Yeah, the look of structures that are just sitting there is a real bummer. A structure sits inside of the platform and not on it. Maybe you can do something really simple like a tiny bit of some kind of putty to merge the two things. Perhaps even a tiny bit of the oily model "clay" that stays flexible to fill the cracks? Your real structure picture seems to have some kind of bottom edge, or trim, on it. Maybe that would help hide the floating feeling.
Geek, the trim you see in the picture is just what I would like to do. I will use plastic plates from BRAWA that replicate concrete bricks. You see them put as cable guides among the tracks on the previous pictures. I will just cut the plate so the bricks sit sideways instead of one after the other, and will use a different shade of grey.
An odd idea. What if you glue those plates onto your platform and then the building slips into the plates?
Would do but these will be vertical, so the glue bond won't be enough to keep these and the building on site.
Got a little bit further by starting the roof. Tiles will be done later using undulated paperboard.. so the roof structure does not have to be exactly accurate To create some little scenes to the portion of platform between the water tower and the station (the depot building will be right on the next module edge - so far left in the following pictures), by looking at the pieces box I found out material to create a small monument to deceased railroaders (we have quite a few in memory of the wars and normal accidents). The two ideas are below The idea is to have the monument on the right side (two different ideas, please comment), and a little garden on the left side, where the water fountain is.
I can imagine a private RR does not want reminders of accidents, here in Europe we also unfortunately had two wars creating quite a lot of destruction and trains were priority targets during WW for aircraft. We had a lot of railwaymen killed. The specific area I am modeling was actually quite ravaged as it lays where the Gustav line kept the allies stuck for the whole winter of 1943/44, the rail lines in the area were basically reduced to dirt roads... if you look online at the "Cassino highway" you may recognize that this was the double track RR right of way. Here an example of a Bailey bridge posed on the rubble from the former RR bridge. And the link to the interesting website on Railway reconstruction in Italy during WW2 http://www.trenidicarta.it/reconstruction/contents.html good info for anyone modeling war zones
The weekend was fruitful as I finished the roof of the water tower using waved cardboard (3$ for 2 square foot). The first line and the complete job
Troubled start of weekend as I was planning to put a couple of pines on the garden between the water tower and the station. Unfortunately I noticed these trees have no trunks, therefore they are unsuitable for the garden and the memorial..... so, thinking and fiddling on the boxes, I found a big "signature tree" and changed the plan: no more pines, but a big deciduous signature tree. This is the first trial however, the colour of the wood is too light.... How can I darken to make it more realistic? I can use a brush for the trunk, but I do not know what to do with the branches (would not like to spray as the house master - aka my wife - will not like it at all). Should end up like the left one in the picture (the right is another from the same box of the big one) To finish up, a closeup of the memorial Of course we are stil missing: gravel, grass, a couple of benches on the other side of the tree.....
I tried but unfortunately the paint did not stick (looks like the wood is too hard and does not absorb water and paint). Looks like i will have to spray anyway. I put some more branches Inviato dal mio BLN-L21 utilizzando Tapatalk
Further progress, got the right side done with the small gate and the fountain, the tree is still to be sprayed, but still looks BIG! After spraying and getting the small garden done, it will be the terrible part of wiring all accessories Gosh, I HATE wiring! Then module one will be done.... (except catenary, but that will have to wait until the end)
Very very nice work! I really like the theme as well. Now you need some parking space for a few alfa romeos.
Easier done than said..... ...and.... that's the granddaughter, but 1/1 scale (there is no 159 in HO, and anyway is outside the layout timeframe) These are the other alfas on the layout.... (a duetto spider, two giulias and one alfasud)
Great collection Maurizio!!! Alfa fan here, I got a 1-1 alfa myself as well, and have a 33 stradale in 1/87 scale, suitable for my era/locale (California 1969). The rest are 1/43. Looking forward to seeing more of this Yannis
Yes, it's a fine thing to add to a layout. When I was young, I recall a large cast bronze plaque in the waiting room at Northwestern Station in Chicago, IL that had the names of C&NW employees that had made the supreme sacrifice in WW-II. The station has since been razed and I sometimes wonder what became of the plaque.