Friday Fun

 Here is a shot I took recently of Haupt stopped at Potomac Creek Station. The engineer and conductor have dismounted and are in the cabin discussing the next move with the agent.

Don't Jump!

For several years I have been meaning to add a figure on a plank like shown in this prototype photo of Potomac Creek below. Today, I was preparing paper work for the NMRA Master Builder Prototype Models SOQ and I thought, "this is a good time."

Prototype photo that inspired the scene

So I dug out an appropriate figure from my stash. (Note to self - you have at least 10 pounds of unpainted figures in your stash. You don't need anymore.)

I found one that had a similar pose and style of dress. This figure came from Knuckleduster Miniatures  They offer a nice line of O scale Wild West figures that work for the ACW era. All those saloon figures are tempting me to add a saloon to my layout. But where?

It was a simple matter to build a plank, stack some rocks, and pose the figure.

I'll bet you thought this was going to tie into the stock market some how, didn't you?

Accokeek Creek Redo

New water surface at Accokeek Creek. The water fall over the spillway needs to be added next.

I reworked the water in Accokeek Creek this weekend.

Revised bank

For the front part of the creek, I wiped away the resin while it was still wet. After a few days I scraped away the old banks and built new banks with water putty. I did not like the way the old bank widened by the fascia. I also made the banks deeper. The terrain slopes here and the Magic Water would run to the front edge if I did not make the channel deeper at the fascia and less steep overall. It still has a slight pitch down toward the fascia.

Adding some texture before the pour

I did not worry too much about the ground cover, as I will add that when the resin cures. The resin will seep via capillary action up any ground scatter that is along the bank. So it is best to scenic the waters edge after the resin cures.

I used my photoflood to warm the resin as it cured. With the light shining it cured in about 2 hours to the point where I could add some ripples in the resin. I poked the resin with a wooden coffee stirrer to make the ripples.


For the back part of the creek, I repainted the banks and much of the existing resin surface to disguise the rusty red color. Then I poured a fresh layer of Magic Water with some brown and green drops of Testors enamel.

Resin with ripples

In a few days I will add some fresh texture to the banks with lots of tall weeds and grass.

I also added a thin layer of clear resin to the surface of Potomac Creek. This helps enhance the illusion of water depth. Still not sure what to do about ripples here.

Overall, I am very pleased with the Magic Water. I am now convinced that I will use this for the main water surfaces at Aquia Landing.

Love that dirty water

I added another layer of Magic Water to Potomac Creek. Before pouring the water I mixed in a few drops of Testors Enamel Dark Brown and Olive Drab Green. The effect of the muddy layer on top of the existing layer of water and dark creek bed is quite convincing.  This matches the colors I see when looking at satellite images of Potomac Creek.

I still have not decided what to do about the rusty water in Accokeek Creek. I suspect I will paint over it and start again with a treatment like Potomac Creek.

BTW That music video brings back memories of my time living next to the Charles at Tappa Kegma (really Kappa Sigma) while at the 'Tute. I even took sailing lessons on that river, but I never went in. It was very unhealthy when I was there. I understand they cleaned it up now. Got to love that dirty water.....

Toxic Spills and other Calamities

I am just about done with the Accokeek Creek area. To finish off the scene I built 4 wire trees and several smaller bushes from Supertrees and Sedum flower heads. I installed them on the slope above the creek in front of the simpler weed based trees.The wire trees and underbrush provide enough of a view block to help disguise the simpler trees behind. Together with the trees painted on the backdrop, the overall scene seems to work well.

I used Elmers water based wood putty and Liquidtex
Stucco Gesso to add bark texture to the trees.

The next step was to add water to Accokeek Creek. I added a layer of Magic Water to the Creek bed. For various reasons that seemed good at the time, I decided to tint the water with some brown laquer based paint. I ended up adding too much paint and the water came out too dark. I also had some resin leaking at the dam on the front edge where I used masking tape to seal the gap. I caught it before it made a big mess.

 I am not worried about the color as once the water is cured, I can fix it probably by painting it and adding a new layer of water.

