Smudge617
Well-Known Member
Looks good
The College Kid Layout Building Saga - End?
- Thread starter catnippertom
- Start date
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Well done.
To model this feature, I would first pour a lake then simply either very coarse ballast or something that looks like large chunks of crushed rock (real rocks about 1/16" in size, and uniform in color, like crushed rock, would work). then use finer ballast right under the track, that would be very realistic.
There are lots of youtube videos about modelling water also we have an artist here (Jaz avalley) that sometimes posts has some great water feature tips. Here is a thread on it:
https://modelrailroadforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/water-and-the-modelling-thereof.35206/
May I suggest this water feature could be a good starting point. You will have to elevate the road bed leading up to it to get the feel right. Or, elevate the entire rail bed then you could get some relief opportunities.
For ground cover, where you might want dirt you can sift some dry sand to make it finer and glue that down. I have that kind of stuff all over my layout. There are other ground cover materials, the green crushed fine foam material is available from several vendors. Nothing wrong with putting something down then redoing it later, pretty much the story of my life (except marriage, you only want to do that once).
Dave LASM
There is also the same on the soon to be XMRL on the old NP line Sandpoint Id, to Missoula MT running across a reach on Lake Pend O'Reille before reaching the Clark Fork river; somewhat North of Hope, ID. I should be down thata way a little later today as the wife wants a dish set. So road trip; will try and get a pix or 2 of it. Probably no trains, but ya never know.
Thanks to Google for the overhead.
Later
Here are a few images from above. The first one is the Google Earth image of the section of track mentioned above. The other image is the Openrailway Map. I like using Openrailways to just see defunct lines and different areas random tracks go. Anyway, you can see the location a bit better.
This is another good look at the section of track. I think I have a relative idea about how to make this possible but if I mess it up, it's going to be a pain in the long run.
If no, google "free HO scale ruler" and print out one on a printer.
Save the plastic dish from microwave meals for plastic to build structures for your layouts.
Use clear plastic packaging for window material.
Find a house or cottage you would like to model. Get permission of the resident to measure the place.
Measure the width and length by stepping off the distance. (width= 8 steps x 30" step =240 "/12 =20 feet wide.)
Make a rough sketch- 8 step wide, 12 steps long, plus front and back porch? How many steps to place each window?
Where are front and back doors located? What type of roof? Figure an 8' wall height and add 4' to roof peak. Use 36" wide x 78" door and 36" wide x 48" high window sizes.
Since this is YOUR building and layout, so draw this up in pencil with the HO scale and adjust it as you want it to be. Draw a front and side view with a foundation to see if you like what you see. You can mock up the building by drawing the walls floor (including porches), roof and porch roofs on light cardboard (a cereal box, empty ) and tape it together to see the size. You can move the mock up around to find your best location. Use the cardboard pieces to cut out plastic building pieces.
Use the experience to build other scratch built structures or kits.
Good luck!
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catnippertom
That Oregon Guy
Update:
Here is a little YouTube video of my first running test on the layout. I am planning on cleaning up my roadbed once I get it glued down. Looking good so far! Progress!
Smudge617
Well-Known Member
Always great to see the first train negotiate your track.
Well done.
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catnippertom
That Oregon Guy
Update:
Just a bit of a ramble today. No real work has gone into the construction of the layout. I have hit a bit of a dead spot with my work and I can't seem to get past it. The "Brillo Branchline" portion of the project has been scrapped and now I just want to build a nice layout. The reason for the stop is that I seem to be having a creative block. I have a bunch of ideas but none of them seem to come to fruition. I have considered the idea of making a proto-lance version of the OCSR(Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad) but I am not in a position to be able to afford to go that detailed in a layout. Now I am thinking of a freelance build based on the OCSR but as a fantasy scenic railway. I can't seem to find good inspiration for anything and have hit a bit of a roadblock. I am currently building a small engine/rollingstock shed for it but that is as far as I have gotten with scenery. I plan to use the dice mountain from the old layout and expand onto it but I am just stuck with that as well. Here is a quick and dirty SCARM render of the layout as planned so far:
The section to the right represents a portion of the OCSR that I really love where the line goes across a lake on what I can only describe as a dike. Here is an image:
I am also taking some inspiration from the engine shed of the OCSR but I am building it with a twist since I only have my Dollar Tree wood to work with. I am not sure how to model some of the things I want to model and I am not sure what to do with a lot of the blank space on the board so I am coming to the forum to ask for help and ideas. I don't want to settle on a town scene or an industry. I really want to make this layout scenic just like the OCSR but I just can't seem to figure out what I want to model. I haven't been this stumped and I've looked at some other heritage rail sites on Google Earth for inspiration but alas nothing has been too helpful. For my expert modelers, please help me push through my block!
