The central VA door layout progress

Caleb Austin Apr 14, 2009

  1. Sizemore

    Sizemore TrainBoard Supporter

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    I noticed in some of your other pics that you have some painted track, ties one color, rails another color. So what colors are you using and how are you applying the paint?

    Great work!

    T
     
  2. Caleb Austin

    Caleb Austin TrainBoard Member

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    I use 3 colors. ( polly scale)

    - RR tie brown
    - Rust
    - engine black

    RR tie brown is my basic mainline rail color, I add small amounts of rust to it to change the hue in some instances. I apply the rail colors with a brush first and then using a small brush, I add the tie color. This can be mix of the colors, usually RR tie brown as the base and engine black dabbed lightly on random ties to simulate creosote.

    I think a main thing is to have a base color ( in my case RR tie brown) for every thing and add slight different colors to the separate rails and ties. This keeps everything blended somewhat.
     
  3. Caleb Austin

    Caleb Austin TrainBoard Member

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    Riverbed painted...

    Things are coming along, I got the riverbed painted today.
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Heres a shot of the newly ballasted curves and super elevatedness.:tb-confused:
    [​IMG]
     
  4. MRL

    MRL TrainBoard Member

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    Dude...Sweet...Dude...Sweet...Dude, sorry I got carried away. The scenery is realy neat.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 5, 2009
  5. catfan

    catfan TrainBoard Member

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    You do incredible work. Even your super close shots look great.

    Keep it coming. Looks like you are building a fan base!!

    Mark
     
  6. GaryHinshaw

    GaryHinshaw TrainBoard Member

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    This scene just keeps getting better and better edude. I really like the diversity of the foliage and the 'lay of the land', e.g. the way the creek winds around the bluff. You may have mentioned this already, but are you basing this on a specific scene?
    -Gary
     
  7. Caleb Austin

    Caleb Austin TrainBoard Member

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    Not exact to a scene, but just capturing the feel of the area around Charlottesville VA.

    Thanks for the comments!
     
  8. ou11227

    ou11227 New Member

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    It's very interesting to see what you are accomplishing on a door layout. I'm just beginning in N scale and you are definately giving me ideas.
    Jerry
     
  9. abientot

    abientot Permanently dispatched

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    shure luks lyke it doughn it maebe its a nu mawdling tehckneeq
     
  10. Caleb Austin

    Caleb Austin TrainBoard Member

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    Work begins on the right hand side...

    Alrighty then, now that schools out, I'm working on the layout again!

    I've decided to get a jump on the right hand side of the CVDL. This scene here will include a road bridge...

    [​IMG]
    I need to get some bridge length ties and scratch build some abutments next.

    Stay tuned!:tb-cool:
     
  11. Avel

    Avel TrainBoard Member

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    Really, really nice scenery work. Everything is so fine and to scale.
     
  12. Caleb Austin

    Caleb Austin TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks Avel.

    Today, I took out the forest that was in the foreground and thickened up the background forest.

    [​IMG]

    I also ballasted the track from the end of the bridge to the locomotive.:tb-biggrin:
     
  13. Caleb Austin

    Caleb Austin TrainBoard Member

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    I bit more work...

    [​IMG]
    These tufts of grass were made with fake fur.

    And one for fun...
    [​IMG]

    Still waiting for some bridge ties to come and then I'll work on the other side of the layout!
     
  14. ou11227

    ou11227 New Member

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    That fake fur grass sure looks real as you have it placed. Where do you get it and does it come in a variety of grass colors?
     
  15. Caleb Austin

    Caleb Austin TrainBoard Member

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    Where did I get it? An old stuffed bear actually. However, I think you can buy some at most craft or linen stores.

    The fur in that scene is just the beige color that it came in, but when I do add color, I use pastel chalks to change the hue. I just rub the chalks into the fur before I cut it and put it on the layout.
     
  16. S.C.L.man

    S.C.L.man TrainBoard Member

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    Beautiful work and not much more that I could add to what everyone has said. Nice, very nice you are an inspiration to us all. Keep up the great work and please keep the pics coming.

    Thanks
    Eddie:thumbs_up::thumbs_up:
     
  17. Biased turkey

    Biased turkey TrainBoard Member

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    I almost missed that thread.
    Great work envirodude, well done. The track flows smoothly and the scenery looks so natural.
    I'm back to model railroading after a ... 45 years interruption. I certainly can get some inspiration from your layout.Thanks for posting pictures of your progress.
    I noticed a dirtroad ( between the river and the culvert ). could you please explain your technique for making that dirtroad ?
    Now you make me realise that one reason I dropped model railroading was because at that time there was no available information at all about scenery. Now there are plenty of books available and the model railroad forums are a goldmine about that subject.

    Jacques
     
  18. Caleb Austin

    Caleb Austin TrainBoard Member

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    Jacques, I start on the road by cutting some styrene in the shape I want my road, I then lay cork roadbed down on the layout in the same shape. The styrene is then glued onto the cork. After it is dry, I take plaster and sculpt a beveled edge along the the styrene and cork. Then the plaster is sanded. The photo below shows how it looks after those steps.

    [​IMG]

    Here is a cross section of the road. Cork, plaster on the edges and styrene top.
    [​IMG]

    Next, I brush white glue onto the road and then using a small sieve, I sprinkled on Highball products fine "light earth". If need be, I press it into the glue with my fingers.

    The finished road.
    [​IMG]

    Hope that helps! :)
     
  19. WPZephyrFan

    WPZephyrFan TrainBoard Member

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    Enviro...great work! It seems that the humble door is N scale's 4x8 sheet of plywood!
    You may have covered this before but, how did you make the center backdrop? I have plans someday to build a 3'6"x6' layout with a center backdrop. I was thinking a representation of Oroville, Ca on one side and Gerlach, Nv on the other.
     
  20. Caleb Austin

    Caleb Austin TrainBoard Member

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    The backdrop is 1/8th inch tempered hardboard, the stuff most people use for the layouts fascia. It is held into place by wooden blocks on either side of it. It was rather wobbly until I added the plaster hills which stabilized it somewhat.

    If I did again, I would probably go with 1/4 inch hardboard just for added durability. :)
     

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