Midnight Railroader wrote:Just FYI-- "water features" are found in gardens and landscaping.We typically call our models of water what they represent, i.e., lake, river, stream, etc.Also, you're gonna be in trouble with Harry Hotspur for not making them all blue on your layout.
Just FYI-- "water features" are found in gardens and landscaping.
We typically call our models of water what they represent, i.e., lake, river, stream, etc.
Also, you're gonna be in trouble with Harry Hotspur for not making them all blue on your layout.
noted, thanks. That may be my problem, I can't decide if it's a lake or a river, or a ......
I'm trying to model 1956, not live in it.
An inexpensive blue speckled coffee cup, from the camping section at Walmart, plus a piece of aluminum flashing along with one or two hose clamps to make a funnelled spout, makes heating and pouring the melting water beads easy.
The limiting factor on how much you pour at once is how much "shoreline" you can draw thin with a popsicle stick before it all hardens.
A heat gun will soften already poured "water" but will introduce ripples in an unpredictable manner. These can be smoothed, enhanced and "erased" with Artist's Gloss Medium.
Well it's been a while, but I spent some time today working on it. Here's an updated shot near the spur of the future Crosby Coal Company.
and another
I've also been working on my roads. I'm not completely satisfied with them, but I'm going to live with them for a bit.
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
- Harry
HarryHotspur wrote:Since this is only a test layout, you might want to try a different product for the water feature on your permanent layout. Those pellets have received a lot of bad reviews in the MR media.
I can see why. I'm not planning any still water in the next layout, so I may have to bench test some other methods.
Cheers
Scarpia wrote: HarryHotspur wrote:Since this is only a test layout, you might want to try a different product for the water feature on your permanent layout. Those pellets have received a lot of bad reviews in the MR media. I can see why. I'm not planning any still water in the next layout, so I may have to bench test some other methods. Cheers
You willing to share how you made those roads? I would love to know, Thanks Mike
NSlover92 wrote:You willing to share how you made those roads? I would love to know, Thanks Mike
Sure, but the idea wasn't mine.
Paint (I used the Apple Barrel brown)
Sifted sand from the back of my truck
Dry
Vacuum off loose sand
Paint
Sifted sand
Draw ruts with edged tool
Painted with WS slate gray earth tones on a foam brush (diluted 4-1, I was doing rocks anyways and some ran over on part of the road. I liked the way it looked, helped tone down the Apple Barrel Brown).
Sprayed with water and white glue and alchool mixture to tie down any loose bits.
I think it looks ok, but next time I'll use actual dirt from this area instead of the sand from my traction tube. Although, sifting the sand provided me with a lot of small rocks that look good scattered around other areas. I recently got the How to Build Realistic Model Railroad Scenery book, and this method was in there. That's a very useful book, I thought I had a decent handle on scenery until I started reading it.
Hi Scarpia, You are coming along great! Your birch trees look great, but as you say,"WS Forest canopy is far too pricy for the area covered. Enclosed, are shots of my first attempt at making a weeping willow tree. You start with a 10" length of multi stranded #14 bus wire and progressively twine 4 strands. then two strands, and finally one strand. One then adds repeated twined layers at increased height.(which I did not do ) Either grind up WS foliage clumps, or use WS static grass. Carefully spray the foliage branches with adhesive. Dip the sprayed branches into the pile of foliage. Wrap the trunks with tape and paint on the usual black and white coloration.This should privide fairly good birch trees, (especially for the background trees) Observe my Posted thread on making "Deciduous Trees" BobHahn
I finished my first "major" craftsman building kit, Crosby's coal.
This is a branchline trains model, and a really nice kit, I had fun assembling it, even the roof shingles that go on strip by strip.
I found it easier to prepaint most assemblies prior to construction, and I didn't care for the self adhesive bits. I ended up using full strength white glue instead.
