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Weekend Photo Fun 4-18-08

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  • Member since
    January 2005
  • From: Jarrell, Texas
  • 1,114 posts
Posted by Tom Bryant_MR on Saturday, April 19, 2008 6:15 AM
 Don Z wrote:

Jarrell,

What you are looking at in the 'After' photo is the result of applying 4 different molds to the hardshell form. I use White Art Plaster, purchased in a 50 pound bag for $14.00 from a local artist supply store. The plaster is mixed in a 6 cups of plaster/5 cups of water ratio ...

Don Z.

And lots of drop cloths Bow [bow]

There are even better parts of this to come.

Regards,

Tom

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Memphis, TN
  • 3,876 posts
Posted by Packers#1 on Friday, April 18, 2008 10:16 PM
Thanks Jimmy, and yeah, great rocks Don Z and awesome shot, Lee.

Sawyer Berry

Clemson University c/o 2018

Building a protolanced industrial park layout

 

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Rogers, Minnesota
  • 219 posts
Posted by Jimmydieselfan on Friday, April 18, 2008 10:13 PM

Don Z.......   very nice , lets see more of those castings

Lee.......   cool pic in tunnel

Sawyer.......    looks like you are off to a good start

N Scale Diesels......I like 'em

  • Member since
    November 2007
  • From: Southern California
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Posted by New Haven I-5 on Friday, April 18, 2008 9:20 PM
 Thanks! On the 1st video, I was quilling on my Digitrax Zephyr.

- Luke

Modeling the Southern Pacific in the 1960's-1980's

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    February 2008
  • From: Memphis, TN
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Posted by Packers#1 on Friday, April 18, 2008 9:14 PM
Well, they were a heck of a lot better filming. Good job, and great locos. And, since I'm not too worried about responses (since I go by "It's my layout, I'll run what I want"), any comments on my progress. Anybody?

Sawyer Berry

Clemson University c/o 2018

Building a protolanced industrial park layout

 

  • Member since
    November 2007
  • From: Southern California
  • 1,475 posts
Posted by New Haven I-5 on Friday, April 18, 2008 8:43 PM

 I got 2 new vids on the bucket. They aren't the best, but, they have sound!

 

       1. http://s257.photobucket.com/albums/hh201/SuperChieff/?action=view&current=MVI_0656.flv 

 

         2. http://s257.photobucket.com/albums/hh201/SuperChieff/?action=view&current=MVI_0654.flv

 

 

- Luke

Modeling the Southern Pacific in the 1960's-1980's

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Olympia, WA
  • 2,313 posts
Posted by gear-jammer on Friday, April 18, 2008 8:34 PM

Great job everyone.Wow!! [wow]

Jarrell, Nice start.  Your photos are sure crystal clear.

Don,  Love the before and after rocks.  We should all take a lesson from you.

Crandell,  Your shot this week would make a great Christmas Card.

Sue

Anything is possible if you do not know what you are talking about.

  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: CANADA
  • 2,292 posts
Posted by ereimer on Friday, April 18, 2008 7:46 PM
 Don Z wrote:

I'll preface this post by admittimg my camera skills are not even close to Jarrell's, so bear with me.... 

I've been busy learning many new aspects of the hobby....wet plaster rock casting, chipping plaster to blend the wet molds, coloring the rock and now I'm able to start doing some ground cover type scenery. Here is a before and after photo of one section I've been working on:

Before:

After:

Don Z.

 

if those rocks looked any better i'd accuse you of trying to slip in a photo of real rocks and telling us you'd just finished painting them . excellent work !

 

 

ernie

 

  • Member since
    November 2007
  • From: Topeka, Indiana
  • 63 posts
Posted by tatorsalad on Friday, April 18, 2008 7:41 PM

Topeka North Western, ex. UP, SD-7

Reese

Modeling NS One Locomotive At a Time

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • From: Memphis, Tennessee
  • 446 posts
Posted by SD60M on Friday, April 18, 2008 7:38 PM

Here's my contribution to the WPF. My favorite loco BN GP38-2 Pacific Pride II from athearn. Since im still confined to the carpet this is all i can show! I may put my bowed out 4x8 back up for a moment and take some scenic pics! BTW i only have saw horses for benchwork for the moment until i can afford lumber for real benchwork.

