Weekend Photo Fun!!! Dec 3 - 5

[Flashwave]

As the photographer, I'd rather have gotten more of AFT1 but the camera decided it liked the F40 better. This relatively short PV consist is working it's way NorthEast from Cementville on its way to tie up at the NAptown & White River Yard at Indianapolis and Union Station. Former CB&Q Silver Solarium is bring ign up the markers.  

[AltoonaRailroader]

Totally digging the Christmas tree. Don't know if it goes by the beat up trailer, but hey, it's different. Thanks Jeffrey.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

AltoonaRailroader

Totally digging the Christmas tree. Don't know if it goes by the beat up trailer, but hey, it's different. Thanks Jeffrey.

Thanks. No room for a tree in my trailer but more than enough room on the layout for a 1:87 scale tree.

[f-unit]

I usally sit back and enjoy the great photos every week on WPF, I have never made comments. Until this weekeend, Mike your black and white photo's are some of the best I have ever seen! The way you made them look like an old time photo was amazing and the lines and cracks and the date of the year 1st rate. If any one from MR see's this and Mike's photos THEY DID TO BE IN A Trackside photos issue. I don't mean to single anyone person out but I am sure all here at WPF will agree with me.

Keep up the great work all, this is always a highlight to my weekend, to see all of your's great work.

Dave, Super of the Bayport Div.

[Dave Vollmer]

I've been unpacking from our move, so no work on the layout.  However, once I have the chance, I'm thinking I'm going to put the Conrail roster on the Juniata Division, since I was running Pennsy for awhile back in Nebraska.

[rclanger]

Mike,

Until I scrolled down to the picture with the figure walking I thought your photos might be real and not models. Something about the way scale figures look...

The bottom line is your final result is very realistic. Congrats!

[Mike in Kingsville]

I scrolled through just to make sure you were mentioning my shots and am quite humbled ... Thank you very much- these are huge encouragements - especially with the big slump I have been in for the last several months.

Somewhere along the line I have to post the steps to get to this result in a picture- it is not as hard or lengthy as you may think from a quick shot to the end result. PhotoShop is amazing, and the camera is just a Fuji FinePix Z200 (under 200 bucks).

To further "out" myself a little- my layout is overly simplistic too. Not being a person to get involved much with operations (I do admire those that do, though) the entire thing is less than 9x11 and does include two continuous-run loops and some sidings. Somewhere or the other I called myself a "model railroad Neanderthal" due to taking such a basic look at the hobby.

If someone has another weekend photo shoot post, I'll take a few more shots and post. This was a lot of fun!

Mike Habersack

[Mike in Kingsville]

Thank you! Scale people area always a little on the big side. On my city section due to the sheer number of people I needed, I located figures that were 1/100th scale on eBay from overseas, and in believe it or not, they look pretty good in pictures. I always smear all of my people with chalk between my fingers to give them a flat appearance and dull out the clothes and pick up the details. And I avoid taking their portraits up close!

Mike

[Mike in Kingsville]

Very cool. When I was a wee kid my Dad would put up a Christmas layout and it always had a few O scale decorated trees on it- and that is a significant early train memory for me. Seeing yours on the layout brings back all of those good memories that I had.

[Mike in Kingsville]

I couldn't help myself on this one. In this shot my older brother is consoling me in our basement next to my Dad's layout for Christmas in 1965. Funny thing- I haven't heard the term "club basement" in a very long time.

It seems that I may have had "LocoPhobia"- fear of trains. When they were turned off, I was cool with it, but when they ran I got scared. As an aside, I still have nearly everything you see in the pictures, and the buildings find their way under my tree every year. It is a good way to perpetuate good times (even if the trains frightened you).

 

m

[Anonymous]

Here's what I've been working on...

Yes, I'm rebuilding. View my new blog

[G Paine]

Tyler, it looks like you are saving a lot for the next version, do you plan on demolishing the benchwork as well or use the existing as a base?

[Motley]

I finally made some progress on the coal mine, and I completed the building and weathering last night. I still need to finish laying the tracks into the mine, and also finish up the scenery around it.

I'm using the Walthers Gravel Company as the coal mine, because it fit better with the available space I have.

[Anonymous]

G Paine

Tyler, it looks like you are saving a lot for the next version, do you plan on demolishing the benchwork as well or use the existing as a base?

Yes, I'm planning to use almost all the structures, some of the track (turnouts and stuff that wasn't ballasted), all the equipment, and most of the lumber in the benchwork. That will have to be torn down, but most of the 2x4s can be reused, as can the backdrops. Compare my new trackplan compared with the old.

[galaxy]

howmus

Ah......  The Weekend!  And of course, WPF!!!  Nice start folks!

I have finally gotten to the point where I could put the Quarry back onto the layout.  I did a little test fitting of some of the items that will go there.  I also found that the roof on the crusher building has warped.  Probably from the type of cement I used on the roofing.  Even though the plastic was painted, I think it has eaten through and warped the roof...  I can be easily replaced and next time I will use a different cement to hold the roofing on.......  Nothing has been glued in place at this point...........

Hey Ray! I would leave that roof alone. I think it gives it a more natural appearance. Not all roofs are perfect and straight!