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LINK TO THE GIGANTE GRINDERS HISTORIC PHOTO WEB SITE AND CONSTRUCTION AND PHOTOGRAPHY OF MY N SCALE MODEL RAILROAD
HELLO. MY NAME IS BEN FOWLER AND I HAVE JUST RE-ENTERED N SCALE MODEL RAILROADING AFTER AN ABSENCE OF SOME FIFTEEN YEARS. THIS SMALL LAYOUT TOOK SEVERAL WEEKS ONLY TO BUILD AND I HAVE A WIDE VARIETY OF MOTIVE POWER COLLECTED OVER MANY PRIOR YEARS IN THE HOBBY. I CAN"T DECIDE WHETHER TO NAME MY PIKE THE "HASTY MEADOW RAILROAD" OR THE "UNION PACIFIC MILWAUKEE ROAD NORFOLK AND WESTERN ATCHISON, TOPEKA AND THE SANTA FE IINTERCHANGE!" BUT, WHATEVER IT IS CALLED, I AM SHARING SOME PHOTOS, EXPERIENCES AND OBSERVATIONS WITH YOU. I HOPE YOU ENJOY. THE PAGE TAKES ABOUT THREE MINUTES TO LOAD IN THROUGH YOUR MODEM.
A GUIDE FOR YOUR PROJECT SHOULD YOU DECIDE TO UNDERTAKE SUCH AN EFFORT!
THIS IS A SHOT OF MY 3 FOOT BY 7 FOOT PIKE. IT IS NEARLY COMPLETE. I HAVE JUST PUT THE BACKDROP IN. I SHOULD HAVE MADE THAT MY FIRST STEP BECAUSE REACHING OVER THE LAYOUT IS DIFFICULT AT BEST. IF YOU BUILD A LAYOUT, I SUGGEST THAT YOU MAKE INSTALLING YOUR BACKDROP YOUR FIRST CONSTRUCTION STEP.
I USED SHELF BRACKETS ALONG THE REAR AND RIGHT WALL AND A 2 BY 4 BOARD NAILED AT THE FRONT LEFT TO SUPPORT THE 5/8 PIECE OF 4 X 8 FOOT PLYWOOD SHEET THAT HAS BEEN TRIMMED TO 3 X 7 FEET. I HAVE COMPLETED GLUING THE ROADBED DOWN AFTER CUTTING A HOLE FOR THE SMALL LAKE AT THE LEFT. THE LITTLE TABLE UNDERNEATH HOLDS ALL SORTS OF STUFF AND EASILY SLIDES UNDER AND OUT AS I NEED.
I NEEDED SOME PLASTER SO I WENT TO MY LOCAL CONSTRUCTION SUPPLY HOUSE AND FOUND A 42 POUND TUB OF DRYWALL SLOP (ON THE FLOOR AT THE LOWER LEFT). I HAVE USED SOME TO MAKE THE BANKS OF THE LAKE IN THIS PIC AND FOR THE REST OF THE LAYOUT. I THINK THAT AFTER I COMPLETED THE PROJECT I STILL HAD 39 POUNDS OF DRYWALL SLOP LEFT, BUT IT ONLY COST SEVEN DOLLARS SO IT WASN'T SO BAD.
THE NEXT STEP IS TO PAINT THE WHOLE LAYOUT WITH DARK BROWN OIL BASED PAINT TO SUPPLY THE EARTH COLORED BASE UPON WHICH I WILL SPRINKLE THE HOBBY GRASS. AS THE PAINT DRIES THE GRASS WILL ADHERE TO THE BASE.
NOW I HAVE LAID AND SPIKED THE TRACK ONTO THE ROADBED. I INTEND NO MORE WETWORK AS THIS WILL ENDANGER THE TRACKWORK. I DON'T WANT THE TRACK TO GET DIRTY OR WET AND HURT ITS ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES.
I LEARNED DECADES AGO THAT A LAYOUT IS LIKE AN ARTISTIC CREATION. NOT UNLIKE A LANDSCAPE PAINTING. IT MUST HAVE "COMPOSITION" AND POINTS OF INTEREST. THIS LAYOUT IS BUILT UPON A DOUBLE MAIN LINE. MY LAST SEVERAL LAYOUTS HAVE ALL FEATURED THIS IDEA. AN INNER LINE WITH A YARD AND AN OUTER LOOP THAT IS NOT CONNECTED TO THE INNER. TURNOUTS IN N SCALE INTRODUCE UNPREDICTABLE RISKS TO SMOOTH OPERATION (AT LEAST WITH MY SLOPPY TRACK LAYING), AND I SEEK TO AVOID ANY POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS INTRODUCED BY HAVING ANY MORE TURNOUTS THAN I ABSOLUTELY NEED. MY TRADITIONAL MODE OF OPERATION IS A PASSENGER TRAIN ON THE OUTER LINE AND A FREIGHT TRAIN ON THE INNER LINE. THE FREIGHTS ARE MADE UP IN THE YARD. MY COMPOSITION HERE UTILIZES A CROSSING IN THE RURAL AREA TO THE LEFT END OF THE LAYOUT AS ONE POINT OF INTEREST, CONTRASTED BY A LARGE TOWN AT THE RIGHT END OF THE LAYOUT, AND PLENTY AND PLENTY OF COLOR IN THE FOLIAGE.
