…and still working on the railroad!

Just about three years in, my HO scale model train layout is still very much a work in progress. It is not even close to being finished. In fact I am already tearing up some parts of the layout since I am not happy with the way some of it turned out. I am beginning to get this sneaky suspicion that this project of mine will really never be finished. Fine by me actually! It keeps my busy. Besides, all this material needed to build a pike is not inexpensive. Just like in the real world, cost for track, rolling stock and scenery have skyrocketed. For example like this:

A new HO scale Orient Express set from Roco. That is a lot of coin for a model train. A few years ago a set like this could have been had for less than half of that.

But I digress. So here is a bit of an update regarding my layout.

Every model train layout needs a tunnel, right? Especially if the model train layout builder screwed up and installed curves with radii which are way to tight. Trains look silly going through those tight turns. What better way to hide this mess than to build a tunnel. That is exactly what I did.

I started out by looking for “ready to install” HO tunnel portals from various companies which provide scenery for train layouts. It was  modern portals I was looking for. However nothing struck my fancy. Then it hit me: I have a 3D printer. Why not give that a try? A quick internet search pointed me to the Thingiverse website where one can find the 3D printing file formats for all sorts of objects. I did find what I was looking for: a printing file for a modern, concrete tunnel portal as used by Deutsche Bahn. These are commonly found on the new high speed rail lines:

These portals can be painted and are really easy to work with. The portals were glued to the bench work. I started building the tunnel by using a wood lattice frame. This was then covered with very fine wire mesh sheets. These sheets had to be very flexible since I wanted to form those into different rock shapes. Once formed into the desired shapes the sheets were then stapled to the lattice frame work as well as the bench work. On top of the formed wire mesh was then placed wet plaster cloth.

The catenary test car. The catenary had to be put in before any of the other work started. Notice the tunnel portal. I did not like these, so it was replaced with the modern version:

The plaster cloth was then allowed to dry for at least for 24 hours. After the drying period it was painted and scenery was applied. The results so far:

All this still needs a bit of work though. But it is getting there.

Moving on. I finally added a small bus stop, complete with a bowling alley and a hobby shop:

Here is a sign of the times. A Covid Test Center being established:

A lake was added:

The local fire department having an exercise at the lake:

Two new bench work sections were added. One to eventually be turned into a rail yard with a locomotive servicing facility:

The other section is to be used for this. With a commuter rail stop:

The Sydney Opera House started out as a 3D jig-saw puzzle. Brad is big into jig-saw puzzles and he assembled this one. It took him a while! Once it was finished we did not quite know what to do with it. Throwing it away wasn’t really a great option. Disassembling it into 1000 pieces again was not that appealing either. The decision was made to put it on the lay out. To keep it from falling apart into it’s component pieces I sprayed it very liberally with landscape cement. So here we are. Now I just need to get an Australian model train…oh, wait. I got one:

A HO model of an Australian EL class diesel electric locomotive. Based on the US General Electric Dash-8, built built in Australia.

A few other scenes:

Swans

Lavender Fields

Making Hay

A “Foamer” waiting to photograph a train. My friend in London calls them “Anoraks”. The Australians call them “Tragics”!

Last but not least I leave you with my favorite German HO scale model truck. “kd Drogeriemarkt” is a German drug/beauty supply chain. You’ve got to really know German to get the double entendre.

In my next blog I will introduce some of the new models I acquired. Stay tuned.

All photos are by the author. (iPhone 15 Pro)