Weekend Update 1/26/20

[Cajonpassfan]

That’s Nn3? Wowzers, that’s amazing, Paul.
Otto

[craigolio1]

Gravel roads are just done using 2 types of sanded tile grout.   The base layer in a beige colour,  followed by a light grey top coat.  The ruts and tire wear effects are rubbed in using the handle end of a small paint brush.   I do this before sealing with scenic cement, but you could also do it after ...    It exposes the beige base layer for a nice tire track effect.

Thank you.

[160pennsy]

That’s Nn3? Wowzers, that’s amazing, Paul.
Otto

Yes Otto it is Nn3 and thanks for your comments. There’s a new photo in the build thread with a giant penny for size reference!

[jereising]

I really hate to be a downer, but that gravel road is bugging me.  I drove a lot of gravel roads in the midwest when I was younger, and never ever saw four sets of tire tracks in the gravel.  It was always just two.  And when driving, you stayed on those tracks.  In the unlikely event you met someone, you slowed way down and moved over.   Maybe it's different elsewhere.

Other than that, you nailed it.  Texture and color are great.

[CRL]

Jim - I think you’re right about the typical narrow dirt road only showing 2 tire tracks, but some of the wider “improved” dirt roads I’ve encountered do have a 2 lane road appearance, but more like 3 tire tracks with the center track being a wider looking track.

However, we’re getting really esoteric here. But, it is the Railwire after all.

[BCRail_FSJ]

Jim - I think you’re right about the typical narrow dirt road only showing 2 tire tracks, but some of the wider “improved” dirt roads I’ve encountered do have a 2 lane road appearance, but more like 3 tire tracks with the center track being a wider looking track.

However, we’re getting really esoteric here. But, it is the Railwire after all.

The intention was for this to be a two lane gravel road so basically the width of a normal secondary highway (but not paved) .  The four light coloured streaks represent tire wear for northbound and southbound vehicles.   The small stub access into the field would be considered the width of a single track gravel road.    Two Lane gravel roads are very common in this part of western Canada and often run dead straight in a grid along regularly spaced township and range lines.    The remainder of the layout will be crossed by typical single lane gravel tracks so that will help with the sense of scale of this more substantial road.      I guess a couple of vehicles placed passing each other in that photo would have helped.

[C855B]

The intention was for this to be a 2 lane gravel road so basically the width of a secondary highway but not paved.    In this part of Western Canada they commonly run along Township and Range lines in a regular grid.

Common practice in the western US states as well, so there you go. Lots of dust accumulated on our cars from traversing these kinds of roads chasing trains. For that matter you're fortunate if they're gravel, usually just graded.

[BCRail_FSJ]

Common practice in the western US states as well, so there you go. Lots of dust accumulated on our cars from traversing these kinds of roads chasing trains. For that matter you're fortunate if they're gravel, usually just graded.

...and then there is New Zealand where it often feels like the primary highway network is little more than winding two lane gravel roads

[Scottl]

I think the road colour and texture are dead on.  After driving T+R roads all over the Peace country and the Prairies I can't recall many that have four tracks, even at intersections.  Usually, they have two "sloppy"/wide tracks- everyone wants to drive on the packed part unless passing because there is less risk of a soft spot.  I agree having some vehicles in the scene would help from the distraction.  The rest of the scene scenery is superb and the backdrop is very effective at a low perspective.

[NtheBasement]

The road is way better than anything I've done; I especially like the puddly spot.  Around here (SE Michigan) a lane into a farmer's field would have two ruts but public gravel roads have 4 ruts or 3 ruts, established within a week or two of grading and chloriding.

When I was a kid they used some kind of heavy oil (used motor oil?) instead of chloride and you'd get tar on your feet walking barefoot on it.

[jpwisc]

I build an NScale Kits Depressed Center Flat for hauling a transformer load in my line. I finally made the equipment to unload it. I built a Baldylox Schnabel semi trailer and a Metal Earth crane. The car only gets used in ops once a year, so I can set this up as needed.
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[CRL]

Are you going to model the destroyed crane boom when it tries to make that lift which is clearly beyond the lifting capacity of that crane? 

[tehachapifan]

Sonny Pruitt is on the job!

[jpwisc]

Are you going to model the destroyed crane boom when it tries to make that lift which is clearly beyond the lifting capacity of that crane? 

I thought the same thing at first! I almost didn’t model this scene, then I got to watch a pair of transformer picks 2 miles from my house with a smaller crane. I under estimated the crane (or overestimated the weight of the transformer).

They moved this 107 ton transformer with a smaller mobile crane. I’m sure the engineers were comfortable with it.
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[Tallmatt]

...and then there is New Zealand where it often feels like the primary highway network is little more than winding two lane gravel roads

Pretty sure it is after Huntly...