MARPM Preparation

 

I didn't have much chance to work on the layout this week before MARPM as I was busy with my graddaughter's visit. But I was able to get a few things done. Aquia Landing is far from finished, but it looks presentable. 

See you at MARPM. For more information see www.MARPM.org

I added an extension on the dock to support this warehouse.

Wye Not!

 I began demolition of the wye at Aquia Landing tonight. Every time I rip out some track I am amazed at how strong it is. Two layers of aspen plywood with basswood ties glued on with yellow glue and the rail spiked four spikes per tie is very robust. I found it easiest to lift-out the sub-roadbed that is glued to the pink foam with a thin scrapper. Some of the foam lifts up, but the rest comes out in nice chucks. 

Now to figure out where everything will go. 

I put down one of my 30-inch curve templates to check the radius from the double slip switch on the wharf  to the turntable. That showed me that the curve will be more than 30" radius - that's good. 

The straight through track from the turntable is more than long enough to hold an engine.  I want the engine shop as close to the aisle as possible so the detail inside will be more easily visible.  

I have't fully decided what to do with the old wye turnout behind the shop . I initially thought I would spike it down and take it out of service. But it is also possible to have it feed the turntable. 

You will note the engine house is no longer on its diorama base. It came off, but was a bit more secure than I planned. The scenery glue did a pretty good job of holding the perimeter of the structure to the base which I did not anticipate. Nonetheless, I got it off with just very minor damage to some of the battens on the siding. 

What to do with the three warehouses? I like the look of three of them in a row.

Battery Rodgers

The Battery Rodgers Project is on hold. It took me most of a week to get a decent print of the gun in 1/32nd scale. Turns out the LCD on my printer is failing. Thanks to that delay, I had to put that project on hold until after MARPM, which is coming up in less than 2 weeks.

NCMSS Annual Show 2026

The National Capitol Model Soldier Society 2026 show is over. It was a successful event. Most importantly, our club worked together and put on a great show. Special thanks to Darci and Dave Hoffman for doing a great job in organizing the hotel and myriad of other details. Bert Thompson and Bob Prokopf did a great job in setting up the show. Zack Becker and Bob Prokopf junior  implemented a new automated judging system that seemed to me to work very well.  Although I wasn’t a judge, I was official photographer, so I can't comment from direct experience.  The rest of the club members all pitched in and volunteered to make a successful event. 

We had 305 models entered in the contest and perhaps another 75 to 100 on exhibit only.  

My brother and I did very well. He got a gold medal and best diorama for Fort Ticonderoga Artillery,    three silvers and a bronze medal. I got two gold medals, five silvers and a bronze. Plus I got best bust (1st Va Inf at Valley Forge) and best Historical Open (for my collection of 75mn Hermann Haupt, 1/10th scale busts of John Hancock, Thaddeus Koscuisko, and Boudica -queen of the Iceni, and the Ahab and Moby Dick vignette). I was very surprised to get those as there were other many deserving models. 

Rob also got a Capital Palette award for his rendition of John Hancock in 1976  with sunglasses and the paisley jacket , and I got two of them, one for my declaration of independence shadowbox diorama, and one for my Roman’s Avenging Varus diorama   Those were awarded by a judge from the Nova Open, which is a very prestigious show that takes place the week before our show.  

Grandmaster Jim Rice received Best of Show award for his figure of Napoleon. Zack Becker got the special Founding Fathers Award for his painted bust of Ben Franklin. Unfortunately, I can’t remember all the other awards. They did the award ceremony in a expedited way and it went very quickly and smoothly. 

The Sarlacc Pit?

 

Mock up of engine storage tracks

I was distracted for a few days by an interesting track plan assignment. So today, I started building the pit for the turntable. If you recall, I built this turntable for the Road Show several years ago. I saved the rotating wooden part, but not the pit. So I had to make a new pit. Note that this pit is a conical shape, like the Sarlacc Pit in Star Wars. Now I need Boba Fett figure for the turntable scene. 

I thought, "no problem, I have the files for the parts on my computer, I'll just cut an another set and glue them up." That went well enough for the main pit. But,... for some reason, the wedge-shaped pieces to make the surface of the pit were not the correct size. I must not have saved the final version of that file. So I had to redraw those parts. Now, they are tricky to design as I had to cut the parts in 2D but rotate up to make a 3D cone. It's kind of like trying to make a model of a building with hipped roof from 2D plans, except a bit trickier as this is a truncated cone or frustum.