Painting base coat on the wire trees

While I had the Magic Water out, I poured the water in Potomac Creek too. That tape dam did not leak.  I did not tint this water. Once the resin is cured on both streams, I will evaluate what else needs to be done.

The cows are  trying out some of the static grass. 

The paint tinting the water made it look like a toxic waste spill

Storage shed at Brooke Siding

While the resin was curing, I started building a storage shed at Brooke. This structure is 17 inches long and 6 inches deep. The slope of the hill prevented me from making it deeper.

Magic Water in Potomac Creek.

I used my DSLR for the three shots of finished Accokeek Creek. The others are handheld  iPhone shots. With my DSLR I used RAW and custom white balance settings. This results in photos with accurate color rendition on my monitor. In looking at static grass photos around the web,  I have noticed that static grass is hard to photograph  as its glossy texture tends to over saturate colors with most digital camera. It takes retouching with destaurate tools and levels/curves to make the static grass look correct.

More on the Engine Washington

The famous Beanpole and Cornstalks Bridge with a 4-4-0 engine and car,
 not the USMRR Washington, which was an 0-8-0.
High resolution version available here.

Summary
Identifying the service record of the Baldwin 256, an 0-8-0 engine in USMRR service as Washington, was difficult as the data conflicted and was  incomplete, and there was at least one typo in a source. To complicate matters,  there were three engines with that name in USMRR service.

This research indicates that the first engine to traverse the famous beanpole and cornstalk engine bridge was the USMRR Washington.


Supporting Details:

I sent Rich Hochadel a note with a question about the the engine Washington's entry in the USMRR Roster that he authored. Rich said that there were three engines with the name Washington in service and the data is contradictory.

Here is a note from Rich on how he arrived at his conclusions.

I've spent the morning and half the afternoon going through the research I used for the USMRR roster, seeing how I sorted the info on the three different Washington's in the Department of Virginia. 
Here's how I listed them:  1st Washington: Unknown-B  

2nd Washington: Baldwin-256  

3rd Washington: Norris-1038  

 First of all, I now realize that should be:  1st Washington: Unknown- B  

2nd Washington: Norris-1038  

3rd Washington: Baldwin-256 

A Russell photo of unknown-B in Alexandria in 1863.  Can anyone identify the builder?

 Going through the sources and notes provided by the R&LHS, I found that one person's roster had the Unknown-B as "captured at Fredericksburg Summer 1862," and another had Baldwin-256 as "Abandoned at Fredericksburg 1862." An undated "Statement of Locomotive Engines and Cars" provided by the R&LHS lists a Washington, costing $4500 (which would indicate Baldwin-258) lost "at Fredericksburg, under Gen'l Burnside," which would mean late 1862. 

 However, in his Memoirs Haupt quotes a telegram he sent to McDowell on May 14, 1863, concerning the new bridge over Potomac Creek, “I propose, as soon as I can get track timbers down and track closed, to pull over the engine Washington, by means of ropes. It if goes into the creek, it will cease to trouble us for awhile...” Since we know Haupt was disparaging Baldwin-256 in May of 1863, it must have been Unknown-B lost at Fredericksburg.  

The fact that there is no mention of the engine in official records after early May of 1862 also argues the same case, though it makes late 1862 seem less likely. The discrepancy in the "Statement" must be a clerical error, confusing Unknown-B, which was apparently never on the official roster, with Baldwin-256 when listing engines lost in action.  And I have no idea where I got the December 1962 date in my roster. As for documents at the National Archives. 