THIS IS THE TOWN. I HAD TO DO WHAT I DID NOT INTEND AND DO SOME WET WORK AFTER I LAID THE TRACK BUT I WAS CAREFUL AND DIDN'T GET ANY ON THE TRACK. I USED SOME MORE DRYWALL SLOP TO CREATE THE ROADS. I STILL HAVE A GOOD 38.5 POUNDS LEFT THOUGH. I SUPPOSE THAT TRANSLATES TO ABOUT $6.95 LEFT OVER. IF ANY OF YOU NEED ANY, LEMME KNOW. ALSO, SINCE I WORK IN A SANDWICH SHOP, I USED 10 FEET OF SANDWICH WRAP FOR MY BACKDROP. IF ANY OF YOU ARE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF GIGANTE GRINDERS, 245 THAMES ST, GROTON, CONNECTICUT AND YOU NEED SOME CHEAP BACKGROUND, JUST ASK ME TO WRAP YOUR SANDWICH WITH TEN FEET OF BACKDROP.
USE OF A MINIPOD GETS THE CAMERA CLOSE TO THE ACTION. YOU WILL NEED TO USE A CABLE RELEASE ALSO FOR MOST OF THE PICTURES YOU TAKE WILL BE TIME EXPOSURES FOR TWO REASONS. ONE-THE LIGHTING WILL NOT BE FLASH. IT WILL BE JUDICIOUSLY PLACED REFLECTOR LIGHTS OR THE LIGHTS IN THE LAYOUT ITSELF FOR NIGHT SHOTS AND TWO-BECAUSE ALL PHOTOS TAKEN SHOULD HAVE THE LENSE STOPPED DOWN TO F22 OR SLOWER IF POSSIBLE. MOST CAMERAS ONLY GO TO F22. THIS IS NECESSARY TO HAVE THE GREATEST DEPTH OF FIELD. IF YOU OPEN YOUR LENSE UP TO USE A CORRESPONDINGLY SHORTER EXPOSURE, THE OBJECTS IN FRONT OF OR IN BACK OF THE MAIN SUBJECT OF INTEREST WILL BE OUT OF FOCUS.
EVEN LAYING THE CAMERA RIGHT DOWN ON THE LAYOUT WILL YIELD GREAT ANGLES. A RIGHT ANGLE FINDER ATTACHMENT SHOWN HERE WILL GREATLY FACILITATE FOCUSING AND AIMING THE CAMERA.
ANOTHER POINT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY IS THE USE OF FILTERS. I HAVE READ SOME ARTICLES THAT SUGGEST THAT YOU MUST USE CORRECTIVE FILTERS WHEN ILLUMINATING YOUR LAYOUT WITH TUNGSTEN LIGHT BULBS AS OPPOSED TO FLASH BECAUSE THE TUNGSTEN LIGHTS ARE MUCH REDDER THAN THE BLUE LIGHT OF A FLASH. THIS IS TRUE ONLY IF YOU ARE USING DAYLIGHT BALANCED COLOR SLIDE FILM. IF YOU ARE USING COLOR PRINT FILM (LIKE MOST PEOPLE DO) THE PROCESSING LAB SHOULD AUTOMATICALLY CORRECT YOUR LIGHTING IMBALANCES. THIS SHOT WAS MADE WITH A 200 WATT BULB IN A REFLECTOR WITH NO FILTER. IT CAME BACK FROM THE LAB PERFECTLY BALANCED (COLORWISE.) YOUR ENTIRE ROLL MUST BE SHOT LIKE THIS THOUGH BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE ANY OUTSIDE PICS OR FLASH PICS PRECEDING THE TUNGSTEN PICS, THE LAB WILL PROBABLY ADJUST FOR THEIR COLOR BALANCE AND THE TUNGSTEN PICS MIGHT COME OUT LOOKING YELLOWISH.
OF COURSE WHEN INSTALLING LIGHTS ON YOUR LAYOUT YOU WILL ALWAYS LIGHT YOUR BUILDINGS FROM INSIDE AND PUT UP A FEW STREET LAMPS. BUT DON'T JUST LET IT GO AT THAT. IN THE RURAL AREA TO THE LEFT OF TOWN HERE, THERE IS AN OLD WATER TOWER. IN ORDER TO PROPERLY LIGHT THIS BEAUTIFUL STRUCTURE I NEEDED TO INSTALL A LIGHT AT GROUND LEVEL AND BLOCK IT WITH A SMALL BUILDING SO THAT IT DID NOT SHINE IN THE OPERATOR'S (OR VISITOR'S) FACE. ANOTHER LIGHT ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE SWITCHING TOWER (TO THE RIGHT IN THIS PHOTO) HELPS ILLUMINATE SOME OF THE TREES. WITHOUT THESE TWO LIGHTS, THE RURAL AREA WOULD BE TOTALLY DARK. I INSTALLED THESE TWO LIGHTS THINKING MORE AS A PHOTOGRAPHER RATHER THAN A MODELLER.