Just a bit of a ramble today. No real work has gone into the construction of the layout. I have hit a bit of a dead spot with my work and I can't seem to get past it. The "Brillo Branchline" portion of the project has been scrapped and now I just want to build a nice layout. The reason for the stop is that I seem to be having a creative block. I have a bunch of ideas but none of them seem to come to fruition. I have considered the idea of making a proto-lance version of the OCSR(Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad) but I am not in a position to be able to afford to go that detailed in a layout. Now I am thinking of a freelance build based on the OCSR but as a fantasy scenic railway. I can't seem to find good inspiration for anything and have hit a bit of a roadblock. I am currently building a small engine/rollingstock shed for it but that is as far as I have gotten with scenery. I plan to use the dice mountain from the old layout and expand onto it but I am just stuck with that as well. Here is a quick and dirty SCARM render of the layout as planned so far:
The section to the right represents a portion of the OCSR that I really love where the line goes across a lake on what I can only describe as a dike. Here is an image:
I am also taking some inspiration from the engine shed of the OCSR but I am building it with a twist since I only have my Dollar Tree wood to work with. I am not sure how to model some of the things I want to model and I am not sure what to do with a lot of the blank space on the board so I am coming to the forum to ask for help and ideas. I don't want to settle on a town scene or an industry. I really want to make this layout scenic just like the OCSR but I just can't seem to figure out what I want to model. I haven't been this stumped and I've looked at some other heritage rail sites on Google Earth for inspiration but alas nothing has been too helpful. For my expert modelers, please help me push through my block!
Smudge617
Well-Known Member
You seem to know what you want to do, but not quite how to get there, it's always a challenge. I am of no help on this one, but we do have numerous members who are very adept at scratch building, and are extremely creative and knowledgeable about such things.
I will be following this build of yours, I look forward to seeing how this develops.
I will be following this build of yours, I look forward to seeing how this develops.
catnippertom
That Oregon Guy
Exactly that. I just need a bit of inspiration or a little push in the right direction so to the forum I come to ask for help lol. Someone on here has to have some good ideas, right?
Smudge617
Well-Known Member
They will, just give them some time, or just ask in the Coffee shop.
logandsawman
Northern Pacific history enthusiast
That bottom pic of the steam locomotive going over the water body, there is a crossing like that on the BNSF in North Dakota. There, the rail bed looks like big rocks thrown in. They were on it in a work train beefing it up last time I was over there (dumping in more rock). I notice the one you posted was all vegetation.
To model this feature, I would first pour a lake then simply either very coarse ballast or something that looks like large chunks of crushed rock (real rocks about 1/16" in size, and uniform in color, like crushed rock, would work). then use finer ballast right under the track, that would be very realistic.
There are lots of youtube videos about modelling water also we have an artist here (Jaz avalley) that sometimes posts has some great water feature tips. Here is a thread on it:
https://modelrailroadforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/water-and-the-modelling-thereof.35206/
May I suggest this water feature could be a good starting point. You will have to elevate the road bed leading up to it to get the feel right. Or, elevate the entire rail bed then you could get some relief opportunities.
For ground cover, where you might want dirt you can sift some dry sand to make it finer and glue that down. I have that kind of stuff all over my layout. There are other ground cover materials, the green crushed fine foam material is available from several vendors. Nothing wrong with putting something down then redoing it later, pretty much the story of my life (except marriage, you only want to do that once).
