Thanks for the offer but no need as I gave chas a call and he took some of my locos away and reset the decoders so that I can now run trains with my Bachmann EZ-DCC controller. Now for something that has been bugging me for a while. I built a veiw block plaster hill that backs up to the edge of the helix and made a nice black backing board for it. Ever since I have looked at it thinking something is not right here. When Doug came over for a visit last week we talked about this and came to the same conclusion, the veiw block doesn't work and should go. Now it's GONE. The next thing is, what to do with this area? I don't want to just plaster the area flat and plant trees... too easy. Plus I have the whole upper level covered with trees and it is beginning to look a little boring. I really want to add some structures, an abandoned mine for example. I am open to any suggestions, what would YOU do.
To build on that fishing idea... not a regular lake, but an old shallow quarry that has filled with water. Rock bottom and rocky sides with sprial road along one edge that continues below the waterline. Maybe some old quarry debris, some large square type blocks lying around, half submerged, or along the edge to indicate how it was excavated. Since we're talking mountain terrain, they should be fly fishing. Maybe an old admin shack for the quarry thats converted into a fishing bungalo / hiker's shelter for inclement weather. Maybe a hiking trail leading to the area that heads across the tracks towards the hills (over the saddle in the hills right near the tunnel portal)... put a hiker or two on the trail. Completely separate idea: A crude logging camp that has been abandoned. Maybe now its used for game hunting... couple deerskins out on a rack... typical hunting gear outside the old logging buildings. Some large old-growth stumps in the area. Rusted out steam donkey engine that was once used for logging operations. Maybe an ATV for the hunters (making an asumption about modeling period with that one). Ken: Can you tell me what trees you use there? I played a little with the Woodland Scenics trees, but for fir/hemlock/spruce... the woodland scenics just doesn't do it for me. I like your conifers. Do you have an up-close shot? And what make are they / where to get?
Hadn't thought of that, the area does lend itself to a lake bay. A good possibilty. More good ideas I'm liking what I'm reading here. The conifers are manufactured by Heki. I used the mini forest pack, contains 100 small pines in three diferent sizes 1" -1.5" 3" and forest tree 12 pack with two sizes 5" - 7". I got these through M.B woo woo woo but they were all sold out last time I looked. These are real basic bottle brush style that need a little disguise work. I spray them with dilute white glue and sprinkle some flock grass on them. Not perfect but does improve the general appearance. Some bottle brush conifers that may or may not be Heki, I think these are from at least two different manufacturers. The ones in the front are plain, the ones at the back have had flock grass added. Getting back to the bare area and beyond, whatever goes there will likely be small. That is, no great structures, maybe the remains of a narrow gauge railway used for logging/mining, rusty boiler and other junk. Ok, I'm still panning for ideas, but wiking/hammer lake looks likely:mwink:
The horse has left the barn he says.... Funny... gives me another idea. Ok, what about an old barn there? Perhaps a really weathered Gambrel roof style barn. Again, I don't know your period because I'm new around here... but .... Maybe the old gambrel barn should have an old Mail Pouch Tobacco advertisement on the side. These are all over the place: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mail_Pouch_Tobacco_Barn A split-rail fence with the aformentioned horses. Another idea: An old oil pump. I did a quick google image search for "Oil Pump" and came up with a quick link: http://www.sdgrs.com/images/clarkson/clarkson.html But actually, when I drive and see these along the roads, there is usually a pair of small, vertical storage tanks next to the oil pump. Then maybe some Longhorns around the area. Its funny... because I moved to Texas... and usually where there are oil pumps... there are cattle. I see these out West, but I also see them a lot when traveling in the Appalachians... green hilly country sort of like your layout there. Heck, you could even have the aformentioned old narrow guage remnants there... perhaps they onced serviced the pumps and/or cattle?
Across the track from your demolition site, you have a high rock face, indicating a deep cut to accomodate the track. I would replace the hill but with another excavated rock face parallel to the track, to match with the existing one. Then the hill would slope down to the edge of the access well. To illustrate, I've attached a simple Paint drawing of a proposed cross section. I believe this would restore the intended view block to some extent and create natural looking terrain. The high rock face on one side of the track suggests there could be another similar rock face directly across the track, even in sloping original terrain. Certainly not an absolute rule, just a likelihood. As you would expect from me, I advocate for more trees too. Keep up the great work, Ken.
