Well, the layout segment experiment is complete, and now it no longer exists.
It was cut up today and loaded into the dumpster for its trip to the Lee County landfill.
Stay tuned for the next STRATTON AND GILLETTE project.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Track fiddlerThat S&G 4 locomotive sure is a character. The thing looks like it has eyes man. I know you have shown that before but where did you get it and what is it called.
STRATTON AND GILLETTE #4 is a treasure.
I started a new thread in General Discussion about our best treasures that has more information.
Great job Kevin. Everything looks really good. I especially like the wooden portal seen.
That S&G 4 locomotive sure is a character. The thing looks like it has eyes man. I know you have shown that before but where did you get it and what is it called.
Well I have to tell you I always enjoy when you do a step by step project. It's entertaining and fun to see it all go together.
Thanks
TF
I have been spending the last week doing a lot of experimental photography on the layout test segment.
Also, for the past couple of years I have been making photography scenes on a poseable 30 by 30 inch diorama board. This I have enjoyed a lot.
I built a couple of "scenic areas" into the layout test segment to see what it would be like to pose photo-props on a layout. This has been so much fun, and more successful than I anticipated.
This has settled one thing. On the final layout, permanent scenery will be minimal. I will be able to pose interesting scenes all over the layout. The permanent scenery will be just neat rolling green hills and roadways. Eveything else, as much as practical, will be able to be posed for interesting photography.
Tank car scene normal and enhanced:
Gondola scene normal and enhanced:
I really like this. I am glad I tried it out.
rrinker Plaster built on a webbing is remarkably strong. Just don't try to push yourself up on it.
This was a very pleasent surprise.
In the past, I have always built up very strong supporting structures on the inside of mountains. These make access to anything very difficult.
It will be much more convenient to have the mountains hollow and able to reach up to the inside.
That mountain isn't just hollow, it has no right side. I am just amazed at how much of the weight is really self-supporting.
I have no mementoes from my first N scale 3 by 7 layout other than one poor photograph and my "kitbashed" boxcab locomotive.
Plaster built on a webbing is remarkably strong. Just don't try to push yourself up on it.
When I cleaned out my Mom's house a few years ago, my old N scale layout from about 1979 was still in the basement. Actually it was sitting out, my nephew had discovered it and pulled it out from where it was standing against a wall and was messing with it. Possibly could have gotten it going with some MAJOR track cleaning. On that layout, 3x6 in size, the entire right side was a large mountain - built in the days when all the hobby press was saying Hyrdocal was the way to go. I had a wood support structure, just some square stock supporting 1/8" or 1/4" underlayment plywood scraps to 3 levels, then it was sovered in window screening and then hydrocal was slathered on. The front edge started after the curve, so the train started into the curve before going into the tunnel portal, at the back, the train was already on the rear straight before emerging. I had a big access hole in the back to reach in in case of derailment. And I stuck a light in there so I could see. Heavy? Oh was it ever heavy. Just that mountain likely was heavier than the ENTIRE rest of the layout. Wish I still had pictures. It actually wasn;t as tall as the mountain we had on our old HO layout that only got set up at Christmas, but proportional to the trains it was higher.
One of the tunnel portal castings I used fell off as we were taking it out to the dumpster, so I saved that as a momento. I should have saved my homemade CD power supply for the switch machines.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
END OF THE LINE... LAST UPDATE!
The layout segment is finished.
One of the points of experimentation was the mountains being strong. I tested the mountain contruction with no additional supporting structure inside. When I build the real layout, of course, there will be a structural support inside the mountain.
On this one, the big mountain on the right is a huge hunk of plaster, rock castings, and scenery details. It is heavy.
Inside, it is just a hollow shell, but it has held up for more than a year with no problem. This is a success.
I installed the tunnel liners today. I tried this Noch embossed printed paper products for the liners.
I cut out sections and attached them to the tunnel portals with Aleen's Tacky Glue. It seems to be working just fine. This is an easy way to add a liner. Tunnel liners really are a huge improvement that everyone should add.
The wooden tunnel portal just received a simple cardboard liner painted black.
There you have it, the completed project. I plan to take a couple of hundred pictures on it for Show Me Something, then it will be disposed of having done its duty with honor.
Thank you for following along with me.
This is my problem, once a train can run, I run trains and progress slows.
Dave, Mike, John, & Wolf: Thank you for the comments. I have been having a good time watching my trains make their ways back and forth.
I finished the installation of the last two bridges, and everything is working perfectly.
Maybe I will stop playing with it and finish the scenery so I can take some real pictures!
Congratulations Kevin! It's nice to see that you've reached the point where you could get a train up and running on you're new layout. I'm very happy for you.
Looking great.
Since I'm on my first layout, I can't believe you are doing all this great work with the knowledge that you are going to get rid of it in several weeks.
