Simple block control

Three sidings on the layout will have the option to cut their power. This is to allow me to park extra engines if I want to. I didn't bother to wire up those tracks for dual-power input (via SPDT switches). Instead, I simply heavy duty SPST toggles that I mounted on a metal outlet box blank cover plate and inside an inexpensive blue outlet box. I used 16g wire to make all the connections.

The control box is mounted under the layout right near the edge and it is a simple matter to reach underneath and feel for the switch to toggle. The wires exits the box and goes to a terminal block on the right. This allows me to easily relocate the box in the future if necessary, and also make troubleshooting easier. 

Only one track siding is currently laid, as the other two are waiting for me to move onto the left section of the layout. But, for the main joint between the two sections I have a larger terminal block and I ran wires from the toggle box to that. This is probably overkill for this layout, but I would rather be overly-neat than messy.

Up until about 25 years ago, this method was the "standard" way to wire up a layout for multi-train control except that two transformers would go to the toggle switches. Now, even three-rail trains have been taken over with Command Control systems. Oh well... such is progress.

Weathering Maine Central and Conrail cabooses

Here is a project that has taken me several years. I started it before I even had an O scale layout but wanted to dip my foot into the O scale pool. The model was a MTH Maine Central #651 wide vision caboose that I had purchased at a train show. I had just finished weathering a D&H caboose and wanted to do this one, so I printed out some online reference pictures and got ready to begin. But, my wife went into labor so I set it on hold without having done a single thing. 

While Harrison was in the hospital I started a different project instead (which I will discuss in the future) and this got pushed aside until recently when I wanted something I could quickly complete. I dusted off the pictures, pulled out the model, and got to work.

I planned to completely disassemble it to remove the window glass, which for me is easier than masking it to protect it from the weathering effects. But, there were so many wires running between the trucks and the interior lights that I gave up and put it back together. So, the windows would get grungy. Based on the pictures I was using, that was prototypical.

The prototype pictures didn't show much rust or carbody damage in the early 1980s but it was filthy, and that is how I modeled it. I first gave everything a light spray of Tamiya flat finish to give the weathering some tooth, Then, I mixed a wash of raw umber oil paint and mineral spirits and went over everything with a soft 1" brush. I especially made sure to get inside the end porches. 

A few days later I went back with a smaller, stiffer brush and I focused on the ends where mud is thrown up from the wheels. I stippled on some paint and then smoothed it over with more mineral spirits. I also added more wash to the handrails, ladders, and other areas that needed it.

Next, I dabbled on some black paint anywhere that oil and grease might collect, like the grab irons and ladders. Grubby hands mean grubby cabooses. In general, I am careful to limit where I use black paint.

Focusing on the trucks, I first painted the faces of the wheels brown. Then they were drybrushed with various shades of brown and rusty orange. The couplers got the same treatment, using care not to gum them up. While those colors were out, I went over the smokejacks, brake wheels, and the underframe as well. Finally, the shiny silver axles were painted black to minimize their bulk. After that, I sealed everything with another spray of flat finish.

As I was putting that caboose away I remembered I had a similar, used Conrail MTH caboose that also needed some weathering. When I pulled it out, I was dismayed to find that the roof walks were broken. However, prototype pictures showed that by the late 1970s the real Conrail caboose had no roof walks either. Perhaps that was what the previous owner hand in mind?

I used files, chisel blades and nippers to remove any protruding spigots and then I filed in the holes left with some epoxy. A toothpick helped smooth it over and form to the contour of the roof (as best as could be done). Then, I repainted the roof black. It isn't perfect, but it is good enough.

For weathering, pictures from the 1980s showed the caboose also in good shape with little rust evidence. However, it too was filthy. So, I applied a wash of raw umber and let it dry overnight. The next day, I applied a wash of dark umber, which is a much darker color (as the name would apply). This really dirtied it up without making it look worn out. I finished it by drybrushing the smokejack to add rust highlights, as the heat from the smoke exhaust would burn off paint and then the steel would rust. 

