As many of you know, I'm building a layout in N scale to have the flavor of the D&RGW Moffat Route. I have been on many miles worth of hikes, climbed nearly impossible terrain in all kinds of weather to document the route. I also took reference photos as well. I wish I took more, but the ones I have, and gleaning info from my library of books, I can piece together the scenery. Without the photos, my memory would leave out some key parts--rock formations, landmarks, etc. I have printed about 2 dozen photos just to build what little of Tunnel 17-18, and 8-10 I have built so far. They are invaluable to getting the rough scenery correct. I plan to go again in March next year, and plan on taking even more photos as well. The biggest challenge is to build this magnificent, dominating scenery in such a compressed space! This is just a notice to you folks building a prototype scene; that you take as many photos as you need, when on-location, or glean them from other sources. This is incredibly helpful when building rough scenery, and even more so, when final scenicking begins.:lightbulb: More side-by-side comparisons in my blog... Without my photos, building this scene to match would be impossible by memory alone. Tunnel 17, west portal: And the model version of the same: The mountains are too small, but they'll do!
Hemi - very true! I've relied heavily on photos for my layout construction - both photos that I've taken, and those from books. I think that's what makes modelling a prototype fun - the research, and then actually seeing it take shape on your layout. Looking good by the way!
Though I've never been to the USA reference pictures are important for me. I use magazines, books and internet. Wolfgang
I am modeling 1900-1905, so even though I can get to the "place', I can't get to the time. Photos are an essential. I have been trying to find out about the trackage in Wilmington, DE. the part I am interested in is long gone. Part of it is under an interstate and other trackage is under a baseball stadium and parking lots. I found drawings of the roundhouse area and plans for the roundhouse in the HABS-HAER web site (Historic American Engineering Record) Google it, you'll be amazed at the on-line photo collection. anyway. From those plans I found a cross street which allowed me to locate the engine facilities on a street map (also on line). Then in poking around in the PRR info there was a picture from a 1905 Railway Age magazine showing the construction of the PRR viaduct. But the cool part was that over on the side you could see the Reading's yards and in the distance you could see the smokestack of the Reading's engine house. Plus there was a spot where a line crossed under the PRR viaduct and that was in the picture, that also located the position the picture was taken from. So, in a hour or two of rooting around on the internet, I had found plans for the roundhouse, located the roundhouse, located the yard and determined that the PRR viaduct wasn't completed until after my era of interest. The one caveat is to check multiple sources if you can. Photo captions are often inaccurate. I was looking at a large MoPac photo article recently published where they said a picture was taken at on bridge, when it was actually a different bridge on a different line a mile away. A friend was looking through a recent NYC article and they had a picture of an interlocking tower whose caption put it on a line on the wrong side of the river. Both were great pix but could lead somebody astray if they don't verify their research. Dave H.
Living in the UK and modeling the NP in Washington, Prairie Line, I rely heavily on magazines, books and photos sent to me by other interested parties as it is rather hard to go for a weekend trip. Although I have managed to convince the better half of a trip for a couple of weeks next year to take photo's. Alan.
Alan, Bring plenty of memory card space for loads of pics.. Take angles you don't think you'll need. You'd be amazed how much odd, otherwise unusable angles will assist your efforts. Welcome to Trainboard!!!
Very important when taking documentation pics. TURN AROUND. Take pictures in 360 degr. Do't take just one angle take in all directions. With digital cameras, electrons are cheap. Dave H.
Here's a couple of pics that I posted awhile back on a different forum...it's the 5th crossing of Tehachapi Creek. I took this shot in 1999: and my 1:160 rendition...(my bridge has the old SP handrail stanchions, which UP replaced w/ the metal ones in the prototype shot...)
Hemi...Your on target about pictures...I was lucky to be a few hours from a bridge I scrach built. Having the pictures makes it easy to fine detail and capture the feeling or flavor of the scene. Being that were modeling (reguardless of scale) compresson is sometimes a nightmare, untill one decides on what is importent. With my project I wanted the center truss span to be close and cheated in compression to the ends. Being that most rail fans took or take pics of the main truss, everyone think's I nailed the bridge fairy well, but to me there were other things I wanted, but the compression sort of eats it up. I dont think you can have too many pictures of a scene you want to replicate. I think one of the keys is to fing three things that set a scene, shape of a building, a signal placment, track curve, ridge line or whatever reall captures it. I think looking on down the track toward the tunnel, your going to be pleased with what your doing. enjoy...John
