Weekend Update 11/4/12

[Day One]

I'm chipping away at more weathering this week. 11 more cars done. Still hundreds to go...

I'm still just practicing and trying different techniques. I'll typically spend a little time looking at some prototype pics from railcarphotos.com to find an effect I want to try and then pic a medium and see what happens. Tried a few new things this week. Washes of Acrylic/water, ink/alcohol, straight acrylic painting, and more powders. Some of the cars with just a wash and a few powders went pretty quick while the ones with a lot of acrylic painting were tediously slow.

In the end, it was a good learning experience and I'm generally happy with the results. I've learned a lot more so going forward should just keep getting better and faster.












edit: 1 more


and now that I see all these pics lined up I notice the focus isn't so great...oops.

[BCR751]

Mark D.

How did you do the extra flags on the locos?  I've been trying to figure out how to do that but everything I've tried to hold the flags (made using 0.010" brass wire and small square of 0.005" styrene) looks ridiculously huge and out of scale.  Yours look good and much more to scale.

Doug

[davidgray1974]

Alot of really great work this week.  Makes me feel like I haven't gotten really anything done.  This week I've been really super anal about tree and bush placement to the point that it has consumed the majority of my focus.  After looking at the scene for a bit, I realized I needed height in the foreground of the coal mine, but not too much that it completely blocked the scene.  There are still areas I need to add small bushes but my wife has informed me that I have enough trees along the front.  What do you guys think?









By the way, does anyone else stare at their scenes for hours wondering "whats missing" or "how can I make this scene better" without actually doing anything but just looking and day dreaming?  Just wondering if I'm the only one.

Thanks for looking!

David

[mark dance]

Mark D.

How did you do the extra flags on the locos?  I've been trying to figure out how to do that but everything I've tried to hold the flags (made using 0.010" brass wire and small square of 0.005" styrene) looks ridiculously huge and out of scale.  Yours look good and much more to scale.

Doug

Hi Doug...no rocket science here.  My extra flags are over-sized as well. (If it is good enough for Michelangelo right MC! ) 

The flag holders are approx. 1 to 1.5 scale foot long pieces of 0.038" stainless steel tubing. The tubing I am using right now is from Ngineering.  I nick the tubing about 1' from the end with the edge of a file and use blunt pliers to snap it off.  Normally my accuracy is only within 6" so I match pairs of about the same length.

The flags are paper a scale 18" square after they are folded in half around 15 thou wire.  I put a light cyan outline of the flag with a printer and then cut the flags to shape once they have dried around the wire. 

I really need to figure out a way to put a bit of a wave in the flags and to discolour them slightly.  They look ok in photos and pretty good in operations though they do look a bit strange when they stay "pointing" in one direction when the loco reverses direction!

 md

[DKS]

What do you guys think?

I think it looks fine, although I do think you could safely pop a taller tree in here and there without obscuring too much; a peek-a-boo effect often adds interest.

By the way, does anyone else stare at their scenes for hours wondering "whats missing" or "how can I make this scene better" without actually doing anything but just looking and day dreaming?  Just wondering if I'm the only one.

I do it all the time. Sometimes I receive comments of either 1) do I ever get anything done, or 2) I guess you really like your work--you admire it a lot.

Hi Doug...no rocket science here.  My extra flags are over-sized as well. (If it is good enough for Michelangelo right MC! ) 

The flag holders are approx. 1 to 1.5 scale foot long pieces of 0.038" stainless steel tubing. The tubing I am using right now is from Ngineering.  I nick the tubing about 1' from the end with the edge of a file and use blunt pliers to snap it off.  Normally my accuracy is only within 6" so I match pairs of about the same length.

The flags are paper a scale 18" square after they are folded in half around 15 thou wire.  I put a light cyan outline of the flag with a printer and then cut the flags to shape once they have dried around the wire. 

I really need to figure out a way to put a bit of a wave in the flags and to discolour them slightly.  They look ok in photos and pretty good in operations though they do look a bit strange when they stay "pointing" in one direction when the loco reverses direction!

 md

Mark, you might want to consider using white decal paper instead of paper, using the same wrap-around-the-pole mounting technique. It would be ultra-thin, nice and smooth, and you might even get it to dry in a gentle curl. And, you could try printing it with a discoloration effect. Just seal it well with Dull Cote before mounting it.

[UP4-8-8-4]

    Last weekend I rebuilt a Pecos River Brass NYC Niagara, so this weekend it was painting time and getting it back together.
I also got my NJ International Brass T1 painted since it was noticed in the background --------- 
The Niagara is completely finished. The T1 I still need to put in headlight lens, build the pilot front drop coupler and air hoses and install before placing back on chassie.








Ernie

[MichaelWinicki]

Hey David Gray...

I like the placement of the bushes.

I would mix in another color or two in order to create more of a contrast.

[Puddington]

David.........you are 99% of the way there..........stare a little more....tweek, don't change.... you've 'got it"........

[randgust]

Got my first order for a 'custom build' CF7, and took it on as it was an unusual request  - a pre-'72 ATSF CF7, after they started the round cabs and before the yellowbonnet took over, open frame.

Built on an Atlas '95 chassis.



I am shipping off of the interest list, I'm getting there...

And I will be doing more custom builds.

[mark dance]

Mark, you might want to consider using white decal paper instead of paperi, using the same wrap-around-the-pole mounting technique. It would be ultra-thin, nice and smooth, and you might even get it to dry in a gentle curl. And, you could try printing it with a discoloration effect. Just seal it well with Dull Cote before mounting it.

Interesting idea David ...do you think they would hold up to "handling" in op sessions if made of decal paper?

Md

[kelticsylk]

Took a few days but I wired up the east bound tracks on the helix...

The bad news is I've tested it and don't like the trackwork or the electrical. Have to start over from the bottom. Learned a thing or two so the next effort should be better.

Frank Musick

[dnhouston]

Spent the weekend ripping out and relaying about 14 feet of subroadbed and track.  I don't know what I was thinking, but I had ended up with an outrageous grade the first time.

[davefoxx]

Frank Musick,

Don't run the wires around each level of the helix.  Instead, run up two or three posts and solder feeders in two or three spots around each level.  This will save you miles of wire.  Use zip ties to hold the wires to each post.

Dave Foxx

[davefoxx]

Began working on the fascia on my HCD layout.  I'm using 3/16" tempered hardboard, which is a little sturdier than 1/8" hardboard and gives me a little extra thickness to countersink and recess the screw heads.  I prefer a smooth fascia with no visible fasteners.  I still need to install the fourth piece of fascia (the far end of the layout), patch the screw holes and seams, and paint the fascia.





I need to figure out what color fascia that I want to do.  On past layouts, I have painted the fascia the color of the earth in the area I'm modeling.  On the Virginia Central, for example, I used a red clay color.  Here, the Seaboard Central is located in the sandhills of North Carolina.  I've got a decent sand color, but I don't know if I want my fascia that light.

DFF

[bc6]

No contributions from me this week Im fighting gremlins on the railroad, Ive enjoyed all the work submitted this week.