I could have spent a few hours doing the math, but instead I got out my calipers, measured the required shape and cut the parts on the laser. It took a try or two but I got the parts I needed. I cut those parts from 0.032 in thick laser board. 

Plan B v2 with storage tracks

Now the decision is where to place the turntable. I am coalescing on a modified version of Plan B from my earlier post.  Note that I am adding two engine storage tracks to the design. I like how the parked engines look alongside the engine house. The storage tracks are needed as I have 6 engines, but we usually only use 2 or 3. 

I did a short video describing how the turntable could fit in the space. 

Some new photos of the layout

I spent the past few days shooting pictures of the layout for an upcoming article. Even though the Aquia Landing area isn't done, this picture captures the look and feel I am going for. It just needs more of everything. 

I used PS Generative AI to extend the water into the aisles in the photo.

The Forest of Masts

The forest of masts that we see in  many photos of civil war ports is taking shape on my version of the USMRR Aquia Line. Today, I took delivery of a 1/48th scale, waterline model of the Harvey, a Baltimore Clipper built in 1847. 

I contracted The Model Shipyard to build the model. They are the designers and builders of the museum quality sailing ship models. They are located in South Africa as part of the Mossel Bay Maritime Museum. If you look at their webpage you can get an idea of the high quality of their work. 

I ordered the model in December. I requested a 1/48th scale, waterline model of the Baltimore Clipper Harvey with the sails furled.

They sent me in-progress photos as the model was being built. With the model nearly complete, they sent photos for my approval. At that point I asked for them to set the furled sails differently based on the photos I had seen from Civil War era ports. They made the change without any complaint. 

The model arrived in a sturdy shipping crate. It is very well done. I am very pleased with it. It looks great at Aquia Landing on my layout.

 It seems a shame that I will weather it a bit.  

The Baltimore Clipper is a beautiful type of ship, and this model reflects that.  For example, look at the detail in the boat tied on to the stern.  The complex rigging, especially with the square-rigged masts, add to the allure.

Based on my experience with the Model Shipyard, I would highly recommend them. I am now thinking about what other ships they could build to add to my layout, as I have my hands full with all the other tasks.

A note about Baltimore Clippers in the 1860s. Naval historians in the audience will realize that by the time of the Civil War, Baltimore Clippers were being phased out. Yet there were still some in service, especially for light weight, high value cargo. There are photos of top sail schooners in the civil war era ports, so a Baltimore Clipper is not completely unlikely.  At least one Baltimore Clipper survived into the 1920s.   

Money Shot - Another Expansion?

 This photo composition will be the money shot when Aquia Landing if (is- a freudian slip???) finished. The ships, and dockside detail will bring the scene to life. But there's a problem. I can't take this photo. Not with out a lot of photoshop work.

This image shows some of the trickery I have to use to digitally extend the waterfront in the foreground. I didn't leave enough room for adequate water scenery in the foreground of the railroad barge. To place the tug boat in this area requires a temporary extension that I made from some scrap lumber. I covered it with black (looks more dark gray in the image) construction paper. 

With the image in Photoshop I added water to the foreground using an actual photo of the Potomac that I took before. That also meant I had to create the reflections of the tug and wharf in the water. It's a time consuming task. It would be much easier if there was water in that area in the actual model. 

To extend the water, I would have to build an extension of the fascia, build a new flat area to fit and then pour resin to fill in. It's doable.

So then, why stop there? What not extend it by a 12-18 inches and make room for even more ships? The mind boggles.

BTW here is a B&W antiqued version of the image as requested by John Drye.

USMRR Tug Atlantic Complete

The harbor is stating to look like I envisioned.

Here is the completed model. I made the flag by printing it on paper and attaching to the lanyard. The flag pole is a brass rod with a craft bead on top. The guy wires for the stack are lycra string. I made eye bolts 0.032 inch thick using laser board. The eagle is a 3D print from a file I downloaded. The fenders are scraps of wood. I could not tell from the photos how they were tied onto the tug, so I drilled small holes in the bulwark. I added other details that I could see in the photos including a grappling hook, a chair and several barrels. The name plate is laser engraved and cut.

I decided not to add the number decal to the stack. I may do that later. 

Provost Marshal at Aquia Landing - Black History Month

A family of former African American slaves arranging transportation to the North on the Aquia Line. From here they will board a steamship to Washington, DC. 

This particular model scene is based on this prototype image taken in 1863. The prototype image shows several African Americans who are most probably former slaves now working for the USMRR. The USMRR hired hundreds of African Americans to work on the railroad. My scene depicts some of the 10,000 former slaves that used the Aquia Line to escape to freedom standing in front of the same building. 

