Weekend Update 3/20/11

[John]

I managed to put some ground goop down over a bunch of pink foam

[Bob Bufkin]

I managed to burn 3 decoders (somedays it doesn't pay to get out of bed).  Two on Kato E8's and one on a Kato switcher.  Since I've had them awhile I can't really send them back.  Have ordered more and keep my fingers crossed.  Also started to build a river with a small anchorage for coal barges and at least that's going well.

[dwyaneward]

More track laying



Uncoupler Magnet testing and installations



See my blog for more info

[BCRail_FSJ]

I mounted the track permanently on to the bridge and started laying the approach curves.  Not much apart from that. 

[Dave Schneider]

Progress continues on the Milbrew building. I now have 4 of the 5 walls complete. At this point there are 84 window openings and 2/3 of them have windows made with paint masks. The walls are just tacked on to the core at this point, so once I glue them down I will fix up the corner joints with stucco.



Best wishes, Dave

[GaryHinshaw]

Gary - glad to see you got hooked up with a good group of NScalers .. the quality of Mark's layout appears to be outsanding. Maybe I can make it up your way someday ..

I feel very welcome here John. And if you make your way out here, we'll make sure that, as the Grand Poobah of the Railwire, you'll be given the keys to the City; er, at least the N scale city. 

A few notes of interest from today's Western Rails meet:
* I met another 'wirite, Andrew Hutchinson.  He's further proof that model railroading is alive and well among Gen Y.   I look forward to seeing more from him.

* I met a guy who eagerly snagged the only Conrail item I had. (He may be the only Conrail modeler in all of BC.)  As we were talking, he raved about the CRHS and its newsletter.  Well done guys!

* I met another guy who got to talking about weathering and he mentioned Tom's book.  When I told him I know Tom, he gasped: "You know Tom Mann?!"   ;D

Little did I know I walked among gods back east.    (Actually, I did know.)

-gfh

P.S. Fantastic progress on the building Dave.  You're really hitting your stride with the cutter.  Don't know if it's just the photo, but the finish looks greener than in the proto photo, as I recall it.

[BCRail_FSJ]

I also enjoyed running trains across the bridge and filming one of them:

[Dave Schneider]

P.S. Fantastic progress on the building Dave.  You're really hitting your stride with the cutter.  Don't know if it's just the photo, but the finish looks greener than in the proto photo, as I recall it.

Thanks Gary. The color balance on the photo isn't very good. I need to get myself some decent lights for taking photos indoors. I am really enjoying using the Silhouette cutter. There is no way I would have attempted this building without it.

Best wishes, Dave

[DKS]

Thanks Gary. The color balance on the photo isn't very good. I need to get myself some decent lights for taking photos indoors.

Is this closer to the mark? Photoshop can be your friend.
 


Great work, by the way. Mundane buildings done really well can be more impressive than extraordinary buildings.

[up1950s]

Awesome structure Dave , are you going to put a steel skeleton raised sign on the roof to break up the view to the wall edge ? Do you have shots of the innards ?

[Dave Schneider]

Thanks David and Richie.

Here is a better representation of the actual color. I did a quick shot and post last night before I had to intervene in bedtime preparation duties (at my wife's request).


I agree with modeling the typical rather than the atypical. I also want to avoid the Walther's catalog look where I have one of every kit that is offered. This is just my viewpoint, and not meant to be critical of others. The best compliment I have gotten was from a friend in Milwaukee who said "I know that building".

As for signage, I like the looks of those rooftop raised signs, but I don't think that this company was prosperous enough to have gone that route. I want this to look like a marginal industry that receives a boxcar or two of spent grain on weedy track. There are other things that will break up the roof line such as stairway access, elevator shaft, a firewall partition, and a walkway and pipe to some silos. See below. I wish I had some photos of the interior as I am not entirely please with the uniform black look behind the windows, but I think that some grimy chalk on the windows and frames will alleviate that issue somewhat.



Best wishes, Dave

[DKS]

I wish I had some photos of the interior as I am not entirely please with the uniform black look behind the windows, but I think that some grimy chalk on the windows and frames will alleviate that issue somewhat.

A light overspray of Dull Cote might help reduce the dead black look, and add the effect of dirt and grime to the windows. Adding floors would help by breaking up the space and eliminating the "empty interior" syndrome. You might also consider making some generic shapes from plain cardstock, sprayed dark grey, and placing them behind some of the windows in random locations to create the general feeling of interior details, but not distinct enough to discern.

[wazzou]

Really excellent work on that structure Dave S. 

[lashedup]

Looks great Dave. Adding those roof details, electrical connections and more will make a huge difference in the details that set it off.

-j

[BCR 570]

I also enjoyed running trains across the bridge and filming one of them:

Very cool!

Tim