Seaboard Central 2.0

[160pennsy]

Back to modeling.  I was watching videos on Model Railroader's Video Plus page today and came across a video using Woodland Scenics tree armatures to represent dead trees.  I don't recall seeing this product before, but I found some available at MBK:

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Woodland-Scenics-TR1125-Pine-Tree-Armatures-4-6-p/woo-tr1125.htm?CartID=1

On the MR video, the trunks actually came out looking okay with spray paint and dry brushing.  I'm wondering, if I could use these armatures to try to build some of these:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinus_palustris#/media/File:Pinus_palustris_UGA1.jpg

If anything, they seem like they could work well as inexpensive and quick armatures for background trees.  Thoughts?  Should I possibly waste $11.29 the next time I place an order at MBK?  I also need to figure out what to use for foliage before I place that order.

DFF

davefoxx,

Since you've acquired or taught your self the needed skills to scratch build n-scale structures & bridges out of styrene then it's not a major leap to also start scratch building some of these fore ground pine trees. Spend that $11.29 on florist wire, furnace filter & spray paint. Heck, send me the $11.29 and I'll send you a few of my pine trees to whet your appetite

http://therailwire.net/forum/index.php/topic,17911.0.html

[davefoxx]

Paul,

Thanks for responding.  Those trees look fantastic.  I'll definitely give that a try.  But, I would have to spend days, perhaps months, just building enough armatures out of wire to populate the layout, not counting the painting and adding foliage.  I agree they'll be great foreground trees, though.  I'm just wondering if I can skip the wire trunk step and use the WS plastic armatures as background trees buried in among the wire trunk trees.

Thanks again,
DFF

[davefoxx]

So I have a bunch of these in baggies from earlier layouts.  You can use them effectively for some conifers, but to model those ubiquitous southern pines (which I need as well since Louisiana is thick with long leaf pine) you have to remove the lower limbs from the tree armature.  The western and northern pines they are actual models of do, in fact come to the ground.  SO I'd be worried that if you use the taller ones to do your versions (which if I remember correctly are called yellow pine and lodge pole pine) you'd have to do some carving of the plastic trunk to both remove the lower branches and add some bark texture to the cut areas.  I think its doable, and I agree that the trunks can be made to look good with some basic painting.  I use their 3-5 inch deciduous tree armatures for oaks - by adding individual branches of WS fine leaf foliage clusters (http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Woodland-Scenics-Fine-Leaf-Foliage-Medium-Gre-p/woo-f1131.htm) after dry brushing the armatures first with 3 or four colors of brown and grey.

Philip,

I like the 4-6" armatures, because almost everyone underestimates the height of trees.  I was definitely planning on removing some of the lower branches to get that long leaf pine look.  In fact, that look actually makes building the wire armatures easier, too!  I'm not too worried about the bark texture, because (1) the stub where a branch was cut off is prototypical, since a real branch would have dropped from there, and (2) as background trees, the texture probably won't be that noticeable.  Dry brushing will probably bring the texture out.  I'll experiment with it, as well as with the wire armature trunks.

Thanks,
DFF

[160pennsy]

I'm just wondering if I can skip the wire trunk step and use the WS plastic armatures as background trees buried in among the wire trunk trees.

Thanks again,
DFF

DFF,

I cannot tell what the n-scale trunk diameter comes out to on those WS pine tree armatures, but my guesstimate would be they are more geared towards HO scale. Please PM me the address where I can send you a few of my finished wire pine trees (no cost - free samples or call them teaching aides) .Then go out and buy those WS armatures and hold them side by side to answer your own question above. From what I've seen online your layout is mostly viewed / photographed from ALL sides and there really are NO backdrops, view blocks or skyboards YET. The term "background trees" might not currently apply to your layout- just my opinion which is worth about two pennies .

[wm3798]

Love the steamer.  Next you'll need to accumulate a collection of steam era rolling stock and vehicles so you can stage some "historical" shots on the layout...





Lee

[sizemore]

Lee

Where'd that car come from?!?!

The S.

[wm3798]

I want to say it was an Intermountain car...  Can't remember.  Pretty sure I sold it, though.  The photo came from the "Ebay" file folder...

Lee

[davefoxx]

DFF,

I cannot tell what the n-scale trunk diameter comes out to on those WS pine tree armatures, but my guesstimate would be they are more geared towards HO scale. Please PM me the address where I can send you a few of my finished wire pine trees (no cost - free samples or call them teaching aides) .Then go out and buy those WS armatures and hold them side by side to answer your own question above. From what I've seen online your layout is mostly viewed / photographed from ALL sides and there really are NO backdrops, view blocks or skyboards YET. The term "background trees" might not currently apply to your layout- just my opinion which is worth about two pennies .

@160pennsy,

You make a very good point about the thickness of the WS armatures' trunks.  I'm sure they're more meant for HO scale, but since most people don't make their trees tall enough, I thought they might work.  But, like you, I now question the thickness of the trunks.  I'll PM you my address.

Thanks in advance for the samples!
DFF

[davefoxx]

Love the steamer.  Next you'll need to accumulate a collection of steam era rolling stock and vehicles so you can stage some "historical" shots on the layout...

Ha!  Just today, I pulled a few cars from the "to sell" pile from my C&O days to put behind the steam locomotive.  Granted, those cars are technically 1960s-era cars, but they look better with the 2-10-2 than my 1980s-era rolling stock.  I also got the ACL E7 and the ACL passenger cars out today, too.

Of course, running the sound on the E7 reminded me that I have a good number of frogs to power on the new portion of the layout, i.e., Hamlet, Raeford, and the staging yards.   

DFF

[davefoxx]

Love the steamer.  Next you'll need to accumulate a collection of steam era rolling stock and vehicles so you can stage some "historical" shots on the layout...

@wm3798,

How's this for a historical shot?





DFF

[wcfn100]

How's this for a historical shot?

Needs a box car from before 1962. 

Jason

[davefoxx]

Needs a box car from before 1962. 

Jason

Guilty as charged, but I disclosed that foul in my post just before posting the picture.    It's the best I can do until I hit the LHS.  Ooh, a reason to check out the newer Atlas 40' PS-1 boxcars.  Yummy!

DFF

[wm3798]

Looks good... better photo shop in some smoke, though!

[Santa Fe Guy]

Dave , some folks here when using wire armatures for trees paint the trunk with watered down No More Gaps. It is an acrylic gap filler that you use to fill gaps between plaster and timber before painting. They make it like a slightly thickened cream and just paint it on and when dry is easy to paint. It hides the wire very well (may need two coats) and if you do it after you have constructed the tree armatures the job goes very fast. Might be worth a try as they turn out very nice.
Have fun.
Rod.

[Philip H]

@wm3798,

How's this for a historical shot?





DFF

Needs more cowbell!