# HO Truck Repair Shop: Mountaingoat

**URL:** https://sierrawestforum.discourse.group/t/ho-truck-repair-shop-mountaingoat/310
**Category:** HO Scale Builds
**Created:** [February 26, 2026, 10:12pm UTC](https://sierrawestforum.discourse.group/t/ho-truck-repair-shop-mountaingoat/310 "2026-02-26T22:12:34Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![mountaingoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@mountaingoat](https://sierrawestforum.discourse.group/u/mountaingoat)
#### Post date: [February 26, 2026, 10:12pm UTC](https://sierrawestforum.discourse.group/t/ho-truck-repair-shop-mountaingoat/310/1 "2026-02-26T22:12:34Z")

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This thread was started in March 2020

**Mountaingoat**  
I am in the process of building the Railroad Camp, but decided to split the buildings up as I won’t position them the same as Brett suggested. I actually started this last September, but had to move from Hawaii to South Carolina around the holiday time. Knowing that, I did not want to start a discussion with a huge gap or glue the walls together as they pack much better flat.

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/sierrawestforum/original/2X/8/824d484c67d9e7c34940b251ea61022bd4944371.jpeg)

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/sierrawestforum/original/2X/7/7d7445a9da8273cc2f0ce3eaf911e7c0997e5a65.jpeg)

So I have progressed since getting unpacked and setup to model again. So far all is per the instructions. Here is a serious jump forward.

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/sierrawestforum/original/2X/7/7d7445a9da8273cc2f0ce3eaf911e7c0997e5a65.jpeg)

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/sierrawestforum/original/2X/3/3c9c64656a8029b4ce8010419b570d31ba30d0c2.jpeg)

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/sierrawestforum/original/2X/6/6b85034069711a29fe73eac73278c3d5333bfeb3.jpeg)

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/sierrawestforum/original/2X/d/d332a92af27ccf73a241179b7a997f43da548185.jpeg)

I am taking things slightly out of order as I wanted to address lighting and the roof before I did all the outside details. I also decided to do real cedar shingles. I cut shingles from sheet cedar from Sierra Scale Models then gave them a quick soak in Hunterline Driftwood stain. Here is a couple quick shots of where I am now with the shingles. Haven’t tackled the lighting yet.

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/sierrawestforum/original/2X/3/35b961847b9c47f27a71dc72c56a77f7c2e89384.jpeg)

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/sierrawestforum/original/2X/0/04c2e4ace3e68ab2e951ac97bc81c3f95ec8351f.jpeg)

Time consuming for sure, but I think worth the effort.

All comments and suggestions welcome.

Rick  
**Comments**

**brownbr**  
March 2020  
Efforts paid off. Very nice.

**Robert.G**  
March 2020  
Very well done so far. The colors are great, on the castings and the wood. Singles are looking good aswel. Nice work you show us here Rick.

**Mountaingoat**  
March 2020  
Thanks Robert, Bryan and engine909. All your comments are encouraging. That’s what I like about this forum. Of course there will be more weathering and blending as I proceed. Photos when I have more to show.

**TomMich**  
March 2020  
Nicely done Rick. Castings are painted and weathered very well. I like the real wood shingles. Certainly worth the effort.

**admin**  
March 2020  
Superb Rick! Everything is coming together so well. Can’t wait to see more. Thank you for sharing your build with us.

**KKarns**  
March 2020  
Hey Rick, wonderful modeling and detail work! Really nice to see you posting your work here. The shingles are going up nicely and are giving the structure a great look. Following along closely…Ken

**kebmo**  
March 2020  
your wood tones on the walls and shingles is spot on. nice work!

**Mountaingoat**  
March 2020  
Thank you Tom, Brett, Ken, and Kevin. All of you are very supportive. Here is the finished roof. A bit more weathering, but very little. I think I like it as is. Suggestions?

What is interesting is how all the shingles were stained together in a single batch, but how differently they absorbed the stain. The broken shingles are natural as well. Very fragile.

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/sierrawestforum/original/2X/5/590bc8a169a66029ff35bfa33eed1f4dc9d3c1fb.jpeg)

The roof is not fastened down. Off to lighting and many more castings to paint.

Rick

**Robert.G**  
March 2020  
The roof color is very good. You might considder adding some moss at the edges of the shingles here and there.