Have fun.
York1 John
I asked my doctor if I gave up delicious food and all alcohol, would I live longer? He said, "No, but it will seem longer."
SeeYou190For the first time in over three years, a STRATTON AND GILLETTE train is running on a STRATTON AND GILLETTE piece of layout real estate!
Mike
Woot, woot, woot!!!!
Well done Kevin!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
THIS IS IT!
I installed a bridge and cleaned some track.
For the first time in over three years, a STRATTON AND GILLETTE train is running on a STRATTON AND GILLETTE piece of layout real estate!
I am thrilled.
END OF THE LINE UPDATE #12:
Today I made the bridges ready to install.
A long time ago, and old-timer showed me an easy way to install bridges. He would purposely install the bridge supports a little low, then add strip styrene to get the bridge deck within 0.010" of even with the trackage.
On the long bridge, I needed to make these spacers almost 1/2" thick. This is because I have already packed the bridge shoes away that I intended to use on this bridge.
On the two shorter bridges the spacers ended up at 0.080", which is a good and happy medium.
After I test fitted the bridges, I painted the spacers and added scenic detail around the bridge abutments.
I painted the Micro-Engineering bridge track for the long bridge with Floquil Roof Brown with my airbrush. The tracks on the shorter Atlas bridges were already painted.
Hopefully tomorrow I will finally get the bridges into position.
END OF THE LINE UPDATE #11:
Today I began getting the bridges ready for final installation.
The long bridge, that I bought for $5.00 at a swap meet, was missing a couple of pieces.
I fabricated new pieces from Evergreen Styrene Strip, and installed them. Once these are painted, this bridge should look just fine.
The little girder bridge just needed decals identifying it as part of the STRATTON AND GILLETTE system. No problem.
The deck bridge does not need any work, so it is ready to go.
Tomorrow final detail paint will go on the bridges, and they can be installed.
END OF THE LINE UPDATE #10:
Today I finished the ballasting. With this, all the layout is scenicked in at least one layer.
Now all I need to do is add the detail to the sceney, put the bridges in place, and finally I can start taking a lot of pictures.
I really hope Steve-O is back at work!
I have used this technique for ballasting turnout on my last two layouts. It does not look fully realsitic, but I have no problems with the operation and functionality of the turnouts, and that is most important to me.
I install the turnouts with a lot of clearance underneath the throwbar. This is the big trough I carve out of the roadbed. This makes sure there is almost zero chance of gluing the throwbar in place, and no ballast will get in the way of the points.
After the ballast is installed, it looks fakey when viewed from the top. The big void under the throwbar is pretty obvious.
But, it looks much better when viewed from the side. Not perfect, but OK.
When I take the actual photographs on this segment, if it is a problem I can always obscure the offending gap with bushes, brush, or any other prop.
mbinsewi I've lost track, is this your lay out under construction? or the diorama your making to use for photographs?
This is the 8 foot layout segment/diorama that I am building in the garage to test my benchwork and planned conctruction methods.
I am planning to take a few hundred pictures for Show Me Something, a photo for Trackside Photos, and photos for two MR articles before it heads to the landfill in three weeks.
I need to get back to work on it!
Looking good Kevin. I've lost track, is this your lay out under construction? or the diorama your making to use for photographs?
Mike.
My You Tube
END OF THE LINE UPDATE #9:
Today I tackled the task of scenicking the top of the right side mountain.
I kind of wanted to try to make it look like the suggestion of a tree covered Eastern mountain like you might see in Tennessee.
In the past I have done this with Woodland Scenics scenic green fiber over toothpicks and then sprayed with ground foam. This was OK, but looks more like Kudzu than leaves, and if you lean on it... OUCH!
I decided to mix up a bucket of Woodland Scenics Clump Foliage with 2 parts dark green, 2 parts medium green, and one part light green.
My wife came out to the garage to check on me. She asked what was in the bucket, and I explained it. Then she started calling the mixture "Mountain Fluff", so that is what it shall be called from now on.
I started at the top of the mounting. The shelf above the mountain represents the bottom of the cabinets that will be over the layout, and I need to be able to work underneath these. They were mocked-up on this layout segment so I could test methods in as real-world a situation as possible. If I could not do the scenicking around this obstacle, another method would need to be developed.
The first attempt worked! I think sprinkling ground foam over scenic fiber in this area would have been much more difficult.
The finished product is pretty good. We will need to wait until later to see if it looks good in properly posed photographs.
Stay tuned...
END OF THE LINE UPDATE #8a:
I did a little more scenery work. I hope to get a lot more of of scenery done tomorrow, and hopefully I will be running trains and taking real pictures by the end of the week.
Happy Monday!
For me it is... not working and loving Mondays now!
