Tehachapi, BC

[GaryHinshaw]

Nothing new to report on the layout, but I was inspired by the current Weekend Update thread to take a quick look at some new AI tools for possibly generating backdrop material.  As I've posted (way) upthread, I have a number of photo panoramas that I've been hoping to use for backdrops, but I've stalled out a bit trying to stitch them together in a convincing way.  I have also been watching more of Grant Eastman's youtube channel and have been inspired by the simplicity of his painted backdrops, but I can't really see myself doing a convincing job like he does, especially in the quasi-urban areas around Bakersfield and Edison, for example:





(^Still just test prints.)  Cue Google Gemini: given the simple prompt "Create an image of the Tehachapi foothills." it produces this in 5 seconds:



Not bad, but the lighting is all wrong so let's refine the prompt: "Create an image of the Tehachapi foothills in midday summer light.":



Progress!  But the foreground colours are a bit too saturated, and let's ditch the snow and windmills and add some cattle fencing: "Create an image of the Tehachapi foothills in slightly hazy summer light, with simple cattle fencing along the road and no windmills or snow.":



Ok, I'm starting to think this has genuine potential...

[James Costello]

Ok, I'm starting to think this has genuine potential...

It looks very promising!

[GaryHinshaw]

One of the most challenging sections of backdrop to compose is along the east wall of the layout:



Region A is looking up Caliente Creek Canyon:



but it's very difficult to get a photo angle that works here, let alone the right lighting and grass conditions.  Regions B and C are generally looking up neighbouring Tehachapi Creek Canyon:



Same challenge, made more difficult by needing to blend these scenes.  Region D is up near summit which has very different vegetation and topography:

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/709328/

From the (typical) vantage point of the highway you don't really see all the way up:



so this section will be mostly sky.  These scenes are generic enough that a mere suggestion of each region should be fine, but it needs to fit with the foreground and not look too real or too cartoonish.  I'm impressed enough with the last AI example above to push on this some more.

[GaryHinshaw]

Here's another example using a different tool with the prompt: "Create an image of the Tehachapi foothills with slightly hazy summer light. Face east towards the mountains as viewed from the post office in Caliente California. Use a very wide aspect ratio.":



Ok, I'd say this was looking west, not east; the tracks are wrong, and the post office is a bit off (correct zip code though).  But the atmosphere is still pretty amazing.  This was using https://artlist.io/text-to-image-ai/

[GaryHinshaw]

It's been a long time since I've actually worked on the layout because I have been so preoccupied with rolling stock upgrades, which I am going to declare as layout work.    The latest push has been the cement hopper fleet which serves the biggest customer on the layout - the (eventual) Monolith cement plant:





For a long time, the only modern options were the IM ACF hopper and the FVM 2-bay rib side.  But suddenly we have the IM Trinity 3281, the Atlas Trinity 3230 PD and just now the Scale Trains Gunderson 3250 hoppers.  All of the cars above have been converted to N-Possibles.  The IM cars needed quite a bit of work to bring them up to snuff, but the results have been worth the effort.  The updates include: N-Ps with a medium length scale box, etched crosswalk platforms, painted roof walk side supports, Fusion Scale Graphics FRA stripes, and most importantly, straightened end cages and new stirrups (available here):





These can now more or less hold their own with the magnificent Scale Trains cars:



One day I will get to that backdrop, lay some code 40 track, do some scenery, and build an actual cement plant, I promise.... 

...and weather all those hoppers!   

[ednadolski]

@GaryHinshaw , do you think maybe that AI tool could be used to generate a backdrop image with the bulk of the cement plant on it?  then all you would need is a few of the foreground structs, plus maybe some shallow reliefs to put up against the backdrop to help with the transition. Seems like maybe a way to save a good chunk of struct-building time.  Just a thinkin'....

(A little more elaborate version might be to print some of the plant images on thin layer board, to help create a bit more of a 3D effect...?)

Ed

[GaryHinshaw]

I definitely do, but I haven't quite mastered the AI tools yet...  But I am looking forward to trying more of them.