Hi folks, I'm still alive and kicking. I have not had a lot of modelling time this past few months and as a consequence have not had anything much to contribute to the forum. However this past weekend found me making some progress on something I started months ago.
My goal with this project was to fill an odd shaped space with part of a town scene that backs onto some curved track.
You can see the space above in the developing town scene. The current thinking was to fill the red triangle rather than the black markings.
I started with the store fronts, mounting them onto black foam board.
These won't really get seen very much as they face away from most viewing points on the layout. It is the back of the structure that will show. Where windows and doors project behind the laminate siding I had to cut away recess in the foam board.Using more black foam board I constructed a sub structure and made sure that it would fit into the available real-estate without fouling any trains. I was literally using scraps here, just to complete a wall. However, since it will be covered, it does not really matter what it looks like. Foam board makes a nice sturdy structure and comes together rather quickly.
My construction method is basically to laminate the foam board section by section. Virtually everything here is out of the scrap box. Any wood siding is parts left over from carrier sheets from kits. Pipes are sprue, windows are spares from varouis plastic kits, some parts are Titchy from the stash.
Next step will be some weathering. But it will have to wait. Company duties call and it is off to Wisconsin and Ohio for the rest of the week. (I know, they are miles apart, but customer needs dictate a lot of windshield time this week.
This shot shows all that is wrong with sheet clapboard siding. Look how awful the grain looks in the 2nd structure. This will hopefully fade away with some treatment. I'm thinking really ratty faded, chipped and peeled white paint?
Simon Modelling CB&Q and Wabash See my slowly evolving layout on my picturetrail site http://www.picturetrail.com/simontrains and our videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCrispybake?feature=mhum
looks good. I love using sprues for pipes and such
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
Love the fire escapes.
Isn't it great how you can take a bunch of "junk" and come up with a custom structure that looks better than most ready-to-plop built-ups?
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Nice work. It reminds me that I have a nice supply of black foam core board by virtue of being given left over signs from work when the event they advertised was over.
When I was young and would botch a project, just to get it out of my sight I'd throw it away. I couldn't stand the sight of it. I now realize that was a sort of adolescent attitude. I was violating the prime directive -- never but never throw parts, sprues, leftovers, failed kits, away. You never know when even the fan from an old F7 that you butchered might not look good as an HVAC unit on a building roof, and so on. Even tidbits of styrene, and the remnants of laser cut kits, get saved. The well equipped scrap box is the modeler's friend.
Dave Nelson
Great use of the scrap box...I would like to see more of your modeling....Cox 47
I'm not the only packrat here, I see! That's nice to know!
Thanks guys, yes not throwing anything away is potentially a bad habit, unless you can actually use some of it!
simon1966Hi folks, I'm still alive and kicking. I have not had a lot of modelling time this past few months and as a consequence have not had anything much to contribute to the forum. However this past weekend found me making some progress on something I started months ago.
I really like the way your project is shaping up. I'm especially fond of buildings that are modeled from the rear; too often, they aren't shown that way. Yet, most of the real rail scenes I've seen seldom show the building fronts.
When I saw the title of your post, I was thinking of something a little different. Several years ago, I needed an excuse to push a car into a very short siding so I decided on a small scrap yard. I figured that the yard would ship about one car at a time... small indeed. So I built my own little scrap pile from parts in the scrap box.
Somewhere, I had an old rail crane that got removed from its trucks for loading purposes and BOOM! I had an instant industry.
Thought you might be interested in another good reason you should NEVER throw anything away. : )
dlm
Thanks DLM,
Nice scrap pile, another good use of bits that should never be thrown away!
After a bit of weathering, here is the completed structure placed in the location that it will sit in the completed scene.
Next step is to complete the detailing and wiring of the other side of the main street, get the road installed, sidewalks etc and then install this new structure and complete the scenery against the right of way. Needless to say the track needs to be painted and weathered and ballast needs to be installed. Lots to do, but now at least I have my anchor around which to work.
That scene is shaping up well. The loading dock on the left is a good use for what is left of an open triangle at that end of the building.
I am just starting something similar using a Merchants Row 1 for a narrow space near the backdrop. The building fronts will be kitbashed into a low relief flat and the backs will be the buildings across the street. Nothing to show yet; I am still figuring out whers to cut the walls.
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch