John looks great … glad you’re enjoying yourself! (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
Shawn Viggiano said:
John I love the look of the rails after using the steel wool. That’s the way to go. The ties look much better as well. I bet the cashiers look at you funny when you buy all that steel wool lol…
Thanks!
If you can’t paint, then Stain!
In the paint dept at Home Disappointment you can get steel wool in grades! I’m trying grade #1, a tad coarser than the supermarket stuff.
My latest brainiac moment is to try twisting the wool into ropes for better snuggling against the rails … might help with the strays too.
So far I’ve used less than one pad, unwound and bits pulled off, away from the track. 2 bags of 12 should be enough for my 150’ Empire!
I had the sw on hand, if I find something the critters are chewing, I put some steel there and they hate it. Non toxic pest control…
John
Staining before painting meant a loss of variety on the rail foot …So Painting first let me stain the painted foot at the same time.
The next ‘improvement’ will be specialized clothes pins. New ones have a date with the band saw!
This is before being sealed. Fixative over powders often darkens them, so my concern is the color shift with the clear coat…
To the right of the joiner the rail was painted after the first stain, on the left painted first. I laid steel wool over both sides this go round.
By Jove! This is sealed …
I think I can live with this…
John
Caught in the mid morning sun and closer to our 10’ rule, I like.
Untreated ‘blue’ rail on the right is the before… except I pickled it with vinegar washes… shows some salts.
There you go John P., my version of rusty rail.
John C.
Since the above was done, I started using a tighter twist in the wool hoping for more color in the web and less on the ties… you can see the transition in the other pics…
I’m using a lighter shade of brown on the ties to the left… they will be on a high bridge and more exposed.
I’m stuck… once started… I must go on… the ties need it and the rail … well the V and TW RR isn’t a 1st Class road.
John
I love it, I love it, I love it.*
*p.s.: I love it.
Nice job John! 
John,
I’d say you are reaching your goal. That track certainly does look neglected. (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-innocent.gif)
Your getting there. Now needs some buildings, the reason for running the train.
Paul
Joe Zullo said:
John,
I’d say you are reaching your goal. That track certainly does look neglected. (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-innocent.gif)
The irony is how much attention John gave to them to make them look neglected!
Yes, that is what I was getting at! (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
E. Paul Austin said:
Your getting there. Now needs some buildings, the reason for running the train.
Paul
You mean you don’t see the mountain?
Only problem is this is the open space between the tracks…
I was really hoping my boyish enthusiasm would be enough reason! It was enough to get me to go inside this hill! There are 3 ways inside to the top. They back filled a lot, over filled some. It was like Disneyland with cracked beams and tin covered bottomless pits …
The rerailer on the wide section now being stained is where the Mill will fill empties with concentrates … instead of wagons.
Thanks for looking.
John
Every story dictates a picture … In some places darker ties denote wetter conditions or newer track … looking the other way;
New track to the left goes through the costlier ‘narrows’ due to 4 new bridges, while reconditioned track has been used on the High Line re-alignment caused by the Earth Quake of '99. In the corner under the tents you can see land lifted at an angle and the land where the Heritage Track is, sank.
The Railroad moved the alignment to the left and dumped mine tailings over the trestle creating a new fill. The reconditioned ties were merely dipped in creosote wash #4. The old ROW was determined satisfactory as long as it wasn’t disturbed.
More than half of the ties are painted and the remaining is SP track that we use with trackage rights. That track will have black walnut pressure treated ties, corporate pockets y’know.
There’s more time between bits of painting or squirting the woolies, so bring on the contest!
John
I have to say, that is the finest collection of Clothes Pins I have ever been lucky enough to witness! Bravo, I say! Bravo!
Andrew Moore said:
I have to say, that is the finest collection of Clothes Pins I have ever been lucky enough to witness! Bravo, I say! Bravo!
This is the first time I have seen rusty wood clothes pins!
Yeah John, Really looking good. I’ll be anxious to see how well your treatment holds up over time. Being that you only have occasional but heavy rain I think it should fair well. Not sure if it stay in a place that had weekly rain. I really like your rock storage rack too. I’ve never seen someone treat rocks with such respect. Have the critter issues ceased since things are up off the dirt now? Probably just have to watch for them burrowing under bench work supports now.
I think it’s brilliant. If you’re not careful you could end up with the most unusually stylish and unique railroad ever!
Hell, anyone with enough money can be a Tom Miller (nothing against his beautiful railroad), but how many people could do this:
Randy Lehrian Jr. said:
… I really like your rock storage rack too. I’ve never seen someone treat rocks with such respect. …
I noticed that too. All the parts work.
Randy Lehrian Jr. said:
Yeah John, Really looking good. I’ll be anxious to see how well your treatment holds up over time. Being that you only have occasional but heavy rain I think it should fair well. Not sure if it stay in a place that had weekly rain. I really like your rock storage rack too. I’ve never seen someone treat rocks with such respect. Have the critter issues ceased since things are up off the dirt now? Probably just have to watch for them burrowing under bench work supports now.
Thanks,
I spray it all with clear coat after removing the wasted wool. The rust particles barely stick and the force of the spray removes a lot. I brush off the remaining strands after clear coating.
Ha ha, the rocks are view blocks more than revered… cheap and available they are!
Had a pack rat destroy an extension cord in 12 hours, but other than an expressway, the critters have no use for bare wood. I s’pose I should confess that I feed them and the birds too. Brings in beautiful predators, I have been standing on my porch tossing nuts and big hawks swoop in below me or yesterday there was a full grown owl sitting on my front porch railing. He could sense me looking at him out the window, but the angle was so acute I couldn’t get a picture. Opening the door it took off with a wing span like mine…
For those so inspired by the clothes pins, there will be a sale, for your bids, upon completion of my little project. Please specify modified or not. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
John