END OF THE LINE UPDATE #8:
I worked a bit on blending in the Walthers Instant Horizons backdrops today. Some "before and after" shots are shown below as examples.
The Small Woods:
The High Woods:
The River End:
I might post a second update today before I turn in for the evening.
END OF THE LINE UPDATE #7:
I finished the last of the tunnel portals. This is the second random stone tunnel portal. The first one was done with reddish colors, this one is grays and browns.
I started by painting the stones a total of ten different colors.
Then I used Citadel Nuln Oil wash to blend all the colors into a harmonized pattern for a nice look with lots of texture.
I am very happy with all four tunnel portals.
Tomorrow I will move on with more scenery.
Hi Kevin,
I think that you are trying to hard.
If I can offer my humble opinion, the first thing to do is to scrap all of the colours that you have been using! The edges of the river need to be a very light beige (shallow water) and the center of the river needs to be a dark blue/green, almost black (deep water).
Then you have to figure out how to blend the colours to form the transistion from the shallow water to the deep water. With respect, you have been painting individual stripes of various colours between the shallow and deep parts of the river. As you have already figured out, that doesn't work. You need to use paints that don't dry quickly so that they can be blended together before they dry.
Where is doctorwayne when we need him?!?
Keep trying Kevin! You will figure it out!
END OF THE LINE UPDATE #6:
Making lemonade out of lemons.
I repainted the river surface again, and applied a coat of gloss medium.
The final result is still far less than what I wanted, but should be good enough in photographs.
I should have just left it as a swimming pool.
Time to move on to another part of this project.
END OF THE LINE UPDATE #5:
I worked on the front wooden double tunnel portal first thing today. I painted it tan, then dry-brushed it with white in downward strokes. Then I finshed with a wash of Citadel Sepia.
Then I experimented with applying the Citadel washes over the pre-painted Faller foam cut stone I used as the bridge abutments.
The one in the rear received an Earthshade wash.
The front one recieved a Black wash.
That is all for today. Hopefully all the scenery will be done in a few days and I can start taking the pictures as intended.
Doughlessthe white curbs should just be eliminated.
That is just the adhesive caulk holding the diffuser panel in place. It has since been painted an appropriate color.
The diffuser has lines in it that reflect white, so over the light blue, it look frigid and icy. Over the earthy colors it looks like a road.
I am glad I experimented on this throw-away segment before I frustrated myself with the real harbor scene where I was planning to use this.
Time well spent.
SeeYou190 OK, this is it, and I am calling it. This river experiment has been a COMPLETE FAILURE. I WILL NOT be using this technique on my final layout... PERIOD. I will go back to envirotex with ripples added with compressed air as it hardens... like I have done a dozen times before with amazing results. This garbage river actually looks better in real life than in these photographs, but that is the opposite of what I would accept. I would rather it photograph better but look like cow-pie in actuality. Here you go... my epic failure... -Kevin
OK, this is it, and I am calling it.
This river experiment has been a COMPLETE FAILURE. I WILL NOT be using this technique on my final layout... PERIOD. I will go back to envirotex with ripples added with compressed air as it hardens... like I have done a dozen times before with amazing results.
This garbage river actually looks better in real life than in these photographs, but that is the opposite of what I would accept. I would rather it photograph better but look like cow-pie in actuality.
Here you go... my epic failure...
I'm not an expert, but I don't think you're far off. The texture is correct, but the color is too gray, and the white curbs should just be eliminated.
Between the previous swimming pool river and this boulevard looking river, you're simply using too much color.
It needs to be much more earthy, but just a bit grayer than the surrounding greenery. Maybe 3 parts dark olive green and 1 part gray for the center, then 4 parts that color to 1 part white for the banks. If it matches the surrounding hills too much then add 1 part blue to give the water a more bluish hue. Then dab and blend on the river.
I wouldn't worry about matching the lake behind it. Its way off in the distance and the color of the river would be different than the lake, IMO.
- Douglas
END OF THE LINE UPDATE #4:
I worked a bit on scenery today. Specifically I am blending the pirinted backdrop sections into the foreground scenery.
First, some paint was right on hand, so I decided to add a little variation to one of the stone tunnel portals. More detail will be added to this later.
The first part is filling in the empty spaces underneath the backdrop sections. For this I prefer an old product from Woodland Scenics for making foliage. This stuff used to be packaged with their metal tree kits. I never liked the way it looked for foliage, but it does have other uses. It glues to backdrops pretty well.
I do not know if it is still available. I have quite a stockpile on hand.
I simply cut out a few blotchy shapes and glue it to the backdrop.
It does not look like much now, but there will be more layers added in the process.
Then I add a few clumps if lichen and some coarse gorund foam, foliage clusters, and clump foliage along the edge.
I need to wait for the glues to dry on all this before I do anything more or else it will all fall down.
More progress will be made tomorrow.