I let both cars sit for a week to ensure all the paint had fully dried and then they were given a final coat of flat finish. I can't wait for a layout where I can actually run them!

Weathering O scale freight cars

When I modeled in HO I weathered almost all of my trains. When done carefully and consciously it makes them look more realistic, and I am not really concerned about their resale value. For my O scale (1:48) trains, I also have been weathering them. It is a bit unnerving to make them "uncollectible" but since I am generally paying only about $30-$50 a car I can live with the risk. 

However, I don't weather my tinplate trains or trains that are clearly "toy" proportioned because that would look out of place and ruin their cute, toyish appearance.

I frequently buy my O gauge cars used, so the first step is to look them over and repair broken or missing parts. Sometimes replacement parts are available, and sometimes I have to fabricate them myself. I then partially disassemble them and check for loose parts. Boxcar doors are secured shut (unless I am modeling an open-door car), detail parts like brake wheels that were left unpainted by the manufacturer are painted to match the body, and the car's weight is checked. Everything is given a wash in preparation for weathering.

The wheel faces are brush painted various shades of brown, and the backs and axles are painted flat black to hide their shine and reduce their bulk. Truck sideframe are painted flat black and then highlighted with drybrushed orange rust and brown dirt. The couplers are carefully drybrushed brown so as to not gum them up. The car underframes are sprayed flat black followed by various short bursts of brown and rusty orange. 

The car bodies are given a flat finish and then weathered with oil paint washes and drybrushing to match prototype pictures. Finally, everything is reassembled.

It all takes time, but I enjoy the process. And, after having put 3-5 extra hours into a railcar I can justify its price tag.

I don't have a lot of cars right now, but they are already taking up a lot of space. Each car is 8x the size of its HO equivalent, and that adds up. So, I am slowly adding to my collection one or two cars at a time. I started collecting several years before I started on my layout to spread out the cost. 

On a related note, the O Gauge Magazine's online forum sometimes features pictures by a guy named Steve who goes by the handle "SIRT." In his signature block is a link to his photo albums containing hundreds of pictures of weathered three rail, O gauge cars. They are inspirational for someone weathering in any scale, but more than that they show that you can make really credible looking models from three-rail trains.

Layout Update

I don't have much to show since I started my layout last September, but scenery only began in February. There will be four "major" scenes on the layout from right to left: a lumberyard; a fuel or chemical dealer; an Agway or feed mill; and an (undecided). The lumberyard on the right is done, and I am in the mock-up stage for the fuel dealer.

The left side has a piece of flextrack dropped in place (with a pile of rusty track off to the left that I will likely never use), and a MOW boxcar temporarily scene plopped in place (but which likely will be moved). I haven't laid track here yet because I want to finish the right side first. Plus, I enjoy trackwork and want to spread it out for as long as I can.

The work continues...

Lumberyard scene (final details)

My lumberyard needed gates for security, and to complicate matters I needed to build two: one to protect the railroad tracks and another to guard the entrance road. I started by laying a piece of graph paper onto the actual area and sketching out how things would go. Green represented a future length of wall, where as orange were the gates. I stuck toothpicks into the scenery through the paper so that I could later add the wall at just the right spot. That is a true 1:48 truck for sizing purposes.

I built another section of wall but this time I couldn't just plop it in the ground goop, because it had hardened. So, I dug out a channel where the wall was to go and then I could recess it into the existing scenery.

For the railroad entrance gates, I cobbled something together using more of the wooden boards that I cut down in height. Instead of framing them with wood, I used some 1/8" wide Plastruct I-beams. They were painted and superglued in place, with more I-beams on the ends that presumably come together over the tracks. For the hinge ends, I glued on some 1/8" diameter brass tubing. I used those sizes because that is what I found in my stash. I later added some more details like railings, scale chain and locking hardware made from office staples.

