The Little Rock Line

[Bendtracker1]

I needed a highway near the town of Ruston, LA.
So again I followed the method Mr. Foxx used with styrene, it seemed to work pretty good for the scrap yard entrance I made earlier.

Using the same cork I used for roadbed, I laid down the base, then used a plastic "No Parking" sign that I got at Menards for the highway.



After getting it painted to my liking, I used masking tape for the striping and stippled TCP White and Yellow so it wasn't a completely solid line.




A friend printed me a Crossing stencil. I sprayed it using TCP white and touched up the stencil lines.




Then I grabbed my Pan Pastels to weather it and used a calligrapher's pen and black ink for the cracks and tar lines.
The oil spots were made using some Rail Center wash in a stiff brush.  I used a dental pick and pulled the bristles back so they'd splatter the wash near the crossing.





 

[shark_jj]

Looks really good Allen.  If you have the eye for colour its hard to beat styrene that is beautifully painted and weathered and you clearly have the artists eye.  I notice you mentioned on the blog the fading issue with Pan Pastels once they are Dullcoted, and I totally agree.  Painting is the right approach if you can seal the masking tape so you don't get bleed under.  The problem with the grout approach I used is the rough surface of the grout prevents a good seal when you tape.  Great job.

[NorthWestGN]

Nicely done, Looks great!

Brent

[Bendtracker1]

Looks really good Allen.  If you have the eye for colour its hard to beat styrene that is beautifully painted and weathered and you clearly have the artists eye.

Thank you John!

I notice you mentioned on the blog the fading issue with Pan Pastels once they are Dullcoted, and I totally agree.

Yup, at least the lighter colors anyway.

  Painting is the right approach if you can seal the masking tape so you don't get bleed under.  The problem with the grout approach I used is the rough surface of the grout prevents a good seal when you tape.  Great job.

I agree.  I used Tamiya tape and tried to burnish it down after I sealed the base paint.  Seemed to work just fine?
I originally planned to try the pre-mixed grout like you have done just to try another method, but didn't feel like making a mess at that particular time.  I still plan to give it a go on another road though.

Plus like you said, being rough might be tough to keep the lines crisp with Pans or paints.  I did however, give some thought about using Frog Tape to see if that would work to help seal things?

[Bendtracker1]

Nicely done, Looks great!

Brent

Thanks Brent!

[OldEastRR]

Really great-looking roads. And they LOOK like they're old and used, not fresh-laid asphalt. Pan Pastels are powder?

[Bendtracker1]

Been awhile since I updated the thread.

After getting the road installed, I worked on the depot scene at Ruston, I wanted to make a county road and parking lot for the depot and unloading spur.  I cut out some cork and got it glued down.   



While it was drying one of the new bottles of 90% alcohol that I used for weight decided to spring a tiny leak and it dripped on the road.  It wound up attacking all the paint and weathering with the exception of the automotive primer I used for the base color.  I thought about trying to blend it in and decided it would be easier to patch it instead.








Next I used some old ballast to make the sloped shoulders on all the roads and covered the entire area with dirt made from grout.







Once dry, I glued down some ground foam for a scenery base like I've done elsewhere.



I was trying to decide what to do with the area in front of the tracks and to the left of the road.  I thought about making a depression, or maybe have another small trestle bridge, but didn't like the lack of space in the area I had behind the tracks.  Scratched my head for a bit and then came up with an idea:  A bog.
I sketched something up to see if it would look ok.

 

Then I set about the task, I removed the 5/8" ceiling tile and inlaid a section of 1/4" MDF for the bog bottom and used Sculptamold to give it some shape.







I got the track ballasted, backdrop painted and a shoulder applied to the bog side of the road.
I ordered some scenery material for the bog and I have been making a crap load of weed tufts over the last week.

[OldEastRR]

Bog looks good. I suggest the tiniest hint of a small stream coming from the backdrop, under the track through a small culvert or timber frame, and into the bog. Even just a gulley, with green grass in it to indicate water below the dry streambed.

[Bendtracker1]

I've been steadily working on the bog and adding super trees to the area around Ruston.

Made a ton of weed tufts for the bog.


Started adding them and a variety of other vegetation to the bog.




Made a big batch of Super Trees.




Then I made some Thickets and Briars out of left over Super Tree pruning's.
https://thelittlerockline.blogspot.com/2024/12/super-tree-conservation.html

Have also been playing around with the new iPhone camera a bit.

[Frank Amato]

Love the colors and textures on that highway!!!

  Frank

[Bendtracker1]

Love the colors and textures on that highway!!!

  Frank

Thanks Frank.
The road has a weird reddish blue tint to it in that photo that I could not get out with the editor, go up thread and you'll see it with a better color.

[Bendtracker1]

I've been working pretty steadily on the bog and the highway crossing lately.
The bog is getting close to getting the water poured.  I'm playing around different types of mediums to use.  I had planned to use WS Realistic Water, but have come to find out, it's not the best option.  I'm testing out a couple of artist options suggested by Boomer:  Golden GAC 500 and Liquitex Pouring Medium. 



The other day I finally got the crossing electronics installed and working, one sensor will be installed inside a depot that I'm currently working on.

If anyone happened to notice that one LED is not flashing, I sent Homer out with a ladder to replace it, hopefully he got it done before going home for New Years Eve.



Happy New Year!

[shark_jj]

Allen, did you consider using the Deep Pour Water from Woodland Scenics.  I used it for all of the water on the Grand Trunk Southern and was quite happy with the results.  I also used their ripple and wave effects and was quite pleased with both.  I did get some "stretch" marks in the straight pour of the water which can be seen if you get down low to look at it and I'm sure would show up in macro photography.  Not sure why, however, once I applied the stippling of the Ripple Effect that disappeared.  I would certainly recommend taking a look at it and see if it meets your needs.  Little pricey unfortunately.

[Bendtracker1]

Allen, did you consider using the Deep Pour Water from Woodland Scenics.  I used it for all of the water on the Grand Trunk Southern and was quite happy with the results.  I also used their ripple and wave effects and was quite pleased with both.  I did get some "stretch" marks in the straight pour of the water which can be seen if you get down low to look at it and I'm sure would show up in macro photography.  Not sure why, however, once I applied the stippling of the Ripple Effect that disappeared.  I would certainly recommend taking a look at it and see if it meets your needs.  Little pricey unfortunately.

I have and figured it wasn't much better than the RW, but have not played with it.
Pricey? Maybe but probably cheaper than what I've spent on the other stuff so far.

I like the Liquitex and GAC since it's not a mix and acrylic.  I'm doing another deeper pour with the Liquitex now, want to see how that stuff works.

Does the Deep Pour have a tendency to creep?

[shark_jj]

Yes, it does.  I hadn't thought of that problem since the banks of the bog are finished.  It didn't bother me since I just added some more material to the riverbanks and covered it up.  That's not always possible.  I estimate the creep on the latest pour at about 3/8" on a river that is about 5 inches wide.