Long Live The Burlington Northern!
  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Elizabeth City, NC
  • 155 posts
Posted by V&AL on Friday, April 18, 2008 7:28 PM

V&AL Motive Power Report:

Fred's Locomotive Shop:

E-33 4605 was dissasembled for conversion to an E-75M.  All internal equipment will be replaced with state of the art assemblies (in scale, a decoder will be installed), and a modern wide cab will be installed.  The 4605 is the pilot for the E-75M program.  It will be painted in the blue/green/yellow scheme upon completion.

 

The "Shop Hop" (Alco 415 center cab shop switcher) is undergoing routine maintenance to clean dirty electrical contacts.

The F-45 to E-45 program continues:

The 4510 was rolled over to the paint shop earlier today, and the next "victim" was pulled into the shop for conversion.

In other motive-power news, an Alleghenny-Midland MP-15 is enroute to the shops after suffering minor damage on V&AL property, and 2 Wisconsin Central SD-45s are inbound for routine maintenance after running into their maintenance cycle returning from a Fox Valley Flyer run to Suffolk.  2 V&AL F-45's have been dispatched to the PVRR to cover while the SD-45's are in the shop.

Virginia and Alleghenny Railroad Texas and Gulf Coast Railroad (The Dixie Road) PACE: Pittsburgh Area Commuter Express Texas Express
  • Member since
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  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
  • 23,330 posts
Posted by selector on Friday, April 18, 2008 7:21 PM

Jerrell,, thanks...yes it is the PCM all metal Y6b with Loksound.  Really a pleasure to operate, although the connector into the under-cab receptacle isn't worth a pinch of poo.  It works its way loose, if fractionally, during operations and the engine will quite running at the worst times.  The sounds will stay on, but no driver motion.  Otherwise, it's a winner.

-Crandell

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    November 2002
  • From: US
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Posted by jacon12 on Friday, April 18, 2008 7:08 PM

Lee, I like this one!

Jarrell 

 HO Scale DCC Modeler of 1950, give or take 30 years.
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Posted by jacon12 on Friday, April 18, 2008 7:05 PM

Don, when you say 'hard shell', do you mean the hillside/ground is something like plaster cloth?  Well, I won't ask you anymore questions in this thread because it'll just get lost within and hard for others to keep up with, and I'm sure there are a lot of people here that would like to know more about the technique.  Maybe when you have time and you're going to do some of the 'rocks' anyway, you could do a little seminar with pictures.  I know I'd appreciate that.

Thanks!

Jarrell 

 

 Don Z wrote:
 jacon12 wrote:

 How do you DO THAT?!!  I've tried it and you ain't EVEN going to see the pictures of it before I ripped it out!  You couldn't be talked into a little seminar on it, could you.. pretty please?

Jarrell 

Jarrell,

What you are looking at in the 'After' photo is the result of applying 4 different molds to the hardshell form. I use White Art Plaster, purchased in a 50 pound bag for $14.00 from a local artist supply store. The plaster is mixed in a 6 cups of plaster/5 cups of water ratio and stirred by hand until all lumps are eliminated. The plaster mix is left sitting in the bowl until it reaches the consistency of pancake batter and then poured onto the rock molds. The molds have no lip to contain the plaster, so the plaster is poured in several passes, pausing to spread the plaster evenly across the mold.

Once the mold is full, the plaster is left to set for about another minute or so. At that time, the mold is lifted and placed into position, pressing the mold into place on the hardshell. Some plaster will ooze out around the perimeter of the mold, but that is left to cure for a bit before being removed. The mold is left on the plaster for about 2 minutes or so, then removed well before the plaster hardens.

I had to learn to wait until the plaster felt cold and clammy before I could take a chisel and pop off the overlapping areas of the molds to blend them together to hide any joints.

