Building the Pinnacle Creek Mining & Timber Co. RR


Here's another one of the same spot that illustrates the freshly cut face of the quarry compared to the older, more weathered rock on either side.

trainsattheclubetc010.png


Don't know what the railroad thinks of them digging away their track foundations, but I guess that's some of that artistic license.


P.S. If i'm spamming your thread Jim, I'll delete them.
 
It's interesting seeing two (or possibly more) ways of doing something. I don't think you're spamming Toot.

Thanks to both of you for your contributions.
 
Thanks you all. O5S, Welcome. Glad you enjoy this thread. If it helps you or anyone else that is what it is all about. The price is right.:D

Toot, Nice photos of your club layout. Good modeling with the cuts. I to had the quarrying under the track thought, but put it aside as you could always say operations were ceasing next week! I would really like to have the painting skills of the backdrop tree painter. I'm always humored to see North American locos and rolling stock running in a club in a foreign country. We are fairly provincial here. I can't imagine a club with any good sized Euro train layout on this side of the pond?? Jim:)
 
Something else I'm learning today. Yep, I can learn too. I poured Modge Podge Gloss onto the top of the dried Realistic Water. That was over a week ago! It just won't seem to dry or turn clear. The days are still warm but the nights are cool. I suppose I poured it on too thick.

I guess I should have made one last pour of Realistic Water then added the Gloss. On the other side of the layout I used ModgePodge Matte and had no problems. I've even tried cutting the tops of the bigger ripples and use a hairdryer. No luck. I'll give it some more time, but I may have to cut out the higher waves, not easy, and redo those spots.:eek:

So here's a photo of the offending area and the track cut. Lessons learned. Jim:eek:

rock cut.jpg
 
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You'll have to do that pic again Jim, from the same spot once it's all fixed up, another great scene.

Most of the clubs here are pretty eclectic when it comes to prototype. US profile is the most popular because it's the most prolific but in recent years there has been an upsurge in RTR Aus HO, mostly NSW and Victorian railways but there are a couple of kit producers of Qld equipment. British Rail is also well represented and most running sessions see a mix of all.

The layout scenery itself is definitely Queensland oriented and the bloke that did all the backdrop is Owen Robinson (nickname; Tiny). He went round the whole lot repainting it just last year because his eyesight is failing and he wanted to freshen it up before he could no longer do it.
I can draw scenes and landscapes but getting the painting side right still eludes me, odd because my father was an excellent painter.
 
Painting is hard. I do my own and since I'm ambidextrous I choose to do it all left-handed for some reason. If my arm gets tired doing a backdrop I'll switch to the right hand. Can't tell the diff. My painting is far from even good, but I figure you can't mess up a cloud!

Here is a photo of the layout this morning. Virtually all finished. If you go back and find the earlier photos before this redo you can really see what's happened. Water is not drying/clearing so I don't know what I'm going to do. Check out page 247 I think and see the two plans. Jim:)

redo almost done.jpg
 
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Lookin' great Jim. Aren't you glad you listened to your wife and the rest of us when we said not to cut your work desk down. I love that bit of timber support work along the edge of the rock face, a really individual design element.
 
I'm glad I listened to you all, and my wife of course. Trouble is now what am I going to do? I'm trying to rangle a PS3 for Christmas so I can play Assassin's Creed III.

Below is a photo that shows pretty much what I'm all about scenery wise. It is simply a closer look at the new addition. You can see that it is very heavily sceniced. If you want your friends jaws to drop when they enter your train room then this may be the 'look' you should all strive for. Jim :)

work train Shay.jpg
 
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Truly stunning.

What do you do now? You run trains, Jim. You switch cars. But I know what your problem is, it's the journey that's interesting not the destination. You'll have to go and build another layout for someone else. I believe QANTAS has some good deals going at the moment, get away from all that cold weather.:D

Assasins Creed?? Never saw you as a bloodthirsty type, you couldn't even bring yourself to shoot that carpenter. Maybe as it's a logging/mining railroad you could go and cut down some of those trees :eek::eek::eek::rolleyes:
 
Thanks, toot. Run trains, switch cars, right! That's why I built the layout in the first place. Probably not, but I like your idea.

I've been (war)gaming since the 60s. It is different now with all the consoles and PC gaming. More fun back in the day to actually be sitting across the map from a friend and watch him sweat a bit.

Now, like model railroading it is mostly solitary gaming. My only escape to the real world is senior softball. Jim:)
 
Perhaps it's time to sell the Pinacle Creek RR and begin a new layout adventure? I know there must be a buyer out there and the $$ could go towards whatever layout is next.
 
