The Carolina Sandhills Lines in HO Scale

[glakedylan]

just a thought....fwiw


leaving some just "sky" space on the right of the tree line photo
will help in making the scene appear to be 3D and continue as
roadway curving to the right


trees all the way across, to me, make a boundary for the road
that makes the curve seem more like a dead end rather than a
roadway continuing beyond the backdrop


as always...fantastic work and really impressive scenery
kudos!


sincerely
Gary

[davefoxx]

Maybe these would help the illusion
(Attachment Link)

Could even add some bullet holes too.

All good ideas, but they wouldn’t be visible to appreciate.  Bullet holes would be invisible, because the bridge is probably 30” from the table edge.  I can get a right hand curve sign right at the end of the bridge, but that’s about all that can be seen back there.

DFF

[Chris333]

COLOR BLIND CURVE AHEAD   

[davefoxx]

The connecting piece of styrene to finish the road between town and the railroad overpass was a pain in the butt to figure out.  It takes almost a 12” x 48” piece to fit in one piece, so I hope I don’t have to redo it.  I straightened the curve a little, so I’ll need to get some lightweight spackling on the low side to fill the void.  No biggie; this was sort of expected.



DFF

[davefoxx]

A little terraforming to be left to dry overnight:



DFF

[davefoxx]

Just screwing around with the new camera:

DFF

[davefoxx]

Saturday morning, and the lightweight spackling is setting up-  at least enough that I was able to pull the T-pins holding the road in place and apply spackling to the other side without messing up last night’s application.  When this is dry, I’ll pop the road out, which will leave its exact footprint, allowing me to take it to and from the layout, as I clean it up and finish it.



DFF

[davefoxx]

Does anybody know the history on this Volvo timber loader offered by Atlas?  I have a small pulpwood yard that needs a loader, and I'm pretty sure this model is too modern for my 1983-86 era.  But, I figure it will be a good place holder until something better comes along.  Most people who see my layout wouldn't have a clue as to whether it's an anachronism:



DFF

[C855B]

Generically known as a "wheel loader". The Volvo L50C was from the late 1990s; earliest attribution I can find for this model is 1996. The "VOLVO" on the hood dates it after 1996, before then it would be "VOLVO BM". So it's not necessarily that modern. The L50 model series started in 1991 and there doesn't appear to be much difference between the L50 and L50C. The predecessor appears to be the Volvo BM 4300 going back to at least 1980, and the easiest spotting feature there is a flat windshield and a more squared-off hood.

If it wasn't for the windshield it would be "close enough".

(I'm NOT a heavy equipment expert, not by a long shot. I know just enough from my DOT and long-ago construction employment to fine-tune searches.)

[davefoxx]

Thank you, Mike!  You confirmed my thoughts, because I had read about the Volvo BM changing to Volvo in the 1990s.  It’s not that expensive, so I preordered one as a stand-in anyway.

DFF

[davefoxx]

DFF

[Point353]

DFF

Make sure that there's enough of a shoulder on the side of the road to hold a parked vehicle, then put a figure of a railfan with a camera standing on the bridge.

[Missaberoad]

Would a 1980s vintage Cat IT18 work?

https://www.ghqmodels.com/collections/1-87-ho-scale/products/it18-log-loader

Not sure how Ghq's kits look in HO but definitely an option.

[CRL]

If you want a loader to look like something used at a logging facility, break out most of the windows & put rusted mesh where the windows were. It prevents splintered wood from skewering the operator.

Don’t simulate expanded metal grate though... that stuff has been know to deglove fingers if you grab it.

[davefoxx]

If you want a loader to look like something used at a logging facility, break out most of the windows & put rusted mesh where the windows were. It prevents splintered wood from skewering the operator.

Don’t simulate expanded metal grate though... that stuff has been know to deglove fingers if you grab it.

Hey, that solves the problem of no window glass in the GHQ kit!

DFF