Seaboard Central 2.0

[Rich_S]

Thanks, guys, I really appreciate your comments.

By the way, have you ever looked back to see how far you've come on a project?  This area of the layout caused me much concern for a long time, since I didn't really know how I wanted to finish it.   And, multiple attempts at scenery here ended up DOA.  Heh, check out where this section was about a year-and-a-half ago:



Yeesh!  You've come a long way, baby!

DFF

Yeah, but the buildings still are not finished    Sorry Dave, I just couldn't resist  The trees do look fantastic and I like how they now divide the layout into multiple scenes. 

[davefoxx]

Yeah, @Rich_S, but now I can hide those unfinished buildings with trees . . . or kudzu.   

[basementcalling]

Yeah, @Rich_S, but now I can hide those unfinished buildings with trees . . . or kudzu.   

Plant some trees coming out of the buildings with no roof.

[davefoxx]

Plant some trees coming out of the buildings with no roof.

Hmm, if that would keep me from having to finish a structure . . . 

DFF

[davefoxx]

Thanks to the heads-up from @mu26aeh and @Ed Kapuscinski, I placed an order with MBK last night for the last two undecorated Atlas SD50s in stock, to attempt to rebuild my two SBD SD50s once and for all.  I'm hopeful that newer mechanisms will run much more smoothly than the SBD units' original mechanisms that were produced seventeen years ago in 1999.

While I placed that order, I also ordered the very last package of Red Oak SuperLeafs from MBK that I hope to put on a just a few trees to get the look in the photo below.  My wife says she can see red leaves in the following picture that I cannot.  I'm going to need some help from her to get a look that I cannot appreciate. 



DFF

[wm3798]

The trees to the left of the track are almost completely red!  And I'm not much better than you!  (But then, I can't see a full range of green, so I could be missing that!)
Lee

[davefoxx]

The trees to the left of the track are almost completely red!

Says you. 

[mu26aeh]

I love it when others spend their money based on a tip.  I feel like I helped out but my bank balance stays above zero 

[sizemore]

Mike, that's what I'm considering doing, too.  There's at least two four-foot fluorescent fixtures over the layout that I inherited with the house.  I've thought about removing them and installing a different lighting system.  I could always put the fluorescent fixtures back up if and when I sell the house.

DFF

Fluorescents cast even light whereas bulbs are a point of light. The biggest issue you'll face between bulbs and fluorescents, is the difference in shadow cast between the two. Fluorescents cast a soft even shadow (less realistic), bulbs cast a harder shadow (more realistic). The issue arises with bulbs, that multiple points of light are casting shadows in direction away from a respective light source. You'd have to play with fixture height and fixture type to limit double shadows.

Again sorry I'm late!
The S.

[davefoxx]

Now with fall trees.  Too red?



DFF

[mu26aeh]

Now with fall trees.  Too red?



DFF

I think they look good.  Got a couple red maples in the mix 

[Rich_S]

Now with fall trees.  Too red?



DFF

Dave, To my eyes, yes. If you have a red one that is not planted yet, get a small sponge and some autumn orange artist acrylics. Put a little dab of the orange artist acrylic on a piece of old cardboard box. Dab the sponge into the orange paint, then dab the sponge onto the tops and sides of the leaves. You're just adding texture, not trying to paint the leaves orange. Right now it just seems too RED, adding some orange texture might be all that's needed?
 

[MichaelWinicki]

Yeah, a bit too red Dave.

There's a red-maple next door and it never quite hits that shade...

BUT you could leave'em and tell folks they were Dave Popp-inspired.

[mu26aeh]

I'm thinking what is throwing it off is all the green trees, the red really pops.  It would probably blend in better had you gone with more orange/yellow trees.  Maybe sprinkle some Burnt Orange fine turf (I have a shaker from Scenery Express I am using for current batch of trees) might help out.

[glakedylan]

Dave
the tree to the left, which would seem closest to the camera looks lighter than the other two.
i would think, in comparing with the reflection of the track rails, that the lighting is making it appear a different hue of red that is only in the photo and not the tree itself.
the other two are a very good match to the red maple in my front yard.
great job!
sincerely
Gary