Lompoc Track and Paint

One of the features I really like about the Southern Pacific track into Lompoc is the street running.  Take a look at my earlier March 14, 2011 post on Lompoc http://spsbsub.blogspot.com/2011/03/lompoc-part-i.html

I had hoped to use the Easy Street system from Proto 87 but I tried and found it just was not working for me.  I think I am not a good enough modeler.  I was getting derailments mainly due to the rails being out of gauge and the joints between the pieces of girder rail.  I decided to take it out and put in regular track and "pave over" the ties to make it still seem like street running.



Girder rail in place at west Lompoc. 
Note the brass strip is conductive track power connection



Girder rail and street turnout at west end of Laurel Street.



Side view of the girder rail.



Girder rail removed and slot for the tie strip prepared



Slot for tie strip and turnout



Tie strip in place

Tie strip and turnout strip laid in slot



Gluing tie strip and styrene street - weighted by full size spikes


Lompoc and White Hills are the two sections on the upper deck that are made using Homosote and plywood.  I decided to paint the Homosote.  I taped all the tracks and quickly added a "dirt" paint.  At White Hills, I added white latex paint to the "dirt" paint to lighten it up and make it look more like diatomaceous earth.



Tape on tracks along Laurel Street, Lompoc



Tape on tracks approaching White Hills

Tape on tracks at west White Hills



Tape on tracks at east White Hills

 

Lompoc Yard after paint

 

Lompoc approach after paint. 
The colored squares to the right of the tracks are flowers in the making. More in a later post.



West White Hills after paint. 
Note that this area is covered by white diatomaceous earth thus the color.



East White Hills after paint


While I was painting, I decided I would paint the hardboard behind the future location of the Santa Barbara depot.


Hardboard behind Santa Barbara depot location with primer.