Street running 2: Paving

I'm making some progress on the street running scene. Here, the main street is painted and mostly weathered as is the side street with the rail down the middle. The styrene streets were painted with several layers of a Ralph Lauren textured paint then lightly sanded. The stripping was added with some white and yellow paint pens. Next followed another light sanding then an over spray and lane spraying with a alcohol-india ink wash through the air brush. More to come!

Street running.....

While waiting on some parts for the Georgia Pacific plant, I decided to start working on the downtown area of Ackerman. I strayed from the prototype slightly here as I wanted to have some street running somewhere on the layout. There wasn't any along the line I'm modeling but there was along one of the branches off of it. So, I used the scene on the branch as inspiration for the street running part of downtown Ackerman.

The scene I'm modeling is an interchange between the ICG and the Frisco where the interchange track diverges between two buildings along Main Street to where it connects with the other railroad that runs down a side street. Unfortunately, it won't be a functioning track as the benchwork was too shallow to create a working interchange. So, I've got the interchange track modeled running between the buildings as in this photo.

The second photo shows the Frisco line running down the side street.  The interchange track would connect in just beyond the tan building on the left.

This was one of those scenes where the scenery intimidated me. I wasn't sure how I was going to actually build the roads. I wanted to use styrene because I liked how it looked once painted. However, I wasn't sure how I was going to cut the styrene to match the curve of the rails. I put off and put off attempting this scene until today when I just decided to give it a try with the plan to start over when I messed it up.

To make the cuts on the styrene, I first put some paint on the rails then pressed the styrene to it. That left the mark of the rails on the styrene. I think just used a sharp X-Acto knife and hand cut the styrene. I normally can't draw a straight line but I got lucky and the cuts turned out well. So, I'm happy with what I have so far. The foam base beneath the styrene is just a hair too tall. So next comes a light sanding then some paint on the roads!

More backdrop work....

Lessons learned on my first couple of photo backdrops. First off, I wasn't happy with the look of the backdrop behind the Southern main because of the dull coat I'd sprayed on it as you can see from my previous post. So, I had the photo reprinted and I re-hung it without any dull coat. I also was more careful with the airbrush in feathering in my backdrop sky color. I like how it turned out!

Next, I made a change in direction. I'd been working hard on the scenery and structures for the lower deck between Meridian and South Artesia such as old town Meridian, Crawford Grain and TXI Cement. I then realized that I'd be doing some messy scenery base work on the upper deck above. So, I figured I better stop on the lower deck and get to working on the messy part of the upper deck. One part I've really started working on is the Georgia Pacific Particle Board plant in Louisville. I started with a photo backdrop of the plant then added a 3D warehouse, some tank car loading platforms and some stand in tanks. So far, I like how the scene is coming together. However, it is hard to photograph because of the contrast in colors. I think once I get the white foam covered with dirt and ground cover then it'll be easier to shoot.

More photo backdrops

 I've done some more work with photo backdrops. My practice one is this first image that's behind the Southern main approaching Meridian. I took the photos of the tree line behind my house and merged them in PhotoShop then had it printed 11" by 48" at my local art shop. Before I applied the image to the backdrop, I coated it with two layers of Dullcoat thinking that it would seal the paper for when I feathered in my backdrop sky color. The Dullcoat caused the image to fade thus giving it a more distant appearance and was not my intent. The original print was much more vibrant and blended better with the model trees. To feather in the sky color onto the photo, I used an airbrush with thinned latex interior paint. I put the paint on too think the first time and the moisture in the paint caused the paper to wrinkle. Lessons learned. Click on the photo for a larger view.

My second print was for the TXI cement plant. This time, I left off the Dullcoat and when I feathered on the latex paint, I did it in VERY thin applications allowing each to dry before the next. I got a much better result. Learning through experience! After looking at this photo of the scene, I think I need to rearrange my models as they are blocking the view of the structures on the backdrop photo. I think more of them need to show through at least between the spaces of the models. Click on the photo for a larger view.
 

TXI photo backdrop

 I'm continuing work on the TXI cement plant. The scene with just a blue backdrop made the plant look small and shallow. I really wanted to give the impression of the massive plant that it is. So, I thought of adding a photo backdrop behind the plant to hopefully give the illusion of depth. The backdrop photo is a quick mural with no adjustments I made in Photoshop combining about a dozen photos of the conveyor system to the bulk Clinker storage area. I like the idea and look of photo backdrops but I think this one needs some work.

First off, I think I need to lighten the image as it appears too dark with the layout lighting. Plus, I'd like the blue sky to be a closer match to the painted blue backdrop I already have.

Also, you can see that I have a photo backdrop behind only half of the cement plant. I feel that I need to have a photo behind the whole plant but I'm not sure what would look good behind the kiln. I've got some more photos of the plant that I'm going to try to work into those area.

Back to work on the layout!

