First Annual International Winter Layout Party

[MRL]

Well for this party I will attempt to have a potato dealer spring up on a lonely desolate corner on my dad's layout. A potatoery I guess it might be since there are beanrys and so on...

[DOUBLEJK]

Well my layout has not progressed much since the last party I was in on but I will give her a go at this one as I'm off work for a few weeks here and might get something accomplished.
I've started the benchwork for the new layout but the old plywood prarie is in the way of further progress so dismantelling it is my 1st goal.


Here is the layout's room as of tonight...

Then painting of the floor and some drywall will be next followed by some electrical lighting and outlet work and then some more benchwork.

[William Cowie]

My goals are
(a) to break down the old layout and
(b) to build the first module for the new one.

The old one never got past the wiring stage before the wife said there's no space for her in the basement now. So I redesigned it to (a) leave more sitting space and (b) lower it so we could see trains when we were sitting.

I plan to model a few parts of the Cajon Pass, in particular Sullivan's Curve and Mormon Rocks. Nothing to stretch modeling skill like picking a highly recognizable and difficult prototype! :D

The new layout will be built along the lines of the well-read Norseman Jack technique (see http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/...ad.php?t=56720)

The thought of modeling Sullivan's Curve has intimidated me for more than a year, so I figured let's start with the most difficult module. If that one works, the rest ought to follow easily. If it doesn't, at least no effort on the other parts will have been wasted.

So here goes. Here's the corner where the new module will go.

[pachyderm217]

Alright, I'm in.

I plan to build a small coal tipple to the right of these hoppers and in front of the bridge. I'll use parts from the Walthers Glacier Gravel kit.



I hope to install a propane distributor where the gray building sits at the lower right below. I have a Plastruct kit waiting to go.



I want to weather these buildings shown below, add some flats and some backdrop buildings. I have several Walthers modular building parts and a Walthers city backdrop to slice up a la Jon Grant's recent backdrop work.



If I have time, I may erect a small passenger station at Myersville, near center right in the photo below.



Other things on the to do list:

Paint and install 4 dozen power poles
Weather some new hoppers and vehicles
Put a coiled cord on my throttle
Label the towns on the layout fascia
Make progress on my train schedule
Make and plant about 40 trees
Weather the track in Myersville yard

I think I've got more than enough to keep me busy for the duration. Best of all, I have most everything on hand. I can be pretty cheap for a while now.

[kool-aid13]

Well I guess I will also throw my toque in the ring. Actually I'll keep it on, it is minus 15C here. I know, before all you other canucks chime in, this is as cold as it has been on the west coast for something like 20 years.

Back on topic, I am submitting my new T-Trak module that needs the following things,

1. Grain elevator on the left
2. Warehouse on the right
3. Loads of fascia paint
4. paint, ballast and weather track
5. Details and more Details

2 Before shots





A couple of other shots of my modules.



The GS-4 is only parked in front of those containers so my kids can run their trains around for a while.



On the same note as the beginning, the cold, I know my first week will be a slow one as my space heater is at my shop trying to prevent the pipes from freezing. So any modelling I get a chance to do will be at the kitchen table.

Good luck to everyone this looks like a lot of fun.

Previewing my post I could also use a photography party aswell, any hints for better lighting?

Ivan

[ppuinn]

Previewing my post I could also use a photography party as well, any hints for better lighting? Ivan

Great idea, Ivan! There's a bunch of us that could use some tips on how to snap better layout pics.

I know it always helps to have some quality modeling to take pics of,
and some folks have fancy cameras that slice, dice, and remove unsightly nose hairs,
but for the rest of us with average modeling skills and inexpensive (ok,...cheap) cameras, I'd love to see some basic guidelines on picture composition, basic lighting tips, actions/options to avoid when taking pics, and actions/options to pursue vigorously.

Owen...In the week or two leading up to the Spring Layout Party, could the announcement sticky contain a link to a thread where experienced layout photographers offer some words of wisdom?
Photography forum moderators...Are there some past threads you know of that might have already addressed basic tips for beginning layout photographers?

[ppuinn]

For the Winter Layout Party, I will complete the treeline/skyline along the 12 feet of backdrop behind the north third of the P&PU East Peoria Yard.

Here is a pic of the north (right) end of the 12 feet I want to work on.