I had some issues with the decals; I'm not unhappy with the results even if they could be a bit more centered. Word of advice to anyone making this model, cut out the center words individually to reduce the decal film area. I didn't, being my first run at this stuff, and even with the decal solvent in the right light you can catch the blank film with your eye. I've sealed the model, I'm hopeful that weathering will disguise most of that.
I realized after I built the kit there is no "office", this is just the bulk material storage building. I've ordered a small office structure to go with it, I'll scenic the area once I have that foot print on hand.
Great test layout.
Checked out your homepage quite informative.
By the way what was the cause of the short that ended up melting the plastic ties on your switch? Was there any damage to the Consolidation?
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
don7 wrote:Great test layout. Checked out your homepage quite informative. By the way what was the cause of the short that ended up melting the plastic ties on your switch? Was there any damage to the Consolidation?
Thanks don. Turns out there is a "known" issue with insulfrog turnouts from Peco. See Joe Fugate's reply, as well as others on the issue on the original thread.
Thanks to everyone else; Spacemouse, the roads were done based on the idea in the Kalmbach scenery book.
I've added a few new things this weekend, including a yard office for Crosby's Coal, a guard rail on the road, and I've started putting in the scenic express Supertrees. These are really great, I've been looking for a material to use as trees; for $20 a box you get a lot of tree material - easily enough for 30+ trees. Now if I lived where I had sagebrush blowing down my street it would be different, (I've planted Yarro and Sedum in my garden for drying purposes) but as I don't, I think the sub $1.00 for each tree (delivered), and with how they look, is a fair deal.
That's a supertree front and center, to the left of the pines.
I'm moving on with my trees!
I ordered the Supertrees pack, as well as some of the Noch leaves. Following their instructions (scenic express), I've been very pleased with the results.
Here are a couple in place surrounding the pine trees. The ones on the left are with a medium green leaf, the smaller on the right of the pines a light green leaf.
Just to vary texture, this one on the left of the track as Woodland Scenics foam instead of the Noch leaves.
Elsewhere, I got the yard by the coal dealer almost finished, need to dust it up with coal, and work on the surrounding area. At least it's not bare foam anymore.
I'm happy with these trees. Compared to other products I've purchased, the tree forms are pretty economical. The advertisement was 20-30 trees for $25 (although I got it at Walthers for $20), and after making 10 trees, I don't think I've made a real dent in the box. By varying the top material, I think it will make a decent looking set of woods.
Thanks, I'm liking them as well.
Next up is the main road crossing in town. I've been working on it, and am about 85% done.
Here's a sneak peak
and I have a more pictures here
I'm kind of bummed about the different color in the road, but I want to see what's happening with that as it dries out (hopefully).
Slow progress of late, working on some more trees.
The "new" ones are just to the right of the Coal Company. I've begun spray painting the Supertree material prior to flocking, and I think they're giving a nice bit of color depth.
I'm using a rustoleum spray paint, the color is expresso.
And finally, as far as I can get of an overhead shot.
Wow! That's pretty amazing for a first try!
I really hope my scenery turns out as well. It looks like the Supertrees will be on my list as well. I started an 'L' shaped trial layout to get out of the armchair and into the nitty gritty, but stopped after laying track, when I decided to make part of the garage into a layout room. I'll reuse what I built as part of the 'main attraction'.
Great documentation too, what better way to show the ups and downs of a first time layout build. It looks like you have a good grasp of the required skills.
Great looking layout. You really got the "touch" for scenery.
You're teasing me with the overhead shots that include the yard area. When do you plan on heading over to the yard and doing a little work? I would love to see your results.
Keep the axels greased and the tender full, we're rollin' now.
Ron
My layout progress posting Named "PRR Schuylkill Division"
Link to my Youtube videos. http://www.youtube.com/user/myowngod2
Thanks for your kind comments.
