ATSF Los Angeles Division, circa 1949

[joepri]

looks great!!!

[Santa Fe Guy]

Nice work all round Otto. I have been painting some backdrops for a good friend, it is great to be of help to friends and fellow (modelers).
Loco sounds and looks great.
Rod.

[Cajonpassfan]

Thanks, guys, appreciated!

Rod, sounds like you're busy on two fronts, like me. I do enjoy working on my friends layout, like you. It's a change of scale, pace, scenery and gives me a break from some of the more mundane work that needs to be done here.

My challenge of the moment is attempting to colormatch the 3D and 2D transitions at the bottom of the backdrops. While it looks okay to the naked eye, I'm not happy with photos. There's just nothing available commercially that's close enough, so I'm experimenting with customizing their colors using cheapo craft paints available in wide range of shades, pics below. It's a learning curve...

Good to know you're still enjoying the hobby, mate!
Otto

[Cajonpassfan]

Well dang, I'm still not happy with the scenery/backdrop transition results. Even though the transition between 2 and 3D looks okay to the naked eye, photographs just don't look right, see below. Ughh. Two issues I think: One, I need to make the physical transition less abrupt, ie, the angle at which the scenery meets the backdrop should be smoother (Mike Danneman makes his transitions blend to the vertical) and two, I need to find/make better matched colors for the ground cover. This will take some very specific custom colors.

My wife and I went on a beautiful hike this morning in the San Gabriel mountains (the range on the west side of Cajon), and I spent time studying the colors and taking pics. Picked up a cheap "personal blender" at Target and some very cheap light yellow sponges at our local 99 cent store and went to work.....latex color samples from Lowe's. We'll see how this experiment goes 
Otto

[Bob]

Nice job with the scenery - really well done!

[OldEastRR]

Yeah, too bad KATO didn't use the gray stripes on the FEF. It would've matched beautifully with the stripes on the passenger cars. Can't you repaint?

[Cajonpassfan]

Well, that's the dilemma. Kato did pick the correct color scheme for the time the FEF's ran on the Los Angeles Division, ie prior to 1949, but unfortunately the yellow stripes are way too fat (and a bit too bold/orange, in my opinion, and the stripe doesn't line up between running board and the elephant ears. Repainting the stripes only would just result in fat grey/silver misaligned stripes. Besides that, the 8444 Kato model is really a more modern version, with a Worthington feedwater heater and other details the 40's locos didn't have).

Years ago (many), I restriped and relettered a grey/silver brass Greyhound into the correct yellow scheme, see pics below of Kato and Brass versions, and of the prototype. I think the brass loco paint job looks better/more prototypical than the new fat-stripped Kato. Unfortunately, it doesn't run anywhere as well, and doesn't have DCC sound.... Oh well, Dilemmas abound...
Otto

[Cajonpassfan]

Those of you who follow this thread know about my "challenges"  attempting to match 3D layout colors with my 2D backdrops.
I've made custom color ground cover colors that look good to the naked eye, but photograph completely off. So far, I've burned up one el cheapo mini blender (took it back today for refund...thank you Target!) and now have another one, the "Ninja, Chop, Mince, Purée, and make ground cover" machine for under twenty bucks (Thanks again, Target!).

The key seems to be keeping the sponge material just slightly moist, and mixing the custom latex color with a little water a teaspoon spoon at a time in a separate bowl. The colors look right on, but we'll see how they photograph after they dry.
To be continued, if you're not too bored with this esoteric stuff...
Otto

[MDW]

Otto-
Going straight from a backdrop into your layout without a tree line or buildings to shield the transition is tough, as will be matching those gray/purple-ish tree colors.

But based on all the great work you’ve shared, I’m sure you’ll pull it off!

Michel

[Cajonpassfan]

Well thanks for your confidence Michel! Unfortunately it's not just a matter of matching the colors; I can match them relatively well using homemade, custom colored ground cover that looks pretty good to the naked eye. But, there's something odd about the way the IPhone camera sees it; the light bounces off differently between the printed backdrop and the 3D scenery...it actually emphasizes the differences. Scratching my head here...
Otto

[Cajonpassfan]

Keenbrook, Cal.

[Cajonpassfan]

After much consideration, I've decided to expand the LA Division eastward. Tracklaying has commenced as far as the flatlands of the living room. Scruffy the boy cat, who has been banished from the trainroom for life, really  likes it. So do the grandkids.
Pssst: don't tell Scruff it's not N scale....
Otto

[Cajonpassfan]

So, we've been making progress on "my other layout". We have this beautiful brass model of the Great Northern (now BNSF) Columbia River bridge at Rock Island, Washington, that's over 10'-6 long. The original bridge was strengthened in 1925 by a whole another truss built around the original span, and it's in use till this day, see Pic.
On the layout, it deserves a special place, a setting without other distractions. We've dedicated about 18' by 4' to the exercise, a space larger then some layouts...progress pics below.
Fun stuff!
Otto

[Cajonpassfan]

More progress...

[MDW]

Whoa.....that’s a massive hunk of cool model railroading!!!   Can’t wait to see it completed.....
Michel