Some of the notes I got from the R&LHS are from sources identified as: 

• Engine book from Oct 1862 to Feb 1863 (#10 on cover) (Memphis? 
• Engine account book - Alexandria, Va., April thru July 1864
• Engine account book - Alexandria, Va., Dec 1864 thru Oct 1865 
• Engineers time book Engines on hand as of July 1, 1862 
• Engines repaired at Orange & Alexandria Shops - June thru Nov. 1862 
• Engines repaired at Orange & Alexandria Shops - Dec 1862 thru July 1863 
• Engines repaired at Orange & Alexandria Shops - August 1863 thru Feb 1864 
• Material account for Orange & Alexandria Shop - Feb to April 1862 (Tag #13)
• Materials and labors expended on engines at Alexandria, Va. April thru Sept. 1863 
• Material distributed at Alexandria, Va. May-Qug, 1862. (Tag #16) 
• Operating Expenses - Alexandria, Va. - June 1862 to Feb 1864 
• Statement of Locomotive Engines and Cars on Hand, present location also destroyed and where Statement of Locomotive Engines, Cost of same and from whom purchased 

 This is an excerpt from Haupt's Reminiscences (page 48) that mentions the engine Washington. Apparently it was not the best engine as Haupt didn't seem to mind if it fell in the river while testing the bridge.

The following telegram to General McDowell from Potomac Creek, May 14, 1863, reports some difficulties: There are so few men here able or willing to climb about on the high trestles, that I fear the work of bracing will be extremely tedious. Out of twelve men selected to spike poles on top of bents, only one made his appearance. I must therefore resort to new expedients. I propose, as soon as I can get track timbers down and track closed, to pull over the engine, Washington, by means of ropes. If it goes into the creek, it will cease to trouble us for awhile ; if it reaches the other side, it will have a good road and may keep the track. We can readily get cars over by planking between the tracks and pushing. The rain gives us much trouble, but I will spare no effort to get an engine to the Rappahannock by Saturday (17). Men are wet, dull and no life or activity in them. With all these difficulties, the bridge was finished in ample time, as the army did not move until May 26, and then it was a retrograde and not an advance movement.

The date on the telegram as quoted in Haupt's book has to be a typo as this incident happened in 1862, not 1863. If so, that helps corroborate that Baldwin 256 was the Washington in question. It must have  abandoned in Fredericksburg on August 31, 1862.

Here is a New York Times article with details of the evacuation of the Aquia line. Though full of interesting detail and somewhat biased reporting, it does not mention abandoning the engine. But since the Union had repair shops at Fredericksburg, it is possible it was left there.

September 3, 1862 
EVACUATION OF FREDERICKSBURGH.; 

Destruction of the Bridges, & The March to Aquia Creek. Safety of the Whole Command and its Materiel. 

 FREDERICKSBURGH, Va., Sunday, Aug. 31, 1862. continued during the fore part of the day, admonishes us that the Fall rains will soon be upon us, and with them that there will be an end to all effective use of Virginia roads. Narrow, steep, crooked, sticky and stony, one day's hard, rain is sufficient to render them almost impassable for wagons and artillery. The necessity of locking wheels while going down steep places, scoops outdeep holes in the roads, which soon become reservoirs of water, and grow into gullies and holes, which test the skill of drivers and the strength of the best army-wagons to pass safely through. To-day the roads are simply execrable, and two days more of rain would more effectually out off our "retrograde movement," than the most effective rebel force in the rear. 

Union rebuilding the railroad bridge at Fredericksburg
on May 6th, 1862.  

 Under the orders of the War Department, Gen. BURNSIDE might have vacated this place a week ago; but reluctant to abandon a position which has been so long held, and which has been deemed of so great strategetical importance -- and which might still become so -- he has moved with great deliberation, and has finally consented to fall back in strict conformity to orders -- not on account of the threatening attitude of the enemy's forces.

Meantime all the regimental baggage, material of war and army stores have been carefully sent away, and are saved. It is the first apparent retrograde movement of Gen. BURNSIDE, but I do not believe he regards it as in any sense a retreat. The motives of it, if I knew them, I would not be at liberty to reveal. 

