Engine #1584 crosses over a Southbound freight. The (scratch-built) truss bridge was inspired from Jack Work’s MR’s project article featured in “Bridges & Buildings for model railroads” published in 1965.
Nice scene. I love the bridge. I just started to glue the first bent to my curved trestle. I keep looking at yours for inspiration. By the way, what size bolt heads did you use?
wow. just wow.
I hope that I can make scenes look as good as that someday [:)]
OK, Bob, I’ve got the Durhams Water Putty for the roads. Now, do you mix it really thin, so it pours almost like casting plaster? And then, what do you paint it with? Your concrete is the best match I’ve seen for the real thing.
I put some of the putty on as a road surface, but it was on a slope so I couldn’t do a watery pour without making a big mess. It will make a good surface once painted, but right now it’s kind of a mustard-yellow color.
Art:
For bolt heads, I like using Grandt Line Castings. The trestle over Junior Canyon was detailed using thier 2 1/2 inch round heads. They also make retangular plate castings that can be used for “Tension Load” areas. To install, I slice off each at thier heads. I then apply each using a dot of glue (much easier and faster than drilling a hole for each) I paint them prior to installation using “Floquils” weathered black or rust.
MisterBeasley:
You want to mix the putty until it has the consistency of pancake batter. Pour or trowel this mix in place. Smooth the putty the best you can using a moistened foam brush. Allow the mix to cure, then smooth it out using a fine grit sand paper. Once sanded, brush paint your roads with Floquils Concrete mixed with “Aged” Concrete. This will give you a nice color combination. Allow the paint to dry / cure. Once cured, scribe in expansion joints using a sharp scribe or hobby blade. Make sure to use a metal straight edge to insure your expansion joints come out straight. To add cracks, use a #11 Xacto blade. To finish, sand a piece of Bar-B-Que charchol to form a powder. Apply the powder over the painted and scribed roads using a soft 1/2 inch brush. Move the powder around until the roads are covered. Brush away any access powder. You can also simulate oil and exhuast stains down the center of your roads by leaving a bit more powder in these areas. Once satisfied with your results, seal them with a mist of Dull-Coat. Then stand back and admire your work!
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again,…love the kingspost bridge. You so rarely see it modeled, and you’ve done it justice!
Looks very good indeed, Bob.
This isn’t meant as fault-finding - just an observation… I always get the impression that the weather is cloudy on your layout, and I was wondering how it would look if you aimed a bright spotlight or daylight type bulb at the scene to really crank up the sunlight and accentuate the shadows. I’m no expert on photography but I reckon your layout would look fantastic that way. Thanks for sharing.
Regards,
Mike
Hi Mike,
I think the lighting is probably not far from a good level. Have a look in this photo that Bob posted and you can see:
- A shadow under the truck going up the hill?
- The shadow of the bridge across the lower track?
- The difference in the left side stone embankment under the bridge (in the light) compared to the riht side (in shadow).
- Shadows under the trees.
I don’t know what others think, but to me it looks pretty right. However, I am no expert on lighting.[D)]
The lighting?!?! I’ve heard people pick nits over the number of rivets on a boxcar, the size of the boltheads on a 57 Chevy bumper, but now this is taking ‘rivet counting’ to a new level. You know what, you’re doing JUST FINE. I love the fact that you haven’t overlit the scene. You can still see some details in your shadows, and the shadows are muted, not sharp, giving the sense of an overcast day. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK… But, you could move your camera a little to the left, to keep whatever that big green thing in the bottom from being right in the middle of your picture…
“and the shadows are muted, not sharp, giving the sense of an overcast day.” - Medina1128
Seems to me you’ve agreed with me!
I don’t recall saying the modelling is faulty in any way. Nor do I recall saying Bob takes bad photos. I don’t even recall saying that Bob should always take his photos in stronger light. I merely suggested a change - as the weather does change.
Anyone with an intelligent and open mind will be receptive to the views of others when those views are offered in a polite, civil manner, and the right to disregard such views remains theirs.
It’s amusing to be called a nitpicker and rivet-counter. Thanks for the laugh.
Mike
I just love Bobs photo’s but what drives me bonkers is that smoke coming from that stack in the backround, its unpractical look draws my eyes away from all the great detail, just a thought.
What a shame that your willingness to share your layout and some of the techniques that you use so freely with us devolves into a nit picking squable over lighting!
Please keep sharing your layout with us, and those small tips to accomplish more great modeling within our ranks. Thank you for sharing and living Pcarrel’s tag line about preaching the gospel!
Will
This is a picture that shows outstanding modeling and the primary thing you comment on is how the smoke on a printed backdrop drives you bonkers. Gee, if I were you, I wouldn’t look at any more of his photos for fear that you might see something on the backdrop that drives you bonkers. As for me, I intend to look at everything that Bob cares to share with us just for the pure pleasure of seeing the results that an outstanding modeler can achieve.
Outstanding work, Bob. I only hope to improve to half your level of modeling competence.
Looks very nice.
Did I not say in the beginning of my response I really enjoy Bobs pics, You all act like he is so far above us that we’re not aloud to comment on anything we dislike in his pics. I don’t think Bob needs a posse on these boards defending him against any nit pickers. I honest to god think his work is fantastic, but feel the fake looking smoke doesn’t go well with the very realistic look he has acheived in his work, why is that so bad, maybe bonkers was to drastic a word for you.
“Did I not say in the beginning of my response I really enjoy Bobs pics, You all act like he is so far above us that we’re not aloud to comment on anything we dislike in his pics. I don’t think Bob needs a posse on these boards defending him against any nit pickers. I honest to god think his work is fantastic, but feel the fake looking smoke doesn’t go well with the very realistic look he has acheived in his work, why is that so bad, maybe bonkers was to drastic a word for you.”
Spot-on, Gilligan. Some people are too sensitive and delight in taking things out of context.
Mike