**brownbr**  
March 2020  
I really like the roof. Robert is the master of moss on shingles. Check out his supply shed build for an example. You could also make a tarpaper patch to add interest.

**kebmo**  
March 2020  
personally i would leave it alone. it looks perfect as is…

**Mountaingoat**  
March 2020  
Thanks guys for all the comments. Robert, you do phenomenal work and Bryan agrees with your approach while Kevin likes it as is. It is a personal taste issue. I am not modeling an area that is that moist. I do show some dry rot at the base of the walls though.

Everyone’s support definitely keeps me striving to improve.

**TomMich**  
March 2020  
Shingle color turned out great! I especially like the few broken shingle. Not overdone just right. Roof looks used but not neglected.

**Mountaingoat**  
March 2020  
Thank you Tom and Ed. It is encouraging to get these comments.

So, with staying home for obvious reasons gives extra modeling time. I wanted to add lighting to this structure. I decided the best was to add a beam down the middle of the building with a couple lamps on it. I drilled out a couple old lamp shades I had and used warm white pico LED’s that are prewired ready to go with the resistors already in line from Evans Design. (There are other suppliers.) I used these as no magic is needed. Jost install, hook to 5-12v and you are good. The pico LED’s are so small, they fit through the hole I drilled. The super small wire is run along the underside of the 6X8 beam. I then used Micro Kristal Clear to fill in below the LED and look more like a bulb.

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/sierrawestforum/original/2X/d/d25173ff48f50c1509068592dbd0f61adf48eb29.jpeg)

I chalked the wire to help blend it into the wood coloring. I ran the wire down the wall next to the cabinet and behind the tire leaning against the wall. Third photo down. You can’t see it through any of the doors. Here are the results.

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/sierrawestforum/original/2X/e/ee7cb6582778d0c426ffe1f8265f55c63dc4543c.jpeg)

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/sierrawestforum/original/2X/c/c9b6861c649f245f8a7a4b3eaa28ff6986b49450.jpeg)

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/sierrawestforum/original/2X/5/5a6107652bfed3c174d5094d38992c6a7fe18fec.jpeg)

Now to work on the exterior details.

**kebmo**  
March 2020 edited March 2020  
lighting it up looks excellent. great looking model so far.

i wish i had the balls to try lighting.  
i’m clueless.

**Robert.G**  
March 2020  
The lights sure make a difference. Now one can see your nice work on the interior.

**brownbr**  
March 2020  
Great job on the lights. They always make a difference.

**admin**  
March 2020  
Lighting looks fantastic, really shows off your super wood weathering skills.

**Joel**  
March 2020  
Sorry just cathcing up. The lighting adds a whole new dimension and showcases all the interior details. The roof is fantastic.

**KKarns**  
March 2020  
Well done on the lighting Rick. Makes those interior details feel appreciated!..

**KCSTrains**  
March 2020  
Rick, I don’t believe we have corresponded since I’ve been off the forum for about a year. I like your build and have used individual cedar shingles on my previous build. A lot of work but very believable. With regard to the Evan Design lights, can you remind me again what resistors are required if you are going to use a 9 volt battery to power the lights. I know it will depend on the number of lights, but can you tell me the formula? Thanks. Phil

**Mountaingoat**  
March 2020  
All the comments are very encouraging. It is good to hear from many I admire.

To answer your question Phil, the LED’s as I purchase them already have the resistor installed.

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/sierrawestforum/original/2X/9/9abea8e15e2699b362be3ab12042decb5260a928.jpeg)

They are prewired and ready to operate on anything between 5 and 13 volts DC. I shot the photo on the dime so you can see how small the pico size really is. Very simply the + or pos lead is the red and the - or neg lead is the green. I am amazed at how much light such a tiny LED can give off.

Do power one up before installation so you can see which side needs to face down. It is not off the end like a standard bulb, but otherwise just too easy. Many are intimidated for the wrong reasons. It’s the same as the first time you look at a SW kit. Dive in!

**Mountaingoat**  
March 2020

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/sierrawestforum/original/2X/b/bfbb32152cd404099d18c0ada7782150a0eb6bce.jpeg)

The second photo didn’t post correctly the first try.

**KCSTrains**  
March 2020  
Rick, thanks that was helpful. Phil

**kebmo**  
March 2020  
okay, okay. i’m convinced. i’ll give it a shot.

**Mountaingoat**  
March 2020  
I am coming to completion on this model, but wanted to show the results of the lighting for those hesitant to try it.

