HOn3 Rio Grande Southern First District 1938-1945

[Dave V]

Ophir will still need more details... Mrs Skillen’s store still needs stilts and a staircase.  The grout for Colorado Highway 145 is still wet, hence the darker color on the south side of the tracks.  But, the big push to finish Ophir is almost over!

[davefoxx]

You, sir, are a true artist.

DFF

[Chris333]

I'd have my small fan blowing that road dry fast cause who got time for that? 

[wm3798]

... and quick like a bunny!  Great scene!

Hopefully I'll get to Colorado one of these days to point out what you did wrong!

El Salto

[Dave V]

Thanks guys!

This scene still needs:

1)  The aforementioned support stilts and a long staircase to the street for Mrs Skillen's Store (the one with the big porch).
2)  Finished paint on the stone walls and exposed rock.
3)  Grade crossing details (such as they are for the Rio Grande Southern).
4)  Gas pump for the Quality Store.
5)  The basement wall for the Quality Store (right now there's a piece of Heki pull-apart grass hiding the gap).
6)  Handrails for Bridge 45B and connecting the walkway to the finished scenery
7)  More people, more vehicles

[Hawghead]

Dave,

The scene is looking fantastic.  As  you said, Ophir is the one place you have to get right with the RGS, and you've done a great job.  I can see the corner of the wall behind the Oilton Club Saloon but the backdrop doesn't look there is a corner there.  Did you cut across the corner of the wall with the back drop or does the backdrop just kind of "camouflage" the corner?

Scott

[Dave V]

Dave,

The scene is looking fantastic.  As  you said, Ophir is the one place you have to get right with the RGS, and you've done a great job.  I can see the corner of the wall behind the Oilton Club Saloon but the backdrop doesn't look there is a corner there.  Did you cut across the corner of the wall with the back drop or does the backdrop just kind of "camouflage" the corner?

Scott

LOL, it's funny...  The only things I'm deliberate about are those things pertaining to the running of trains.  Benchwork, trackwork, and wiring...no margin for error.  However, though scenery is probably my favorite part of the hobby, I prefer to work both sloppily and freehanded.  So what you see in that corner is my "tucking" the paper backdrop back there into the corner as deep as I could before it creased.  Just that simple.  I left enough room behind the Oilton Club to allow a little curve in the backdrop.

[Hawghead]

Rather be lucky than good.    Well it really tricks the eye, kudos.

Scott

[CRL]

LOL, it's funny...  The only things I'm deliberate about are those things pertaining to the running of trains.  Benchwork, trackwork, and wiring...no margin for error.  However, though scenery is probably my favorite part of the hobby, I prefer to work both sloppily and freehanded.

Wow. This is almost exactly how I approach the hobby. I’m almost OCD-level on track as I detest bad track work causing operating problems. However, I love working on scenery and getting the landforms as natural and non contrived as possible, with my motto being “needs more dirt”.

I’m really enjoying watching your layout develop.

[DKS]

Wow. This is almost exactly how I approach the hobby. I’m almost OCD-level on track as I detest bad track work causing operating problems. However, I love working on scenery and getting the landforms as natural and non contrived as possible, with my motto being “needs more dirt”.

I’m really enjoying watching your layout develop.

Makes three of us.

[wm3798]

I would say it's probably most of us!

It's one of the things that has me at a stalemate on mine.  I've got the foam board with some tracks slopped around on it, but I have plans for a new layout, and I don't want to start anything until I know I have what I need to build the track plan right, wire it right, and get it absolutely bulletproof before moving on the mudding it, so I suffer from growing frustration that I'm still looking at a spider web of wires and blue foam instead of a more finished railroad...

Just need a little more time and few more dollars... and a hand full of round tuits.  Those things are quite elusive!

Lee

[CRL]

Forget the hand full of round tuits. All you need is one get tuit or a doit tuit.

[Dave V]

I got a lot of the fiddly work done at Ophir.  The stilts and stairs for Mrs Skillen's Store and the handrails for Bridge 45B.  Added the basement wall for the Quality Store.  Also added crossing details.  The glue is still wet in the vicinity of the grade crossing, hence the darker area.

[wm3798]

Really nice touches.

[Dave V]

August 2019 update.