RR, At my rates this layout is right around $30,000. I will let it go for $12,000 though. Only because I'm such a good guy!:D Come and get it.

Another note about Photography. I just took the photo below and while I didn't notice the shadows on the "sky" when I took the photo I do now. In my mind this is just another photo for the 'delete' key. I have that skylight tube in the ceiling and don't usually take photos with the sun too far up simply because of shadows. I prefer any accent lighting to be 'lamp' made.

waterfront.jpg


Probably not to much wrong here, but those shadows bug me big time! Try to never post a photo with shadows on the backdrop. It is just bad form. Jim:)
 
No, don't sell. As incredible as this layout appears, there is always more that can be added. No layout is ever "done". More trees in places for areas of somewhat denser forest. Maybe a small road for vehicular traffic, and you could add alot of wildlife. Maybe underneath you can build a network of tunnels for the mine itself, you could have a section of the layout represent new growth after a forest fire, logging operations could be added to the mining for a second industry. Incidently, I don't remember seeing a picture of the mine itself in this thread.
You've made a nice start. Don't stop now.
And by the way. You're work is beautiful, and I've learned alot as I've followed this thread. I want to see you continue to work on this layout cause I don't want to see the thread end.
 
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Time for photoshop maybe. A nice big puff of smoke/steam from the loco should cover those shadows up nicely.
 
Toot, No money or brains for Photoshop. It would be nice to add some steam to my photos however. As far as general photography my little 10+ year old photo program does alright. It is very limited. I think it came with my first digital camera?? Jim:)
 
Jim, Thanks for the nice compliments. Don't sell? Well, who would buy it? You need a small U-Haul truck and probably me to put the three pieces back together. Hopefully, no one would need me. I've tried for nearly a year to let everyone know what I know and it was/is all free.

Beyond selling, there is no way I could do all the good ideas you came up with. I'm too old and broken down now to even build a layout this size again let alone crawl underneath and add stuff there. I'm afraid my modeling days are nearing an end. I have another open house schedule for the National Narrow Guage Convention in LA next August. I'm 120 miles away, but I'm assured folks from all over the US will come to my house!

After that I may tear the PCM&T down like all the other layouts. I'm not building again at this point. Maybe try my hand at an HO hollow core door problem. Simple loop with some sidings. Scenic divider down the middle, that sort of thing. Scenery would be the thing with photography the main reason for even building it. We'll see. Jim :)
 
This is the creative/practical persons curse. The mind is always inventing new possibilities and things to make or do. I would hate to see this layout torn down. A suggestion. Build dioramas/switching layouts for sale, may not make huge amounts of money,(then again, you may) but the satisfaction and outlet for the creative juices allied to new photo opportunities would compensate (hollow door contruction would be the ideal medium).

Larry's huge layout comes to mind, I don't know how he's brought himself to do what he's done, but it sounds like the same curse.
 
I hadn't been modeling a year when I did a small Z suitcase layout for a fellow in Oregon. Since, I've made layouts or dioramas that reside in Germany, Mexico, Singapore, Japan, two in Virginia, Iowa, Florida, California, and some places I can't remember now. I basically quit doing these because of arthritis in the hands. I kept going to larger scales, now HO. No one comes calling today, but it was fun doing those items.

As far as the curse. To me the symtoms are simple: You don't know why you build, you just do it. Obviously it's the journey, but many make the journey too long and complicated. I've done, Central California, Oregon/Washington Cascades, Alaska and the Desert SW complete with pinnacles and using over 40 pounds of desert sand, while some folks still haven't finalized their track plan in that time.

I wish everyone could work at their layouts the way I've been fortunate to do. Working for a living cuts into the time as well as family. I've often thought that model railroading is not a pleasant pastime for folks in this condition. They don't know how to put the 'urge' off for a slower time in their lives. Anyway, that's something many should think about. The hobby will always be there when the time comes.

Lastly, let me thank from the bottom of my heart you folks for reaching 60,000 views in less than a year. The fact that someone appreciates the lessons herein is much appreciated. The layout is virtually finished and will be around until next September if you are in San Diego. After September no promises.

If any of you have any questions PLEASE ASK. I'm sure I haven't covered everything, but you can get info from me at the right price, free. Ask away.

Next contest at 75,000. Jim:)
 
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Jim, builders build, it's that simple. My back is shot and my thumbs are arthritic, my hands look like war torn Europe, but I hope to drop dead while building my own coffin.
 
I understand your motivation for going to larger and larger scales. Z, then N, now HO. I'm really looking forward to your 1:1 scale build.
 
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