash for the piers. The "shorty" pier on the WV side is pretty old and needs a darker tint. Yesterday the wife and I visited JoAnns armed with some coupons. Right now I am trying to match shade of the wash with the pier.

George