Don't laugh too hard...It's my first attempt!

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
Nazgul said:
Thanks guys:thumb:
Josh...If you look really close you might be able to see that the holes are raised bolt heads. They are part of the plaster form and I just took a black marker and carefully dabbed them. The Woodland Scenics portals really are nicely detailed.:thumb:

Dang, they do have amazing detail in them, I don't have any WS timber portals, I havs some brick portals from them and I like them to, have to get some timber ones next time im at the LHS for my next layout. Thanx
 

Nazgul

Active Member
Thank you Steven:thumb: and...
Thank you Galen:thumb:

I have finished the remaining portal and the 3 section retaining wall. I will probably have to cut 1 or more of the wall sections down when I place them (where ever that may be) but since I didn't mix any colors, I should have no problem blending all of the cut pieces.

Here are some more pics:
photos 254 small.jpg

photos 253 small.jpg

photos 252 small.jpg

photos 259 small.jpg

photos 261 small.jpg
Now back to scenery construction...

Take care:wave:
 

TravelinJohnnie

New Member
I just spent a beautiful spring day reading over 600 posts so I could get caught up with your layout AND all I can say is Unbeliveable... what an awesome job! I 've bookmarked so many pages and threads for future reference it will take forever again to go thru them.
I just had to add my compliments to you and your skills.
Bart
 

Nazgul

Active Member
Josh, Russ...Thank you for the kind words:thumb:. I am surprised that the portals came out as well as they did with such an easy two step process process. It is easy, but it does take a bit of time, so patience is probably the biggest challenge.:thumb:
Bart...Welcome to The Gauge:wave: :thumb:. I truly believe that you could not have picked a better place to "hang out" or found a better bunch of people to hang out with!:thumb:
I am always amazed to hear that someone took the time to read this entire thread:eek:. I'm glad you thought that it was time well spent.....Thank you very much for your kind comments:thumb: and I hope you will not be a stranger:)

Here's what I've been up to
This is the area I'm working in:
photos 190 small.jpg
The area between the track and road leads down to the river and a possible "beach/picnic/fishing" spot. I saw this scene in a fairly recent MRR and it just struck a cord with me:http://www.aorailroad.com/images/large/layout_joelbeach_2.jpg (That layout is AWESOME!!!!!)
I like the idea of the stairs going down to the water and I am going to try something like that.

So the first thing I did was add gatorboard to make the section more level and usable:
photos 267 small.jpg
I stopped the board short of the river so I would have room for the slope and the stairs down to the water.
I borrowed steps from one of the buildings to illustrate what I'm trying to do:
photos 273 small.jpg
I also turned my attention to the retaining wall problem on the side of the road:
photos 275 small.jpg
I decided to take Russ' suggestion and model blasted rock (or as close as I can come to it:D ).
This was begun by cutting a thin strip of blue foam and carving it into flat irregular rock faces and then adding real rocks to help blend it all in:
photos 285 small.jpg
It will need Sculptamold and paint later. I do plan on having plenty of wood retaining walls scattered about town to add variety:thumb:

That's what I got done. I will probably be skipping around the whole middle section so I can paint it all at the same time so bear with me......
Take care:thumb:
 

UP SD40-2

Senior Member
Steve, i am REALLY LIKING what i am seeing and reading, GREAT JOB SO FAR!:thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

i lived in Florida(Coco Beach area) from 1983-2000, and there was TONS of places where you would take steps to get down to the beaches;), so your idea IS VERY prototypical:thumb:. cant wait for your NEXT progress report;). THANKS!:D-Deano
 

cnw1961

Member
Steve, you’ve got a talent finding the most beautiful mrr scenes on the internet. That Appalachion & Ohio Railroad is awesome. Ths slope and the stairs to the water will add a nice scene to your layout, good idea. I’ve only got one complaint sign1: building this hill with all the tunnels, roads, slopes etc. takes sooo long . I can’t wait to see the finished scene.:cry:
 

Herc Driver

Active Member
Cool...more awesome rock work to see pictures of soon!!!

Is there a way to get your whole layout in one picture (or two or three depending on the camera angle) just so we can follow where on the layout you are, what's been completed and what's left to finish?

Did those canoers ever make it over the rapids btw?
 

steamhead

Active Member
Oh...They made it over the waterfall just fine...But they're still looking for them downstream...:D

Nice progress pics...Just picking up ideas for my next steps..