Suffice it to say Fredericksburgh has been abandoned; the three bridges, which were constructed for connecting the two banks of the river for our own use, have been destroyed; the railroad buildings on the Falmouth side, including the offices of Post-Commissary and Quartermaster, with a small amount of stores only, have been consumed by fire; the machine-shop and foundry in the town of Fredericksburgh, formerly used to so good advantage by the rebels, but more recently occupied as a repairing shop for our engines and railroad, has been blown up, and the large bakery establishment at Falmouth has also been burned. So far as this position is concerned it is now being converted into a "howling wilderness" for the occupation of the rebel army, now soon to return, no doubt, to the place. The citizens of the town were surprised while on their way to church in the afternoon, by dense volumes of smoke arising over our encampment. In fact, I was surprised myself, and received the fact as a gentle token that I had better pay my livery stable and board bill, and transfer my interests to the northern bank of the Rappahanuock. On looking about me, I found an unusual commotion once more among the people of African descent in the town, and a decided tendency of the tide of emigration toward the wire bridge, which runs from the foot of Williamstreet. Knots of Secessionists congregate at the corners of the street, but particularly opposite the bridges, to witness the exodus of the white as well as the black population. Several Union families, who have recently been watched and threatened, took the hint, and packed up. Ladies, dressed in their Sunday-go-to-meeting, looked out of their windows, or congregated on the hill-tops, to see the Yankees go out, and Stonewall Jackson come in. After so long and grievous a suspense, and hopes deferred, who could grudge them this hour of elysium. I met on the bridge pioneers with axes, arid barrels of tar which they were industriously plastering along the walk, to render the structure the more inflammable. There were also piles of chips and rubbish deposited in the wooden frame-work which crowned the different stone abutments and sustained the wire cables which held up the bridge. In a few minutes more the torch would be applied, and -- a handsome bonfire to light the pious rebels the way to church. 

 As yet, however, the Provost Guard occupied the town, and the Eighth Connecticut were on picket duty, ten miles on the way to Richmond, scattered along the bowling green, the plank and telegraph roads. 

On reaching headquarters, at the Lacey House, I sound all the [???] had been struck; the ambulance and army wagons were hitched up; officers' horses were all saddled for a start, and everything [???] a decided movement. Infantry regiments stood in line upon the wide plain fronting headquarters; long lines of wagons and artillery occupied the main road, and calvary men [???] in their saddles ready for the word "march." in the midst of this serve the commanding General wax observed walking leisurely to and fro, dispatching orders to the different regiments, and watching in calm silence the movements of the various commands. It was indeed an hour of deep interest and concern to him. For days and nights he has watched with sleepless vigilance every movement of our own and the enemy's forces, as they affected his own position, and something of weariness could be detected in his usual elastic step. At this juncture a poor woman with three lovely children clinging to her side came up the hill and passed through the gate, bringing each of them some [???] article of household furniture. The quick eye of the General immediately recognized her as un excellent Union lady, of Fredericksburgh, who was escaping with her children and little effects from the town. "Have you anything else down at the bridge, Madam?" asked the General. "Only a bed and a few smail articles, Sir," she timidly answered. "Send down an ambulance, wagon-master, and have them brought up and carried to the depot," was the General's orders, and it was done, in a few minutes the poor widow had the pleasure of seeing all her remaining goods safely deposited on the cars for Aquia Creek. 

Meantime, all other arrangements having been completed, a mounted orderly was sent to the point to order the Eighth Connecticut, on picket duty, to retire. Col. HARLAN accordingly ordered his men to fall in, and they immediately fell back on the town. When they reached the river, the railroad and wire bridges were already on fire, and they went down and crossed on the only remaining bridge -- that constructed of canalboats -- at the lower part of the town. The Provost Guard had already been ordered to vacate the town. Shortly after 5 o'clock P.M. the torch was applied to the railroad station, which was already well consumed before the bridges were fired. Shortly before this was done, the Sixth New-York Cavalry came in from the direction of Barnett's Ford, and reported that an ambulance and wagon train which overtook them on the road was hurrying [???] with great speed, and reported that the rebels in considerable force were behind them, having crossed just above, and were pressing on their rear. General BURNSIDE and Staff were the rest to leave the ground, after seeing, everything [???] off, and proceeding along the [???]. The railroad train was filled with people, white and black, with their household goods, receive to [???], employees of the Aquia Creek Railroad, that they [???] engaged, night and day, for a seek just, [???] goods and [???] to and no [???] no hour of the night [???].Their kindness and considerate treatment of the poor contraband exiles, with their cart-loads of duds, also entitle them to the gratitude of the good everywhere. I regret that I do not know their names, to mention them in this place. 

