The ROCK 3.0: In Memory of Grandpa

I'm very sad to report that Grandpa Eulice is no longer with us.  He has been sick since December 1st and we knew it was only a matter of time.

Here is a video tribute I made to him while home in Illinois at Christmas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcWuC7tt2UA

It's a sad day at the ROCK.

The ROCK 3.0: Kitbashing Project Update

This evening, I worked on the unloading shed for the Libbey-Owens-Ford sand storage silo.  It took me about an forty-five minutes to complete this section.  I'm using Evergreen Seam Roof Styrene with 3/8" spacing #4523.  I used three windows from the Walthers George Roberts Printing kit.

I like this photo as you can see LOF in the foreground and the Ottawa Silica plant in the background.

The ROCK 3.0: Farm Update plus Kitbashing Begins

Late last night, I completed the grain elevator and placed over at Franklin Farms.

This evening, I began work on kitbashing my Libbey-Owens-Ford Sand Storage Silo structure.  I have started off with cardboard cylinders that I found leftover from a Girl Scout project.  I then cut styrene for the first section before the loading shed.

The prototype.  You will notice that the bottom of the silos have a concrete wall that goes around base.  The section I'm working on tapers off toward the last silo.  There is also a dock door here.  

I will fill in the gaps with Testors Contour Putty

So far, so good.  I am just a novice at kitbashing so don't expect amazing work here.  I will try to do my best though to make a reasonable representation of the facility.  

I have only kitbashed one other structure in my life.  It was the barn that resides at Franklin Farms.

Here is the barn on v1.0 of the layout.

Here it is today at Franklin Farms.

The ROCK 3.0: Farm Update

I didn't get very much done on the layout this evening.  I did manage to add a few more details to grain elevator.

The ROCK 3.0: Various Progress Update

I was lazy the first half of the day on Saturday.  I returned from a shopping trip and decided it was best to succumb to a nap.

When I came to hours later, I went up to the layout room.  My wife was working on cutting up fabric and working through the monster pile of stuff that had been placed on the workbench.  Finally, I came out of my funk of a nap and noticed the late afternoon sun shining on Franklin Farms.  I snapped a few photos.

While Carrie was working, I started work on a few oil tanks I had found the other day when rummaging through my building parts.  I placed one at Franklin Farms and two over in Ottawa Yard.

Later in the evening after dinner, we return to the layout room.  I worked on the layout stopping occasionally to help clean/organize Carrie's stuff as well vacuum the room.  I found the NJ International Twin Fuel Tank Facility kit the other night and decided to place this over at Ottawa Yard for diesel fuel storage.  I think they will work out well there.

  

I also found the walls for a small brick building.  I have no clue what this came from, but constructed it and added a styrene metal roof.  I will have to find windows for it later as well as paint the roof.

I found a walkway and some street lights to use for the smaller oil tanks.

Overall the scene is coming together as I add various things.

Old RI Box Car wrecked is now being used for storage.

Looks like the RI plans is doing some repairs to a CB&Q baggage car.

I found a small shed, but no roof.  I will have to make one.

I then turned my focus to the Highway 51 Bridge.  It is the bridge to nowhere.  The original kit didn't stretch all the way across Water Street as well.  I purchased another Rix Products 50' bridge expansion with pier.  Now, I need to mark the yellow lines and weather it up to match the original bridge.

While home at Christmas, my wife's Grandfather Eulice gave me a t-shirt of Pike County, IL (where they live) as he knows I love the area so much.  Grandpa has never given me much over the years as it has always been about what us kids could do for them.  It was a simple gift that I love very much.  The only issue was the t-shirt was too small.  I tried to track down a replacement while in Illinois, but I had no such luck.  I told Carrie I want to display it in the layout room somehow to remember Grandpa.  She found this old rustic wood picture frame we had and placed the t-shirt in it.  It worked out great and now hangs in our hallway upstairs.  I'm very pleased.

It was getting to be pretty late, but Carrie was still working, so I opened up my next project which is a Rix Products grain elevator kit to add to the two 30' Rix Products Grain Storage Bins that I already had at Franklin Farms.  I was able to get part of the elevator assembled before calling it a night.  I should be able to finish up tomorrow with no problem.  The kit makes two 60' elevators on one 120' elevator.  I only needed the one 60' elevator for now.

Overall, it was a really nice evening spent working together in the same room with my wife.  That was the whole idea of downsizing the layout room.  Now, that the workbench is cleared, I'm hoping we can do more of that as I manage to get a lot complete.