Dave LASM
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ctclibby
Well-Known Member
Tom, Dave
There is also the same on the soon to be XMRL on the old NP line Sandpoint Id, to Missoula MT running across a reach on Lake Pend O'Reille before reaching the Clark Fork river; somewhat North of Hope, ID. I should be down thata way a little later today as the wife wants a dish set. So road trip; will try and get a pix or 2 of it. Probably no trains, but ya never know.
Thanks to Google for the overhead.
Later
ctclibby
Well-Known Member
Well - the dish set is pretty cool; coming from a guy whom does not care what dish I eat from as long as it has food on it!
Wife tell me that these are out of production and quite spendy for some of the more esoteric pieces. Got an 8 setting with 16 bowls, wine glasses, containers with lids and assorted stuff: curtains, cloth napkins, plate holder for the large platter and a few nick-nacks. What did not come with it was those st00pid tea cups and saucers that you can't get your finger in the hole.
Anyway, I knew there was a 'spot' to take overview pix of that long embankment, but luck was not on my side. It was filled with 2 ISP's and a Sheriff with a van load of customers, so I could not stop there. A little further along the road ...
I see it is time to clean my lense's a little deeper.
If I could have stopped at the 1st spot I wanted, would have a pix of a BNSF with 2 MRL's on front going East. Drat the luck.
There are a couple more of this type of embankment further East toward Thompson Falls that may be better examples showing a rock fill. Next time ima down that way I will get some of that as I also want some sort of embankment across water.
Later
Wife tell me that these are out of production and quite spendy for some of the more esoteric pieces. Got an 8 setting with 16 bowls, wine glasses, containers with lids and assorted stuff: curtains, cloth napkins, plate holder for the large platter and a few nick-nacks. What did not come with it was those st00pid tea cups and saucers that you can't get your finger in the hole.
Anyway, I knew there was a 'spot' to take overview pix of that long embankment, but luck was not on my side. It was filled with 2 ISP's and a Sheriff with a van load of customers, so I could not stop there. A little further along the road ...
I see it is time to clean my lense's a little deeper.
If I could have stopped at the 1st spot I wanted, would have a pix of a BNSF with 2 MRL's on front going East. Drat the luck.
There are a couple more of this type of embankment further East toward Thompson Falls that may be better examples showing a rock fill. Next time ima down that way I will get some of that as I also want some sort of embankment across water.
Later
catnippertom
That Oregon Guy
Here are a few images from above. The first one is the Google Earth image of the section of track mentioned above. The other image is the Openrailway Map. I like using Openrailways to just see defunct lines and different areas random tracks go. Anyway, you can see the location a bit better.
catnippertom
That Oregon Guy
This is another good look at the section of track. I think I have a relative idea about how to make this possible but if I mess it up, it's going to be a pain in the long run.
PNKFLOYD
Mikey
Do you have a HO scale ruler?
If no, google "free HO scale ruler" and print out one on a printer.
Save the plastic dish from microwave meals for plastic to build structures for your layouts.
Use clear plastic packaging for window material.
Find a house or cottage you would like to model. Get permission of the resident to measure the place.
Measure the width and length by stepping off the distance. (width= 8 steps x 30" step =240 "/12 =20 feet wide.)
Make a rough sketch- 8 step wide, 12 steps long, plus front and back porch? How many steps to place each window?
Where are front and back doors located? What type of roof? Figure an 8' wall height and add 4' to roof peak. Use 36" wide x 78" door and 36" wide x 48" high window sizes.
Since this is YOUR building and layout, so draw this up in pencil with the HO scale and adjust it as you want it to be. Draw a front and side view with a foundation to see if you like what you see. You can mock up the building by drawing the walls floor (including porches), roof and porch roofs on light cardboard (a cereal box, empty ) and tape it together to see the size. You can move the mock up around to find your best location. Use the cardboard pieces to cut out plastic building pieces.
Use the experience to build other scratch built structures or kits.
Good luck!
kjd
Go make something!
Mikey has a good idea for buildings. You could then print out textures, brick, clapboard, stucco, whatever, and sheet the sides for a quick and inexpensive building. Look up Lance Mindhiem for more explanation.