 The march from the river to Aquia Creek was very difficult, and occupied the whole night. The roads, flooded by the morning rains, and cut up by incessant travel of animals, vehicles and cannon, were almost impassable in some places. Gen. BURNSIDE kept along with the train, and seemed always in the place where there was the most difficulty. On several occasions he dismounted, and standing leg deep in mud, put his shoulder to the wheels, and called on the men to imitate his example, in order to extricate the ambulances and wagons from deep holes in which they had become stalled. One ambulance was upset near Station No. 9, and three or four persons who were in it narrowly escaped being killed. One or two other teams were disabled by the breaking of axles or [???], but nothing of a serious character occurred on the road. 

 By daylight nearly the whole of the immense train was safely through the hills, and encamped within sight of the landing. Without waiting for sleep, an hour of which he has scarcely experienced for forty-eight hours, Gen. BURNSIDE rode up to the hillsides overlooking the place, and selected positions where batteries were planted to enfilade the approach to the landing. 

 As an additional protection, four gunboats He atanchor within easy shot of the roads which must bepassed in approaching the position. Gen. BURNSIDE's Division is all right. Further this deponent saith not.

 _____ E. S.

Half a million on the 150th Anniversary

This week marks two milestones for the USMRR Aquia Lines.

First, the beginning of April marks the 150th anniversary of the completion of the arched truss bridge at Potomac Creek. I don't know the exact date, so this will do.

Also, this weekend the blog saw it's 500,000 page view.  Thanks to all those that visited. I hope you found it worth while. Let's try for another half million.

New photos discovered...

Well, new to me at least. The Huntington Library in California recently updated their website with a collection of Andrew Russell photos that were in the collection of J.B. Clough. Clough was the chief engineer on the USMRR Aquia Line and others.  I mentioned him in a blog posts here, here and here.

Of the new photos in this collection were several showing engines by the Alexandria roundhouse and a new view of the Potomac Creek Bridge.

The freight car in the upper corner is interesting, but otherwise the photo did not provide any new significant information. It does show the rock face under the bridge very clearly. By the look of the terrain, I believe that is the southern abutment. So this photo is looking west.

It is fun when you discover some new material.



If you are wondering why no there were no blog updates over the weekend, I was on a trip to Cresson, PA to railfan with some NTRAK friends. This trip has become an annual rite to celebrate Jake's birthday. He likes it cold and snowy and he got his wish. It was frigid, but we had fun. These videos give you an idea of the conditions we had.

Potomac Creek Plus

Remember when this scene looked like this?

Test Run at Potomac Creek with a music overdub

I reworked the video slightly and added a music track overdub. It is a bagpipe piece called "Farewell to the Max/Athol Highlanders" by The Crossing.  This is also a higher resolution version. Blow up the viewer to see the HD.





I also experimented with the static grass machine this weekend. It works well and I will do a more detailed post later.

First test run over the sceniced Potomac Creek

I spent the past few evenings making masters to cast. But in the meantime, I made this short video to document the first test run over the sceniced Potomac Creek scene.

The light at the end of the...bridge?

It was a busy weekend and by the end of it, the Potomac Creek bridge scene was almost done. The scenery needs to dry so that I can install the final layer of details and add the resin water. But I am getting ahead of myself.

Gerry spiking rail at Brook

On Saturday, the USMRR Construction Corps showed up for a work session. Gerry Fitzgerald was the instigator, as he emailed me earlier in the month requesting a session. He went to work spiking rail at Brooke.

JB Weilepp installed stumps along the backdrop behind the cemetery.

John Drye worked on building a revetment for the battery that the rebels originally built on the south side of the bridge, but now used by the Union Army. Records from the archives show only two 3 inch rifles assigned to guard the bridge.