The weather has been too nice lately to be working inside so I started landscaping the yard in earnest a few weeks ago. So far, I've planted over 225 plants and more on the way. This is a project I've been putting off for almost 5 years and it's almost done.

While waiting on the next shipment of plants to reach the local Co-Op, I decided to do a little work on the layout. I've done a bit here and there over the past month or so but just hadn't posted and hadn't spent more than an hour working on it. Today, I spent most of the day up there. The focus of the work has been centered on the TXI cement plant and getting all the roads in place. Those are all done and painted so I started adding a scenery base and getting buildings into their final resting place. I've got LOTS of glue drying right now so it seemed like a good time to post.

Also, one other development. Take a look at pp. 54-55 of the latest (June 2012) issue of Model Railroader. I've got my first article published in a major magazine on how I built the car loading platforms for Crawford Grain and TXI. More to come!

Hidden stagging under control!!!!

Controls for the hidden staging tracks are done!!!

I spent the last three days working on and trouble shooting a Diode Matrix Control for the hidden yard ladder. I say trouble shooting because after I wired it all up on Wednesday, I couldn't get it to work. I spent the last two days checking everything and scratching my head. I finally noticed that I'd put a diode in backwards. DHOOOO!!!

I'm happy to say that this morning I got it working like a top and love it. I found the schematic on David K. Smith's site here: http://whiteriverandnorthern.net/clinics.htm   David was super helpful in helping me out with my questions. I'm glad I did the controls this way.

Here you can see the hidden staging entrance/exit at Meridian. In the bottom right of the photo is a red knob that is the rotary switch for the diode matrix. I'm working on a label for the switch and am also going to put a small dry erase board above it so that I can write consist numbers for the locos in staging. You can also see the video monitor that I use to watch trains in the staging yard.

Switching Crawford Grain

Today, I played with photographing the layout. I tried different lighting techniques and did my first ever photo stack to get good depth of field. This photo is the result. I'm not 100% happy with the white balance in the shot but it's much improved over other shots I've taken lately. I hope to get to experiment more with the camera soon.

Bridge in and slow order removed.....

 Crawford overpass is in and trains can run again!!! The track was ballasted and secured with white glue mix. Once dry, I brushed on layers of different colors of Bragdon's weathering powder. The rails were painted with a Floquil "Rust" paint pen. After it dried, I used a stiff brush to take most of the paint back off of the rail and the ties that it got onto. Plus, the brush helped work in the powder. Spring is almost here so green stuff should start sprouting soon.

Paving roads

I've gotten my first two roads in and about done. This first photo is the main street coming out of Crawford. You can see the glue drying on the gravel drive that goes to Crawford Grain. This road T's into HWY 45 as you can see in the distance. If you take a left on HWY 45, it will take you to the bridge below. This road was poured with Woodland Scenic's paving plaster. I then brushed on a thick coat of white glue and added a layer for fine ballast. After it dried, I sanded it then painted with Ralph Lauren "River Rock" series paint finishes then sanded again, appliedvstripping, sanded again followed by a dusting of India Ink wash.

This is the HWY 45 underpass at Crawford. I've got the bridge temporarily set while adding the finishing touches to the road. The road that turns off to the left just beyond the bridge leads to the TXI cement plant. This road was done with drywall spackling then painted with Ralph Lauren and finished like the other road.

It's been almost a month since my last update. I've actually gotten quite a bit done but just haven't posted. Right now, I'm kind of held up waiting on some parts to come from Walthers before continuing on. What you're seeing here is the start of my "Bad side of the tracks" in Meridian. This is a freelanced scene but is based on the ICG/Southern crossing in Meridian so the tracks are pretty close to the prototype. I'm waiting on some more curbing to come from Walthers to finish assembling the street. I hope to have them next week or so.

Here's a shot from the other side of the bridge. I've added the green stagnant summer water to the ditch and started on the ground cover. The double track in the background is the Southern and the single track in the foreground is the ICG as the two converge to cross in Meridian.

Grain, Bridges and Passenger Platforms

I've made some more progress on Crawford Grain. Piping on the grain legs are in along with the safety wire along the loading tracks. Also a little more scenery.

I've also started some work in the Meridian yard. Today, I poured one of the passenger platforms Meridian Union Station.I'm modeling Meridian from the North looking South so the passenger station will be off the layout to the left. In other words, when looking at the layout, you would be looking from the station out across the yard.
I've also begun work on the 18th Ave bridge over the North end of the yard at Meridian.

I was able to get some more work done on Crawford Grain today. First, I got a photo mosaic backdrop printed off and pasted up. I then blended the backdrop sky color onto the photo sky color. At first, I tried to do this with an airbrush but I got too much over-spray on the photo and on some scenery so I went to a brush and feathered it in. I like how it turned out.

Next, I started adding the structures that I'd been building on for a while. I've gotten most of the main structures in place. Next comes the details.