I then set the gates temporarily on my layout and slipped round wooden toothpicks into the brass tubes. The toothpicks stuck out the top of the tube and I used a small hammer to pound them into the foam base. The gates were then lifted off, the toothpicks hammered in some more, and the gates finally dropped on. Now, they can swing open and closed and are easily removed if necessary for track cleaning. 

At the road entrance I built up a steel tube fencing made from some styrene strips. I used my sketches to aid in fabrication, and then I painted them yellow and weathered them. I am not sure if I will eventually replace them, but I didn't want another set of wood doors and I didn't want chain link fence because I plan to use that for my next industry. I might add corrugated metal panels, but for now I am just going to think about it for a bit. 

I also glued my second decaled sign to the fence to help wayward customers find the place.

For my track bumper, I took a Gargraves tie and weathered it and then bent it into a "v" shape and glued it over the rails. Because it was already notched for the rails, it went on easy. I then hid it in more weeds and dirt to look disused. I doubt it would stop a fast rolling freight car but that is their problem, not mine.

Every business needed old pallets lying around so I built some following an article in O Gauge Railroading magazine from August/September 2012. It called for using HO scale track ties in lieu proper stripwood because they are readily available. They look good, but the pallets end up about 25% oversize for O scale (5' square instead of 4' squarish). For now, I thought they were fine. 

I used my leftover stock of HO ties (some of which were already weathered) and built up a bunch of pallets. I deviated from the article by leaving off the lower row of ties to give them a thinner appearance. By the way, the smaller one at the very top is what a true 1:48 pallet should look like. As you can see, the ones I built are indeed oversize. I may replace them someday, but if I carefully place them their excessive bulk won't be noticeable. 

At the same time, I scattered junk behind the buildings and along the walls. Not enough to make the place look like a rundown abandoned building, but enough to suggest a working facility that has existed for decades and collected its share of "stuff" along the way.

Every road crossing needs protection, and I went with some from Tennessee Valley Custom Models. They are nice but very delicate, made with cardstock for the crossbucks. I don't know if they will curl due to humidity or not, but we shall see. I only had room to mount one on the side of the road leading into the facility. Hopefully, customers leaving will instinctively look both ways.

I suspect Harrison will not be permitted to play on the layout anymore. As it is, he enjoys using his toy trucks on the scenery. Who can blame him? Compare my layouts with his (seen behind him on the floor).

For the track leading into the lumberyard I ballasted it with a mixture of Brennan's Superior Sand in the course and fine sizes. The course size is perfect for ballast, and I let it get onto parts of the ties to look a bit run down. The color was great too.

I wanted a vehicle or two but didn't want to use oversize or undersize ones, and there is a real lack of commercial support for 1:48 vehicles that would be appropriate for a 1970s-1980s layout. There are some "Classic" era cars from the 1940s-1950s, and a few modern pickup and high-end sports cars, but no everyday type vehicles. Except an Atlas F-100 1:48 scale pick-up truck that they made in 2019 and sadly is out of stock everywhere. I managed to find one online, so that was included in the scene.

When I got the truck I first masked off the windows. This was important because I didn't want them to get overly weathered. After a light coat of flat finish I removed the tape. 

Then, everything on the truck was given a light wash of raw umber was applied, and then excess was clotted off with a paper towel and Q-tips. It remained in the cracks and crevices, and slid right down and off the still-shiny windshield. I left a bit more of the wash in the bed of the truck. 

The wheels needed to be dirtied up too, and I figured it logical to use the same brown paint that is on the layout for the dirt base coat. So, some was spread on cardboard and the truck was run back and forth to get the paint into the tire treads. More paint was dabbed into the wheel wells and along the edges of the frame. I also applied and then wiped off some paint on the sides of the tires and the hubcaps. 

Have you ever seen a completely empty pickup truck? Me neither. So, a couple pieces of plastic sprue scraps and some scale lumber were loaded into the back. I then sealed it all with flat finish (not bothering to mask the windows which was a BIG mistake. I had to respray them with gloss to try and restore their shine, then mask them, then spray with flat finish again).