The Provost Marshal in the civil war were the equivalent of military police of today. They controlled passenger access to the USMRR as well as performing many of the other traditional duties of the military police. 

The Aquia Landing portion of my layout is far from being complete. I still have a lot of work to do to finish it. But this image shows the potential of the area. I think it will be the signature scene on the railroad when it is finished..  

One of the biggest jobs yet remaining is completion of the several ship models that will frequent the harbor.  I have several ship models in various stages of construction.  Plus, Brion Boyles is building a schooner for me.  Hopefully, we will get a chance to finish these soon.

Back to the grindstone

This was Victoria's first visit to the Aquia Line

The flood and drainage contractors have completed their work. We now have 5 pumps in two separate sumps, new drainage pipes for our down spouts and pump exhausts, and have a new french drain to catch the run off from my neighbor's driveway.  I think the most important change we made was to reroute the sump from the backyard to the front.  Now we need to see if it will help. We may find out soon as rain is forecast. Meanwhile, we spent the day trying to get the basement back in normal condition. I took the opportunity to cull some of my stuff. I threw out a bunch of books, got rid of an old dresser, and donated my collection of music CD's to the Salvation Army. The new sump reduced some of the storage space in my HVAC closet so I  decided to get rid of the urban modules I was storing there. Luckily, Mat Thompson offered to take them to use in a new small layout project he is planning for next year. He and his wife stopped by today to pick them up.

The first room I got set up was my office. I moved my desk to the east wall. This seems to create a more spacious feel and creates ample space for my HO layout. Since we didn't have to upgrade our electric panel, there is room for the HO layout.  I also got a new computer and monitor. I traded in my old iMac (Apple gave me a great price for the trade in)  for a MacMini and a 49 inch Dell Ultrasharp monitor. This is a great set up as it allows me to open several applications at a time with ample screen space. So far I am really loving it.  This monitor will allow me to run both my mac and PC laptop with the same mouse and keyboard. That feature will come in handy when drawing for the laser cutter. The south wall will house a long narrow strip of bench work on top of my 12 inch deep IVAR book shelves. I would build a new Stonemans Station in this location. The former location of Stonemans Station will become the new Potomac Creek Station.

The new monitor inspired me to work on a new track plan for the Aquia Line. The plan requires that I delete the Burnside Wharf tracks and move Aquia Landing about 6 feet to the east. Then I would trim off some of the water of the wharf scene and replace it with the new Falmouth. Thus I would have a two-sided peninsula in the room with the opposite ends of the railroad on each side of the sky board.  

With this plan I would have all the stations of the prototype line. Brooke will be the only station that could not hold a design length train. The mainline gets a nice bump to about 215 feet, which is almost 2 scale miles in O scale. The expanded main line might allow enough running room to have a third crew, assuming we ever get back to op sessions.

The draw backs to the plan are that I lose the sidings at Burnside Wharf, the crew lounge gets a bit smaller making the gaming area a bit tight, and there would no room for the ironclad Passaic. But I did add sidings at Aquia Landing to make up for the lost switching. So the crews should stay reasonably busy at Aquia Landing.  On the plus side, I would not lose the big storm cloud that I painted on the backdrop by Burnside Wharf.

The Eagle(s) Has Landed

One of the benefits of the flood this summer was that I did a serious purge of excess hobby stuff that I have accumulated over the past 20 years.

A large bald eagle keeps a lookout at Aquia Landing

In the process of purging and sorting stuff, I found two O scale bald eagle figures that I had purchased. One had with its wings spread and one with wings at rest.

The flag pole at Aquia Landing seemed like the perfect place for the resting eagle to perch.  The other eagle needed a more substantial base, so I placed him on the roof at the warehouse at Brooke. I thought about trying to suspend this eagle with wires but didn't think it looked good.

Bald Eagles were once plentiful in the Chesapeake Bay area. They were nearly killed off by DDT and other human interference. Fortunately, with conservation intervention, they are making a comeback in the bay area.

A few years ago a pair of bald eagles built a nest at the National Arboretum. The National Park Service established a live "eagle-cam" to monitor the birds.  My wife was very interested in watching them developed. Alas, some animal lovers were shocked to see the eagles bring squirrels and cats to the nest to feed their young.  They are apex predators.

