Building the Pinnacle Creek Mining & Timber Co. RR
- Thread starter HOexplorer
- Start date
ModelRailroadForums.com is a free Model Railroad Discussion Forum and photo gallery. We cover all scales and sizes of model railroads. Online since 2002, it's one of the oldest and largest model railroad forums on the web. Whether you're a master model railroader or just getting started, you'll find something of interest here.
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a commision from some of the links and ads shown on this website (Learn More Here)
HOexplorer
Well-Known Member
I'm back. Good stuff so far. 6 more hours to submit an entry. Jim
HOexplorer
Well-Known Member
Contest closed. Results tomorrow. Thanks, Jim
HOexplorer
Well-Known Member
We have a WINNER! Tough Contest and I did have to recruit my wife in to help judge. Naturally she liked one photo and I liked another. So by a coin flip the winner is T.C. aka Terry. Congratulations Terry. Please send me your Name and address via Private Messages and let me know which photo you would like. Thanks to all the contributors sorry you could not all win. Jim
Sirfoldalot
Days Gone Bye!
Good pick ..
I also liked the snow plow too!
OK .. On to the next layout - lol.
I also liked the snow plow too!
OK .. On to the next layout - lol.
DairyStateDad
Mumbling in the corner
A very worthy winner. Of course, I'm partial to geared steam
T.C.
Active Member
Thank you all for the kind words about the picture, never thought I would be the winner.
FYI all the models were built 30+ years ago as was the MDC Shay, the buildings are all wood craftsman kits.
I took the picture last year using a Fugifilm Finepix HS 30 EXR set on manual and stepped down as low as it would go, it also has an exposure timer feature that I used to get better depth of field.
Now, how in the world do I pick a picture from all the really great one's in this thread ?
Jim this could take a day or two.........................or three ?
Thanks again T.C.
FYI all the models were built 30+ years ago as was the MDC Shay, the buildings are all wood craftsman kits.
I took the picture last year using a Fugifilm Finepix HS 30 EXR set on manual and stepped down as low as it would go, it also has an exposure timer feature that I used to get better depth of field.
Now, how in the world do I pick a picture from all the really great one's in this thread ?
Jim this could take a day or two.........................or three ?
Thanks again T.C.
HOexplorer
Well-Known Member
T.C., Congratulations. Take your time. Look through the whole deal. I think you can find one. If you can't here's one I took a couple of days ago. Jim
Last edited by a moderator:
T.C.
Active Member
After looking through this thread untill the eyes watered, each picture as good if not better than the one before it.
I have desided you are rite, the one you took a couple of days ago will be just fine.
I like all the action in it, and the shay.
Thank you Terry
Jim you have a PM
I have desided you are rite, the one you took a couple of days ago will be just fine.
I like all the action in it, and the shay.
Thank you Terry
Jim you have a PM
HOexplorer
Well-Known Member
Okay Terry, Good choice. I'm glad I took it then. In fact I'm thinking that this might be the Photo 'difference' Contest entry for 300,000 views. All should keep this in mind.
I got your address and I hope you don't need this too quickly. I have to get it made and mailed, probably 2-3 weeks. Jim
I got your address and I hope you don't need this too quickly. I have to get it made and mailed, probably 2-3 weeks. Jim
HOexplorer
Well-Known Member
I'm blushing. Thanks. I have the NMRA over Saturday morning so I will have to actually run trains! I'm thinking of a modification to the layout just for fun. More later. Jim
I'm thinking of a modification to the layout just for fun. More later. Jim
HOexplorer
Well-Known Member
I got the NMRA visitors out the door 30 minutes overtime but it's all good. One fellow has been to my layout open houses 3 times now and he lives 60 miles away. Everyone seemed to like the layout and I got 3 hours of running time on my SW-1. Come to think about it, 3 hours of operation probably covers all running on the last 4 layouts! Changes are a comin' when I get the nerve. Jim
Changes are a comin' when I get the nerve. Jim
Last edited by a moderator:
Another new title to add to Jim's repertoire. "Man of Steel (nerves)" "able to leap tall sculptamould structures, faster than a speeding bullet in dismantling and rebuilding layouts..........
