Boston Mountains Sub-Division

Tichy makes Ice Blocks, but apparently only in HO. Probably too big: https://www.tichytraingroup.com/Shop/tabid/91/p/8172/Default.aspx

I read Tony Thompson's Modeling the SP blog, and he had a series on ice and icing last summer:
https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2019/08/handling-ice-on-ice-decks.html
https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2019/08/handling-ice-part-2-ice-itself.html
http://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2019/08/handling-ice-on-ice-decks-part-3-icing.html
http://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2019/08/handling-ice-on-ice-decks-part-4.html

 

Thank you Keith for the excellent photos. I particularly like the bottom one, it looks like the platform I built.

I went to Lowe's yesterday afternoon and found a scrap piece of light cover that measures 6x2 inches. Will try to make some ice blocks from it, should be enough to make several blocks. The goal is to make them 22x32x44 inches and will have to stack two or three layers together to get the 22 inch dimension.

Joe

 

I got the basic building done for the ice house and will dress it up tomorrow afternoon. Attached fine grit sandpaper to the roof on the ice house and loading platform.

The loading platform has developed a slight bow so will double up each corner with another vertical support beam a quarter inch longer. When I'm ready to install it to the base will drill four holes where the beams are and glue one end. After the glue has set put weight on top of the platform and glue the other end. The bases are quarter inch Birch plywood.

Joe

 

Finished the ice house complex this afternoon and all of the pieces are glued to the base. The ice house building measures 9.6 inches long (128 feet)2.7 wide (36) and 3.8 inches tall (50.6 feet).

Tonight im going to make several telegraph poles, have 27 complete on the layout and 57 left to do. It should be enough to do the areas i want, the mainline alone will use 66. The others will be in the yard and locomotive service.

Joe

 

The roof material is fine grit sandpaper for drywall from Lowe's.

Joe

 

Today I made 20 telegraph poles and started to work on the oil loading platform. I had almost forgotten about it until yesterday when I was at Lowe's, saw a piece of one inch diameter dowel rod that would be perfect for small fuel tanks.

Joe

 

I almost was able to finish the oil depot loading platform tonight. Only have the handrails on the end with the stairway, cut and stow the hoses and final paint tomorrow morning.

Joe

 

I finished the oil depot loading platform and glued it to the base along with the two large tanks. Now need to get a one inch dowel rod to make small tanks and build a guard shack. If I can find the fencing material will install that too.

Joe

 

I received some 3D printed ice blocks from a friend on Trainboard yesterday afternoon and will paint them this afternoon. Have been working on the Ft Smith Depot and telegraph poles.

If I get a chance today will do some scenery on module 04 and 06 to blend the bases.

Joe

 

Today worked on the Ft Smith Depot and decided to use a different type of styrene so recut all of the walls. Went ahead and assembled them after carefully looking to make sure the nibbler would be able to cut out the doors and windows. Also cut two roof sections and have the flat one on the two story just sitting in place. Have four more pieces to cut and build the outcrop on the south end. Will order the doors and windows on Monday morning. Tomorrow will layout the openings but not cut them until I get the parts.



Here's the three photos I used to build from.

Northwest corner.


South end.


North end.


The second project was the first coat of paint on some of the 3D ice blocks I got from my friend Sumner.

Joe

 

This afternoon I finished marking the doors and windows, painted all of the ice blocks white and made ten more telegraph poles. Will order the doors and windows tomorrow morning and buy some gloss medium to finish painting the ice blocks. Tonight Cynthia and I are going to make trees, can't have too many trees.

Joe

 

Yesterday evening I cut out the openings for five windows and a door for the parts I have. The other doors and windows are in the mail from Georgia. Using Titchy Train Group items.

I have three types of gloss, Pearl Medium, puzzle varnish and clear nail polish to try on the ice blocks.

Today I carved the foam on module 04, applied gound foam and installed trees that Cynthia made. The second project was cutting the other roof panels for the depot.

The columns that Sumner 3D printed are in the mail from Utah.

Joe

 

I received the doors and windows for the depot yesterday afternoon along with the columns that Sumner 3D printed for me. Spent most of today cutting out the openings and painting. The depot will be ready for final assembly in the morning.

Joe

 

This afternoon and evening I installed the doors and windows along with the wall caps. Tomorrow afternoon will build the overhead structure on the north end and install the columns under it. Also install the roof and out crop on the south end. After that the depot should be ready for final paint. Hopefully will finish up on Tuesday.

Joe

 

I was only able to work on the depot for about a hour today. Did make a little progress on the structure on the north end, got most of the pieces cut. Still need to make pedestals for the columns and assemble the overhead structure along with the roof on the south end. Hopefully tomorrow will have
more time to work on it.

Went to Hobby Lobby this afternoon to buy green paint for the south end roof, it's a little darker than I was hoping for but can lighten it some with a touch of white.

Here's a photo of the columns I'm going to use, still have a few more for another project. Thinking about a court house or library on module 07 across the street from Van Buren Depot.

Joe

 

Got to spend most of the day working on the depot, the wall caps are done and overhead structure on north end is too. Made eight pedestals for the columns but still need to put brick pattern styrene on them.

Thought you might like to see a column set up. There will be eight columns altogether.

Joe