Please tell me that’s not a ‘sand by hand’ mission? 
Afraid so, Neil. But with some dremelling where practical, and sanding sponges. And the flat sides with a sander.
Cliff,
what can one say other than damn that’s impressive. Its coming out better than I had envisioned. You win the most ambitious modeler of the year award. It does make me really do a small diorama with this technique. It is a very cool project to watch come to life.
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Devon, I really appreciate that, thanks. And I’d really encourage you to do the 3d topo, because it’s really fun!
It looks fun. And as I ponder it, I have long had an idea to combine a wood working project with a train project and build an N scale or even a Z scale coffee table layout. This would be an awesome idea and a manage size for that project.
Indeed! I’m tempted as well, haha!
On a related front, I had the laser going all day in the background, and spent several hours cleaning the edges this evening (the wood parts are sooty on the edges). Here’s the resultant pile:
A cleaner stackup:
Lord willing, these will become the consoles for the interactive panels.
But with a bit of filler, sandpaper and matte paint, it should look smoother, like this:
What could possibly go wrong?
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That’s a lot of parts, Cliff. Another jigsaw puzzle. I hope they are all labeled, otherwise, who knows what this might look like 
Now that you have perfected the art of terrain modeling, this should be your next project. Might even be some money in this one.
If you will provide the sink, I already have the faucet here in my office.
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Very interesting project. I like Carson City Rail Museum and have been there several times.
That’s pretty flipped out, Dan! Looks like cast bronze maybe? Beautiful though. And cool that you can just snag the office faucet, very enterprising!
I was able to do some gluing here and there today…
Lots of filling and sanding needed on these as well.
Shhhhhhh! Don’ tell anyone 
Mum’s the word!
OK, I really don’t like how that “Post must be 20 characters” red sign thingy waggles at you while you’re trying to type at least 20 characters, which out of an overabundance of caution I am attempting to do now.
Having said that, Bob’s new site is VASTLY BETTER now, I love all the cool features.
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Thanks for the admonition, Rooster buddy. I’ll try to comply.
However, perhaps the more appropriate response is “OK, Butt Head”?
Either way, I’ve done my 20 characters, so life is peaceful and heart rate is low. Thanks for caring!!
Well Swami Jennings none of us are getting any younger !!
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I always wonder WHAT AGE do you start NOT wanting to get older? Because, when you’re a KID, you ALWAYS want to be older…now, not so much. So, what AGE did I change?
I actually can answer that question quite definitively, at least for myself, 26. Without a shadow of a doubt, 26. 25 and younger I was flitting around the country, working summer jobs in different places, was in the Marine Reserves getting called up for training and wars. I was partying in shady dive bars, waking up in culverts or dancing half naked on bars with the bartenders bra on my head. Things like that. I never hurt anyone, I was never overtly reckless, and seldom broke any major laws; but I did have lots of fun. Then my wife got pregnant. Now that might sound awful but I wouldn’t go backward for a moment. But in less than three months I had to grow up fast. I quite all my various odd jobs and landed a regular stable 40 hour a week job that turned into my now 27 year career. I bought a house. And kid #1 came. All in three months. Back when I was having all that fun, I was wishing I could have a stable life with money and a house and all the nice security of being a grown up. Now that I am having a mid life crisis all I want to do is go back and party and dance on bars and flit around the country ( Okay not the first two) but I do very much miss the freedom of my youth. I wouldn’t change a thing as I have had an awesome life with an awesome family. Still have that job, well career anyways, and still live in that same house, with that same wife, and those same kids are close by. Would not go backward for a moment. But for me I can define that moment where it switched for me. What is ironically funny is me is the switch from kid to adult was at 26. The switch from adult to wanting to be a kid again very much happened almost exactly 26 years later at 52. I must be on a 26 year cycle. If I live to 78 I wonder what that switch will be. I will probably be that old guy with a full body tattoo and body piercings.
Wine, women, and song.
My doctor told me that out of the three, I am allowed to hum in the shower.
Consoles got their first coat of filler yesterday, and initial sanding this afternoon.
Here’s the main bits.
I used a new (to me) random orbital sander, and it worked super well on the putty and the MDF tabs sticking out everywhere (at angled joints).
This Ryobi 18v cordless sander has a pretty effective dust collection ability, so the layer all around my shop/office is minimal, yay!
The big next step: sanding the terrain. Followed by final fill and sanding on everything.
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Man you are screaming right along on this. You must either not have to ever sleep or you can work in your sleep.
It is really coming out top notch.
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