The molds I used belong to my mentor, Chuck Ellis. He has about 100 different molds that he has cast over the years. His layout was featured in MR in Dec. 2001 and is the subkect of Allen Keller's videos, Volume 52. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Don Z.

 HO Scale DCC Modeler of 1950, give or take 30 years.
  • Member since
    March 2006
  • 140 posts
Posted by mj3200 on Friday, April 18, 2008 7:02 PM
It's actually a Precision Scale Models locomotive. My first venture into the vodoo world of brass.
  • Member since
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  • From: US
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Posted by jacon12 on Friday, April 18, 2008 6:58 PM

 That's a fine image of a great looking engine.  Isn't it a BLI?

Jarrell 

 

 selector wrote:

I am back to a favourite theme of mine: trestle and mallet in sepia.

 HO Scale DCC Modeler of 1950, give or take 30 years.
  • Member since
    March 2006
  • 140 posts
Posted by mj3200 on Friday, April 18, 2008 6:49 PM

Still laying track, but this arrived and I just had to run it.

19042008169-1.jpg picture by 4472_bucket

19042008172-1.jpg picture by 4472_bucket

  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: Niagara Falls, NY
  • 130 posts
Posted by PMeyer on Friday, April 18, 2008 6:02 PM

Lee

I LOVE in the "in the tunnel" picture! Good stuff.

 

Paul
  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: Austin, TX
  • 1,752 posts
Posted by Don Z on Friday, April 18, 2008 5:09 PM
 jacon12 wrote:

 How do you DO THAT?!!  I've tried it and you ain't EVEN going to see the pictures of it before I ripped it out!  You couldn't be talked into a little seminar on it, could you.. pretty please?

Jarrell 

Jarrell,

What you are looking at in the 'After' photo is the result of applying 4 different molds to the hardshell form. I use White Art Plaster, purchased in a 50 pound bag for $14.00 from a local artist supply store. The plaster is mixed in a 6 cups of plaster/5 cups of water ratio and stirred by hand until all lumps are eliminated. The plaster mix is left sitting in the bowl until it reaches the consistency of pancake batter and then poured onto the rock molds. The molds have no lip to contain the plaster, so the plaster is poured in several passes, pausing to spread the plaster evenly across the mold.

Once the mold is full, the plaster is left to set for about another minute or so. At that time, the mold is lifted and placed into position, pressing the mold into place on the hardshell. Some plaster will ooze out around the perimeter of the mold, but that is left to cure for a bit before being removed. The mold is left on the plaster for about 2 minutes or so, then removed well before the plaster hardens.

I had to learn to wait until the plaster felt cold and clammy before I could take a chisel and pop off the overlapping areas of the molds to blend them together to hide any joints.

The molds I used belong to my mentor, Chuck Ellis. He has about 100 different molds that he has cast over the years. His layout was featured in MR in Dec. 2001 and is the subject of Allen Keller's videos, Volume 52. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Don Z.

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: On the Banks of the Great Choptank
  • 2,916 posts
Posted by wm3798 on Friday, April 18, 2008 4:57 PM

Those rocks are good looking.. But please give your seminar over on the layout building forum...

Here's a couple of my recent efforts...

Another former member of the Blue Team...  Caught on rare trackage, the old Baltimore, Chesapeake and Atlantic main line east of Salisbury, Maryland late Friday afternoon.  Now a long branch line out to a large feed facility operated by Perdue Farms.  If you've got chicken on your table tonight, it probably came from Delmarva... 

and on the layout...

Next time I'll pay attention to those "no trespassing" signs!!

Lee 

Route of the Alpha Jets  www.wmrywesternlines.net

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Nebraska
  • 173 posts
Posted by 4-6-6-4 Challenger on Friday, April 18, 2008 4:45 PM
 jacon12 wrote:

 How do you DO THAT?!!  I've tried it and you ain't EVEN going to see the pictures of it before I ripped it out!  You couldn't be talked into a little seminar on it, could you.. pretty please?

