Well it started over two years ago. I wanted to scratchbuild a modern ho elevator that looked as if you could load a shuttle train, unlike Walthers that looks like each silo could only load 1 car. For the first couple years, I just tried finding pictures during my free time to base it off of but decided to make a generic one considering I don’t have a layout yet so there wasnt a need to be based on an exact prototype. So…it wasnt until my semester break this year from Dec. 20-Jan. 20 that I was able to start working on it. I got most of the elevators main components done but hadn’t gotten started on the base when I had to head back to school. Finally, June rolled around and I was able to finish it by adding final details to the elevator and laying track and scenecing the base. I was just able to finish it by our club’s open house on June 23. Here’s some pictures of the result.
Wow! That is an impressive elevator! Not to mention the fantastic photography as well. Nice job on the composition, I had to look at the enlarged photo to tell it was a model. Especially the one at sunset, if I did not have the others to compare it to I would swear that it was real.
You know, I’ve seen prototype photos that didn’t look that real.
You should consider writing up an article for submission – that’s some serious modeling (and photography) talent I’d love to learn from (and make yourself some money as well!).
Looks like good work, but I’m curious what it looks like without the digital manipulation. Is the background the only thing added? Or have the images been digitally enhanced overall?
Don’t get me wrong - the images look great. The problem is that you can’t tell what’s real and what isn’t - how much of what we see is the model, and how much is just digital adjustment. I’d like to see the models without all the photo retouching.
Thank you all for your compliments. As requested Ill post a couple more pictures on here.
XG01X, I used 3.5in (outside diameter) pvc pipe cut to 13.75in tall which scales to just under 100 ho feet. I ran strip styrene down the cracks inbetween the silos as you can see in the picture and glued and filed a styrene roof to the top. Considering real silos are +/- 140 I have a compression of about 2/3. To the top of the leg tower is almost 22in.
As to Brunton’s comment, it wasnt modified at all. I set my module outside on saw horses (pic included) and took a picture with my sister’s run-of-the-mill digital camera. These pictures are exactly how they transfered from the card.
The other pics Im including are bloopers and a couple construction pics. enjoy -Tom
You are truly a magician! I was sure that the backdrop, at least, was a post-photo addition (a relatively common practice these days, which is why I thought these were as well). My apologies to you for thinking that. Your modeling and your camera work are extraordinary.
One of the biggest problems I see with writing an article is the high standards they have for submission, much of those on photography. Plus, the two construction pictures I have on here are pretty much the only pictures I have taken while building it, which would lead to an uninteresting and probably confusing article. Any questions that you guys ask me about how I built it I will answer to the best of my memory and as clear as I can.
[bow] [bow][bow] I to thought that you had minipulated the image some how, great work. (Really I thought you photographed a proto site and were passing it off as a model LOL)
I have seen hundreds of elevators in hundreds of small town and yours looked like thee real thing. Now you gave me the insperation to build a elevator of my own. My only question is what is the yellow pipping above the track??
I could look at elevators like this all day long. Especially of that quality. Great work and you truly fooled me. I could have sworn it was some prototype set in the midwest. Great work.
For more information on the yellow truss above the track, go to fallprotectionsystems.com. What it has is the main steel components that you can see in the picture, plus a roller bearing that moves allong that which connects a tether to a harness warn by someone working on the railcar. It works much like a seatbelt, you can move slowly and it gives you slack, but if you were to fall or tug it quickly, it locks preventing a fall.