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/sierrawestforum/original/2X/8/88721461f752fa8b8c5609ed05f81dadc1cd19a4.jpeg)

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/sierrawestforum/original/2X/0/02b3207d4eb860cdde852a1a673a4c502d5489a6.jpeg)

I’ll post my final photos soon.

Rick

**KCSTrains**  
March 2020  
Lighting always makes a big differences. You don’t want to spend so much time on the inside castings and can’t see them in the model. BTW, how did you hide/attach the wires to the light? Phil

**Mountaingoat**  
March 2020  
Phil,  
Here are 2 photos showing angles no viewer should normally see. The magnet wire on the LED’s is so small, a little chalk coloring blends it into the underside of the beam. Again, the viewer would have to look below ground level up under to see it at all. Where it runs down the wall is a fairly obscure location that is visible in the super magnified photo, but not where the viewer would normally look.

Yes, I am posting photos that most would never show, (not pretty) but the question was asked.

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/sierrawestforum/original/2X/d/dd5b497ba6afb3a0a562d589a3f9a1d0d6a761b4.jpeg)

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/sierrawestforum/original/2X/2/2f99113e7ac9941fb951f6bf7423a6f96cb961f6.jpeg)

**Mountaingoat**  
March 2020  
A few final photos. All the interior has been shown above so just 4 outside to finish. Sometime in the future, I will look to add a truck in the bay, but that will be much later.When I am ready to integrate this into the layout, I will do more varied vegetation to blend it in and possibly a few more details around the outside. So for now, this will go into protective custody till I am ready for it.

On to the office warehouse part of the Railroad Camp kit. That will be a different post.

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/sierrawestforum/original/2X/c/cc7c1626d8690f1a028e3f273a53da53a9001c27.jpeg)

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/sierrawestforum/original/2X/f/fb093be279de1e639a801f558fe3ff600963e936.jpeg)

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/sierrawestforum/original/2X/9/90b0cf2059c3d79d1ff88110147bc7d890fa6078.jpeg)

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/sierrawestforum/original/2X/3/354cad16d3ef6160067905d93901c74d22fd9061.jpeg)

Thanks for looking.

**petet**  
March 2020  
Rick

Looks awesome. What did you use for base, styrofoam?

**Mountaingoat**  
March 2020  
The base is pink insulation foam. Very light, but sturdy. One caution. I rattle canned the base color on the foam and warped a bit. Hit both sides if you use the same method or use latex paint even better.

**Jerry**  
March 2020  
Very nice!

Jerry

**mikemettelka**  
March 2020  
I’m assuming they are easy to power up? I was considering using the “just plug” stuff from woodland scenics. I’ve used them on some off topic kits that I started and was pretty happy with them.

**Mountaingoat**  
March 2020  
Any DC power from 5-12V. Hook up two wires and that’s it. Just be sure of polarity.

Rick

**Robert.G**  
March 2020  
Good solution.

**KKarns**  
March 2020  
Looks great Rick. Excellent detail work and the lighting provides such a nice effect. Might want to re-set or pile a bit of rubbish up against the bottom of the broom, there appears to be a slight gap. I often file the bottom at an angle so when the broom is leaning against something the leading edge is making contact with the floor. Love that scene it’s in…Ken

**Mountaingoat**  
March 2020  
Thanks Ken. I appreciate you studying the photos. I never see all the little issues. I did file the bottom some but obviously not enough. Will correct it.

Rick

**brownbr**  
March 2020  
That’s how I usually hide my wires…in plain sight. You can stack a piece of lumber there also if you like.

I got an email from a friend of mine Tom Sullivan. He sent me some pics of a build from a “pretty talented guy”. Guess who that was.

**Mountaingoat**  
March 2020  
Yes, I met Tom after moving to South Carolina. We are in an ops group together. He lives about 15 minutes from me too. He is a decent modeler himself and about to get started on a new layout after he moved into a new home.

Rick

**KCSTrains**  
March 2020  
Thank you. I would have never thought that chalk would have adhered to this magnet wire. I’ll give it a try. Phil

**Mountaingoat**  
March 2020  
Chalk/alcohol. Chalk by itself will not stick well.

**KCSTrains**  
March 2020  
Sorry. That’s what I meant. Thanks for your help. Phil