@kcole4001. I've found this test layout to be a valuable experience - I'm still learning the basic skills - I hadn't soldered before, etc., and having this test bed has not only helped to keep my interest peaked, but will hopefully help me out in avoiding problems in the future. I already learned a ton about improper track laying, now I know not to put turnouts immediately at the top or bottom of a slope; avoid kinks in corners, and how even the smallest gap can cause issues when you're running trains. I know the older modelers will laugh at this and say Told you So, but hey, I learn from experience. Bottom line, there is nothing like properly laid track for hobby enjoyment. IMHO no expense should be spared in ensuring that the trackwork is as flawless as possible; it's an investment that will pay for itself for a long time.
For the Supertrees, I really do think they're a good purchase. Here's a shot of the box and it's contents
I put in the hopper for scale, note the one tree on top is representative of what appears to be an average size. The box is sitting on a standard folding chair, and about 6 inches deep, so you get a lot for the $25 (well, I got two on sale at Walthers for $20 each).
I like the noch leaves too, but I'm also going to go back and do WS foam on some, as I think the color and texture looks better when it's not so uniform.
@myowngod
I'm working my way left to right on the layout, so I should get to the yard area sometime in September or October. This month I won't have much time to work on anything. What's been holding me up is I have the single stall enginehouse from Branchline, and before I tackled that build, I wanted some other experience behind me. With Crosby's Coal done, I'm ready to move towards that direction.
I'm also torn on what to do with a coal load system for the locos, as I don't want a large tower. Walthers used to sell a set of three old time loaders, but they're out of stock until December. I thought that might be a solution, but for the moment I think I'll work on the enginehouse and water tank, and just reserve some space for coaling and ash removal.
Thanks again.
Cheers!
Cool!
I bought some WS tree kits- fewer trees, perhaps more detail. I'll use those for special highlighted foreground scenes. Those supertrees look like quite a bargain.
I too found that, with my first bit of tracklaying, that doing is a better education than years of reading about it!
Keep up the great work!
Nice work on those trees!
I recently made some super trees for the first time using the instructions from Joe Fugate's second scenery video. I was really impressed with the results. The main difference from the "official" instructions is he spray paints the trees in various stages and uses cheap hair spray to affix the foam. Because I am working in N, I tried layering fine ground foam on top of coarse. That seemed to work nice although I also did trees with just coarse and just fine for variety.
My wife got me the "kit" for Fathers Day direct from Scenic Express, but if I was doing it myself I would just get a 64oz jug of ground foam, a bag or two of trees. The extras in the kit were not worth it.
My kit did not include the matte medium it was supposed to. I wrote them and they sent it to me straight away. Great service, a highly recommended online vendor! They also have a cheap scale rule for sale online ($4) my wife bought me when she bought my kit.
Chris
ChrisNH wrote:Nice work on those trees! I recently made some super trees for the first time using the instructions from Joe Fugate's second scenery video. I was really impressed with the results. The main difference from the "official" instructions is he spray paints the trees in various stages and uses cheap hair spray to affix the foam. Because I am working in N, I tried layering fine ground foam on top of coarse. That seemed to work nice although I also did trees with just coarse and just fine for variety. My wife got me the "kit" for Fathers Day direct from Scenic Express, but if I was doing it myself I would just get a 64oz jug of ground foam, a bag or two of trees. The extras in the kit were not worth it.My kit did not include the matte medium it was supposed to. I wrote them and they sent it to me straight away. Great service, a highly recommended online vendor! They also have a cheap scale rule for sale online ($4) my wife bought me when she bought my kit.Chris
I thnk you're right on the ball about the kit. I'd suggest multiple foams though, I think the mix of texture and color is important to making it look better overall.
What I've tried to do here is prime some trees with a different color, use WS instead of NOCH leaves, and different color NOCH leaves as I went. almost all of the trees here have Supertree substructures; I thnk the variation is good. I need more large eastern pines though.
I have this hillside done now, and I still have at least half of the original box left!
I'm also moving through town slowly.....still playing with this small house