My layout's time frame is a little flexible. It may be set in the mid-1970s, in which case this truck shouldn't look abused. But, it would certainly be dirty. If I set my layout in the mid-1980s, then perhaps I will add some rust to it. For license plates, I used a decal set from Microscale (#48-509) appropriately titled "Vehicle License Plates, 1975-1985". Wouldn't you know that there was only one set of plates for New Hampshire and one set for Maine? I used the NH set.

I also purchased an inexpensive generic 1:50 scale forklift from Amazon. Unfortunately, it was mislabeled on the box and was actually closer to 1:29 scale. It was too large for my needs so I had to send it back. Instead, I searched online for #D items and found a "1970s Medium Duty forklift" that seemed perfect for my purposes. I will build that and add it to the scene in the future.

With a scale 56' long Thrall-door boxcar parked in the facility there isn't much room to maneuver. So, I will assume that the boxcars are spotted and unloaded during the weekend when perhaps the business isn't open to the public.

In the future, I will need to take into account the size of structures a bit more when planning. I couldn't have shrunk this down any further and had it be what I wanted, though the fence certainly adds to the feeling of being cramped. Stuffing too much into a small space was a large problem of my previous layout (LINK), and I have to try hard to avoid the same thing here.

I still need to add some trees along the back of scene, but for now I am calling it done.

Article Published - Simple Flatcar Upgrades

My third article for O Gauge Railroading magazine was just published in Run 338, the June 2025 issue. It describes how to upgrade some inexpensive Weaver bulkhead flatcars by adding wooden decks, custom pipe and plate steel loads, and simple weathering. I think I paid $20 each for at a train show. 

It was a fun project to work on.

Ballasting Mainline Track

Call me crazy, but I really enjoy ballasting track. I find it relaxing and when done right it really makes the track look realistic. But this layout threw a few new things at me.

The process started by first building up the roadbed under the track to set the profile of the ballast. I used O scale cork roadbed with tapered shoulders on the mainline and passing siding, and a combination of N scale roadbed (on one siding) and half-strips of O scale roadbed so the ends of the ties would stick out (on another siding) to vary the look and overall height. In another area, I buried the track down to the tops of the ties. All of these things are subtle but add to the illusion that the railroad was built in different times, to different physical standards, and maintenance (or neglect) have affected the results.

After weathering the track, it was time for ballast. I have used Woodland Scenics ballast products in the past and liked them, and don't mind that they are made out of crushed walnut shells. For my HO layout I made a sample test board where I tried about a dozen different sizes, colors, and manufacturers of ballast. Here, I first used real sifted rock obtained from a construction company conveniently down the road but found it to be too large. It would have taken me forever to sift enough for my layout. 

So, I turned to Dennis Brennan and his ballast products. I purchased samples of his ballast and sand, and was impressed. They aren't cheap, but they aren't expensive either. For me, my layout is mostly going to sit there and be looked at. So, money spent on scenery instead of the next fancy expensive engine is a better decision for me. (Some people use kitty litter or chicken grit, and the internet is full of threads about this. I stayed away from it). However, something was bugging me about his ballast and I waited for months to apply it.

When I decided to bite the bullet and get going, I first tested all my electrical connections again to make sure all the track was powered. Then, I separated my layout sections and applied some tape to the ends to keep it from spilling onto the foor. That sort of worked.

One technique I wanted to try was from Dennis' book, and that is adding brown paint to the glue mixture to tint the final color of the ballast. His recipe is 1/3 white glue, 1/3 water, and 1/3 earth colored latex paint. I had never heard of this before and thought it would be a good idea.

To apply the wet water (50/50 water and rubbing alcohol) I used a cheap food dispenser bottle, making sure I got it everywhere. Then, I slowly went over everything with my glue mixture stored in another food bottle. That's when it got bad... REAL BAD. As soon as I applied the glue/water/paint mixture I knew something was wrong. It was too thick. And paint-ish. and it turned my carefully weathered ties into pools of latex paint on top.

