Vermissa Valley - PRR 1960s

[eric220]

Great, now I'm tempted to work a TT ramp into Newark again...  Lookin' good!

[Hornwrecker]

Happy to motivate you, Eric.

John, apparently my social secretary left you off the guest list.  She has been summarily sacked.  Anytime you want to come over, just message me or give me a call.  I'll let you know the next time the boys are going to be over.

Below is the access hatch that I made for over the north tunnel. 



Using the static grass and a judicious amount of ground foam and dead leaves, it pretty much disappeared, much to my surprise.



There's your damn tree, Dave.  You happy now? 

[Hornwrecker]

The large blank spot on the left under the pond, is where the lumberyard is going to go, if it ever gets built.



Static grass is starting to get closer to the town.  Have to adjust some of the roads there before I can let the green stuff fly.   Also, need to either cut down that station to fit, or find another similar one to build to put into that tight space by the across from the brewery.  I'm thinking it might be a Lehigh Valley station.  No idea what colors they used in the mid 60s.

Another gratuitous ESM photo, of new grass near the scrap yard.  (next time check to see if the car is on the rails before taking photo)

[Hornwrecker]

Joey Uboats has been bugging me for weeks to get this scanned and posted.  It's a track diagram for a wye on a Reading  branchline in Newtown, PA.  This is what the track arrangement of the town section of my layout is loosely based upon.  From the November 1962 edition of Model Railroader.  (Posted here for educational purposes only.  Please, no wagering.)



... and if you don't remember what page the track diagram of it is, I know I don't, I'll repost it again:

[VonRyan]

I like it.
The scanned diagram looks like it could be an excellent set of oNe-Trak or Free-MoN modules as a branch.

-Cody F.

[Hornwrecker]

I went through my stack of old mags and picked out any track arrangements or scenery details I liked and put them into a big pile, then went through a few sorts and eliminations, and ended up with a list of things I wanted in my layout expansion.  This was one that made it all the way through, and would fit the space.

... and the super trees were hung in the basement with care, in the hopes that the ghost of John Allen soon would be there.



I ran out of clothes pins; would have thought 200 of them would have been enough. Not so. Think I left enough slack in the line there?

I did learn today that I'm mildly allergic to seafoam (super trees), contact dermatitis on my hands.

[VonRyan]

... and the super trees were hung in the basement with care, in the hopes that the ghost of John Allen soon would be there.
(snippidy-snip)

+5


-Cody F.

[Hornwrecker]

I started painting trees since it was finally a nice day outside.  I made a couple of smallish test trees to see if I could try to make them look like early spring, buds just turning into leaves on them.



The one on the left is Noch light green leaves and the one on the right is Heki forest floor 2mm static grass.

Any thoughts or ideas on which looks better or any other things to try for emerging foliage.  I'm planning on leaving some bare (higher elevations?) and some with their dead leaves still on them (going to try that type next).

[Scottl]

I went with the Noch leaves on my trees too.  I know they are over scale, but they look like leaves and I don't find the look a problem.  I do fine the typical ground foam foiliage to be unconvincing.  Soooo, I say your tress look good, but I prefer the left.

[Hornwrecker]

Thanks.  I think I'll put the Noch leaves through a tea strainer and see how that looks.

Here's my dead leaves mix applied.  I used hair spray to attache them, next time I'll brush it onto the tips of the tree to keep the leaves off of the trunk and branches, instead of spraying the whole tree.  I've noticed that some oak trees hold onto their dead leaves until the new ones are almost out.

[Scottl]

The colour is great with those, great idea!  Maybe try misting the glue from the top down, rather than spraying it?

[Lemosteam]

Thanks.  I think I'll put the Noch leaves through a tea strainer and see how that looks.

Here's my dead leaves mix applied.  I used hair spray to attache them, next time I'll brush it onto the tips of the tree to keep the leaves off of the trunk and branches, instead of spraying the whole tree.  I've noticed that some oak trees hold onto their dead leaves until the new ones are almost out.

LOVE that oak Bob!!  Maybe try Karin's method with the oven-roasted, food processor ground real leaves?

[Hornwrecker]

It might be awhile before there's any leaves green enough to try that.  I do have an old jar of dried basil in my spice cabinet I've been meaning to put into the compost pile.  I'll try a tree with that, plus it should smell pretty good.

Probable Great Lakes Region of the Ancient and Loyal Order of A$$hats 1st Annual Meeting on the 14th; chicken has threatened to grace me with his presence.

[Hornwrecker]

More tree painting and test ones made.

Various brown dead leaves ones:



From L to R: fine ground leaves, coarse of same, fine tobacco and tea, coarse of same, and ground dried basil.



From L to R: Heki static grass, white fine foam (dogwood), Noch leaves, sifted fine Noch leaves, pink foam (flowering cherry), extra fine lime green foam for just budding.

The cherry tree was supposed to be my attempt for an Eastern Redbud, but, well you know.  Need to find a magenta fine ground foam.

All together now...

[Lemosteam]

WOW!!!