Weekend Update 11/22/15

[chicken45]

When I first laid my eyes on this photo I thought it was the 1:1 caboose.  Well done!

EDIT:  And what makes it look so real?  For one - the lighting - whatever you used, it has a look of natural daylight. Shadows and all.  Then it is the photo-realistic backdrop.  Next, the conductor peeking out of the cupola also adds to the realism. He doesn't look like a crude N scale figure.   Just enough of him shows to look real. The low-flange metal wheels also add to the realism. Last (but not least) are the thin grab irons, handrails,  and ladders.  They make the caboose look like the real thing, not a tiny train with oversize details.  The white stripes on the handrails also make them look authentic.   Funny how few little details like those make a huge difference in realism of a tiny model.

Seriously. I thought the same! Wow!

[randgust]

Back in the kit molding business after the weather turned cold and also finished up a custom-build of one of my CF7's for a customer:



I redid most of the critical molds from the masters for that particular kit over the summer, original sets were getting pretty worn out.

[BCOL 747]

Attending the Vancouver Train Expo a few weeks back motivated me to do a little more work on the layout. I was able to finish (almost) the highway overpass at Mile 584.5. The concrete highway bridge was built by Railwire member Doug Davies BCR 751 and painted/weathered by me. I am representing late September in the Pine Pass where the golden deciduous trees mix in with the dark green Pine and Spruce. It is quite an interesting mix.



Happy Modeling.

Chris Dittmar
BC Rail, Chetwynd Sub

[Puddington]

That's some nice work Pud. I commiserate with you on the F unit nose ladders; CP had the same arrangement - and icicle breakers on the roof.

Geoff

Never had the guts to try the breakers.......

[Hamaker]

Wazzou.......LOVE the bridge !

[mark dance]

I am representing late September in the Pine Pass where the golden deciduous trees mix in with the dark green Pine and Spruce. It is quite an interesting mix.



Happy Modeling.

Chris Dittmar
BC Rail, Chetwynd Sub

Chris: I really admire the rockwork showing on the other side of the bridge...can you describe its creation and painting please?  Nice backdrop and overall scene too btw...

md

[conrailthomas519]

That's really cool Chris!

[mu26aeh]

I broke out the airbrush today and painted all my track that is installed and will not be redone.  I have a few spots where I need to replace Atlas switches with Peco's, so those areas were not done.  I need to got back now and clean off the railheads and make sure everything still runs.  I also hit a few cars with a quick shot of black and brown to knock the shine off some new rolling stock.  Also dirtied up that HO scale SD40-2 I got, but since this is an N scale forum, I will hold off on posting shots of that until it goes into service in January.

[craigolio1]

Chris that bridge scene is awesome.

Pud, is that HO F unit or a tiny vice?

Craig

[BCOL 747]

Chris: I really admire the rockwork showing on the other side of the bridge...can you describe its creation and painting please?  Nice backdrop and overall scene too btw...

md

Mark, Conrailthomas519 and Craig

I am glad you enjoyed the scene.

Mark, the rock work was done with a combination of Woodland Scenics molds and a few that made myself from latex rubber. I glued the rock in place and filled in the spaces with all-purpose drywall filler. I shaped the filler when wet to match the remainder of the rock. The rocks were stained/washed using the WS method with their colours. If you are interested in the which colours I PM me as I have the written down somewhere.

 As you can see from the prototype photo below I didn’t get the colour correct. They should be a little rustier in colour.



Thanks for the compliments.

Chris

[mu26aeh]

Mark, Conrailthomas519 and Craig

I am glad you enjoyed the scene.

Mark, the rock work was done with a combination of Woodland Scenics molds and a few that made myself from latex rubber. I glued the rock in place and filled in the spaces with all-purpose drywall filler. I shaped the filler when wet to match the remainder of the rock. The rocks were stained/washed using the WS method with their colours. If you are interested in the which colours I PM me as I have the written down somewhere.

 As you can see from the prototype photo below I didn’t get the colour correct. They should be a little rustier in colour.



Thanks for the compliments.

Chris

You are just modeling the bridge as it would have been just after it was finished.  A wash of color or shot with an airbrush will get the prototype photo pretty close.

[Puddington]

Chris that bridge scene is awesome.

Pud, is that HO F unit or a tiny vice?

Craig

Intermountain special run F unit for Prairie Shadows - N scle - It's a dremil vice.

[BCOL 747]

You are just modeling the bridge as it would have been just after it was finished.  A wash of color or shot with an airbrush will get the prototype photo pretty close.

Hi Mu26aeh

I am modeling 1988 and I took the above photo last year. While not new, the bridge in 88 was fairly clean and it had just received a new coat of yellow paint the year previous so I didn’t want it to over weather it. I did give it a “dirty” wash and a couple of shots with the air eraser to thin out the “newness” to it, but maybe my photography skills are not very good. It looks a lot more weather beaten in person. I do appreciate the suggestion though.

Chris

[Scottl]

Chris, that scene is fantastic.  Great work pulling it all together.

[MichaelWinicki]

Some images from a visit with Randgust's layout last weekend...













The last one features the "visiting" loco that I had brought with me.