That’s going to look great on the layout. The best part is you don’t even have to weather it.
You got that right. And while I had my stock Cedar Strips outside I decided to leave a half dozen out on top of a wall in the rain and sun to get some patina for future projects.
So, since we have moved to page two; I’ll re-post a few pictures of the before and after. Unfortunately I didn’t take any shots of the really bad side before.
Rotted end before…
Rotted end after…
Missing center post before…
Center post replaced…
Windows & rotted bottom strip before…
Updated windows & new bottom strip after…
And finally, the overall view of the bad side that now looks as good as the good side!
Still free, right, Jon?
Except for the two new strips of Cedar and several dozen brads and some glue - yes! It was very rewarding bringing it back - and a lot of fun.
Jon, your restoration, and upgrade work on the engine house is coming along nicely…
Nice work Jon. And it will fit in nicely with your theme
Thanks guys. It was a lot of fun; except for the part where I shot a brad into my finger. That will teach me to hold a 3/4" piece of wood while shooting 1" nails. OW!!!
The rain looks to be holding off today so maybe I can get the rest of the excavating done.
The latest plan is to someday build a coaling facility into the hillside at the rear of the engine house. Track could be run to the top of it, EBT style, over Deep Cut just to the right of the tree in this photo…
I was looking for your finger hanging to the building Jon. I see you must have removed it. Too bad, it would have made a fine conversation piece. 
Nice restoration job. A very nice addition to your railroad. The natural weathering adds to the realism.
Jon Radder said:
Thanks guys. It was a lot of fun; except for the part where I shot .a brad into my finger. That will teach me to hold a 3/4" piece of wood while shooting 1" nails. OW!!!
Don’t feel too bad, Jon. I once ran a half inch chisel into my hand because I was too lazy to uncover the vice and was using my hand as a vice, instead. It took twenty sutures to close the wound, though I think my boss, who also has OCD, was trying to teach me a lesson. 
Thanks for the sympathy! I’m nearly recovered. There was hardly any blood - just a small puncture. It was sore for days, but better today!
I completed the excavation on Tuesday and began drawing up plans for the foundation. I’m all but decided on pouring a concrete floor in the hole. Not sure if I will try and mold in the raised foundation for the engine house in the first pour or just pour it on top of the floor so it could be removed with a little effort.
I’m also trying hard to get the building positioned right so I can get a switch outside and two tracks through to stub ends at the rear.
On the research front I’m not having any luck locating drawings of EBT’s concrete coal bunker / tipple in Rockhill furnace. Pictures are plentiful but no measure drawings so far.
Much progress over the weekend and this evening. Saturday and Sunday the concrete crew poured the floor slab and, in a second pour, the the foundations. No pictures were taken after the first pour; it was nothing special; just concrete in a hole. Here’s a shot taken today of the second pour before beginning to remove the forms…
Next the forms came off and the foundation was inspected. Except for a slight curve in the right hand foundation due to the soft form material used; all looks good. The building ends where the left foundation ends; track will continue out the back one car length. I continued the foundation on the right to secure the border blocks which had been undermined buy the cut…
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/post4/EngineHouse06-16-14_02.JPG)
On the first pour of the floor; a shelf was cast in as a resting place for ladder roadbed. I tried to add a tab to hold the ladder in place, but screwed up the design of the form and couldn’t salvage the tabs. You can see where they broke off in the top edge of the floor…
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/post4/EngineHouse06-16-14_03.JPG)
Later this evening I lined the edges of the cut with rocks and brought the grade up to blend the new building site in…
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/post4/EngineHouse06-16-14_04.JPG)
The rocks at the end of the cut are just placeholders for a future model of the EBT Coal Dock with a track coming across Deep Cut to service it with coal from above…
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/post4/EngineHouse06-16-14_05.JPG)
And finally, a wider view of the new location across the tracks at Pine Summit…
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/post4/EngineHouse06-16-14_06.JPG)
I lucked out and found the needed switch in-stock so there will be little delay in getting the track laid. But first, I can’t wait to place the building. The concrete should be cured enough by tomorrow to move it into place. I’m also thinking of adding a few solar powered LEDS by bashing a few of those cheap yard night lights to give the building just a little light at night.
Looks good Jon.
I’ve seen photos of several engine houses recently with tracks running out both ends.
More common with repair facilities, but not unheard of with engine houses.
Ralph
Jon, If you are careful you could screw a piece of the ladder material across the end of the concrete pad and then screw the ladder into that. Just my thoughts.
Bob C.
PS Great looking concrete work. Mine never comes out that smooth.
Thanks Bob. Tapcon screws would work once the concrete has cured for a few weeks. That surface came at a cost - I endured many mosquito bites and cramps spending hours hand troweling until I was happy :]
Jon, Looks good…
Did you charge the misquito’s for lunch???
Andy Clarke said:
Jon, Looks good…
Did you charge the misquito’s for lunch???
LMAO…I’ll be quiet!
Great come back Andy, almost fell out of my chair…
Nice work!
Ready for track!
The engine house has been placed on the foundation. I must have measured right because everything lines up pretty good. It doesn’t look nearly as dug into the hillside as I expected it to. Here’s a few pics.
Looking South East…
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/post4/EngineHouse06-16-18_01.JPG)
Looking East in the front doors. That edge of the floor will be buried once roadbed is in place…
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/post4/EngineHouse06-16-18_02.JPG)
Looking South West across Deep Cut…
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/post4/EngineHouse06-16-18_03.JPG)
Looking North West at Pine Summit…
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/post4/EngineHouse06-16-18_04.JPG)
And finally, looking south across Deep Cut. I really like how the grade comes right up to the foundation on the downhill end…
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/post4/EngineHouse06-16-18_05.JPG)
Track planning and installation is next, but I have a few chores to clear before I can get back to this.
Lookin’ good Jon.