Day half done and progress is going much quicker than expected.... talus slope is dry-my nature is to 'fiddle' with it a bit, but, truly, it looks better than I had all right to expect.... Sooooooo...... ballasting has proceeded....this is also going much quicker than expected (I guess it's like the 'bicycle' theory....you 'remember'...) I use the "Kim Saign" method of ballasting....has NEVER failed to give me the best results.... the cork is trimmed to the width of the ties, or, just lay track on one HALF of the split roadbed...use a gravy seperator to apply the ballast-a few minutes and you get 'the hang of it' real quick...pretty soon, you're not even having to go back with a flat brush to 'manicure' the slope...because you're using only half the cork-the ballast forms its own slope...you end up using a tiny fraction more ballast than if using on a beveled piec of cork, but you don't have the 'Arrggghh' experience of ballast 'rolling down' the inclined bevel...also, especially if you're modelling transition period and/or secondary lines...the ballast is more prototypical than the width when using the whole 'split cork' thing...(I tend to believe that the whole split cork thing was meant to be able to model a roadbed by just painting the cork a 'ballast' color and laying track to it...) now, for the double track main....I debated using basalt or the more 'modern' mauve....since I won't 'own' this module, and transition AND modern equipment will see time on it, Mauve it is... Thanks for looking, ~Bruce
Looking at the module I suddenly had that hankering for a piece of German Chocolate Cake. I have no idea what the connection is. Looks absolutely amazing.
done for the day...perhaps the weekend...progress went much more quickly and smoother that anticipated...perhaps old 'habits' die hard.... added some more scenic 'thingys' before alcohol misting and scenic cement misting...I'm really going to be hard pressed to find something that needs 'fiddling' now...(generally , when I 'fiddle' i end up making things 'less-than-desired') going to check this in the morning, and see if any ballast needs re-visiting, but, apart from painting the skyboard with scenic landforms, and drilling the legs for t-nuts and adjustable bolts, and painting the fascia....I may end up calling this module 'done'.... Thanks for looking, ~Bruce
done for the day...perhaps the weekend...progress went much more quickly and smoother that anticipated...perhaps old 'habits' die hard.... added some more scenic 'thingys' before alcohol misting and scenic cement misting...I'm really going to be hard pressed to find something that needs 'fiddling' now...(generally , when I 'fiddle' i end up making things 'less-than-desired') going to check this in the morning, and see if any ballast needs re-visiting, but, apart from painting the skyboard with scenic landforms, and drilling the legs for t-nuts and adjustable bolts, and painting the fascia....I may end up calling this module 'done'.... Thanks for looking, ~Bruce
I am speechless. That is some the most incredible work I have ever seen. I have modeled Aircraft and Armor for 45 years, and have had a few nice jobs, but this shows I am still a grasshopper. Awesome vision. Thanks for sharing.
For "The Wedding Train" I have found at least 40 undecorated cars of various types. They will be: Washed Taken to my future sister in law's place Spray painted Flat White outside. Guest at the wedding will be asked to sign and decorate the cars using black fine point markers.
when everything is 'dry' to my satisfaction (first time working in the open air in coastal Alabama on things N scale related-the humidity tends to make drying times significantly longer), I'll airbrush some weathering on the roadbed and between the ties....I also like to add a hint of rust on the roadbed as well as the 'grease' strip in the center of the rails-I like the suggestion of sand on the siding rails-I haven't done that yet...I believe I'll try that here... The very last thing will to be a 'dusting' of the predominant soil/rock color over the entire module to 'blend' the scene and give it some continuity.... I posed some ATSF warbonnets on the module real quickly to show a sense of scale....
Great shots, Bruce. It really drives home the point that even in a relatively small area with N Scale, the scenery can dominate the trains in a very realistic way. Bob
last installment for the weekend...fascia painted, telephone booth painted and installed, switch motors from NZT glued down...the nice little manual switch stands from Osborn models are posed here but won't be permanently installed (I can see them being 'taken out' by a ham-fisted track cleaning crew...) over the week, a little track weathering, backdrop scenery added (photos, more than likely), a little rock face weathering, and bus wire terminal blocks added... Thanks for looking, ~Bruce
Bruce , That is just stunning and if you were here we could get some great outdoor shots with real backgrounds !!!!! Love it! Mike
I have looked at this creation several times now and I finally figured out what was coming to my mind. Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The Mesa top where the mother ship lands. Great work I tip my hat to you.
I just finished this today and got some dullcote on it. I have one more to do but this one drove me crazy. You can not be afraid of pink !!! Mike
SP & SF merger what a joke. Yes, "Should'nta Painted So Fast". This beauty looks like they "Shoulda Painted Faster." Nice job Mike. I have a STEAMER that is going to need weathering soon. Want to practice? carl
According to the Eagle2 dictionary, it has two definitions: 1 - foreign substance expelled from modeller's ears whe third N scale grab iron sails from tweezers 2 - an honorary Alco