I live about an hour from OCHR and have taken photos from that exact spot. Both from the highway and from the train. One of my friends is a fireman there. The aerial photo is about the best reference you could find, taken from a modelers perspective and all.
I live about an hour from OCHR and have taken photos from that exact spot. Both from the highway and from the train. One of my friends is a fireman there. The aerial photo is about the best reference you could find, taken from a modelers perspective and all.
catnippertom
That Oregon Guy
Update:
Been a minute huh? I have been lacking on the updates since I have been working on other things and other projects. First up to talk about is I have started expansion on the mountain. I have added another layer of foam dice and a layer of pink stuff under it. I am planning on shaving it down and using spackle to blend it out. I also built a small engine shed out of the random Dollar Tree wood I have been collecting. It looks alright. I plan on painting it at some point but I haven't vibed with any colors quite yet. Also, the final picture is just my space that I'm working with. Lots of new trains to work on and to run. Lots of stuff to work on as well
Been a minute huh? I have been lacking on the updates since I have been working on other things and other projects. First up to talk about is I have started expansion on the mountain. I have added another layer of foam dice and a layer of pink stuff under it. I am planning on shaving it down and using spackle to blend it out. I also built a small engine shed out of the random Dollar Tree wood I have been collecting. It looks alright. I plan on painting it at some point but I haven't vibed with any colors quite yet. Also, the final picture is just my space that I'm working with. Lots of new trains to work on and to run. Lots of stuff to work on as well
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catnippertom
That Oregon Guy
Update:
Here is another slow progress update. At the moment I am testing out some color glue that I got at the Dollar Tree. It is blue so I thought it could make a good water color. So far I haven't made much progress with it but I will update you when I have made some more to say about it. The second pic is the update on the new Dice Mountain. I have done a little shaping and forming so we are getting there. The process is not a quick one. Getting it set up for Spakle is one of the longest processes. I remember making this mountain the first time and this is what took the longest. I had to be very meticulous. Finally, I was at Dollar Tree and found a bunch of these small trees in the Christmas decor section. I decided to dip them in paint to get a better color since my layout isn't set in winter. I'm not sure how well these are going to turn out but we shall see. I also bought some kitty litter so it looks like I am actually going to ballast this thing at some point if I get the courage to do so.
Here is another slow progress update. At the moment I am testing out some color glue that I got at the Dollar Tree. It is blue so I thought it could make a good water color. So far I haven't made much progress with it but I will update you when I have made some more to say about it. The second pic is the update on the new Dice Mountain. I have done a little shaping and forming so we are getting there. The process is not a quick one. Getting it set up for Spakle is one of the longest processes. I remember making this mountain the first time and this is what took the longest. I had to be very meticulous. Finally, I was at Dollar Tree and found a bunch of these small trees in the Christmas decor section. I decided to dip them in paint to get a better color since my layout isn't set in winter. I'm not sure how well these are going to turn out but we shall see. I also bought some kitty litter so it looks like I am actually going to ballast this thing at some point if I get the courage to do so.
catnippertom
That Oregon Guy
Update:
Here is the current state of the mountain. As you can see I did my best on shaving it down and I think this is the final layer of spackle that I am going to do. I have to wait for it to dry and then I will do the final round of sanding. After that, I will once again go over it with a glue and paint mix to make sure nothing is going anywhere. Hopefully, it will be done soon and can be placed on the layout. Also if you look in the back of one of the pics you can see I ended up just spray painting the trees. It worked out way better than the dip paint option. Back to work!
Here is the current state of the mountain. As you can see I did my best on shaving it down and I think this is the final layer of spackle that I am going to do. I have to wait for it to dry and then I will do the final round of sanding. After that, I will once again go over it with a glue and paint mix to make sure nothing is going anywhere. Hopefully, it will be done soon and can be placed on the layout. Also if you look in the back of one of the pics you can see I ended up just spray painting the trees. It worked out way better than the dip paint option. Back to work!
Smudge617
Well-Known Member
Nicely done, keep up the good work.
Iron Horseman
Well-Known Member
Ha! Those have been our everyday "eaters" for over a decade (maybe two).
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