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New mainline rework

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  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Denver, CO
  • 3,576 posts
Posted by Motley on Tuesday, October 29, 2013 6:00 AM

Here's another bridge over the Colorado river. Looks dark blue too.

Michael


CEO-
Mile-HI-Railroad
Prototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989

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Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, October 29, 2013 6:26 AM

That blue looks a lot less intense.

But, again, you have to decide what color and shade you like best.

Rich

Alton Junction

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    January 2010
  • From: Chi-Town
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Posted by zstripe on Tuesday, October 29, 2013 7:22 AM

Michael,

You have to remember,that water is clear,the surrounding scenery and sky reflections,create the apparent coloring..plus the river bottom.  Even swamp water is somewhat clear,just loaded with impurities,from surrounding area..

Cheers, Drinks

Frank

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Denver, CO
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Posted by Motley on Tuesday, October 29, 2013 2:02 PM

OK I just poured it. I mixed in some dark green, brown, and a tiny bit of black. It definatlely toned down the blue. And I think it matches the backdrop sky now.

Let me know what y'all think now? Good, bad, or indifferent.

Michael


CEO-
Mile-HI-Railroad
Prototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Chi-Town
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Posted by zstripe on Tuesday, October 29, 2013 2:30 PM

Michael,

In my opinion,,,100% better..Yes

Cheers, Drinks

Frank

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Denver, CO
  • 3,576 posts
Posted by Motley on Tuesday, October 29, 2013 2:52 PM

Thanks Frank! And I appreciate all your help and suggestions.

Michael


CEO-
Mile-HI-Railroad
Prototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, October 29, 2013 4:30 PM

Michael, you nailed it this time around.   Bow

Rich

Alton Junction

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    February 2010
  • From: Pittsburgh Pa
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Posted by dominic c on Tuesday, October 29, 2013 4:43 PM

Fantastic!  What a steady hand.  Gotta mention the rock formation too. Outstanding!

How did you come up with that combo of colors?

Joe C

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    March 2012
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Posted by trwroute on Tuesday, October 29, 2013 5:42 PM
Michael, this is fantastic! The water looks great. Off the wall question...what colors did you use on your road? I have a road poured from plaster, sanded, and ready to paint. I really like the color of yours.

Chuck - Modeling in HO scale and anything narrow gauge

  • Member since
    November 2012
  • 613 posts
Posted by UPinCT on Tuesday, October 29, 2013 6:57 PM

WOW!!!!!!!  Wow  That rocks!!!!

Talk about being in the zone,Bow  As Rich says you nailed it!!

Keep posting pics of these "HOT" updates.Stick out tongue

Derek

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Denver, CO
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Posted by Motley on Tuesday, October 29, 2013 9:36 PM

dominic c

Fantastic!  What a steady hand.  Gotta mention the rock formation too. Outstanding!

How did you come up with that combo of colors?

Joe C

Thank you Joe. I had to keep playing with the colors. First I added the green, though it looked good, but then I started pouring it and it didn't cover the blue much. So I kept adding drop by drop, the brown and black.

As you can see, the water wicked up on the rocks a little bit, so I'll have to go back and add more rocks after its fully dried.

Michael


CEO-
Mile-HI-Railroad
Prototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Denver, CO
  • 3,576 posts
Posted by Motley on Tuesday, October 29, 2013 9:40 PM

trwroute
Michael, this is fantastic! The water looks great. Off the wall question...what colors did you use on your road? I have a road poured from plaster, sanded, and ready to paint. I really like the color of yours.

Thanks you sir. Its been so long since I did that road. Let me see. I painted it with a brush. It was Floquil medium grey. Then I used the black chaulks from Michael's art supply, and created the tire marks.

Michael


CEO-
Mile-HI-Railroad
Prototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989

  • Member since
    September 2003
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Posted by mlehman on Tuesday, October 29, 2013 9:42 PM

Looks good! Thumbs UpYes

Water is always one of those "gotta have faith" things. I went through similar angst when pouring my Rio de las Animas and it came out fine.

Mike Lehman

Urbana, IL

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Denver, CO
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Posted by Motley on Tuesday, October 29, 2013 9:44 PM

Derek and Rich, thanks guys. Great feedback here got me to do the right colors. Yes at first that blue was too bright. But easily fixed with the tint.

I will also add some ripples in the water. But I have to wait 12 hours from pouring time to do that.

Michael


CEO-
Mile-HI-Railroad
Prototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989

  • Member since
    August 2011
  • From: A Comfy Cave, New Zealand
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Posted by "JaBear" on Wednesday, October 30, 2013 2:28 AM

"JaBear"
Looking at the rest of your progress I suspect it will turn out just fine.Thumbs Up

Am I psychic or not, (no comments from the cheap seats please!!!)

Michael BowBow

Cheers, the Bear.

"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Denver, CO
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Posted by Motley on Wednesday, October 30, 2013 11:14 AM

Mike and the Bear, thanks a lot for the encouragement. It was dicey there for a while, I must admit I was scared it would turn out looking like crap.

Last night I was going to add ripples. Its supposed to set up in 12 hours. But I kept trying over and over well after 14 hours, and it still didn't take. So I went to bed.

So no ripples. Oh well it will be a slow moving river. I think it looks fine the way it is.