THIS IS THE VIEW THAT RESULTED FROM THE PLACEMENT OF THE AFOREMENTIONED LIGHTS. THERE IS NO OTHER SOURCE OF LIGHTING IN THIS PICTURE OTHER THAN THE LIGHTS ON THE LAYOUT. FYI, THIS PHOTO WAS SHOT AT F22 FOR ABOUT 20 SECONDS ON ASA 200 COLOR PRINT FILM. THE CAMERA WAS ON A TRIPOD AND I USED A CABLE RELEASE.
THIS PHOTO IS LIGHTED WITH THE 200 WATT BULB IN THE REFLECTOR (SEEN AFFIXED TO THE RIGHT WALL IN EARLIER PICTURES) AND THE LOW ANGLE SUGGESTS A SUNSET. THE COLORFUL TWO TONE CABOOSE AND THE AUTUMN FOLIAGE COMBINE TO MAKE A STRIKING PHOTO (IF ONLY MY MODELWORK WAS BETTER).
DOWNTOWN ILLUMINATED BY THE 200W TUNGSTEN BULB IN THE REFLECTOR WITHOUT A FILTER. COLOR CORRECTED BY THE LAB THAT PROCESSED THE PRINT. F22 AT 1 SECOND ON A TRIPOD WITH CABLE RELEASE- ASA 200 PRINT FILM.
SAME AREA LIGHTED ONLY BY THE LAYOUT LAMPS. F22 AT ABOUT 20 SECONDS ASA 200 PRINT FILM, NO FILTER.
A VERY NICE RUNNING NEWER LOCOMOTIVE FROM BACHMANN. THE N & W J CLASS STEAM LOCO IS PHOTOGRAPHED HERE WITH A STANDARD 50MM AT F22. LIGHTED BY THE 200W IN THE REFLECTOR THE EXPOSURE TIME WAS 1 SECOND. NO CLOSE UP LENSE IS NEED HERE. THE STANDARD LENSE FOCUSES CLOSE ENOUGH FOR MY NEEDS. I HAVE A CLOSE UP LENSE SET, BUT IT WOULD PUT ME VERY CLOSE TO THE WORK INDEED.
ONE LAST ITEM INVOLVES THE ELECTRONICS OF THE POWER PACK. IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THIS OLD POWER PACK FROM MRC, YOU WILL PROBABLY ASK YOURSELF WHAT THE HECK ARE THOSE TWO TOGGLE SWITCHES AT THE RIGHT AND LEFT ENDS ON THE TOP.
A SIMPLE POWER PACK USES A 110VOLT TO 12 VOLT STEPDOWN TRANSFORMER WITH THE SECONDARY WINDING HAVING A CENTER TAP. RECTIFIERS IN EITHER "WING" OF THE SECONDARY SUPPLY DC WHICH RETURNS THROUGH A RHEOSTAT TO THE CENTER TAP. THIS FULL WAVE RECTIFICATION GIVES 120 PULSES OF VOLTAGE PER SECOND. IF YOU INTERRUPT EITHER OF THE WINGS WITH A SWITCH, WHEN THE SWITCH IS OPEN YOU WILL SUPPLY ONLY 60 PULSES OF DC PER SECOND. THIS USED TO BE CALLED "PULSE POWER" AND PROVIDES FOR VERY GOOD SLOW SPEED OPERATION. I HAVE INTERRUPTED ONE WING (IT DOESN'T MATTER WHICH ONE) OF BOTH CAB'S TRANSFORMERS. ANY INEXPENSIVE POWER PACK CAN BE MODIFIED IN THIS FASHION. IN FACT, YOU REALLY DON'T NEED TO PUT IN A SWITCH, JUST CLIP ONE OF THE "WINGS" OF THE SECONDARY WINDING AND YOU WILL HAVE HALF WAVE RECTIFICATION ALL THE TIME. OF COURSE, BE VERY CAREFUL BECAUSE THERE IS 110 VOLTS PRESENT. NEEDLESS TO SAY, UNPLUG THE POWER PACK BEFORE OPENING IT UP AND WIRING YOUR MODIFICATION.
IN OPERATION, I JUST START THE LOCOMOTIVES WITH THE SWITCH OPEN, CUTTING OFF ONE HALF OF THE PULSES AND THE LOCOS JUST CRAWL OUT OF THE STATION. SHOULD I CHOOSE TO DO SO, I CAN CLOSE THE SWITCH AND CONVERT TO FULL WAVE POWER AFTER GETTING UP TO SPEED. THIS SUDDEN DOUBLING OF VOLTAGE WILL CAUSE THE TRAIN TO SPEED UP, SO YOU WILL HAVE TO THROTTLE BACK. WITH A LITTLE PRACTICE YOU CAN COMBINE THE TWO MOVEMENTS AND PRODUCE A SMOOTH TRANSITION. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT FULL WAVE POWER IS LESS BRUTAL ON THE MOTOR THAN HALF WAVE POWER BUT I PERSONALLY HAVE ALWAYS USED HALF WAVE AND HAVE NOT YET BURNT OUT A MOTOR BUT USE YOUR OWN JUDGMENT.