What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

[G3750]

Updated 9/22/2018:

Regarding the piers (West to East), here are some things I think I think:

• Western abutment: For the prototype, there is an actual abutment built into the hillside and a short pier in front of it (see photo), but I'm invoking modeler's license and putting them together. I am also using stone (peel-n-stick PITA stuff) on the wall behind the abutment.
  

  

  WesternPier_001_.JPG (240.73 KiB) Viewed 4164 times

  
  
• Pocket Pier (OH side): This pier is on land and as such is much dirtier than those in the river. I am planning to paint it with the Desert Bisque textured paint. The top ring will get a concrete color (wash). The rest will receive weathering, rust, and enhancement of the seams between the rings. Final thing will be a spraying of Dullcote.
  

  

  WesternPier_002_.JPG (211.31 KiB) Viewed 4164 times

  
  
• Mid-stream Pier (OH side): This is the westernmost pier that is in the river. The top ring will get a concrete color wash. The rest of the prototype pier is lighter in color, more of a washed out, bleached concrete color. It will get the light gray (#1 on my pine board) wash. Vertical runs of rust will also be applied with weathering powder. Dullcote will fix everything in place.
  

  

  IMG18.JPG (119.67 KiB) Viewed 4164 times

  
  
• Mid-stream Pier (WV side): This full pier is also in the river. It will receive the same treatment as the other mid-stream pier.
  

  

  WesternPier_004_.JPG (222.85 KiB) Viewed 4164 times

  
  
• Pocket Pier (WV side): This is the easternmost pier that is in the river. It will receive the same treatment as all other piers in the water.
  

  

  WesternPier_003_.JPG (173.53 KiB) Viewed 4164 times

  
  
• "Shorty" Pier (WV side): This is the first WV side pier that sits on land. As the photos proved the other day, it is also constructed using poured concrete rings. However, like the Steubenville Pocket Pier, it is dirty. I has been painted with the Desert Bisque textured paint (see photo below). The top ring will get a concrete color (wash). The rest will receive weathering and some rust. Finally, I will hit it with a spray of Dullcote.
  

  

  WesternPier_005_.JPG (148.58 KiB) Viewed 4164 times

George

[chuck]

I don't know if this has come up before but are you modeling "now", aka 2018, or some previous time period, aka 1960's or 1950's?

[G3750]

I don't know if this has come up before but are you modeling "now", aka 2018, or some previous time period, aka 1960's or 1950's?

I am modeling 1953, approximately. Therefore, the degree of decay, rust, and discoloration must be tempered somewhat from the photos.

George

[chuck]

If the bridge was in active use and the mills were also working at or near capacity the volume and types of pollution may be very different, e.g. less rust, more soot and sulfur.

[G3750]

If the bridge was in active use and the mills were also working at or near capacity the volume and types of pollution may be very different, e.g. less rust, more soot and sulfur.

Absolutely lots of soot from steel mills going full blast. Less rust.

[rogruth]

If the bridge was in active use and the mills were also working at or near capacity the volume and types of pollution may be very different, e.g. less rust, more soot and sulfur.

Absolutely lots of soot from steel mills going full blast. Less rust.

I agree.

[G3750]

If the bridge was in active use and the mills were also working at or near capacity the volume and types of pollution may be very different, e.g. less rust, more soot and sulfur.

Absolutely lots of soot from steel mills going full blast. Less rust.

I agree.

And that's how we are going to play it.

George

[G3750]

Updated 9/22/2018 (PM):

After seeing how well the "shorty" pier turned out, I've decided to paint the OH side pocket pier the same color, although I will add more of a darker wash to it afterwards. But before I could paint, I needed to do some prep work.

First, I installed the navigation warning lights (Evans Design U3TR - slowly flashing red 3mm LED bulb). The light is supported by a short piece of shrink wrap and taped in place on the pier. The wires go down through the hole in the pier and emerge below it. Eventually, I will extend those wires. When the pier rests on river bench work, I will drill holes through the river panel, and connect the wires to the 12VDC accessory bus.

PierWork_001_.JPG (109.21 KiB) Viewed 4134 times

Next, I glued the spacers in place. They will support the floor of the pier, which in turn will support the bridge pedestal and bridge shoe.

PierWork_003_.JPG (130.59 KiB) Viewed 4134 times

The floor lays on top the spacers.

PierWork_004_.JPG (118.72 KiB) Viewed 4134 times

This photo shows both of the completed navigation light installations. Note the wires at bottom of the pier (indicated by the craft sticks).

PierWork_003_1.JPG (132.51 KiB) Viewed 4134 times

Finally, I masked off the top ring of each arm and the lights.

PierWork_004_1.JPG (142.94 KiB) Viewed 4134 times

George

[G3750]

Updated 9/24/2018:

I applied a coat of Desert Bisque to the pocket pier. This is the one on the Steubenville side of the river, near the gravel / sand yard. It is right next to the C & P River Route, so it should be the dirtiest of all the piers.

PierWork_001_.JPG (165.67 KiB) Viewed 4116 times

I still need to apply the gray to the top ring. And scatter some grimy black weathering powder on it.

PierWork_002_.JPG (147.01 KiB) Viewed 4116 times

After that, it will get some Dullcote.

George

[chuck]

Very nicely done. The Sharpie does a nice job of accenting the "joints".

[G3750]

Very nicely done. The Sharpie does a nice job of accenting the "joints".

Thank you! It's my first really artistic effort in this hobby; this is all new territory for me. I think it turned out better than I expected, but I need to disguise some of the miscues with the sharpie. (Going around those curves where the delineation isn't distinct is harder than it looks!) The gray "concrete" ring around the top and additional soot and grim splotches should help as well.

George

[Rufus T. Firefly]

[quote="G3750"].........but I need to disguise some of the miscues with the sharpie. quote]

Weathering can hide a plethora of sins,

[G3750]

.........but I need to disguise some of the miscues with the sharpie. quote]

Weathering can hide a plethora of sins,

Yes, yes it can. My friend Price (you know him, Rufus) is fond of telling me that the great modelers know how to hide their mistakes.

I have my hopes and dreams.

[G3750]

.........but I need to disguise some of the miscues with the sharpie. quote]

Weathering can hide a plethora of sins,

Yes, and it's my intention to weather it. Here are a few photos of the prototype pier from February of 2001 (taken with film!).

We are looking south in this view. The C&P River Route tracks are off camera to the right.

20180926_Steubenville Pocket Pier_0001.jpg (368.67 KiB) Viewed 4078 times

Same view except we are looking at the top. The conduit carries all the lines across the river.

20180926_Steubenville Pocket Pier_0001(2).jpg (413.88 KiB) Viewed 4078 times

Looking north. C&P is to our left.

20180926_Steubenville Pocket Pier_0001(1).jpg (322.53 KiB) Viewed 4078 times

Lots of dirt to apply!

George

[G3750]

Updated 10/4/2018:

I did apply some additional weathering to the Steubenville pocket-pier and made one change. As I looked at the photos, I realized that I had incorrectly installed navigation lights on a pier that sat on the ground. I took them out. Here's the pier at this point. I am a bit tired of it and a little frustrated with its appearance. I'm going to ignore it for 3 weeks start on the other piers. These are located mid-stream and are much less weathered.

This is the side facing the river.

Piers_002_.JPG (182.91 KiB) Viewed 4042 times

Piers_003_.JPG (213.19 KiB) Viewed 4042 times

This is the side next to the C&P River Route (much more dirt from steam locomotives and mineral trains).

Piers_004_.JPG (174.79 KiB) Viewed 4042 times

Piers_005_.JPG (182.68 KiB) Viewed 4042 times

George