The new Missouri Valley Western

[casmmr]

For roads, you need a year to model.  In the 1950's & 1960's cars dripped a lot of fluids and the middle of the roads were discolored by those fluids.  In the 1980's and onwards, there are not the fluids dripping as before.  So the center of each lane should be cleaner, still some leakage just not like before.  I like the roads shown in the pictures, with the vehicles, 1950's so the center of each lane would have drips from oil, transmission fluid, etc.

[svedblen]

OK, a valid point. Did not think that far  Sorry Jim

[MVW]

Interesting comments.

Jason, I wasn't working directly from a photo, but from an observation I made a few weeks ago while driving. I was headed uphill, and happened to be thinking about this project at the time, and noted the road ahead of me had three distinct clear tracks, one down the middle of each lane, and one down the middle of the road. What I saw was a fairly extreme example, but it wasn't the first time I noticed it.

I just ran out and took this shot. I think this road was rebuilt a year or two ago, so the effect isn't pronounced, but it is noticeable. (And it's much more noticeable from the middle of the road.)



One thing I've noticed is that there's an incredible degree of variety in roadways. I originally thought there's probably a "best" way of modeling them. Probably not.

svedblen, I wonder if there may be a different factor at play in your photo. I wonder if tires have worn away a top surface. If those dark stripes are from autos, I wouldn't think you'd see them down the middle of the road and at the sides.

Michael, I was thinking the same thing about colors. I will have an intersection where two different-colored roads meet, but these two shades are so similar it will likely be fairly subtle.

casmrr, I can't argue with your logic. That makes sense. But I think there would still be tracks from tire wear.

Jim

[svedblen]

svedblen, I wonder if there may be a different factor at play in your photo. I wonder if tires have worn away a top surface. If those dark stripes are from autos, I wouldn't think you'd see them down the middle of the road and at the sides.

Yes, can be. As I said, that is an asphalt road and tire wear can probably remove much of the asphalt itself, exposing more of the embedded stone/gravel. On a concrete road other effects might come into play.

[MichaelWinicki]

One thing I've noticed is that there's an incredible degree of variety in roadways. I originally thought there's probably a "best" way of modeling them. Probably not.

Jim

This.

That's exactly the point I came to.

[MVW]

And here I procrastinated on this because I was afraid I'd eff it up. 

Turns out it may be uneffable.

Jim

[casmmr]

Roads are pretty much not effable as you can model new, old or somewhere in the middle.  Just look around you, concrete varies in color due to weathering and the materials used to make it.  Around here it ages to a dirty yellow brown color in some places, mainly the concrete barriers along the side of the road, the lanes are an entirely different color.  Just look around and try to match what you see.  Do a new road surface with asphalt a good german panzer grey color or a surface that is years old, almost a light grey like the concrete color.  Just have fun.

[LIRR]

I thinks aged asphalt and aged concrete are some of the toughest colors to get right. The good news is you can paint it over and over and over until you're happy with the result

[MVW]

Still a work in progress. But ... progress!



Jim

[milw12]

You know, I think you just helped me with my mental road block (pun intended) when it comes to my roadways. Thanks Jim for being a forerunner here, off to find some Testors' and be a follower 

fwiw, those colors are familiar, Mindheim might recommend them in his book but DKS sounds right too.

Lucas

[MVW]

There are plenty of guys here who can show how to do things the right way. My role is to tackle things you can't do wrong.   

Jim

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I'll tell you, Google Streetview is amazing for this.

And also, if you want to try something different, there's this trick I learned from @John . Take a satellite picture and print it out.

[MVW]

Well, I started out to experiment with roads, and this happened ...



A pair of F units leads Chicago & North Western train #254 “The Aksarben” as it sweeps through West Cedricsburg, Iowa, in summer 1954, en route to the Windy City. Meanwhile, an S2 toils in the weeds on the west-end drill track of Cedricsburg yard, and a GP waits in the hole with a way freight.

It's a WIP (aren't we all?), so please pardon the general shiny-ness and other obvious imperfections.

Funny thing is, this started with my first attempt to model a road. I was so encouraged with the results that I felt compelled to 'bash together the implement dealership. Then I felt motivated to do a little GIMP work to create the billboard and signage. Of course, the implement business needed a parking area, which (after a few false starts) eventually led to a satisfactory experience using unsanded grout for that purpose for the first time.



This all happened in a few weeks … after about six months of doing absolutely nothing constructive on the layout.  And all because I wanted to see if I could make a few square inches of styrene look like a road. 

There are tons of details to add, especially tractors and combines. But the layout is far from the "details" stage. This is the most complete scene, which isn't saying much. But it got me going again!

Jim

PS: My first use of TRW gallery. It rocks! Will gradually try to resurrect photos MIA due to Photobucket's assholery.

[Chris333]

This all happened in a few weeks … after about six months of doing absolutely nothing constructive on the layout.

I know that feeling...

[Jbub]

Same here, long periods of neglect and then focused attention.