Keep it up...!!! :thumb:
 

Nazgul

Active Member
Deano....If the stairs are prototypical, then it will be the first thing on this layout that is!:D
Thank you for the encouragement!:thumb:
Kurt...The A&O is a beautiful layout isn't it. I wish the gallery on the website was bigger so it could be seen from a lot of different angles, but there are plenty of sweet pics to get inspiration from.
I’ve only got one complaint sign1: building this hill with all the tunnels, roads, slopes etc. takes sooo long . I can’t wait to see the finished scene.
cry.gif
Only one complaint?:D ........Your going to have to take a number:D :D


Herc Driver...
Did those canoers ever make it over the rapids btw?
All that was ever found were the canoes:cry: When will little plastic people learn? They never think it's going to happen to them! Services were held in the little plastic church in Plasticville:eek:ops: :D
photos 287 small.jpg

Now about the state of the layout...here's the track plan:
Copy of nazgul update 3.JPG


This last pic is the blue (left) section in it's current state. Still have to do all the trees and more groundcover and a few mini scenes:
photos289gallery.jpg
[/IMG]
The red (center) section is the one I'm currently working in now and you have seen the state that it is in.....
The last (right) section is the yard area. The track and roadbed are down and wired up but that is it......so still lots to do!!!

I will get a full picture of the layout when I get a little more done:thumb:

Gus...You are welcome to any ideas that you can pick up here:thumb: but I think it is I who needs to get inspiration from YOU!!! As I have said before...your layout is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!:thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

Well I got a little done around the Beach/fishing area but not enough to post...I hope to hit it hot and heavy this week.....we shall see:)

Take care:thumb:
 

UP SD40-2

Senior Member
ROFL!!!sign1 knowing the story behind the canoers just makes that pic to funny:D. NICE JOB on the placement of those canoes Steve:thumb:, VERY believable;):D.

GREAT PIC of the almost completed area:thumb:. THANKS for keeping us updated with the layout map, cant wait for MORE pics on the NEW areas;). :D -Deano
 

Nazgul

Active Member
I have done very little on the layout except put newspaper over the basket weave:

photos 309 small.jpg
The newspaper is an optional step before the plastercloth. It lets me add a little extra variation or smooth things out as the case may be.

What's next:
I have decided to be smart for once and make the final decisions on structures and I will even go so far as to build them first BEFORE I do any plastering. I want to be absolutely sure that everything will fit and be able to make easy adjustments.

So what does that mean...
It means that I probably won't be posting updates with the usual regularity. I do enjoy posting progress on this thread and tossing ideas around with you guys:thumb: but I don't want to post just for the sake of posting:rolleyes:. I also don't want to rush through a project just to get something out there either. I will however, in the spirit of this thread, continue to post questions, ask for input, and maybe more importantly, show any problems I run into and mistakes I make along the way:eek:ops: :) .

I will be up front with all of you...This section is proving to be very difficult to wrap my head around. I don't have the experience to draw on to help me see things in advance (well if I do that, then this won't look right). Basic scenery allowed me to problem solve on the fly...you can't do that when modeling a town, so that is why I have to slow it down and get it right...
 

UP SD40-2

Senior Member
Steve:wave:, THANKS for posting the pic with the paper over the mountain:thumb:, it gives us a better idea of how this will turn out;).

you wrote the posts to THIS thread might slow down a little:(, can i make a suggestion?(well I'm going to anyways:p) get your LPP to help;). i did this, and sure i had problems at first:rolleyes:, but it really ended up working out quite welltooth1 stooges8....HA, HA, HA, i know....well i tried:eek:ops:. don't worry, we'll all be here(on the edge of our seats) waiting for your next update:thumb:. KEEP US POSTED:D -Deano
 

wickman

Member
I know what you mean Steve about needing structures in place before being able to go forward. I've been messy about myself once in a while I'll send out the track cleaner and cleanup wiring shorts. I've been considering taking down one of my mountains or at least taking off the top to make a hilly village. It doesn't work for me but you may want to consider doing some mock-ups.:wave:
 

Nazgul

Active Member
Deano...I'm afraid my LPP aren't as easily trained as yours...I can't keep them from hurting themselves with their foolishness, yours were just a little lazy!:D
Lynn...
You are right about the mock-ups. I will do some when I have some likely candidates. I want to start looking at structures that I think will look good and then narrow it down to what makes sense together. I have been scouring the Internet looking and have some ideas but I need to do a lot more research.
I also have to address the area that connects the two peninsulas:
photos 305 small.jpg
I'm thinking about a sloping area with tall grass and a few large rock outcroppings to tie it in with the areas on either side. It will create a unique scene on the layout and I have also thought about adding a small maintenance building or two there. The hillside water tower is also a possibility....just thinking out loud:)
 

cnw1961

Member
Steve, a good decision to slow down to get it right. Even if it means that we have to wait longer for updates. I back Lynn’s idea to use mock-ups – it works for me. It really helps to find the right size and placement of structures before you start to build (or buy) them.

I’ll be waiting patiently for your updates – I know, they will be worth waiting :wave: .
 
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