Michael


CEO-
Mile-HI-Railroad
Prototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989

  • Member since
    September 2003
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Posted by mlehman on Wednesday, October 30, 2013 12:52 PM

The worst is over. Ripples will come. Were you trying to use Mod-Podge or something like that? I gave up on it, puny ripples that would've taken 30 coats to get going good -- and I needed rapids.

What I got was some silicone that's used by cake decorators. You can mix color into it as needed and you get instant ripples, whatever size you need. You're only going to need extra coats if you're talking about surfin' waves.

Anyway, that's what I did, adding in some white acrylic to the silicone. It can be peeled off if you don't like the results, but otherwise stays in place. It was around $6/tube, but is plenty unless you're building an ocean.





Mike Lehman

Urbana, IL

  • Member since
    March 2012
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Posted by trwroute on Thursday, October 31, 2013 3:22 PM

Thanks for the help, Michael! 

Chuck - Modeling in HO scale and anything narrow gauge

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Denver, CO
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Posted by Motley on Saturday, November 2, 2013 9:27 PM

The Vollmer truss bride is installed, and the track to the right of it is completed and ballasted.

On the right side of the river, there is a space there in between the raised track and the two inside tracks where they cross. When I ripped out the middle section, I had some rock faced hills. I was able to cut that out and saved it. Its made of foam pieces glued together.

So today I cut that to fit the area. Now I just need to add some lightweight spackling to the backside with the raised track, and on the left where I cut it.

Michael


CEO-
Mile-HI-Railroad
Prototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989

  • Member since
    January 2010
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Posted by zstripe on Saturday, November 2, 2013 11:52 PM

Michael,

That is looking,really good. The last pic. says to me,that it belongs there. Almost,maybe is,perfect match,for that back drop. Yes

Cheers, Drinks

Frank

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Southeast Texas
  • 5,449 posts
Posted by mobilman44 on Sunday, November 3, 2013 6:16 AM

Hi!

That is some really nice work, and a terrific progression of photos!   That is MR mag material to me!

ENJOY  !

 

Mobilman44

 

Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central 

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Trois-Rivieres Quebec Canada
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Posted by jalajoie on Sunday, November 3, 2013 10:23 AM

I presume it is due to the camera lighting and that under normal lighting this shadow of the bridge will disappear.

Jack W.

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Denver, CO
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Posted by Motley on Sunday, November 3, 2013 12:41 PM

jalajoie

I presume it is due to the camera lighting and that under normal lighting this shadow of the bridge will disappear.

I'm not sure I follow you. Are you saying that the sun outside doesn't make shadows?

Michael


CEO-
Mile-HI-Railroad
Prototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Sunday, November 3, 2013 12:52 PM

Shadows.

Just like on the prototype.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Trois-Rivieres Quebec Canada
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Posted by jalajoie on Sunday, November 3, 2013 1:26 PM

Yes of course the sun will cast a shadow, but I doubt it will show on a distant mountain. The shadow will be on nearby structures or on the ground. The only shadow I ever saw on a mountain are from clouds.

Your background give a good impression of distance, that shadow breaks the effect, to me anyway.  I was under the impression it was only from a camera angle and not from the normal lighting of your layout.

Jack W.

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Denver, CO
  • 3,576 posts
Posted by Motley on Sunday, November 3, 2013 2:17 PM

Oh I thought you were talking about the shadow underneath the bridge. You're talking about the shadow on the backdrop. Nothing I can really do about that because of my layout lighting. I think it shows up on the photo more than it does in person, I can barely see that. And it doesn't bother me either.

Every layout I see has shadows, its just something we all have to deal with when using indoor lighting.

Michael


CEO-
Mile-HI-Railroad
Prototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Sunday, November 3, 2013 2:59 PM

jalajoie

Yes of course the sun will cast a shadow, but I doubt it will show on a distant mountain. The shadow will be on nearby structures or on the ground. The only shadow I ever saw on a mountain are from clouds.

Your background give a good impression of distance, that shadow breaks the effect, to me anyway.  I was under the impression it was only from a camera angle and not from the normal lighting of your layout.

Picky, picky, picky.

I think that the whole purpose of the photo was for Michael to update us on his progress, not to win a photo contest for realism.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: Cresco, IA
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Posted by ChadLRyan on Sunday, November 3, 2013 3:04 PM

Yes, I agree...
I'll be watching the train & probably not be viewing it from that angle anyway..
Besides backdrops always run that challenge unless you have a warehouse & have the backrops 2 or more feet from the nearest track or structure.
I like what Michael is doing, it is a nice job, Great Work Michael!!!! 

Chad L Ryan
  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Denver, CO
  • 3,576 posts
Posted by Motley on Sunday, November 3, 2013 3:14 PM

Maybe I'll just tear down my layout because of backdrop shadows, and go build it outside and use real scenery and not have to use backdrops?

Michael


CEO-
Mile-HI-Railroad
Prototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Chi-Town
  • 7,712 posts
Posted by zstripe on Sunday, November 3, 2013 3:15 PM

My My 2 Cents about the shadow on the back drop, all structures,will cast a shadow,depending upon,what position the sun is. A tree in a forest,will cast a shadow,on other tree's in the forest.. Boy!, It, sure is Hot out here!, would you stand in front of the tree,in the sun? or behind the tree,in the shade,created by the tree's shadow?   Now if Michael,stood in front of the light source, the shadow cast,would cover the bridge and maybe look like '' Godzilla '', JUST kidding Michael. Smile, Wink & Grin

Cheers, Drinks

Frank

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