I quickly used Q-tips and paper towels to clean the tops of the ties. Then I sprayed on more wet water directly to try and dilute it. I could have vacuumed up the wet mess with my shop vacuum but I was afraid that would make it worse.

I should have tested this process first. Because I didn't, this section of the mainline ended up more brown than what I really wanted. I later discovered the better ratio for me was to mix the water/glue/paint mixture to about 40% glue, 30% water, 20% paint, and 10% rubbing alcohol. That worked much better, and if I sprayed wet water onto the tops of the ties the latex paint just blew right off. 

The next sections went fine, and there wasn't as much dirt/paint in the ballast. You can see the newer results on the left, and my first section on the right. 

I never know if I have added enough glue while ballasting so I kept coming back and adding more to the areas just to make sure everything was fully saturated. Also, the holes where I ran my wires down really sucked up ballast and I spent a lot of time filling them in.

Finally, the next day I realized what was bothering me about the ballast: its color.

I am used to Woodland Scenics' grey blend ballast, which looks a lot like the real stuff I see in the Northeast. However, the stuff from Brennan's is a lot more "salt and pepper" with black flecks in it. It looks natural enough, but not exactly what I was thinking of. The pictures in his scenery book looked great so I used it. And, with the latex paint added it really helped tone down and even out the color of everything. However, for the rest of my layout I may switch back to Woodland Scenics gray ballast, and I might also omit the latex paint in the glue mixture. We'll see.

For now, though, I am content at the look of my track. 

Installing backdrops

I needed a simple, inexpensive way to mount backdrops on my new layout. I already had some from my old HO layout which I planned to reuse, and those were custom-printed by LARC Products on self-adhesive vinyl. The sky images were mounted 3/16" thick Gatorfoam. However, they weren't the right length for my new layout and a large seam fell where I didn't want it to. And I don't like the color of them anymore... they are too cold and bluish purple. But they work okay for now.

Since I sometimes work on my layout from the rear side, I wanted them easily removable. The solution I came up with is custom-made "U" shaped brackets that mount on the back of the layout. 

They are made from aluminum U-channels. The inside width of the "U" portion is 1", which is just right for my 3/4" thick benchwork lumber and the 3/16" Gatorfoam. It leaves a slight clearance gap of about 1/16" to drop the backdrop in easily from the top, and the U-bracket is tall enough to keep it in the vertical position. 

I had my local metal store cut me 20 pieces that are 2" long, and I cleaned up the edges on my belt sander to remove any burrs. The cost for all of them was about $20. Now that I have a bandsaw, I could make them myself for a lot less. Then, I drilled them with 1/8" diameter holes on one side for mounting screws. 

I slipped them under the bottom of the rear 1x4 benchwork piece and screwed them on from the inside. They stuck out the back with the gap and the backdrops dropped right in. 

Because my current lumber is slightly thinner than what I used on my HO layout, they have more slop and lean forward. However, I just need to slip in a thin piece of cardstock from a cereal box to tighten up the gap more and they will be fine. 

I used two brackets per 6' length of benchwork which is adequate for my purposes. And now they hide the blue concrete blocks behind the layout.

Lumberyard scene (Ground Goop and scenery)

It was time to scenic the lumberyard. For that, I turned to "Ground Goop", a concoction so named by Lou Sassi and written about on my blog here. It is a combination of scenery materials, paint, and glue which forms a ground cover and does a great job of representing undulating earth. One of the components is Celluclay which is also the foundation for Sculptamold, but I haven't experimented with that yet.

Lou's recipe for Ground Goop is:
- 1 part Celluclay
- 1 part Vermiculite
- 1 part brown latex paint
- 2/3 or 3/4 part Elmers glue ("Glue All", not "School Glue")
- shot of Lysol liquid concentrate (I don't add this, but I don't make enough to have extra).
* add water to desired consistency (like oatmeal)

I make it in small batches of about 1 cup per part, which results in 4 cups of ground goop. It is pretty thick until you thin it with water, but be careful because if you thin it too much it makes a mess. You don't want it splashing on your structures or track. Wearing cheap disposable gloves is also recommended.

