Weekend Update 11/20/22

[Maletrain]

I'm just the other way - gray days with bare trees are not the days I like the most - give me sunny, warm, light breeze, moderate humidity.  I plan to model June in the Appalachians.

That said, modeling trees with leaves is harder than modeling trees without leaves - and I want to model an area that had lots of trees.  I may never finish my forestation effort.

Modeling snow would seem like an easy task, like modeling the desert, until you try to keep that "snow" looking like pristine, fresh-fallen stuff for the duration of your layout's lifetime.  Snow shows dirt.  Yes, some prototype dirt should be seen, especially the coal ash in the steam era.  But a layer of 1:1 household dust on model snow is ugly.  And, at best, it reminds me of those dirty, melting snow days in March, when I am most looking forward to June.

To each his own season for the layout, and I enjoy seeing well executed scenes like Ed's, even if it isn't my personal favorite time of the year.  But, for my own efforts, I choose the days that make me feel the best.

[Jesse6669]

Except for the rails, and there's not much that can be done about those, it looks as good most early N scale.  My Minitrix Fs didn't look any better, and they were a lot bigger!

Sir!  I'm offended by the comparison to Minitrix..!  The contours on my F-unit nose and Blomberg trucks are far more accurate! 

The rails.. well there is a way, and I have it mapped out mentally (and DKS did it years ago) using flat steel wire that is thinner than the Code 40 rail used for T gauge flextrack.   I've already done turnouts and tie strips in 3D for the code 40 so it's really a matter of adapting them and finding a good supply of the steel..  But that's a challenge for another day.

Jesse

[SirTainly]

Which got me thinking … how ‘bout a full-on winter layout?  I know some have done it, but pretty rare.  I also suspect that it might be harder to pull off, convincingly, than it might at first appear.

I suspect your biggest problem here would be dust. I built a small snow diorama, and after leaving it on a shelf whilst working away, it was grey. Vacuuming removed the snow and the dust.

[DirtyD79]

It'd look pretty until you get dust and cobwebs allover it. Personally, I've always modeled summer because I just find winter depressing. Also, because as a kid I was always looking forward to summer vacation while I was in school.

[NtheBasement]

Yeah, I spend time on the layout when its cold and grey outside, and don't want more cold and grey in the basement, I want the nice bright colors, greens of summer and sunny days to offset my SAD.

[C855B]

Yeah, I spend time on the layout when its cold and grey outside, and don't want more cold and grey in the basement, I want the nice bright colors, greens of summer and sunny days to offset my SAD.

I have theater-grade lighting in my layout room, and a control panel setting for "desert sun". I think you hit the nail on the head about it helping with mood when working on the layout. It's a Grade A Gray Day here, so a couple of hours playing with trains today might just be what the doctor ordered.

[Dwight in Toronto]

That said, modeling trees with leaves is harder than modeling trees without leaves - and I want to model an area that had lots of trees.  I may never finish my forestation effort.

Hmmmm … you’ve got me wondering about this.  I suspect that realistic representations of trees without leaves would have to feature meticulously shaped and positioned branches of various sizes, and quite a few of them.  Trees with leaves might be able to get away with much less ‘branchy’ armatures - ie - not nearly as much inside-the-tree detail.  I haven’t tried modeling leafless trees, so can’t say for sure, but at first glance, it might be more time-consuming. 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

That's a stunning scene, Ed. Very very nice. The backdrop works really well.
The only thing it needs imho is a clean, neat fascia to frame the scene...
Otto

Thanks! Fascia is on the agenda.

To Ed K … just wanted to say that I am really warming up to that defoliated, overcast, November-ish scenery that you’ve been perfecting.  I first saw this type of seasonal modeling on Jason Schron’s layout (of Rapido Trains fame).  It’s a bit gutsy to go this route, but the look and feel is such a nice change from the vibrant greens of everybody else’s ‘sunny day’ summer scenes. 

I’m currently between layouts, but I’ve got an unshakeable compulsion to follow in your footsteps when it comes time to get building again.  Thanks for the inspiration!

Thanks! I highly recommend it. I've got some how-to's on my site that might help: https://conrail1285.com/tag/winter-modeling/ and a Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DeadSeasonModelers

As for Jason's layout, I keep telling my Rapido mole to tell him I want to hang out. Not to talk Rapido, but to talk winter modeling. I love seeing a high profile winter project, and I keep hoping he goes "you know, we need to make scenery material for this".

The biggest problem is that many of the "tricks" go away: you can't just hide stuff with clump foliage. You can't just build a ridge of puff balls. And you quickly realize all of the implications that using more scale sized scenery stuff (like big trees) has for layout planning.

But I think it's all 100% worth it.

[Bill H]

I have theater-grade lighting in my layout room, and a control panel setting for "desert sun". I think you hit the nail on the head about it helping with mood when working on the layout. It's a Grade A Gray Day here, so a couple of hours playing with trains today might just be what the doctor ordered.

Mike;
Wow, looks like a hospital operating room - just look at the shine on that floor. What a great environment to work in, plenty of light and room.
Kind regards,
Bill