Post script: A week after this post I was playing golf in Utah on the Wasatch Mountain State Park Mountain Course. I was able to score an eagle on the 9th hole, a relatively short, but all up-hill par 5.  That is only the second golf eagle of my meager golf career.

War on several fronts

New ship visits Burnside's Wharf

 Work progresses on parallel fronts.

The scenery at Burnside Wharf is almost done. This includes a new ship that I painted on the backdrop.  This took about 3 hours to paint, proving the adage that the easiest way to have a ship on your layout  is on the backdrop. I plan to add a few more ships to the scene on the backdrop.

I also started building the Provost Marshall's Office. This small building acts as the station for Aquia Landing. Any person that wants to ride the train needs a pass from the Provost Marshall.

I decided to place this building next to the wye turnout at the base of the Aquia  Landing wharf. This will allow me to replicate the scene in the prototype image fairly closely, even though I don't copy the track and building arrangement at Aquia Landing exactly.

I had to remove a few inches from the siding behind the PM building to make room, but that track is still long enough for several cars. This will be the track where the passenger cars are spotted.

A Mystery Track at Aquia Landing?

In studying the few photos I have of Aquia Landing for ideas on construction details for structures, I noticed some freight cars in one photo in an odd place. I had noticed those cars before, but I did not fully realize that the cars are on the north side of wharf adjacent to the warehouse closest to the shore. I base this on the fact that the cars are in front of the warehouse. But it is hard to tell exactly, as the edge of the freight car is right on the line of the corner of the warehouse. Is it in front or behind? That is the key question.

The yellow circle shows the cars to which  I am referring.    This appears to be a single track.

The next photo shows the double track running down the full length of the wharf.   I had always thought the cars in question were on the double track siding. But then they couldn't be on the obscuring the north side of the warehouse, as the double track is on the south side of the warehouse.

Could there be a third track on the wharf, a single track on the north side of the closest warehouse?

The photo at the bottom shows where I think this track could be.

So if there was, what to do about it? In looking at my track plan, I concluded that I might be able to include this track by extending the current track I call the bakery track onto the wharf. I would have to widen the wharf a bit, but it is possible.

The revised track plan below shows how it might be implemented.  The other thing that is becoming more apparent to me is that the wharf has much more of a L shape than I planned. It may be possible for me to make my L shape larger. We'll see how that works out.

Is this the site of the mystery track?

The Mysterious Buildings of Aquia Landing

I've been jonesing to build the structures at Aquia Landing, but "real world" stuff keeps getting in the way.

Venom Balsa glider

One of the more interesting "real world" tasks was a laser cutting pro bono job for a local middle school STEM class that is doing an aviation project. They need a batch of balsa wood glider models for an aviation class. The plans are available on-line.

I cut 31 sets for them. It wasn't difficult, but it took several nights of feeding the laser. I enjoy supporting STEM education. That's why I've sponsored high school robotics teams in the past and did this project too. I am amazed at the level of technology these kids are doing in high school.

Individual planks

Despite house work, family chores, getting sick, and filling Alkem Scale Models orders, I was able to get a start on one of the warehouse buildings for Aquia Landing. I decided to make a plywood core that I covered with red cedar self-stick veneer. At first I was laying individual planks. But I found if I used a solid sheet of cedar and added the battens one-by-one the  look was the same as if I used individual planks under the battens with about half the work. I'll have to remember that as I do the other wharf buildings.   The windows are Tichy O scale castings.

However, I ran into a question, how to do the roof. In looking at the few photos I have, I'm pretty sure they didn't use shingles. In fact, the photos almost look like tar paper, or painted canvas. What do you think? I don't think they had tar paper in the ACW, so should I go with painted canvas?

Note the crude construction of the warehouses. There is little trim and none of the battens are straight or of consistent width. The roof on the back building looks like painted canvas or tar paper with vertical seams to me. If you look closely at the edge of the roof of the right hand building, you can see the purlins, and a thin layer on top, too thin to be wood shingles. 

Warehouse roof  looks like tar paper or painted canvas in these two images

The mysterious brick building

I always wondered about this photo. The archives says it was at Aquia Landing, but the brick building in the background had me stumped.   I examined the photo below in more detail and concluded that the "Transportaion" (sic)  tent in the left image was one in the line of tents in front of the red building in the picture below.  The features of the two buildings match, as do the tents. So the mysterious brick building is probably the one I colored in red below. What is the origin of this building and what happened to it, I don't know. But I like the fact that I can add a brick building to Aquia Landing to help add some variety to the mostly wood warehouses.

Probable brick building