Diorama

Nice work, Gerry 8=)

Building a diorama is a good way to practice your modeling skills and to try new scenery
techniques.

Also a good way for a modeler without space for a layout to have some fun creating a "mini-scene".

Do you plan to incorporate this into a larger
layout?

N Joy


Don Brown
Tucson AZ USA

 

Very nice scenery. It is so good to see "green" on the rocks. I would suggest that you use ME Code 40 or 55 track for a diorama, it would look much better.

 

Very nice work
The rockwork looks especially realistic.
I would like to see these talents on a layout.

Russ/NYC
The Hoffman Valley Railroad
NARA member#28

 

A few minor points can be added to the diorama to make it more realistic

-paint the ties also, using Rail Brown and stain the entire trackwork with washes like Burnt Umber (use very little paint), Grimy Black (heavy wash) and a small, light wash of a light grey on some of the ties. After doing that, Dullcoat the track to get rid of any glossiness. (I use Dullcoat and sprays heavily on scenery and it looks great )

-use real dirt as the first layer of scenery, glue it down, and then lightly sprinkle on the ground foam on top. Makes it look very real.

Hope that helps your friend George

Mike

 

Very nice scenery!
I'd have to agree with Mike about painting the track, it's suprizing how much this adds to the overall scene! Another thing to consider is adding a 'telltale' which was a frame that spanned the track with several pieces of rope that hung down from it. They were used to alert brakemen (walking on the car tops)of the approaching tunnel. Of course if your modeling a more modern era then the telltale wouldn't be used, however the frame could still be there.

2slim

 

Gerry you did a bang up paint job on that engine. The rockwork looks real. I don't see anything to nit pick about, I think you have done an excellent piece here!

 

Okay, I'll nit pick, but before I do...I like the diorama. What I am about to nit pick is a pet peeve of mine and a topic I haven't really seen addressed, not that it is by any means revolutionary.

For some weird kinky reason, I have become conscious of ballast, and in particular the oil trail that is on tracks from the passing loco's. In every picture, and every layout I have seen, there has been no hint of oil between the rails from engines. I won't even mention oil lub points, or the location were the passenger steamer sits waiting to leave while the passenger's load. You can tell that area by the wide area of oil between the rails and around it. It is very noticable with the Royal Hudson and Consolidation at BC Rail. But all tracks have some oil on them (I actually mean between the tracks).

And so my only complaint is that your ballast is too clean. Drive around in your car and look at different rail, you will see all kinds of oil...sometimes hints of it, other times and trail down the center of the track. And so your ballast needs to look like thousands of engines have crossed it, not like it was just poured yesterday.

Yes I am nit picking, your diorama is fine. But if I were to criticise that would be it. But then everyone's layout has to "clean" a ballast.

 

No oil on the tracks in the foreground but it kinda looks like a trail of oil on the track behind the engine though.

 

I find mixing ballast with different colours helps give it an 'old' look. One batch I have has Campbell's iron ore in it along with some green flock-like bits - great for sidings.
Surfacing is done more often on the mainline and through switches than on passing loops and secondary tracks.
Also, another trick is to layer the ballast. Use a darker grade for the underlying older ballast and something lighter on top for newer. Also, for the prototypically oriented modeller, try for a colour that represents the local supply. A good example is C&NW 'pink' ballast used in the mid-West.
Remember to lightly darken outside the rails as well to represent water staining from rain running off the car and locomotive sides.
Tie it all in with washes as has been suggested above.
Another consideration for those modelling track that is poorly maintained is to use light grey ballast or chalks across a few ties to represent where the road is sagging or 'pounding'. This causes the ballast to rub against itself forming a dust. Very noticeable in the flesh!

Gary.

 

if that line hauls coal, you ought to mix the ballast, a minute amount of fine black "ballast" to it it really looks good after words,I can go walk down a half mile down my local railroad line, andprobably get half a pickup truck (S-10 sized) sized load of coal, if you really glean enough (yes it is spelled correctly ) and Yes do add the oil puddles, and stuff to the ballast, and also, add some glossy black (in a bottle or so) and lightly dab some of ot in the ties (someof them) to give them a creosote lok to them.

 

All good points mentioned. If you ever look at pictures of tracks, you'll always see the inner tracks alot dirtier (blacker) then the outside, so add a wash of India Ink between the rails. Oil spots aren't common on main lines, only on siding maybe where trains have been sitting for a long time, in maintenace facilities, or in yards. And dont forget to model repairs dont on the tracks, like old ties lying around, pieces of rail, and maybe barrels left by the crew. Alot can be done, so my advice is to look at pics.

Mike

 

Gerry, don't let "us" discourage you! You did a fine job! If you just HAVE to satisfy everyone, then you are in for a heap of heartache. Yes you could add all the nits and take it to a Museum, and probably run into some guy who would ask, "Where is the wild life, what no deer, no squirrels?"

Let's wait an see how the dioramas look that these guys produce, then you can nit pick them, that's fair. You did good guy, enjoy it! In my 71 years I have seen lots of beautifully clean, as well as filthy track. It comes down to what YOU like Gerry!

 

Thank you all for your comments on my first attempt at an N-scale diorama. It is the Woodland N-Scale Learning Kit #S929 and the whole thing is 1x2 feet.

I enjoyed putting it all together, but I can see that if you were doing a large layout using their foam system, it could get expensive!

I agree with all your comments on the rail detail. Weathering of the track and ballast is definitely required along with some man-made junk along the right of way.

The LifeLike GP20 is stock (along with the couplers). I plan to strip it and kitbash it into a GP10 and paint it as a local tourist line called the Pacific Wilderness Railway. It will go on a 7 ft. x 10 in. point to point layout.

Again, thanks for all your comments...

 

Actually Alan, there are now alot of other alternatives to Woodland Scenics. Scenic Express is coming out with some very good looking ground foam, static grass, and shrubery. Just look in the latest Walthers catologe to see all the diffrent types of materials offered. But, nothing can beat cheap, readily available materials from mother nature. Dirt (my best friend ) seems to be rarely used, ground up leaves make excellent ground cover and diffrent plants make good trees.

,Mike

 

I really like your diorama. In fact, if you don't mind, I'm going to make a screen saver of the picture.

 

Gerry is the newest member to our N Scale fraternity here in Victoria and he is very enthusiastic about the hobby.
This Diorama is Jerry's first attempt at scenery, and I would venture to say that he is well on his way to becoming a first-rate railway modeler.
Also, You can be sure that he will act on your comments and recommendations.
My Comment: Well done!
Cheers!

Terry