CN Yellowhead Division

[Scottl]

The backdrop prints arrived so I spent much of the day cutting them out.  I screwed two up so they are off to be reprinted, but everything for the  Park Gate scene was ready to go.  After cutting them and spraying them with clear matte finish, I did a test fit and I'm pretty happy with how this looks.  I need to touch up the sky colour in a few spots and probably spray on some thin white near the horizon before mounting the prints.  There are a lot of trees to add as well, but mostly on left side of the picture. 

This scene is going to look great with a train snaking through it.

[pereirad]

Amazing progress Scott.  So realistic!

[Wolf N Works]

That looks mighty Grande Scott, outstanding.

[James Costello]

Yes! Looks great Scott!

[Scottl]

Thanks guys!

Trees, trees, trees.  Even this arid area I am modelling is full of trees.  I put up about 400 of my little Ebay wire armature trees that I took from my last layout and I think they will be fine for distant and small trees.  I put up some of my foreground handmade trees (ala Grant Eastman of SAR fame) and a few Supertrees with spring green foliage.  I'm pretty happy with the look of the handmade trees, but not so much the effort to make them.  A dozen takes me over an hour, and I probably need 500+.  My wife observed while watching me make them that they are "a labor of love", lol.

Anyway, a few pics as I discover the photo views and with trees added to largely finish this section of the layout.

[shark_jj]

Truly stunning scene.  Great work. 

[Scottl]

Thanks!  Fooling with camera filters to come up with these neat images

[NorthWestGN]

Awesome vistas Scott! They truly show off the power of N Scale, allowing the scenery to dominate the trains...

I can imagine everything from steam in the the forties, first generation diesels and modern container trains running along that trackwork...

Looking forward to more photos,
Brent

[basementcalling]

Thanks!  Fooling with camera filters to come up with these neat images

A mountain goat would be needed to get that photo in proto.

[Scottl]

Much of the month was spent away and enjoying summer so not much layout progress.  I have been steadily making conifer trees and now can churn out 15-20/hour so inventory is building up.

I finally bit the bullet and mounted the rest of the backdrop for the Devona-Park Gate section of the layout.  This was complicated for two reasons:  butt-joining two long prints and trimming a backdrop to fit the existing cliff edge from the first section of backdrop that I mounted.  It went surprisingly well and I learned a few tricks for the next time I mount backdrops.  I'm pretty happy with how this looks and now can move to complete the scenes with trees and to start work on the Snake Indian River bridges.  I'm going to widen the river about 4" to give more room to do a faithful rendition of the bridges.  Getting close to bringing the trains out of storage.

[craigolio1]

It beautiful Scott. Stunning.

Craig.

[Scottl]

Thanks Craig!  I'm going to have to revisit our exchanges on finishing a rocky river for the Snake Indian River.  I might need you to help me 

Now that I am on a roll, I keep wanting to finish major scenery projects before I bring the trains back.  Ballasting the yard and the bridges are tops on the list, but getting the backdrop for Windy Point-Jasper is another big task that is not compatible with the trains.  Maybe I'll just finish the layout before running trains, lol.

[shark_jj]

Looking really great Scott, I can't believe you haven't run a train on it yet. 

[NorthWestGN]

The water colour and texture look great Scott, can’t wait for pics with trains!

Brent

[Bendtracker1]

Outstanding Scott!  That's a great scene!
You at least need to set a train on there and take a picture...