Is this REAL, or DIORAMA? The answer:

[tatans]

13 right,13 wrong, 2 neutral. Not bad.

[rrinker]

Oh yeah, from the POV it looks like that photo was taken from the window of the board room in the headquarters building. Just next to where the photographer is probably standing is a fully working mounted 30 caliber machine gun. Employee Intimidation machine, as it were. Mr. Mueller is licensed to fire it, and does on occasion take it out to 'play'

--Randy

[davekelly]

There's one real way to find out. Let's start pointing out all the things that are wrong with the engine and why it's a crummy modeling job. Then you know it will turn out to be real. lol

[IRONROOSTER]

I think the engine is a model and everything else is real. I also think someone is very good with a software program for playing around with pictures.

Enjoy
Paul

[rrinker]

R&N, huh? I KNEW that looked familiar.

I've been inside that unit at their anniversary open house.

[Anonymous]

100% Real. Paint equipment in the foreground. Loco is partially sprayed brown, probably primer. At first blush you'd think the loco was photoshopped into a real background picture, but if you enlarge it you can see the paints and sprayers in front and a closer inspection of the loco shows the spray gaps from the rails. Messy work though.

Will I be proven wrong? Who knows, but I'm going with REAL. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Trevor [:)]

[CNJ831]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CNJ831

Quite obviously, it is real.

CNJ831

I was the first to repond to Ken's post but didn't provide any explanation for my decision the scene was real since I didn't wi***o spoil the fun of others. However, as someone who used to do a lot of model photography, there were many obvious dead give aways that it has to be real. Here are just a few:

1) Most folks commented on the trees being "too good". Correct, but I have seen some dioramas (especially European) using Super Trees that closely approached this quality. The real give away here is the presence of "atmospheric diffusion" as one as one goes into the background. This is an effect almost impossible to model realistically.

2) It can't be a foreground diorama set against a real treed background because the shadows of the closest trees extend across the balast right up to (and even over) the tracks.

3) Look at the sand tower(?) in the upper left corner. The support strut is rusted right at the weld point. Who'd ever think of painting a model that perfectly?

4) Look at the varying diffraction lighting on the wires in the righthand portion of the image. Almost impossible to model.

5) If one were to go with the loco having been added to the scene artificially, then the loco's shadow is impossibly perfect with regard to the direction of illumination for the rest of the scene.

6) The complexity/realistic quality of the paint cans, containers and sprayers in the immediate foreground...and situated WITHIN the shadow of the locomotive...say they must be real but in a situation impossible to duplicate if the loco were a model composited into a real scene.

CNJ831

[AggroJones]

Real.

[trolleyboy]

Looks to me as if it's a half and half job I think the loco's a model but the background has got to be real. Rob

[ericboone]

Shadows are not a clue to real or model. Remember, a model diorama can be taken out doors. Then the shadows will be just right.

[SpaceMouse]

I'm going with real. The shadows are too good. Even the horn is shaded right.

[JohnT14808]

The spray pattern around the handrail by the cab window had me thinking it is a model, but who knows...... Is Ken going to tell us someday??

[WickhamMan]

Shadows on the ground match too closely for the engine to be digitally added. The angels of all the shadows match too. I'm guessing real or a great digital photo editing job.

[Anonymous]

It looks as if it has Kadee's .

[ericboone]

model w/ real tree background
Something just isn't quite right. The trees and the foreground appear somewhat out of proportion. Also, the front track's rail appears pretty heavy, like code 100 in HO scale.

[rrinker]

I'm going with the 'composite' crowd. That looks like a good Photoshop job. No way are those trees in the background not real, or a photo of the real thing. And the paint cans and equipment looks real too. But the loco - something about the handrails.. plus the loco seems less 'detailed' than the background trees, which leads me to believe the loco is a model.

--Randy

[Anonymous]

An old saying here, If it has Kadee's, it is a model.

[selector]

My guess is that it is a composite with a model loco and a real setting. The give-away for me is the power wires. For the resolution inherent in the photo, the wires are too 'defined', and don't exhibit the difraction that would be visible in an image taken from closer up, or from farther away with a CCD-equipped camera (i.e.- digital).

[Anonymous]

I vote real. The masking on the window looks to real. What I would like to know is why are they painting it outside?

[tatans]

real photo,wires and tree shadows. Only the shadow knows.

[trainfan1221]

Think the background is real, but pretty sure diesel is a model. A better shot of the couplers would tell me for sure.

[BMRR]

Looks real to me.

Stan.

[West Coast S]

The loco appears to me to be one of those meter guage conversions performed on former CSX units for use in Brazil, something odd about that shadowed running gear. If so, I vote it as the real deal.

[Anonymous]

Model

[Anonymous]

I'm with Ed on this one. Real.

Happy MRRing

[egmurphy]

Click to enlarge the photo. Looks to me like paint equipment and cans in the foreground. I'd say they were in the process of repainting the locomotive. I vote for real. But I'd love to be able to make trees like that.


Regards

Ed

[cheese3]

may be it is a model loco in front of a real wooded area

[espeefoamer]

It sure looks real,but with the engine painted like that,it's got to be a model!

[CNJ831]

Quite obviously, it is real.

CNJ831