Trenton Transportation Company

[Dave Schneider]

DKS,

What a great combination of design, modeling, and photography skills. Really delightful to see them all together.

Best wishes, Dave

[peteski]

The photo from the bottom of the hill looking up looks completely real to me.  Amazing!  What are you using to light this scene to take the photos? I assume those shadows are real shadows and not photoshopped in...

Because the photos and the lighting look so realistic and natural, I suspect that DKS photographed it outdoors under natural lighting. You now got me curious too.

I bet that it is the creative photographic technique which makes the layout appear so much larger than it is. I suspect that viewed in-person, the layout looks tiny (since it is).  But if someone lowers their viewpoint to the street level, the layout will suddenly look larger.

[Jeff AKA St0rm]

I don't think there is anything left that hasn't been said already. WOW just fantastic.

Jeff

[OldEastRR]

I don't think there is anything left that hasn't been said already.

Except, "How are you going to top THIS one with your next layout, Dave?"

[DKS]

This ought to surprise a few people: the lighting is what some old-school photographers would call "available darkness," which is a way of saying the lighting sucks. It's a single wimpy ceiling fixture. Other than the photo sky backdrop propped up behind the layout, there are no tricks used. The images were resized, and that's it. No shopping, no tweaking, no cropping, nothing--I didn't even bother to take the time to re-shoot the slightly fuzzy ones where the camera moved a little. Anyway, it was kind of hard to use natural sunlight when it was after 9PM and pouring rain...

OK, so how many people weren't expecting that answer? C'mon, don't be bashful, raise your hands.

[packers#1]

Perhaps that adds to the realism then, as scenes from this era captured with a camera wouldn't be perfectly lit and crystal clear, but would be a bit fuzzy and grainy and not extremely well lit; not to say your camera skills are crap (which we all know they aren't), but that the circumstances of these pictures combined with your excellent modeling help to really set the mood in the pictures.

Or maybe it's the fact that its finals week is making me go a bit crazy

[peteski]

This ought to surprise a few people: the lighting is what some old-school photographers would call "available darkness," which is a way of saying the lighting sucks. It's a single wimpy ceiling fixture. Other than the photo sky backdrop propped up behind the layout, there are no tricks used. The images were resized, and that's it. No shopping, no tweaking, no cropping, nothing--I didn't even bother to take the time to re-shoot the slightly fuzzy ones where the camera moved a little. Anyway, it was kind of hard to use natural sunlight when it was after 9PM and pouring rain...

OK, so how many people weren't expecting that answer? C'mon, don't be bashful, raise your hands.

--Raising my hand---

Wow, you never cease to amaze me (or you are just very lucky)!   
To me the photos (overall color balance and the shadows) looked like they were illuminated by sunlight. But maybe it is because that's what my brain wanted to see....

[GimpLizard]

Even after spending hours upon hours of absorbing every page of the White River & Northern web site I am still amazed at what this man can do in such a small space. There are an awful lot of very talented modelers on this forum. And not wanting to slight anyone, but I think David is the alpha-modeler. And it all starts with his exceptional track-planning ability.

Well done, David.

[rswinnerton]

I'm constantly amazed by your work, David. Wow.

[sizemore]

Dave this is by far, amazing. Mind asploded.

The S.

[DKS]

Thanks for all of the kudos, gentlemen (and lady). My mind is 'sploding as well from an inflated ego.

Hope to see some of you at the RailBQ.

But maybe it is because that's what my brain wanted to see....

No, it's what my brain wanted your brain to see.

[packers#1]

But maybe it is because that's what my brain wanted to see....

No, it's what my brain wanted your brain to see.

And that made this Key and Peele sketch jump to the forefront of my mind

[glakedylan]

David, greetings!

your attention to details and excellent craftsmanship have made this a truly remarkable model railroad
from the photos one would think it is much, much larger
and the photos also bring a sense of realism, capturing the outstanding modelling you do
thanks for sharing here

with appreciation
Gary

[glakedylan]

David

your streets and track therein are so well done
superb job
wow!
impressive and so realistic
thanks for sharing

Gary

[pwnj]

No, it's what my brain wanted your brain to see.

He controls the horizontal... he controls the vertical...