Work around the depot

While waiting for the final version of the packing house addition, I started to detail the surroundings of the Capistrano depot.

To avoid that passenger vehicles would roll onto the platform and then on the tracks, there were wooden posts spaced approximately 5 to 6 feet apart all along the platform. To model these I've cut 5 scale feet long pieces off of a wooden stick (12 x 12) and rounded the corners of the end that would be inserted into the base. The posts stand roughly 4 feet tall above the ground. I've painted them with a white acrylic color.

The end of the platform that meets Verdugo Street also had 2 posts. The bases for the depot, freight house and Maintenance of Way shed are finished. The next step will be the ground cover around the depot and ballasting of the tracks.

The depot I've build a couple of years ago represents the original as it looked in 1894. For the 1940's I am modeling, I will build another one with the belltower and part of the roof covered with weeds and ivy. Therefore either depot version will be removable.

Last week-end I ballasted the tracks around the depot and scenicked the parking lot and the right-of-way.

I ballasted the tracks with a mix of medium grey ballast from Woodland Scenics, aquarium sand and tan colored tile adhesive (that's the powder you mix with water and pour on the fresh laid tiles to fill the gaps between the tiles - well I don't know the exact description of this process but I believe you get the clue what I mean).

For the right-of-way and the parking lots I also use this powder and sprinkle it over a coat of white glue that I brushed on the baseboard. Then I mist the whole area with wet water (a few drops of isopropyl alcohol mixed into the water - I've got away from dishwasher soap because it bubbles too much). The powder acts like an adhesive and dries hard, leaving a tan or brown surface depending on the color you choose.

For the areas between the tracks, I used an eye dropper to wet the ground with diluted matte medium (2 parts matte medium, four parts water and two parts of isopropyl alcohol). Then I sprinkle Woodland Scenics medium green and dry grass on top and let everything dry.

Meanwhile I also build the cantilever signal bridge and the train order board to be placed near the depot.

The cantilever signal is an NJ International Plastic Kit and resembles the type of signal standing next to the depot during the 1940's. I inserted a a styrene square tube into the mast, to give the signal more strength and a pin to insert into the baseboard.

The train order board comes from an American Limited kit which is a semaphore signal. I made the mast using 3 different diameters of brass tubes that I inserted one into the other, instead of the plastic mast supplied in the kit. The train order board in Capistrano did not have a battery box, so I just cut the top off of the box and used it as a base. The ladder and head are from the kit. I also modified the blades to resemble those of an upper quadrant train order signal until I have a better substitute. It only needs some silver paint. Maybe I will replace it with a Tomar Upper quadrant train order signal (#H-843).

As always, stay tuned.