Sunkist Packing House, Orange County CA - N Scale Switching Layout

[timgill]

Thanks for the kind words, Alasdair. I'm sure your efforts will be great! I'm no modeling genius myself, just try to combine the right colors and textures together to get the vibe I am going for. Lance Mindheim's blog has a lot of great information that has helped my modeling immensely, I recommend checking it out.

[Ali Kenneth]

Doh, i meant 21st century!
I agree with you about Lance Mindheim's blog, essential daily reading for me. Lance and Byron Henderson have been very influential in how i view model railroading.
Keep up the good work.
Alasdair

[timgill]

More scenic work today. "Dirt" base laid down:

IMAG1618 by timgill1983, on Flickr

Then a soaking with 50/50 matte medium, followed by basic groundcover:

IMAG1619 by timgill1983, on Flickr

The foundation for the depot blends in fairly well.

IMAG1620 by timgill1983, on Flickr

Now, to decide what to do with this particular scene. On the original aerial photo, the road parallels the tracks, on the same side as the depot. I am thinking that a dirt lot and driveway would look good surrounding the station on the east side. Also, would like to drop in a few palm trees near the station. Here's the proposed "Google Maps View":

Scene Mockup 1 by timgill1983, on Flickr

The only thing I don't like about this particular version is the fact that the road is cut off for most of its length by the fascia. Perhaps it would be worth having it take a little jog northward west of the depot?

Originally I had planned a "T" intersection near the far west end, with a grade crossing right before the turnout; this would lead up to the parking lot for the packing house. However, I think that might make the scene too cluttered. Thoughts?

[packers#1]

Rather than have it swerve to get near the tracks, why not have it parallel the tracks and flow from that turnout towards the depot, as if to make room for it?

Like this (it may be what you were thinking by jog though, now that I see it).

[timgill]

Rather than have it swerve to get near the tracks, why not have it parallel the tracks and flow from that turnout towards the depot, as if to make room for it?

Like this (it may be what you were thinking by jog though, now that I see it).

I do like that a little more. Seems to give the scene more depth. It strays a little from the prototype location, but this isn't a strict model of the area anyhow. More of a "proto-lance" concept.

Anyone know a good source for N-scale Palm Trees? Are the JTT ones any good? There's a bunch of really crappy looking ones on the eBay.

[timgill]

Decided I liked the "jog" idea, after testing a few configurations with painters tape.

IMAG1624 by timgill1983, on Flickr

IMAG1625 by timgill1983, on Flickr

I tinted a batch of lightweight spackle with acrylic paint, so that the road substrate wouldn't be pure white if chipped/scratched. Slopped a bunch of it between the tape.

IMAG1626 by timgill1983, on Flickr

After it had set for a few minutes, I pulled up the tape. I also had the genius idea that, perhaps, it might be good to move the depot out of the way of impending splatter-doom.

IMAG1627 by timgill1983, on Flickr

IMAG1629 by timgill1983, on Flickr

After it dried, an initial sanding with 220 grit. I expect it will need another thin layer on top to smooth out the bigger potholes...then I'll build up the shoulder with some ballast/sand.

IMAG1638 by timgill1983, on Flickr

Pay no attention to the giant sandy spot where the original groundcover got sucked into the shop vac...

[packers#1]

Very nice, I like the way the plaster looks just sanded like that.

[SSW7771]

The road looks good. I will have to try that method on my next layout.

Marshall

[pwnj]

Road looks great, and I actually like the shop-vac'd part, I thought it was intentional.

[M.C. Fujiwara]

Looking good, Tim!

I think the proto photos we worked off of had the road right along the tracks, but hey, whatever works.
A nice angle works well.

Looks like you discovered the magic of the serendipitous shop-vac-suc!
Always fun at shows when people want to know your master-modeler secret for create such realistic scenic sections!
("Well, the most important skill is to not pay attention when vacuuming..."  )

Lots of fab textures!

[timgill]

Thanks guys!

I have since gone back and patched some of the more offensive divots and potholes in the road, so it's awaiting a final sanding and coloring. Then I'll carve in some cracks, etc, before weathering with powders. Pics to follow.

Looks like you discovered the magic of the serendipitous shop-vac-suc!
Always fun at shows when people want to know your master-modeler secret for create such realistic scenic sections!
("Well, the most important skill is to not pay attention when vacuuming..."  )

 

[timgill]

Well, just to prove that I haven't completely abandoned this project, here's a small update.

I cleaned the track and spent some time running trains yesterday. Tweaked CV4 in my 2-8-0 to get a nice momentum "glide" going.



I did discover a recurring issue with the turnouts. This was happening every time a loco or car rolled through the frogs on my Atlas turnouts:

https://flic.kr/p/ogyBgJ

My handy-dandy NMRA gauge discovered the problem; Atlas: "Who has two thumbs and makes code 55 turnouts with the guardrails out of gauge? THESE GUYS." Argh. I took out a file and a sanding stick and managed to work everything out:

https://flic.kr/p/ogyGSU

Of course, I have to do this to ALL the guardrails on ALL the turnouts.  Hooray.

I added some cracks to the road with a fine-tip Sharpie:



Looks kind of garish, yes? 220 grit sandpaper and india ink wash applied:



That's a bit better. After road striping, it'll get a dullcote top coat and additional weathering with powders.

That's all fer now! Thanks for watching.

[timgill]

A small update. The dirt parking lot is being laid near the depot. Here it is in "still wet" form, a mixture of the unsanded grout and some natural dirt to add a bit of grit. It was smoothed with wet fingers to give the appearance of packed earth.



The depot has had its roof fitted; black styrene sanded with 220 grit and painted...wait for it...ROOF brown. Har.



The depot still needs more detail (need to find raised lettering to simulate the wrought-iron letters used in the station name), and a fair bit of weathering. After all that, it will be installed permanently and given a foundation to blend it into the layout.

The search continues for palm trees. Also, I am slowly putting off tackling the packing plant, after three stalled attempts to scratch it in styrene. If I can find time to work on the drawings, I'm considering having the whole thing laser-cut for me; at least the substructure.

[timgill]

Parking lot is dry, starting to add weeds and scrub around the perimeter.





I added a shoulder to the road with some AZ Rock & Mineral material. It turned out a little too reddish, so I think I am going to tone it down with some powders/india ink wash.



Need to dig out my colored pencils and stripe that road!

Next level of vegetation needs to be the addition of some trees and bushes; so far it's just been basic groundcover and weeds. I'm going to order a few palm trees to line the parking lot, and also make a few wire-armature oak trees as well.

[JoeD]

Nice work!

Joe