JD working on the gun position

Doug Gurin and Marty McGuirk worked on twisting pairs of floral wire for trees. Marty followed Grodon's Gravett's technique while Doug used the Harvard Forestry Museum technique to create pairs. Doug's technique involved twisting increasing smaller loops. It created very detailed, but smaller branches. Marty's pairs left the long end of the wire untwisted, so they will make a nice big tree. I suggested he aim for a Tulip Tree (also called Yellow Poplar in Virginia). They are characterized by tall straight trucks with a large crown. I may try using Dougs pairs with a a heavier gauge wire trunk to simulate a yellow pine, but there still is the pesky issue of the pine needles.

Doug watching JB ad stumps behind the cemetery. Photo by Gerry

The model trees did not get finished, but they made enough pairs to make at least two good sized foreground trees.

Here I am installing the road using Durhams
Water Putty. Photo by Gerry

I worked on the Potomac Creek scene. I added a dirt road with a simple road bridge over the creek.

After a dinner break, we watched a VHS copy of a silent, 1935 era film showing how the Harvard Museum workers made the dioramas for the forest museum. That was a neat video, though I must admit I dozed off during it. They actually used photo etched pine needles for their model pine trees! I wonder if I should try that?

Later that evening some of my daughter's friends, Chris Dembowski and  Becka James visited the layout.

On Sunday, it was quite rainy, so I spent the afternoon and evening trying to finish up the Potomac Creek scene, I added lots of background trees, stumps and debris around the bridge piers. I touched up the backdrop in a few places to better blend with the foreground scenery.

Then I built a 28mm wagon kit from Perry. I added a canvas cover using cooking parchment paper. I tried using tissue, but it did not hold up when I painted it. I lettered it for 5th Corps Supply Train, the unit stationed near Potomac Creek. I used a fine marker to add the letters. I gave it a basic paint job, as it will be a background model.

This is not an very accurate model for an 1860s era Army Escort Wagon, as the feed trough is missing, the front seat is different and the detailing of the wood sides is not exactly right. But it does have the overall, correct appearance, so it works well in the background. The mules that came with the kit are nice models including the tack and hardware attached to the mules. I did not model the straps and reins. That would be a challenging model to try at some point.

The wagon helps hide the seam where the road meets the backdrop.

Good overview of the road bridge and wagon

A view from under the bridge looking toward the backdrop

The artillery revetment on the south rim of the gap.

Log Cribbing for Potomac Creek

Prototype photo showing the disused log cribbing underneath the arch truss bridge

Home made Lincoln Logs!

 As the scenery at Potomac Creek station is nearly done, I moved over to working on the creek scene under the bridge.

The first step was to build the log cribbing under the truss.  The cribbing is a remnant from the trestle. The cribbing acts as a foundation for the wooden stories of the trestle. When they removed the trestle, they didn't bother removing the cribbing.

I made the first three cribs with sticks from weeds that I collected. But I did not like the way they were coming out. They were too rough. So I laser cut 1/4 inch aspen wood into the proper shape to allow them to interlock and have the correct amount of batter (the set-back angle from top to bottom). Then I whittled and sanded each stick to a log-like shape. I used a miniature back saw to scribe bark detail in each long. Then I stained the logs and let them dry.

Next the cribs will be glued down and filled with rock.

This whole process was much more tedious than I planned. The taller cribs had 35 logs each. It took three nights of work to prepare the logs and assemble the cribs. But they came out nice and I am happy with them.

I had to cut away some of the pink foam scenery base to fit the cribs. Once the cribs are glued down, they will get filled with rocks. Then I will scatter logs, lumber debris and other flotsam around the cribs and finish the scenery details. There are lots of stumps and small bushes in the creek bottom, but very few trees.

As for the rest of  the scene, you can see the proposed location for a foot bridge near the backdrop. The footbridge will help hide the spot where the creek touches the backdrop. I also roughed in a trail under the bridge leading to the footbridge.

Proposed footbridge in the rear and the planned trail leading up to it.

A view of what the terrain at the creek bottom looked like in the ACW. It is now completely overgrown with
trees and bushes. Note the foot bridge. It was big enough to support wagon and artillery traffic.