Oh, as for those trees, I agree, close up, they need some attention. Adding that flock seems to have done the trick. I've got some "medium" Woodland Scenics stuff around here, but mostly in earth or burnt grass. Do you happen to remember how fine the flock is or a brand? Just woodland scenics fine? In a dark green?
Gone but not forgotten Jamie. Now on to bigger and better things... I had thought about a barn and maybe some livestock, hmmm... maybe That looks alittle like the original. I could do that, just slope it more toward the middle. And yes there will be more trees, just not ALL trees. Yep, Woodlands scenic dark green static flock grass
Wow, I just wen't back and looked at the photo showing the conifers before & after the static grass treatment--big difference! Those ones with the flock grass added look teriffic. Jamie
Thanks Jamie, it's easy to do and doen't take long and that's a BIG plus given the number of conifers on my layout. I Still have not made a decission as what I'm going to do with the demolition area but I have been running trains:tb-biggrin:. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gacM3sem0UI"]YouTube - Union Pacific Coal Train 0001[/ame] I also discovered Movie Maker. Another forum member mentioned this software in their thread and I wondered if it was installed in my computer. It was but I couldn't use it because the movies from my camera were in an unsupported file format. Fortunately I found that I could download encoding software from the Mirosoft website that would convert my camera files to files I could use. The link above is my first attempt at cobbling together clips and adding titles.
Yesterday I scratch built a small lineside hut. It's for maintenance workers on my railroad to rest up, a place to store tools and loco crews also use the facilities between crew changes. The scene is not finished yet and it looks like I need some paint touch ups on the structure. I also need to work on the footing, level the plaster and dig it out enough to seat the styrene base. I will add other things such as, power poles, a chimney and maybe a satelite dish.
Ken, That is just a perfect example of how such a (relatively) small addition can dramatically improve a scene, and an already good looking scene if I may say so! Thank's for the project update. Jamie
Thanks Jamie, I will be doing a lot of scenery upgrades in the coming months. The next project: Add a small bridge to the causeway and model a swamp area. I could have just used a single sheet of balsa wood for the bridge deck, but I wanted to capture the randomness of individual cut pieces. The almost finished bridge, needs to be painted and weathered yet. I will also attack the causeway cutting a gap in which to fit the bridge before adding some water effects to simulate a swamp. I have been busy on the lower level where I have been laying track for the enginehouse and service area. As well as track for the flourmill and grainsilos. Pushed some cars into flourmill sidings, everything worked well. Although I have a porblem with fitting the flourmill and grainsilos as there is no room. The solution requires shifting helix one loop track further back. There is about 80-100mm extra room available if I do this and this will be enough. For now though I will run things as they are and will tackle this problem after I am happier with the upper level.
I feel your pain Ken , I just got done adjusting my helix to clear double stacks. Thank God for threaded rod construction. Mike
Mike: Some adjustments are just part of the hobby, we only hope that they will be small ones. In my case I will need to shift the raised track closer to the other track nearest the wall. The raised track runs in a loop around the back of helix one and becomes the yard throat. It's not difficult but it will take a few hours work to get right. Lift the track, remove the sub roadbed, remake the sub roadbed curves at both ends, refit the sub roadbed and relay the track, done.
Hello Ken, is the track you plan to move "visible" or is it part of a hidden staging run? If it is just a staging track you could cut a section from the silos so the trains run "through" the silos. The main mill building could be just a building flat (and by re-using the rear wall you can make the building twice as big for the same price ). On my layout the trains even run through a gas storage tank... On the other hand: Relocating that track does not appear to be too difficult, and it would give you more space for the scenery treatment. And accessibility is not becoming mopre difficult, as you will ned to be able to reach the rearmost track anyway. Cheers Dirk
Work of Art Ken, I have to say I've been going through your thread here and watching your progress on your layout, and all I can say is that the title to my reply says it all. This is a work of art, mate!!:tb-biggrin: Maybe oneday, I'll have the place and the space to build something like this, but for now, I'll just have to be content with knocking up a small layout. I would be very proud to just even come within a few brownie points of having a setup as good as looking as yours is. It's a superb effort and I'll be watching your further progress with a lot of interest. Cheers, Carl.
