Cisco Bridges: a new layout concept

[wazzou]

Would this help it to go faster:

https://www.amazon.com/Aven-17100-150-Lead-Free-Solder/dp/B017LG2FUS/ref=pd_cp_469_1/142-1230070-7060703?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B017LG2FUS&pd_rd_r=49a1502e-66bd-4b56-ae57-05a01f7437a0&pd_rd_w=3FVIU&pd_rd_wg=Hi8TP&pf_rd_p=0e5324e1-c848-4872-bbd5-5be6baedf80e&pf_rd_r=MKZ70BS45D03CTRQTMCX&psc=1&refRID=MKZ70BS45D03CTRQTMCX

Killjoy!   

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Would this help it to go faster:

https://www.amazon.com/Aven-17100-150-Lead-Free-Solder/dp/B017LG2FUS/ref=pd_cp_469_1/142-1230070-7060703?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B017LG2FUS&pd_rd_r=49a1502e-66bd-4b56-ae57-05a01f7437a0&pd_rd_w=3FVIU&pd_rd_wg=Hi8TP&pf_rd_p=0e5324e1-c848-4872-bbd5-5be6baedf80e&pf_rd_r=MKZ70BS45D03CTRQTMCX&psc=1&refRID=MKZ70BS45D03CTRQTMCX

That's neat!

And maybe. But I needed to get back to basics with soldering. It's one of my lesser skills. Prepping 30 slide switches has definitely helped with it though.

[craigolio1]

I’m really happy to hear you will be continuing with this layout.

Craig

[OldEastRR]

I would suggest that if this layout has not yet been featured in a model railroad magazine story then you campaign to do so. It is definitely one of those giant layouts of craftsman quality that MR loves to do stories on. And a plus to that (beside the money and recognition) is if you do finally decide to sell it (or try to sell it) the article will be a big asset in showing it off and generating interest in a sale.

Also, I liked the previous comment about why we get or lose interest in the layouts we build -- that would be a great thread in itself (even if there was an old one a new one would be enlightening). What the killer for all my previous layouts was halfway through building one I'd come across a better or more interesting concept of doing things that suddenly obsoleted the parts I'd already done. One example is the short spur of Code 55 rail I handlaid on a layout of Code 80 just to see how it looked. Seeing the difference spelled the end of that layout.

[BCR 570]

Excellent news Scott; great to see this layout again.

A magazine article would be great - as the Canadian rep on the Pamela's advisory board would be happy to work with you to get it into NSM.


Tim

[Scottl]

I definitely have gone through some phases of distraction by other aspects of modeling, or a new concept that has motivated me.  I see that played out in this thread over the past few years quite a bit, but I see it as a bit of a process.  I've definitely come to understand my preferences in layouts and modeling much more due to this kind of reflection. 

I appreciate the comments about some kind of article.  I published a short piece in Model Railroader in the May 2017 issue on the construction of the bridge and I really enjoyed the process.  I will aim to do something again as this moves along.

[Santa Fe Guy]

Good to see you back at it Scott.
Rod.

[mark dance]

I appreciate the comments about some kind of article.  I published a short piece in Model Railroader in the May 2017 issue on the construction of the bridge and I really enjoyed the process.  I will aim to do something again as this moves along.

You are so close to being done...when you are it, or probably even now, will make an excellent GMR feature!

Great to see you back Scott!
md

[Scottl]

Not much layout progress but I did purchase Helicon Focus/Remote to take advantage of the holiday discount (they seem to still have it if you are interested).  I experimented a bit with it today and I am impressed with how much it can improve my images.  By stacking I can use a much sharper aperture and the focus is very nice.

[GaryHinshaw]

Really nice!  The water looks extremely realistic from this angle.

[tefsom85]

I know you said in a previous post that you didn't like your backdrop as it was not meeting your expectations, but I have to say that in all the photos I've seen, I think it's phenomenal as is, but that's just me  .  And.. I'm really glad to see this layout lives on.   It's one of my favorites.

[Bendtracker1]

Good to see you active again @Scottl !
So far I haven't seen a bad shot of your layout, and this last shot is no exception!
Keep it up.

[Scottl]

Thanks everyone.  I really like the water level view, it gives the trains a lot of mass too. 

I know you said in a previous post that you didn't like your backdrop as it was not meeting your expectations, but I have to say that in all the photos I've seen, I think it's phenomenal as is, but that's just me  .  And.. I'm really glad to see this layout lives on.   It's one of my favorites.

Thanks, but there is one section where the mountain profiles are not right- too narrow and peaked.  It is something I will fix once I find the paint mix formulas  to work on it.

[CRL]

This is really good. I think your backdrop is just about right. It’s there, but more importantly doesn’t draw the eye by having the right amount of haze and not having too much detail which could draw the eye to it.

The only thing I think you may want to consider adding is a thin layer of “undergrowth” to the edge of the tree line at the cliff edge, fading away as it goes deeper into the tree line.

[robert3985]

Not much layout progress but I did purchase Helicon Focus/Remote to take advantage of the holiday discount (they seem to still have it if you are interested).  I experimented a bit with it today and I am impressed with how much it can improve my images.  By stacking I can use a much sharper aperture and the focus is very nice.

Scott @Scottl  Helicon Focus, an excellent choice! HF is one of my all-time model railroad photo improving tools and was well worth the expensive price when I bought it over a decade ago.

I don't know if you ever use your smart phone to take photo stacks in close-up locations your DSLR won't fit, but if you happen to be using a fairly recent Android OS phone, there's an app that will let you hand-hold up to 20 shots between your choices of near-focus and far-focus...takes all of the shots in a small fraction of a second.  It's called "Open Camera" and it's free.  Read more about it here: https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=45972.0

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore