Home Page › Forums › Modeling the Missouri Pacific, Texas & Pacific, etc › Mopac or Texas & Pacific layouts › I’ve bit the bullet, Jan. 15, 2011 › Reply To: I’ve bit the bullet, Jan. 15, 2011
I’d used Central Valley (CVT) tie strip for a long time. This strip was molded in black, like everything else CV produced. Then I ordered more this spring, and it came in as brown, actually like milk chocolate brown. CVT told me this was a permanent change, so live with it. Actually, she was very polite, but definite. So I experimented with painting, using light sprays of black, railroad tie brown and different weathering colors, and I have to admit this stuff actually looks better than the old. So I learned something. I’m keeping some of the old for use with matching in specific places, but it looks like some of the last old stuff that I put down needs to come up, since there’s a hump I didn’t see before. Fortunately there’s no rail on any of this.
I ran out of the old matte varnish that I was using, and that particular brand has also been discontinued, so I tried Woodland Scenics Scenic Glue (the heavy stuff, not Scenic Cement). I think I like this better, since it’s stickier than the old stuff. It’s also fairly viscous, so it’s harder to spread, but it works.
In order to connect these modules to the temporary yard, I need another jumpover. This one will have a turnout on it, since the temporary yard only has one track in and out on each end. Once this is in place, and I get some rail laid in the new modules, it’ll be possible to run through (to the next dead end, anyway).
Ron Merrick
