What's New on the PRR Panhandle Division?

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Exactly the right imagery/analogy, Rufybabes!!!

[G3750]

Thread drift.

Thread drift?

I'd say it's spinning like a compass in a magnetic storm.

George

[rogruth]

You got it, Rufus.
Hold the plate in front of your face and hope some cake got on the plate.
The cutting area cleared out quickly. There was another cake for those that wanted to eat cake and have it too.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Started cutting 2" foam blocks with my new MicroMark hot foam knife. I'm working in an open garage, but it still produces a pretty bad smell...........

So, got that foam all cut yet? Maybe you can box up the smell and send that to MicroMark?

[G3750]

Started cutting 2" foam blocks with my new MicroMark hot foam knife. I'm working in an open garage, but it still produces a pretty bad smell...........

So, got that foam all cut yet? Maybe you can box up the smell and send that to MicroMark?

Maybe I should. I see the knife as more useful for carving scenery, so I will keep it. I'm biting the bullet on the mess and using the saw. I just bought a new filter for the 12 gallon shop vac; it's getting a workout.

As for getting all the foam cut, I'm working on it. There's more than I expected. I got side-tracked by the Penguin game and didn't get to the garage at all.

George

[G3750]

Updated 4/3/2016:

OK, yanking the thread back onto topic despite itself , I did a bit of work this weekend:

• Cut 4 long (8') strips of foam and got pairs of them glued together.
• Worked on the plan for the Weirton Area Museum layout (HO). The layout has gotten a new, larger space in the museum.
• Put 3 cars up for sale on the OGR forum.

I'm hoping to get at least Backdrop #2 installed later this week.

And the Penguins have won 5 of their last 6, clinching a playoff spot.

George

[healey36]

George - based on the talk at NMRA are you dropping the idea of running track behind a portion of the backdrop (wasn't that part pf the reconfiguration)?

Healey

[G3750]

George - based on the talk at NMRA are you dropping the idea of running track behind a portion of the backdrop (wasn't that part pf the reconfiguration)?

Healey

I'm dropping that idea in the future version of the PRR Panhandle. For the current version, we are proceeding with that idea. I'm kinda committed at this point.

George

[G3750]

Updated 5/21/2016:

After a lengthy hiatus, I am happy to report some progress on the layout. The first version of Backdrop #4 was scrapped because the paint wasn't sticking to the shiny side of the masonite (I didn't prepare it correctly). So Thursday night I applied a coat of Gesso to the rough, brown side of it. Today (Saturday), the artist visited and did some good work on Backdrop #4 (see below).

W_Rebuild_75_.JPG (30.72 KiB) Viewed 3393 times

Another session with the artist should wrap this one up. I've decided that I will not have a backdrop done for behind the steel mills. I want to focus on getting the layout up running for some operating sessions in the late summer, fall, and early winter.

Time for a big push.

George

[gregj410]

I admire your handy work on the back drop. Interesting this would come up as I've been on the fence about painting or buying a pre done back drop. I opted to buy simply because I would paint it 20 times and never be happy. I just don't trust my painting skills. On the other hand I ordered 16' of back drop and it wasn't cheap. Hopefully I'll get it cut neatly to some already existing mountains. Best of luck, looking forward to the finished product.

[healey36]

Looking forward to seeing the progress, George. Hopefully I'll draw some motivation from your effort and get some stuff done as well.

[G3750]

I admire your handy work on the back drop. Interesting this would come up as I've been on the fence about painting or buying a pre done back drop. I opted to buy simply because I would paint it 20 times and never be happy. I just don't trust my painting skills. On the other hand I ordered 16' of back drop and it wasn't cheap. Hopefully I'll get it cut neatly to some already existing mountains. Best of luck, looking forward to the finished product.

Greg, this is not my work. I enlisted a friend who happens to be an artist. She is very good, even though her strengths are more abstract than realistic. But it's just right for me. The backdrop enhances the layout without distracting from the trains. I understand your decision to purchase rather than do it yourself. I have, essentially, done the same thing. I have no artistic skills whatsoever. I can visualize things and see details and (perhaps) even design what the thing should look like, but getting over that next hurdle of actually rendering it? Nope. "A man's got to know his limitations."

Back in 2005, I tried to order a backdrop from a well-known vendor (you probably know who they are). I wanted a specific scene or type of scene (a river valley). Their website sucked (I guess amateurish would be the kindest word). They refused to assist me in ordering or even answer any questions - the website was the solution in their eyes. I finally got sick of their BS. No way I was going to hand them $400-600 for whatever they forced me into picking on my own. I've spent more than that on this set of backdrops, but I've gotten what I asked for.

George

[G3750]

Looking forward to seeing the progress, George. Hopefully I'll draw some motivation from your effort and get some stuff done as well.

Yeah, I'm looking forward to much more progress very soon as well. York, my wife's illness, my illness, Orthodox Easter, and a house-hunting / scouting trip west have all put the layout on the back burner.

George

[Steamfan77]

I like the work on the backdrop. I'm with you guys, I just painted the walls a sky blue. I might add something later, but I doubt it. Hope you and your wife are back on track health-wise. Nice to see you back at it.

Andy

[G3750]

I like the work on the backdrop. I'm with you guys, I just painted the walls a sky blue. I might add something later, but I doubt it. Hope you and your wife are back on track health-wise. Nice to see you back at it.

Andy

Thanks Andy! My wife is a school nurse and she finally brought home some crud that knocked her out for 5 days, then knocked me out for 3.

But I'm happy to say we are back.

And also, some of the junk in the basement got cleaned out, too!
There's more room to manuever the backdrop sections. I'm thinking the artist might visit on a week night and finish Backdrop #4, paving the way for installation over the Memorial Day weekend!!! Fingers crossed.

George