I put on disposable latex gloves and used an offset spatula (a cheap one I bought on Amazon for just this purpose) to spread it all over the base. I worked in small areas, focusing first around the edges where the fence would go and then around the railroad track. I avoided going directly near a structure's base, and I also didn't use it to fill between the rails. This stuff isn't difficult to wipe away if it goes in the wrong place, but I didn't want to risk splattering it on walls or the rails.

I smoothed it out as best I could. Spraying with rubbing alcohol helps a bit. However, my goal was to break up the perfectly flat surface left by the cork underlay as well as fill in any big gaps and holes around the scene. Some dips and bumps were fine, and in fact preferable, to a perfectly flat surface. For the road, I applied it much thicker along the edges and used it to build up angles where the ground rose to meet the road.

What I forget is that leaning over the edge of the road would get the goop on my T-shirt. Oh well, now I have a new "scenery shirt". 

Then, I went over everything and sprinkled a layer of my extra fine dirt. I collect and process real dirt, and I have been waiting for nice weather to build up my supplies. I better do it soon as this scene just about used up all that I had left.

I clipped the fence posts flush with the bottom of the fence and then buried the fence carefully in the goop. This would hold it in place once dry. Next, I went around the perimeter and applied grass, weeds, and bushes to the inside and outside of the fence. 

Normally I don't care about the areas behind buildings but here it is visible from the side of the layout so I didn't neglect it. I ran out of dirt and ground goop so I left the areas behind the fence mostly bare painted foam for now. In the future I will add some trees too.

I used up two grades of real dirt, six types of ground foam in various colors and sizes, and some of Brennan's "Superior Sand" which I liberally used on the road and lumberyard areas to look like gravel. All of this was sprayed further with rubbing alcohol and then secured with the remainder of my homemade matte medium. I discovered my matte medium was so old that part of it congealed, and I had little white gummy bits throughout my scenery that I had to later pick out with tweezers. Ugh. I threw out what was left after this project.

For between the rails of the siding, I just poured in dirt and then more sand. Ground foam weeds were scattered about, and the railheads were then cleaned. 

I still need to add some larger bushes or trees, railroad crossing signs, a vehicle or two, and a track bumper to stop wayward freight cars. I also need to build security gates for both the road and track entrances, and perhaps more fence. So, this scene will keep me busy for a little bit more in the future. But I am happy with how it is turning out.

Lumberyard scene (wooden road crossings)

I wanted a grade crossing built with wooden planks leading into the lumberyard, which seemed appropriate for a dirt and gravel road. I started by gluing some thin stripwood to the tops of the ties to build up the height of the crossing so that it was just below the height of the rails.

Then, planks cut from some 1/8" x 3x16" basswood were glued on. I pressed them snuggly against the middle rail because no wheel flange rides along there. But, I had to leave a gap along the insides of the outer rails to account for oversize tinplate flanges.

The passing siding has a slight curve to it, and I used T-pins to hold the wood securely in a slight curve until the wood glue cured. I did each board one at a time so that I could put as much clamping pressure as possible on it.

Then, very thin wood was glued into the gaps on the insides of the running rails where the flanges go. They aren't high enough to match up with the other boards, but they hide the ballast and gaps between the ties. I tested with a boxcar to make sure there weren't any clearance issues.

A 0.5mm mechanical pencil was used to punch holes in the boards to represent nails. An awl would have worked just as well. This pencil is part of a set given to me by my model mentor who bought them for the exact same purpose. 

I had recently made some new batches of ink and alcohol stains so I first treated the wood with a reddish-brown wash. Then, I went over it several times with a weak black wash to add weathering.

They are now ready for the dirt and gravel road.