Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo) Ahhhh ... Don't think so, Manny: Lots of green yards here along with green hay fields, and the trees have lost most all of their leaves.
Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo) Yes, we still have plenty of green fields here even under our recent dusting of snow. But you're right, Manny, I still need to add some fall weed tufts and burnt grass patches to take the "edge" off the scene and transition it from late summer to dead winter. This is trickey business at best for a 4x8 sized layout. What was I thinking modeling different seasons on such a small area?! Tonight I will begin construction on the sawmill. Yikes!
Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo) What sawmill are you going with? I'm going to snag a Fine Scale Miniatures version. I just got an old time Sand House Kit 180 from the Lucky Series. Awesome stuff!
Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo) Kit? No way, brother! It will be scratchbuilt from the floor up except for my Woodland Scenics Rural Sawmill castings. Kits are too pricey for my tastes. I'll use period photos of local area sawmills as a general reference. Ill post pics along the way.
Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo) Good for you! I'm fastly accelerating to resin kits for the railroad cars. I've just graduated to wood kits from the low line plastics of Walthers, etc. I hope to get up to scratchbuilding, and probably will very shortly as I have to do the Fredericksburg Depot myself. Keep up the good work Jim. Get to sawin' wood! Building that is. Not sleepin'!
Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo) Ha Ha. I'll get a pic posted late tonight of the progress made on a sawmill. If you've ever built a wood kit you can scratchbuild. All you do is measure and cut out your own "kit parts". Start with an outhouse or coal bin. Revisit my posts on my coal bin project. Easy stuff! (and more rewarding)
Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo) I attached the second fascia board today and it's on the Zalma side. You can see where the Castor River will be by the cut out area. Next are the two end sections. There is only 30" of bare layout left and this will include the Castor River and it's bridge and the field leading into Zalma. I try to do a little modeling everyday and it's paying off.
Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo) Here is half of the sawmill roof. I framed it with 2x8s and used 2X4s for the perlins. The roof slats are 1x10s and this is patterned from a photo of an actual sawmill on the banks of the Castor at Zalma circa 1905ish. It looks like a rough built structure in the photo and I will be glad to follow that practice. The second photo shows me holding it in place to give an early impression. Thanks for checking in folks!
Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo) I've been very busy this evening. I cut and stained the remaining two end fascia boards, harvested tree making materials in the great outdoors and finished my sawmill roof. Here's a couple of pics showing the board on board construction. It's ugly but looks like my old photo reference. I will weather it a bit but it represents a fairly new roof. I've never built one of these so of course all comments and suggestions are welcome.
Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo) I dunno. Looks pretty dang good lookin' to me. Do you honestly think that everyday folks who built those things back in the 1900's were absolutely perfect with their measurements and what not? I don't think so. Get it up and get'r runnin'. Looks good Jim. Weather the snot out of it. Make it look like get all. Shoot, being in a swamp, I'd even put moss on the roof! Not much, but some to point out your in a swamp. Now you are getting me all excited about building a wood kit. Grrrr...I gotta get building.
Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo) The sawmill scene is slowly coming to life. I get sidetracked a lot but here's a progress shot taken on location. I still have bracing to add along with some weathering and details but this gives a good overall preview of the little mill. Ok. I got the bracing done so I'll edit the photos:
Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo) Looks good Jim. What's coming next with it? Keep up the great job!
Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo) Tonight I added one of the end fascia boards. As you can see, the hillside extends a bit over the fascia and I'll paint it dark brown to match the stain. Tomorrow I'll attatch the final fascia which is the end with the swamp scene. I really like the finished look this gives the layout. I still want to add small grab irons on each end for ultra cool carrying handles. Anyone have any ideas on where to get these or how to make them?
Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo) I finally have all the fascia boards attached and it really looks a lot better now. I also put the original motor back into ol' #97 and it creeps along at very slow speeds without stalling and growling. Shoulda left it alone in the first place! Here's a fun photo I took at Greenbrier when the daily mixed stopped to drop off some freight. Now I need to finish that sawmill scene.
Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo) Jim, Thank you so much for my new background. I love how you make the old time photo's. I can't wait to see the new sawmill and photo's of the overall scene. Also, I noticed on American Model Builders (AMB) that they list the Frisco caboose as 1930's through one lasting to the 70's. Do you know if that is correct or is that caboose being used under license by you?
Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo) The kit includes the correct ladders, details and decals to model an earlier 1919ish version. I'll check that date when I get home. It's a fun kit to build.
Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo) Friday night at the movies. Here's a video of the little mixed completing a lap around the Zalma Branch. You can see the change of seasons and the unscenicked Castor River area. Enjoy the ride. Free tickets! http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj182/jimjames63/7ea0dec7.mp4
Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo) Awesome! I love it! Great job Jim! Here's the youtube link: Runthrough on the Zalma Branch
Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo) Thanks for putting that on You Tube. That's cool. Tonight I finally got around to weathering the sawmill roof. I just watered down some black paint and went to town on it. I was afraid that the very thin wood roof slats would warp but they didn't. Now I need to add stuff around it like saw dust, chains, finished planks and junk like that. I'll add an outhouse and the Moss Lumber building. Anyone have any suggestions on what else would be found around a small mill like this. Maybe a water barrel on the roof?
