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**Matt S** · 08-17-2022, 06:59 AM

I have powered up the board for the first time last night. I still need to run the buss and feeder wires for the track and the ribbon cable for the signals. Then this board should be complete. Hope to have some trains running soon!

This is what is looks like closed. I added a strip of aluminum angle to help keep it from sagging, which apparently didnt help as much as I had hoped. I have a couple more ideas to help this but it is pretty low priority right now.

**Paul S.** · 08-17-2022, 01:32 PM

I put all my DCC components on a two-level homemade shelf under one end of the layout. Thinking I might rebuild there to put them on a swing-down board such as you have, Matt.

**Matt S** · 08-31-2022, 07:50 PM

I can put a done stamp on all of the wiring. I finished the last turnout motor tonight. All of the signals are in place and programmed. The only thing that is wiring related that I may do at some point is power the frogs. Everything is drilled and ready for them, but until I have issues I will hold off.

Now comes decision time. I am getting the itch to so some painting (thanks @Allen) But i am trying to hold off and continue with the layout. I will likely start weathering and ballasting track. We shall see.

**Michael Whiteman** · 08-31-2022, 09:31 PM

The amount of work you have accomplished in the two weeks I've been away is amazing. You know what you're doing when it comes to wiring and it shows Matt. I like the additional track you placed in front of the silos. The silos make a great view block for the storage tracks behind them. Looking forward to some pics of the train running.

**Paul S.** · 09-01-2022, 04:51 AM

Geez, Matt, you've gone from nothing to something really cool in just a few weeks!

Originally posted by Matt S View Post

Now comes decision time. I am getting the itch to so some painting (thanks @Allen) But i am trying to hold off and continue with the layout. I will likely start weathering and ballasting track. We shall see.

Just my take, but before you ballast and weather the track, have some more ops sessions to see if everything is the way you want it. Kind of like intentionally "looking" for something that doesn't seem right, before you lay down the ballast. That little voice telling you that you might want to change something now could get a lot louder later.

**Matt S** · 09-01-2022, 05:50 AM

Thanks guys. I really try to do something every day, even if it is something tiny. Some nights I may only get one turnout motor installed (last night). It doesnt seem like I have gotten a lot done until I stop and look back. I guess slow and steady does work. Progress will slow drastically now though. Not because lack of time, but lack of knowledge. Now I am getting into territory I have never done before (scenery). I can already start to see procrastination creeping in...I need to keep up the momentum and get past it.

Even though I havent mentioned it, I have been doing ops here and there. Its not very exciting to talk about, take picures of (yet), or take video of...at least in my opinion. So far it is working pretty slick. With a layout this size there is only so much one can do ops wise. Everything seems to work well and honestly there is not much I can change. I do see your point Paul S. , it is definitely something that I need to balance with momentum and procrastination.

Ohh...I did forget to mention, there may be one more wiring thing I may add at some point. I ran into these a while back and am contemplating using them for turnout control on the fascia. https://www.berretthillshop.com/stor...i-cup-toggles/ My biggest hesitation is price. One not so bad, but a dozen adds up fast. These can easily be added directly to the turnout motors later so not a show stopper right now.

**Matt S** · 09-21-2022, 06:56 AM

Taking a break on the layout (aka getting distracted) and starting on a couple paint projects. The first, and I will keep it a surprise, is starting from a couple SD45s. The second, as soon as I come up with another SD60M 3 window, is the doing the other two SD60MACs since you usually saw them together with all three. I set up the paint booth and airbrush last night to get some primer on and ended up doing nothing but fight the airbrush. Apparently when I put it away last spring I did not get it completely clean. I normally let the parts soak when I am not using them, well this time they had time to dry and I have a mess. I did manage to get the primer done but I am not going to attempt paint until I get this figured out. Letting it soak and doing a thorough cleaning tonight to see if it helps.

**Michael Whiteman** · 09-21-2022, 09:18 PM

I've shared this before Matt, a long time ago. I knew a custom car (automobile) painter who never cleaned his spray gun. This was very hard for me to get my head round seeing as I am a neat freak. He would simply shoot some lacquer thinner though his gun and toss it into a bucket of thinner completely submerging it. He explained to me that if air can not get to it nothing will harden up. He'd just shoot some clean thinner through it before starting his next project. I thought about this for a long time before getting one of those long skinny olive bottles at the grocery store. My Badger will fit comfortably inside when filled with laquer thinner. I do remove the needle from the body. I don't clean my AB every time I use it any longer.

**Michael Whiteman** · 09-22-2022, 08:10 PM

My story above was referring to solvent base paints. I have never shot any water base but I imagine the process would be the same when you discover the correct cleaner to use.

**Matt S** · 09-28-2022, 06:09 PM

Paint is done, now is the time for decals. I am seriously questioning my sanity for choosing this road. I may be doing the pin stripes for the next 2 months!

As you can see, this is not BN related at all. I am kinda taking a slight turn from plan A. I mean, what layout doesn't do that to an extent right? When I named my railroad, my intent was to somehow model both areas I either grew up in or lived in at one point. I really liked living in the desert southwest. So I am thinking my railroad is going to be modeling the ARZC line in AZ & CA. I am going to run BN power on it as well, as if the BN had a part in the line instead of the Santa Fe. So...I will be modeling desert! I need to do some more research into the various industries, but I did find that both grain and JD equipment existed on that line. Now to find prototype photos and start modeling.

**Allen** · 09-28-2022, 08:12 PM

Sweet! And a John Deere dealer, that's right up your alley!

**Matt S** · 10-17-2022, 07:56 PM

(mostly) finished up the ARZC locos I had been working on. Still need to weather some more...but I gave up for the time being. And apply some number boards. Overall I am ok with the way these turned out but not overly impressed. A lot of lessons learned and will hopefully remember to apply them to the next batch. I have two more ready for paint, working on the other two SD60MACs so I have all three numbers.

**Matt S** · 12-28-2022, 11:54 AM

So I was going thru my blog today and realized A LOT has happened this past year. Not only changing the layout, but prior to this year I had never touched an airbrush or custom painted or built anything! Wow....it seems like so much longer ago. https://nswrr.com/sd40-2b-project/

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NSWRR - Nebraska & Southwestern (N) Shelf

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