Hello All! Just thought I would add my winter progress shots to my ever growing list of seasonal if you will threads documenting my layout's construction over the past 2 1/2 years. Again thank you to all who have answered questions and offered advice to me over that time span! As you will see, scenery has dominated this season. Comments, critique and suggestions are helpful as always! These shots were taken after a morning of sculptamolding and plastering so there will be some "unsightliness" in a couple pics. A bit of dry plaster here; a bit of loose ground foam there...well...you get the idea. Enjoy!
The first pic here is a shot of a p2k GP20 (cracked gears and all) shoving a hopper past a Cornerstone ash pit hoist recently finished...
Just a shot down the tracks of a portion of my engine terminal...
Athearn F-3 exiting a tunnel on super-elevated curves....
Next up two pics of some recently finished Downtown Deco structures. (I loved these kits btw....)
Here's a stream bed about 90% prepped for the pouring of the envirotex water...
And another shot of the stream at eye level...
Proto 1K C-liner exiting a different tunnel. Sorry for the lighting here...
One of my "super trees". Not sure if I like this tree or not. Others I did I used coarse ground foam for foliage. This one I experimented with polyfibre pulled very thin. I think the tree looks too full in photo, but it looks ok in person. Hmmm. whatcha all think?
This is my still underway church scene. These trees are of the coarse foam variety...
Thanks for looking! Have a great week everybody.
Matt
Looking good! I especially like the first shot.
The Cedar Branch & Western--The Hillbilly Line!
Matt, first if you need a gear or two for the PK, let me know. I have some extras ones, for some reason mine don't crack?
On details, the axle sets need to have there ends blunted. Normally I would never noticed, but they where highlighted in the one shot.
You need a car repair shop in your town,from the looks of the road there will be a lot of alinement's, shocks, springs and tire work needed. I do like the cars, good details and common looking cars. There are way to many A/C Cobras, Shelby GT 500's an Hemi Cuda's (not that I mind Hemi anything) on most layouts.
Town and other details look real and well done.
Far as your plaster work, my self I prefer foam, but yours look very good. Reason I like foam? All my major sections can be lifted off the layout.
Far as your coming water feature, it sure is going to look blue! My self, I like clean water and when I finally do one it will be very clean looking. If you can throw in some kids playing the water that add a lot of interest.
I and others have all ready gave you some tips on the Super trees, so I know they will turn out great.
Your Photos are as good as your layout! I enjoyed both and looking forward to seeing more.
Looking forward to looking again, Cuda Ken
I hate Rust
~G4
19 Years old, modeling the Cowlitz, Chehalis, and Cascade Railroad of Western Washington in 1927 in 6X6 feet.
IVRW, for being as young as you are, your no slacker either!
Thanks guys! Ken; you can PM me if you like bout the gear. I haven't taken the engine apart as that's lower on the priority list right now. But it does make the odd thumping sound. Making roads has been a pain. The scene by the downtown deco structures is meant to be in a decrepit part of town and the street is to be in disrepair but there may be more dips and humps than intended. I will probably redo that street anyway but that will fall lower on the priority list for now! Thanks for your concern about the water color. I see what you mean. I can, however, chalk that up to the camera settings. The middle of the stream is actually a flat black and alongside that is a burnt umber/black mix. I still want to feather in some sandy colors closer to the shorelines before making the pour. The photo colors on the computer make the stream seem like a midnight blue! (darn newfangled devices anyhow! ). Thank you again for the tree advice!
Matt, are you DC or DCC? If the broken gear PK is low on your list maybe we can do some trading. Far as giving you advises, it should be the other way around. So when is MR magazine going to do a story on you layout?
Cuda Ken
Love the covered bridge (and the rest of the layout). Tell me more about it!
Doing great, Matt. The tree looks fine to me. Remember, they come in all shapes, sizes, thicknesses, etc., etc.
That creek is going to look great. Any small rapids in it? The covered bridge looks fantastic.
I still think your layout looks like the Western Mass area of the Boston & Albany. The scenery is coming along really good. I like your engine terminal.
cudaken Matt, are you DC or DCC? If the broken gear PK is low on your list maybe we can do some trading. Far as giving you advises, it should be the other way around. So when is MR magazine going to do a story on you layout? Cuda Ken
MR??? Quite floored at the moment LOL! Seriously there are many more talented modelers than me out there. I can think of 9 or 10 right off the bat that hang out here! As to your power question. It's DC..... DCC will come but that's a ways off. I am not doing any serious running of trains right now anyway. I know the layout is wired properly and there isn't derailments due to track issues so far, but there's so much paint, plaster, dust etc. over everything that it makes track cleaning too much of a hassle until after major scenic construction is finished.
I give it
"Rust, whats not to love?"
Didn't mean to miss anyone who's responded so I'll knock off 3 in a row here...
pcarrell: Here's more in a nut shell.... Fictionally freelanced version of "what-if" the NYC ran into SE New Hampshire...(Tyler's been trying to get me to switch to the B&A exclusively for a year now!)
Scale: HO Size: 18 x 32 w/ a 6' peninsula blob Era: Late 50s or early 50s or something along those lines without being constrained into a particular year. I have an ancient Rivarossi Hudson being re-furbished right now; so by changing vehicles, motive power and some rolling stock around it could be the 40s...Minimum radius 30" on main line and 24" for sidings etc....Turnouts: #6s on main, #4s in yard and a couple curved Pecos are in use....Structures: Some are scratchbuilt/most are kits from Walthers, DPM, DTD,Blairline and others...Backdrop and fascia both are masonite....Scenery is newspaper over cardboard strip method with a mixture of plaster of paris, hydrocal and sculptamold. I am a lone-wolf type modeler so the layout is designed so I can have a train running continuously while another does switching jobs. That's really all I want operationally speaking for now but future plans in my head call for an interchange running to a big B&M freight yard across the aisle. (Yes Tyler, that is an M not and A in my typing! LOL ....
Overall > this is how it looked 2 1/2 years ago and then another shot about 6 months ago.
Next: Grampy1: re: the creek. 1st thank you! 2nd re: the water. On other layouts I have used envirotex but it has only been for a pond and other still water applications so this will be my first attempt at modeling moving water. I plan on stippling the pour as it sets up to create the ripple effect and dry brushing acrylic white on to the tips if I like the way it looks. If not satisfied, I will probably enhance the effect with WS water effects. I can't wait to see how it comes out. On the other side of the layout is a rocky coastline with a lighthouse scene that will require making the smaller waves associated with a bay as opposed to ocean waves. I'm nervous about that one! I'm more concerned with getting the color right over there.
Next up Tyler: Thanks as always for your praises! And while I got you on the "line" so to speak; keep them videos coming. They are super!
Looking good, Matt. Did you see the harbour article in the Feb issue of MR. Quite the process, but the end results looked great. Keep up the good work.
Thanks! Yes I saw that article and have read it several times over!
Since it's still winter, I'll add this pic. 1st pour of envirotex in the stream bed. Again not the best camera settings but what the heck. I used up all the resin I had so will need to make a stop at Michael's next week for more. Probably will take 1 or 2 more pours for the depth I want.
I originally planned of teasing the envirotex as it sets up to create the ripple effect, but after reading on line about people who have used this product, messing with it while it sets can be very tricky and sometimes pull the envirotex up over itself creating a "bump" or fold in it, so I'm just letting it sit still as is and after a couple more pours work on ripples using gloss medium or ModPodge or something like that to create the effects desired.
Matt, it looks good the way it is. I will PM you about the gears.
Admiring your work again, Ken