Weekend Update 11/12/23

[wazzou]

I needed a small depot for my HO switching layout. I had this Walthers kit but it was unsuitable for 2 reasons: The footprint is too big, and I am modeling Podunkville in the 1950s, and it would be inappropriate for a very small town.

You’ve done a top notch job, really. 
However, I don’t know what your space looks like, but Railroads and Towns weren’t immune to building grandly.
I don’t think the original depot would be out of place in a smallish town.
That said, you’ve done a really nice job, so far.

[johnb]

I needed a small depot for my HO switching layout. I had this Walthers kit but it was unsuitable for 2 reasons: The footprint is too big, and I am modeling Podunkville in the 1950s, and it would be inappropriate for a very small town.





On MRH, I saw a photo of a small depot I really liked, I realized I could probably kitbash something similar from the Walthers kit.
So out came the Zona razor saw, Exacto knife, & sanding blocks, and after a lot of slicing & dicing I ended up with this:






The roof sections were cut from a styrene "no parking" sign.
I am undecided at this point whether to finish the roof with tarpaper or Bollinger Edgerly shingles.

I was thinking about a similar bash, but with a larger freight section

[Mike Madonna]

I was thinking about a similar bash, but with a larger freight section

John,
Great looking depot, nice "bash" 
Looks like the little depot at Serrano on the Coast Route.... well done!

[johnb]

John,
Great looking depot, nice "bash" 
Looks like the little depot at Serrano on the Coast Route.... well done!

it wasn't mine....my layout was started today...

[EJN]

Looks like the little depot at Serrano on the Coast Route...

I had to google that, found this photo, that is the look I am going for.

[ednadolski]

Not sure why your being hard on yourself, atleast with that photo I'm getting the effect.

My only point there is that the flatness of a 2D backdrop (no matter how well done) will always be more apparent in-person when juxtaposed behind 3D modeled terrain. Plus, 2D is more effective when viewed square-on, but here a good chunk of the viewing angles are too shallow (esp the sides).  Hence the appeal of the book  technique.

Only spoil I would say is it being a bit glossy.

...  the closer hill on the model is too blue. Things get bluer and hazier as they get further away, but that wasn't corrected for when the image was used as the backdrop. ... The contrast between the modeled grass and the grass on the backdrop is jarring.

Ed's photo of his layout wasn't color corrected and the exposure was off.  Even the background has the same too-bluish tone to it, which indicates to me that the difference between the photo of the real loop vs Ed's photo of his layout might just be a matter of filtration and exposure settings.

My only bit of constructive criticism about Ed's layout presentation is his sky...which is a problem with most model railroaders (myself included) who don't usually take the time to progressively go from light/hazy at the bottom to darker as the "sky" goes up.

These all are very legit observations, and all are things I would like to do better for backdrop.next. The original pics were taken on 35mm film just using auto exposure and no filters, with some angles facing a bit more into the sun. Nowadays, I'd want to hover a drone right above the Loop cross and take a full set of high-res panorama images under as ideal lighting/weather/seasonal conditions as possible.

Matching hill/grass colors on a photo backdrop to modeled terrain can be a challenge.  The available pallet of model scenery colors (static grasse and ground foams) is limited.  This is one area a well done painting could come out looking better.

... hazy sky is always brighter than any earth beneath it, which ideally could be done on our layouts by leaving a gap between our painted or photographed background hills/mountains and the skyboard, and shining a light up from the bottom, illuminating the sky separately from the rest of the layout lighting.

I'd love to see some examples of that.  Otherwise I think I'd rather use a photo sky panorama. Painting a uniform tone transition across a large backdrop is generally problematic.

There's a good section on how to convert topographical maps and satellite images into the correct perspective along curving guide lines. Details are given on how to set the horizon and elevation. While there are sections on photobackdrops, the emphasis is on painted ones. The instructions are good enough that I feel I can do it, even though I'm not an artist.

Nice!  I've ordered up a copy of the book and I am really looking forward to poring over it in detail. 

Ed

[dougnelson]

Palmer Union Station is complete and installed on the Central Vermont in Northern California:

[craigolio1]

Palmer Union Station is complete and installed on the Central Vermont in Northern California:

This scene is amazing!  And I apologize for not asking a question that’s more relevant to the whole scene but….  Please share how you did such a nice job of the white wall tires on the wagon?

Craig

[aikorob]

Palmer Union Station is complete and installed on the Central Vermont in Northern California:

A++ on the mortar lines
Are you planning on any weathering?

[altohorn25]

I received a package from Lowell Smith this past week of some of the 1953 two-tone grey Southern Pacific "Cascade" cars and took a quick video of them on my layout.  The Cascade train is being pulled by an A-B-A set of weathered Kato PA's.  There is a Union Station Products kit in the mix as well as a re-lettered Kato baggage car (also switched out the 4 wheel trucks with 6 wheel trucks).  The Lark is also in this video (Kato power; cars by WOT, Kato, and Intermountain/CCS).  The F3's are a bit of a foobie since they don't have steam generators and shouldn't be pulling a passenger train.

I have a few more sleepers from Union Station Products that I need to build and I'll be getting more cars from Lowell as he releases them. 

It will be a nice train to work on and will compliment my Lark nicely.

[peteski]

This scene is amazing!  And I apologize for not asking a question that’s more relevant to the whole scene but….  Please share how you did such a nice job of the white wall tires on the wagon?

Craig

Yes, Doug did an incredible job on the station.  Worth noting is that while Doug models N scale, the station is H0 scale. Still, I'm also interested in the white walls painting techinque.

[djconway]

Great job dougnelson, that station has been one of my favorite sites to watch trains.  You have done an excellent job.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Palmer Union Station is complete and installed on the Central Vermont in Northern California:

Any chance we can get a copy in N scale? 

[Frank Amato]

Decals and clear coat are done on these H34 hoppers!  Just don't zoom in too close on the repack/stencil data, which I stole from a Microscale boxcar set 

I also installed 905 couplers (not enough room for 1025s) and proper 70-ton BLMA trucks.  Weathering will wrap up this project...



  Frank

[wm3798]

Meanwhile, the footrest of foobs has arrived at HiRail Central.


Thanks to @jjb62556 , I've added this glorious fully powered PABA set from the Neolithic era.


Now, who needs to have their wisdom teeth pulled?

Lee