I'm assuming you are hand carving your rock faces... This is blasted rock. Your rock work looks pretty darn good, and I'm sure the visitors you have over will think "boy that is some impressive rock!", so ultimately do as you want. I recently set out to create rock faces similar to Marcellus shale. It was my first attempt at hand carved rock and I failed horribly, so I ended up tearing it all apart and starting over. But you are the one who has to be pleased with your work. If you like it then keep it and move on! I don't know if we have seen your whole layout or trackplan on this forum yet, but if you don't have room to move your mainlines due to space constraints and everything clears ok then enjoy what you have. I think the knowledge on this forum is top notch, and everyone genuinely wants you to have a nice layout so don't take the criticism as an insult. But ultimately the advice received on this forum will make you a better modeler.
When I visited the CSX Metropolitan Sub near Point of Rocks, MD and approaching Harper's Ferry I noticed the rock face close to the tracks but don't recall seeing any drill marks. Would the presence of drill marks be related to when the rock cut was blasted? This line was put in before the Civil War.
Thanks everyone, i never take any criticism as an insult. The rocks are moulds and hand carved work. The moulds are from Bragdon Enterprises, i take the bigger ones and cut them up and repiece them back together too get different rock arrangements then go back into and hand carved to get something different.
IMHO... You could do the 'blasted rock' with drill hole lines...and you would have a flat...near vertical face on the wall to the right of the portal...without it looking out of place. It would remove the rock 'outcroppings' that look a little precarious ;-) The rock wall would be thinner but I dont see that as a problem...unless you plan on having 500watt floodlights inside the tunnel that might shine through it...lol. That would help move the bottom of the 'rock' away from the double mains. No need to move track ;-)
l wonder if l could take the far right tunnel portal and move it up more? Maybe it will blend in better that way?
Ok, i just may try that and see how it looks. On another note l'm trying too figure out about colors for the river bottom, l will be using woodland scenics water.
Water "color" is a subjective thing. A lot like if something smells good, and it's difficult to quantify. I'll tell you what worked for me and maybe you can gain something worthwhile out of my experience and techniques. As always, I work from reference photos which I collect or take myself. A really good reference is Google Earth, with high resolution overhead color shots of rivers and streams, which give a really good idea of what you might be looking at on your layout. Looking at your colors, it looks like you're pretty close. About the only thing I'd add is some deeper (blacker) colors to indicate where the channel is. If your waters are clear, then there should be less "color" but if your waters are mostly clear but have a bit of sediment suspended in the mix, then your channel color should be more green, but definitely darker than the green you've got now, but the same shade...just darker. One thing I've observed in real rivers is that the channel is not centered most of the time, but goes to the outside edges of river bends, with shallows and sandbars being on the inside of these bends. Another thing I do is to not affix my shoreline texture until after the last pour of Envirotex because it will creep up and over the rocks, logs and everything else. To minimize this, I wait until the resin is cured, then sock down the river banks by painting on gloss medium and carefully placing river bank texture over the shallow resin at the river banks. I haven't used WS water before, so I don't know if it creeps. I then brush on waves, rapids and other water surface details using varying thicknesses of gloss medium, including WS "Water Effects" for big stuff. I pick out eddies, foam and whitecaps using titanium white, then put a thin coat of gloss medium on it after it dries...since it dries flat. Overall, you've got a really good start on an impressive river scene. Can't wait to see it in-progress and complete! Eheerio! Bob Gilmore
the layout is basically 2 ovals and a fold dog bone in middle with a pass siding. A yard with a pass siding, engine service facilities, coal mine and gravel pit. Around the one loop a mid size town with more industries. Still trying too figure out how too arranged the town and industries. l post more pics when l get time. Also with the help of many on this broad its DCC and can run 3-4 trains.
Thanks Bob, l go back and paint in more black here and there. Dead logs, etc will be added also after that is all set and done l will go forward with WS water. l was thinking of adding a little green color too that also. l just don't want to get everything poured and after it drys find out it does not even look close to a river.
One other thing I forgot to mention is that ya gotta blend the colors...meaning smooth transitions from one to the next. That's easy with an airbrush, but a little harder with just a paintbrush. Where it's really evident is along the shorelines. Be aware that whatever you paint your river, when you put your "water" in it, the colors will get darker. Have fun! Cheers! Bob Gilmore