USMRR Construction Corps

Seven new figures arrived on the layout today. These guys put the figure count for the layout at 246 painted and installed.

Three Perry Metal figures from their camp vignette. They are very well sculpted, though my wife remarked that they
don't look well proportioned with oversized heads, a trait that many wargaming figures share. Nonetheless, I like how
their expressions seem somewhat forlorn as they watch the regiment of 2-year men heading home.

An Arista flag man converted with an Old Glory Hardee Hat head and new paint. I had to modify the hat to remove
the military insignia. With those striped pants and a mauve vest, he is quite dapper for a flagman!

Other than adding some tree stumps in the background, this scene is complete. The sergeant is whooping it up,
while the private remains impassive at attention.

Stockaded Sibley Tent

I installed a Sibley tent from Empress Miniatures and an Old Glory 28mm Supply wagon to the Potomac Creek station scene.  The tent is not 100 percent accurate for a Sibley tent. I believe the model was based on a British 19th Century Colonial bell tent. But I like the way the furled flaps were represented, so I installed it with the opening facing the front. Eventually there will be two figures standing in the opening, so detailing the interior was limited to just straw on the floor.

To stockade the tent was quite simple. The Empress Miniatures tent is a thick plastic casting with a pronounced recessed edge at the base. I was able to glue small twigs split in half to this recessed edge. I test fit the logs against the uneven ground, trimming the logs to fit. Then I spread some tan static grass on the ground to represent the straw flooring for the tent. I glued the tent in place with carpenter's yellow glue. Then I applied some scenic material to blend the tent into the scene.

The wagon is an Old Glory 25mm war gaming model. It is built quite sturdy for rough handling during gaming. It would not make a good foreground model, but is acceptable in the background. The color reference came from the paint chips in Lindmier's book, "The Great Blue Army Wagon." I may add a canvas cover later, though I like the look for the red interior.

Installing the Carpenter's Shed

I installed the carpenter's shed and added a few other miscellaneous details to the Potomac Creek Station scene. It is almost done.

The table is completely laser cut with a pin for the vise handle.

Here are some close ups of the interior of the shed. The tools, work table, shelves and other details will soon be a new kit from Alkem Scale Models.

I plan to make a removable roof for the shed so the interior can be more easily seen.

  

Many soldiers died from disease while in camp. Reference photos and drawings show the grave sites surprisingly close to the camps. This Waud drawing of a graveyard near Stoneman's station was the inspiration.

Finally some trains in the pictures.  Here she is rounding the bend past the cemetery.

The figure on the left is an Artisa conversion. I changed his head and added the vest. The figure  on the right is an engine fireman by SMR. The background figure with the apron is a wild west shop keeper from Rabble UK.

It's getting there.

Track bumper, grain sacks and more trees

I added a few details to the Potomac Creek scene including an end of track bumper for the stub siding at Potomac Creek, some grain sacks and more trees.

The Waud drawing at the left was the inspiration for the track bumper seen below. I used 1/4 inch scale lumber and a few NBWs to simulate the bumper. I sized it so the horizontal beam is the same height as the couplers. It's a simple detail, but it really completes that section of the layout.

I tried an experiment using Sculpey polymer clay (Oven Hardening) to make some grain sacks. This clay is available at most craft stores and comes in a variety of colors. It can also be painted once it is hard.

I cut and modeled the clay to look like grain sacks
I have seen in some prototype photos such as this.

I used a piece of slate as a baking surface based on some reports I read where metal pans can cause the clay to burn while cooking. The slate worked well and 15 minutes at 275 degrees did not burn the clay and it set rock hard.

Once it cooled, I primed and painted the sacks. The clay is not as easy to sculpt as the two part epoxy, maybe because I am not as accustomed to using it as the two part epoxy. But it is cheap and easy to get started.

Watching the parade from the top of hard tack boxes

Grain sacks on the platform. The more I think about this, the more likely I am to show this roof under construction
with some workers involved in putting on the roof pieces.

I added a few more trees to the woods. I'll post more detail about these later.