1. The tree flat shown is about the correct height, but the building pictures are glued a little too high, and I want to put them on the front of the foamboard instead of the back so that the painted green bluff is behind the buildings instead of in front.
2. I may also experiment with mounting the pics on sheet plastic to provide additional strength, and with adding slight angles to the plastic sheeting so the buildings have some actual (3-D) depth instead of being just 2-D with shadows to imply the depth.
3. I want the trees to be lacey enough that the base of the buildings gradually disappear instead of ending abruptly at the treeline.
4. The sky at the very end of the backdrop needs to be painted a little lower/closer to the surface of the layout so the unpainted portion of the backdrop does not show above the tree flats.

Here is a pic of some East Peoria housing that will be just to the left of the Peoria Skyline tree flat mentioned above.

1. The houses are the correct size, but, like the Peoria Skyline buildings, they are mounted too high on this tree flat.
2. The houses may need to be replaced with pictures that are more finely detailed.
3. I want to add a distant treeline so it is visually "behind" the houses, which are "behind" the ground foam trees, which are "behind" the lichen trees.
4. The tree flat in the picture may need to be trimmed a little shorter.

This pic shows a foamboard mock-up of the Cedar Street bridge as it passes over the P&PU East Peoria Yard tracks just to the south (left) of the East Peoria housing mentioned above. Fading into the darkness all the way to the left of the picture, you can just make out the south end of the 12 feet of treeline/skyline I want to complete for the Winter Layout Party.

1. Cedar Street will need to "disappear" into the distance at the treeline.
2. It will also need to "reappear" in the distance where, in 1:1 scale, a second Cedar Street Bridge makes a high arc as it crosses over the Illinois River, and is visible above the treeline. I don't expect to do too much on the Cedar Street Bridge over the rail yard, at this time...but maybe for the Spring Layout Party.

This last pic shows the southern-most (left end) portion of where the 12 feet of treeline will be added in the Winter Layout Party.

1. The treeline will pass behind the flat of the Caterpillar building.
2. I'll probably add a black or gray roof in quarter profile to force perspective and add some depth to the building flat.
3. I'll probably paint or hide the soldered feeder wire in front of the gate to the Caterpillar siding, but will save the ballasting for another Layout Party. (Next winter's??)

If, by some beneficence of the Train Gods, I am able to complete all 12 feet of the treeline to my satisfaction before the Winter Layout Party is over, I'll continue with the treeline behind the Cat siding and the Tabor Grain Elevator that overlooks the middle of the P&PU East Peoria Yard.

[Flash Blackman]

One of the good things about the layout party is seeing what everyone else is doing. You will usually pick up some good ideas.

I am going detail and/or build structures. This is my grain dealer that was the first structure I built for my layout about seven years ago (I think). I still need to finish the grain loading/unloading portion in the front of the grain tower. I have done the paper mock-up and you can see that is in place to cover two tracks. I need to add the pipes and some weathering.


Across the tracks I am planning an auto service station. That will have to be completely scratchbuilt. Here is a photo of the footprint in place.


Further, across the tracks in the other direction, I need a line of stores for the town of Flatonia. The row is supposed to be the rear of the structures, so no details in the front. This should be a good structure kitbash project with a lot of opportunity for debris details and trackside items.


BTW, this is all N scale.

Don't get me started on how many other projects have to get done around this place. One of the most interesting is a welders torch electronic simulator inside a building. I have to baby sit the grand daughter on Monday, so that day is gone. Car needs to get the battery changed, charged, and system electrical check, etc., etc. It may be a slow start to this party. That's why I got up at 3 am to have a little quite time for myself.

[edit]The grain company hides an access hole for the unseen track at the back edge of the layout.

[okane]

Great idea, Ivan! There's a bunch of us that could use some tips on how to snap better layout pics.

Owen...In the week or two leading up to the Spring Layout Party, could the announcement sticky contain a link to a thread where experienced layout photographers offer some words of wisdom?
Photography forum moderators...Are there some past threads you know of that might have already addressed basic tips for beginning layout photographers?

Here is some links where for modeling photography tips

Model Railroad Photography - Taking pictures of little stuff

Basic Model Railroad Photography

[Wayne.Wrzesinski]

Ivan, good to see another t-traker.
I dont have any pics today.
I'll be building two modules, both double wide 12" deep by just over 24" long. I will have crossovers on either end, a passing siding and three industries. My goals for this party will be to
get the track down,
finish Interstate fuel and oil kit
decide on other two industries and get at least one built
basic scenery
running trains on it