Jarrell 

 

 

 Don Z wrote:

I'll preface this post by admittimg my camera skills are not even close to Jarrell's, so bear with me.... 

I've been busy learning many new aspects of the hobby....wet plaster rock casting, chipping plaster to blend the wet molds, coloring the rock and now I'm able to start doing some ground cover type scenery. Here is a before and after photo of one section I've been working on:

Before:

After:

Don Z.

YA PRETTY PRETTY PLEASE! SEMINAR! SEMINAR! SEMINAR!

Nothing is better that a big old Union Pacific Challenger or Big Boy rumbling the ground as it roars by! Modeling the CB&Q in the 1930's in Nebraska
  • Member since
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  • From: US
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Posted by jacon12 on Friday, April 18, 2008 4:40 PM

 How do you DO THAT?!!  I've tried it and you ain't EVEN going to see the pictures of it before I ripped it out!  You couldn't be talked into a little seminar on it, could you.. pretty please?

Jarrell 

 

 

 Don Z wrote:

I'll preface this post by admittimg my camera skills are not even close to Jarrell's, so bear with me.... 

I've been busy learning many new aspects of the hobby....wet plaster rock casting, chipping plaster to blend the wet molds, coloring the rock and now I'm able to start doing some ground cover type scenery. Here is a before and after photo of one section I've been working on:

Before:

After:

Don Z.

 HO Scale DCC Modeler of 1950, give or take 30 years.
  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Memphis, TN
  • 3,876 posts
Posted by Packers#1 on Friday, April 18, 2008 4:32 PM

All right, here's my progress. I'll be happy to answer all questions, good or bad. However, to clear up one thing:

THE CARBOARD STRUCTURE IS ONLY A MOCK-UP TO SEE WHAT THE SPACE I'LL HAVE LEFT TO USE.

Sawyer Berry

Clemson University c/o 2018

Building a protolanced industrial park layout

 

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
  • 23,330 posts
Posted by selector on Friday, April 18, 2008 3:46 PM

I am back to a favourite theme of mine: trestle and mallet in sepia.

  • Member since
    November 2015
  • 668 posts
Posted by Tjsingle on Friday, April 18, 2008 3:26 PM
 TrainFreak409 wrote:

I snagged this one at work, where I play with 1:1 trains!

SD70M-2 no. 2708 and two SD80MAC on an empty coal train sitting in Enola Yard. 

 

Man do i miss the old conrail blue sd80macs

Ashamed [*^_^*]

Atleast theres one :D

  • Member since
    January 2002
  • From: Summerfield,Florida
  • 269 posts
Posted by edo1039 on Friday, April 18, 2008 3:18 PM

DON Z

Very nice result!!!

Ed OKeefe Summerfield,Fl "Go New Haven"
  • Member since
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  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
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Posted by selector on Friday, April 18, 2008 3:18 PM

Don, those are excellent carvings!  You don't have to excuse yourself for anything if you're going to post stuff like that.  Very credible.  Congratulations. Cool [8D]

-Crandell

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Big Blackfoot River
  • 2,788 posts
Posted by Geared Steam on Friday, April 18, 2008 3:14 PM

Please pardon my glue bottle.  Shock [:O]

"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein

http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/

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Posted by Railphotog on Friday, April 18, 2008 3:00 PM

A critter hauls some logs on my shelf layout.  The layout has been around for a long time, everything except the track has been stripped off.  I just set it up recently to take some photos and do some photo experiments:

 

 

 

Bob Boudreau

CANADA

Visit my model railroad photography website: http://sites.google.com/site/railphotog/

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: Austin, TX
  • 1,752 posts
Posted by Don Z on Friday, April 18, 2008 2:32 PM

I'll preface this post by admitting my camera skills are not even close to Jarrell's, so bear with me.... 

I've been busy learning many new aspects of the hobby....wet plaster rock casting, chipping plaster to blend the wet molds, coloring the rock and now I'm able to start doing some ground cover type scenery. Here is a before and after photo of one section I've been working on:

Before:

After:

Don Z.

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