Come along on our adventure
- Thread starter cabdriver
- Start date
Obviously needs a lot of work (not to mention being painted). So we got some wood strips that were scored and then stained them (Early American is the color). It at least has the look of a plank wooden platform. It looks a bit bright now, but we'll soon dull it up and weather it. Here are a couple of shots of the unpainted station sitting on top of the planks.
Attachments
We think it looks better already. Need to figure out what to do with the area just outside of the station deck area -- will probably cover it with grass and bushes. Busy week at work, so not too much progress. Hope this doesn't seem to simplistic stuff to post, but it is our progress, be it as it is.
if you saw the simplistic stuff I am doing, your's looks like you're a seasoned veteran compared to our plywood and cardboard expanse. great progress and platform.
Great idea! the wooden platform will enhance the model :thumb:
You and the family`s skills are getting better every week. :thumb:
You and the family`s skills are getting better every week. :thumb:
:thumb: :thumb: :thumb:J&A_RR said:
Nice to hear of another Family building there own empire John :thumb:
Keep up the good work.
Good call on the wood platform Cabdriver and crew!!! You guys are beginning to look like seasoned pro's!! :thumb:
Val
Val
Thanks Guys ! :thumb:
We are researching how to weather the new station deck. We're thinking that a bit of sanding around the door areas and sun focused areas would be great. We're also thinking about an ink with alcohol treatment of the planks would be a good idea -- get some additional dark stain in between the planks. Then dull the whole thing. We'll keep you posted.
:thumb: We are researching how to weather the new station deck. We're thinking that a bit of sanding around the door areas and sun focused areas would be great. We're also thinking about an ink with alcohol treatment of the planks would be a good idea -- get some additional dark stain in between the planks. Then dull the whole thing. We'll keep you posted.
Well, we've been working on several projects on the layout this weekend. Two main things we focused on were the gravel area next to the car dealership and the gravel area around the actual gravel company. For the gravel around the auto dealership, we masked off the road (more on that later) with drafting tape then used a couple of pieces of styrene as borders representing the location of the car dealership as well as the shop on the other end. We then painted the base with Woodland Scenics (WS) Earth Uncercoat paint and then laid grass and gravel. The grass is WS Blended Turf , and the accent colors is WS Fine Turf Soil and Fine Turf Earth. We then put the WS Fine Ballast Light Gray over the parking lot area, leaving the grass around the fence. This is the fence we made from styrene strips (mentioned previously) which we weathered with rust paint. Let it dry, then cars back on the lot. I'm back sitting on the hood of the cobra and think I'm going to get a picture made for the March photo context.
Here's how it looked after we put in the gravel lot (you can see the before picture earlier in this thread).
Here's how it looked after we put in the gravel lot (you can see the before picture earlier in this thread).
Attachments
As I mentioned, we had a bit of an incident with the road. When we pulled up the drafting tape, it took a bit of the road with it We tried to put it back into place, but to no avail. So......we decided to fill our first pothole.
We made some new road material and then plastered over the hole. You can see the filled pothole and a good look at the gravel parking area for the cars in this photo.
We tried to put it back into place, but to no avail. So......we decided to fill our first pothole. We made some new road material and then plastered over the hole. You can see the filled pothole and a good look at the gravel parking area for the cars in this photo.
Attachments
As mentioned, we also started working on the gravel company site. This is one of our major milestones, so we are excited about progress in this area. We had to do some additional plaster work to grade the other track line surface around the gravel company, so that took a bit of time. We then under-painted (again with WS Earth Undercoat) then added light gray fine ballast for the gravel surface. The plaster ramping we had done previously came out looking pretty smooth and natural, at least we think so. We decided to put some of the grass near the track area since that part of the gravel company probably doesn't get too much traffic from the gravel equipment and therefore gets some growth. Still have lots more to do to finish off the area, and tie it into the end of the road. Here are some picks.
We decided to put some of the grass near the track area since that part of the gravel company probably doesn't get too much traffic from the gravel equipment and therefore gets some growth. Still have lots more to do to finish off the area, and tie it into the end of the road. Here are some picks.Attachments
:thumb: Every thing looks great, trees growing in a town street, always looks great but you do not see a lot of lay outs doing this, are you going to try it??
The gravel company will give you lots of photo opps.
The gravel company will give you lots of photo opps.
Sounds like a challenge!! Not sure exactly what to do, but we'll see what we can figure out. Someone on the gauge must have some examples to pattern! So much to do to make the layout look realistic. I thought about putting a couple of trees near the tracks on the gravel company area -- so other train fans like us can sit at a picnic table and have their lunch break. :thumb:
Not sure exactly what to do, but we'll see what we can figure out. Someone on the gauge must have some examples to pattern! So much to do to make the layout look realistic. I thought about putting a couple of trees near the tracks on the gravel company area -- so other train fans like us can sit at a picnic table and have their lunch break. :thumb:
Looks fantastic Cabdriver and crew!!! You guys are making excellent progress. :thumb:
For trees, you can have planter boxes with small saplings along the sidewalk. Woodland Scenics makes a great product called Fine Scale Foliage. You can use these for saplings right out of the package, or use them to create larger trees.
Val
For trees, you can have planter boxes with small saplings along the sidewalk. Woodland Scenics makes a great product called Fine Scale Foliage. You can use these for saplings right out of the package, or use them to create larger trees.
Val
Spitfire, thanks for the tip. We'll try to spruce up the downtown area (pun intended). Will put this on the ever growing list of things we need to do on the layout -- do you all find this to be the case -- every time you get one area on the layout going you think of 20 other things you ought to do to that very same area to make it all the more realistic. I think that is the fun part! Since our small world mimics the real world, with all its detail, it is amazing to try to replicate a small slice.
Will put this on the ever growing list of things we need to do on the layout -- do you all find this to be the case -- every time you get one area on the layout going you think of 20 other things you ought to do to that very same area to make it all the more realistic. I think that is the fun part! Since our small world mimics the real world, with all its detail, it is amazing to try to replicate a small slice.