Katzhagen - Archive - November 2013
Workshop time
Several buildings were renovated during the last winter and this work has been continued in the beginning of autumn. Short after the work on two buildings was done, a pear tree - which never had fruits until the layout was started - bombarded the loco shed with its big fruits. The loco shed redeemed this being more or less mortally offended. Short after that, in the beginning of November, a really heavy storm fractionized the brewery's main building. So far as for maintenance efforts...
The results:
Fresh paint and the fashionable blue roof...
Store front - the entrance was equipped with an exterior light (Beli-Beco).
A few details bring life to the unostentatious roof.
New brightness for the shopping mall.
Brewing can now be continued.
The renovation process
always starts with a profound cleaning of each building to remove the dirt which was caught outside over the years. This is done best with a smooth brush and lots of water in the shower.Next the buildings are taken apart as far as possible in order to simplify the painting which is up next. This way a masking orgy for painting which is done with the airbrush gun can be avoided.
After painting is done, the parts are put together again and letterings which need to be replaced can be made from scratch and applied. In case of the shopping mall the lettering both had faded and chipped off partially. A scan of the old lettering was revised at the computer and printed onto weatherproof selfadhesive white film (Zweckform).
The final step is applying a coat of semi-matte clear varnish to the building for an improved protection.
Without words...
Loco shed after its repair and renovation
Showtime...
... or what one can make from an ex-factory product.See the ex-factory state by moving the mouse pointer onto the pictures.
The original electronics were replaced with a self built board.
Replacement of the disappointing ex-factory illu with bright LEDs
Unfortunately, there is no "pre-mod picture" of the less enlighting ex-factory illumination. The new LEDs make the interior clearly visisble.
A lot of potential
for little modifications with a great effect is hidden in this model of a RhB steel car.Care apparently was taken in doing the car's illumination but the goal obviously wasn't reached for operations in analog mode. On the one hand the illumination reaches its full brightness only above 9V on the track (say no light when the train is standing still) and on the other there is a massive lack of the illumination's uniformity. Fortunately, one is able to help oneself...
A little paint in the interior for the oddments trays and the waste baskets as well as decorating the electric cabinet's scales accent these details. It's the same with the car's facesides: All details are there and just fine - a little paint enforces them significantly. The small parts were dismounted first and primed for giving them the correct paint. Then they were masked, varnished and finally a coat of clear semi-matte varnish was applied. All painting was done with the airbrush gun.
Details on the distribution panel
A little paint results in a quite different impression...
Face side - Is that the same car ??
A complete description of the modifications applied to this car can be found in the projects area.