HOexplorer
Well-Known Member
Toot, Please! I've been called enough names through the years. Thought for the day: refurb. Jim
HOexplorer
Well-Known Member
Okay, I saw an article in the last month or so ago talking about refurbishing/upgrading, whatever, our layouts to give us a 'new' or refreshing 'look.' Well, I'm not quite bored with this layout yet, but I am intrigued that refurbishing can give us something new and make our layout completely different that originally planned. Of course, I redid part of the original PCM&T Co. layout, but it still looked the same basically that it did before shifting the tipple scene. I think I will give the refurb idea a go and see how it will work out. It may help some of you that are stuck with a layout you just can't get rid of. I will be working on the left side of the layout, the 'desert' side. First pics tomorrow. Jim 
Sirfoldalot
Days Gone Bye!
Holding breath, waiting!
HOexplorer
Well-Known Member
REFURB DISCUSSION:
First off, there is little or nothing incorrect about the left side of the layout. The NMRA fellows said it as great and if there was something wrong at least one guy I know would have said so. BUT, I was never happy about the finished 'color' of the rocks. I did some testing before putting the Sculptamold on the layout. I didn't write down the paint mixing formula that I liked in the test and naturally these rocks didn't come out the way I had planned. In photos they looked a bit washed out and just didn't look right. With these thoughts in my mind and reading the article on refurbishing layouts I decided to "refurb" my left side of the layout.
First, I would have to change the rock color. This sounds easy, but I didn't want some dull grayish paint job covering the rocks that would have to have additional 'washes' to bring out highlights. I still wanted different rocks than the right side of the layout, but would settle for 'first cousin' rocks. I went to my test piece and painted three washes on the rocks. Acceptable, but still not right. Instead of highlighting the rocks I ended up with a bit of a dull look. I'm not blaming Sculptamold for this just the application, by me, technique. Finally, I remembered a spray bottle under the sink that was empty. I mixed Woodland Scenics Black with water and gave my test rock a couple of squirts. Success. I made the mix just a bit darker and headed for the layout. I discretely chose an out of the way place and gave it a couple of squirts moving the squirter so all the liquid doesn't hit the same place thus making the result like the original wash test. In this photo you can see sprayed rocks and the lighter rocks not sprayed.
Simply by moving the squirter at all times while spraying I found that this result really pleases me. The rocks seem to come alive and are much more pleasing to the naked eye and camera. Here's a close up:
So after all the recoloring I've ended up with this photo. It shows rocks that more look like rocks and that, after all, is what modeling is all about. STAY tuned to Part Two of the refurb.
First off, there is little or nothing incorrect about the left side of the layout. The NMRA fellows said it as great and if there was something wrong at least one guy I know would have said so. BUT, I was never happy about the finished 'color' of the rocks. I did some testing before putting the Sculptamold on the layout. I didn't write down the paint mixing formula that I liked in the test and naturally these rocks didn't come out the way I had planned. In photos they looked a bit washed out and just didn't look right. With these thoughts in my mind and reading the article on refurbishing layouts I decided to "refurb" my left side of the layout.
First, I would have to change the rock color. This sounds easy, but I didn't want some dull grayish paint job covering the rocks that would have to have additional 'washes' to bring out highlights. I still wanted different rocks than the right side of the layout, but would settle for 'first cousin' rocks. I went to my test piece and painted three washes on the rocks. Acceptable, but still not right. Instead of highlighting the rocks I ended up with a bit of a dull look. I'm not blaming Sculptamold for this just the application, by me, technique. Finally, I remembered a spray bottle under the sink that was empty. I mixed Woodland Scenics Black with water and gave my test rock a couple of squirts. Success. I made the mix just a bit darker and headed for the layout. I discretely chose an out of the way place and gave it a couple of squirts moving the squirter so all the liquid doesn't hit the same place thus making the result like the original wash test. In this photo you can see sprayed rocks and the lighter rocks not sprayed.
Simply by moving the squirter at all times while spraying I found that this result really pleases me. The rocks seem to come alive and are much more pleasing to the naked eye and camera. Here's a close up:
So after all the recoloring I've ended up with this photo. It shows rocks that more look like rocks and that, after all, is what modeling is all about. STAY tuned to Part Two of the refurb.
Last edited by a moderator:
Sirfoldalot
Days Gone Bye!
Yes, you are correct!
The colors are more pleasing to the eye, however, most of the desert terrain south of Needless is more reddish in color.
Personally, I like the grayish tone better.
The colors are more pleasing to the eye, however, most of the desert terrain south of Needless is more reddish in color.
Personally, I like the grayish tone better.
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a commision from some of the links and ads shown on this website (Learn More Here)