"The General"

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J

JohnReid

Member
I am doing a layout using The General for static display.It is in 1/24 scale and has been a lot of fun to build.I hope to eventually mount it on a shelf type layout.Here is where I am so far.:)
 
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It is also for static display as a diorama about how they used to make movies the old fashioned way.It will be my tribute to the great film director Sergio Leone and our mutual love of the "old west".:)
 


I build this locomotive as a movie prop and I am now faced with making it
look more like one.I really over built one side and am now faced with removing some stuff in order to have it better fit in with the storyline.It is time to call in the guys with the blowtorches.
The original idea was that it was to be a half model made of tin on a wood frame and set up as it would be on a movie lot.
In many ways it is hard to do this to such a beautiful design but the story must come first in my view.I have another General kit waiting to be built anyway and of course I will always have the pics.
 


The third part of my layout /diorama will be to build the luxury passenger car.(Morton's car in the movie) I plan to use finer hardwoods and leave in a few remnants of furniture and memorabilia from the era.It will be weathered as though it has sat in the backlot for some time.I will build it like a sound stage and probably not even put it on tracks except maybe near one of the car stairs where Claudia Cardinale first steps off the train to make her unforgettable grand entrance in the movie.This was the one and only Western movie ever written for a woman and I would like to recognize that fact in the diorama.
 
In the opening scene the train is going in the other direction but I had to compromise a bit if I want to show the locomotives best (realistic) side.From this view all will look normal but from the other side it will all be movie set.The work that I am doing now on the mock up side of the locomotive will hardly be seen at all in the final version as it will be mostly in front of the station. In the area between the front of the locomotive and the front right hand side of the station will sit Sergio's empty directors chair with his name on the back.Morton's deluxe car in the back will be modified into another movie set somewhat like the station was but will look normal from this viewpoint.On the backside of the station wall I will put up a double sided screen of a view of Monument Valley that will be viewable from both the single front window of the station and Morton's car.Claudia's arrival set will be on the backside end of Morton's car.
I never like to put anything square to the base so the final setup will be at an angle yet to be determined.
 
From this angle it will be all movie set.The unfinished Bachmann car will be gutted in the mid section.The last two windows and stairs will be retained as will the last 3-4 windows between the cars as that will be where the double sided Monument Valley screen will go.As I noted before the gutted locomotive will hardly even be seen at all but the tender will be another story.This is an abandoned lot so an old poster from the movie could go on the side and of course wood will be piled on top.
I prefer this staggered look rather than the round idea for a layout/diorama at this scale and yet it remains interesting for the viewer when viewed from any angle.The whole purpose of this layout/diorama is educational for kids to know how old movies were made before the modern era of animation etc...When finished I will probably offer it to a museum of science and technology for display purposes.
 


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