@reynauld1963 said:
Michael, the portals look really good, it's nice to have a laser right? Michael, did you get the replacement Roco railcar?
Thanks
Rey
Rey,
No, the replacement hasn't arrived yet. When did you ship it? I didn't get any shipment notice either...
A Happy New Year to everybody around here!
For the last 2 weeks or so I've been trying to design and build my first German structure. Can't say that I've had much luck with this. It looks like I have no talent for making German buildings, maybe I've been away for too long. If I don't get any acceptable results soon I will have to go the plastic structure road and buy kits...
Painting, often in less bright colors than the supplied plastic, prior to assembly makes a huge difference
Most older structure kits are very compressed. You can make these structures longer, wider, and taller by using more than one kit or by combining two similar kits. The latter option will often leave you with parts for another future project.
Consider the assembly instructions as helpful suggestions for creating a building. You don't have to build the building exactly as shown in the instructions.
When you look at them carefully, some structure kits are not totally logical. For example a single-family residential structure may have only a single entry door, when it may make much more sense to have another door on the backyard side. You can easily make such modifications.
Many kits use the same casting sprues for several similar buildings -- so not all parts on a sprue will be needed for a particularly structure. Don't throw anything away. This is a good way to start accumulating parts for later modification of other buildings.
You appear to have good skills in weathering, which also makes a big difference.
Modular sets, such as those from Auhagen, let you design you own buildings, by selecting walls with various window and door openings, different types of roofs, etc.
Look for accessory kits from various manufacturers. I have used older Kibri accessory kits to add more window shutters to various structures.
The Viessmann window and floor lighting kits are very helpful for adding lighting to all types of structures.
I admittedly did not do much aging of my buildings, but let time take its toll. A year ago, some fellow modellers visited, and said: I really like the weathering of your buildings.
I hate that I have to install catenary wire inside the tunnels before I can build the mountains and hills but there is no way to avoid it. The wire will only reach about a foot inside, just as far as you can see it.
I've installed the catenary wire at the second tunnel portal. As I've never worked with catenary before I'm learning quite a lot. Seeing how fragile this stuff is I'm now seriously considering running only with steam and diesel and leaving all my electric locomotives in their boxes. I would miss them but I'm afraid that the catenary will create a lot of problems and that I will come to regret installing it. Don't know yet but will decide over the weekend...
I made the mistake to take the old E175 out of the box. After one run around the layout it's clear that there has to be catenary. I can't have a layout without this beauty!
Comments
I finally got around to making the missing parts for the tunnel portal. Now it needs a lot of paint to make it look like something made of stone...
Looks awesome Michael. Clearly precise and intentional work!
Michael,
Great job,
Ulrich
Starts to look a little better:
While I'm painting the one tunnel portal I'm starting to put together the other end of the tunnel:
Five shades of grey...
Wow, this looks realistic.
Ulrich
The stonework is amazing. Great job.
I'm trying
...
Some progress on Tunnel portal #2:
I've filled the mortar lines and sealed everything. I like the way it looks!
Tunnel portal #2 is ready for painting:
I finished the second tunnel portal today:
Michael, the portals look really good, it's nice to have a laser right? Michael, did you get the replacement Roco railcar?
Thanks
Rey
Rey,
No, the replacement hasn't arrived yet. When did you ship it? I didn't get any shipment notice either...
A Happy New Year to everybody around here!
For the last 2 weeks or so I've been trying to design and build my first German structure. Can't say that I've had much luck with this. It looks like I have no talent for making German buildings, maybe I've been away for too long. If I don't get any acceptable results soon I will have to go the plastic structure road and buy kits...
Michael,
Happy New Year to you too.
A few thoughts about plastic structure kits:
You appear to have good skills in weathering, which also makes a big difference.
Modular sets, such as those from Auhagen, let you design you own buildings, by selecting walls with various window and door openings, different types of roofs, etc.
Look for accessory kits from various manufacturers. I have used older Kibri accessory kits to add more window shutters to various structures.
The Viessmann window and floor lighting kits are very helpful for adding lighting to all types of structures.
-- Ernest
Very nice work Michael.
Another suggestion for plastic kits would be to use a Dul-Kote type product on the plastic. This helps with realism too.
I admittedly did not do much aging of my buildings, but let time take its toll. A year ago, some fellow modellers visited, and said: I really like the weathering of your buildings.
Ulrich
I've glued the first tunnel portal in place and ballasted the track as far as you can look inside:
Michael:
Looks really great. How are you going to install the catenary?
Ulrich
Very carefully
...
I hate that I have to install catenary wire inside the tunnels before I can build the mountains and hills but there is no way to avoid it. The wire will only reach about a foot inside, just as far as you can see it.
I couldn't resist but had to do the second track during my lunch break...
Nicely done.
Indeed, this looks good.
Ulrich
I've installed the catenary wire at the second tunnel portal. As I've never worked with catenary before I'm learning quite a lot. Seeing how fragile this stuff is I'm now seriously considering running only with steam and diesel and leaving all my electric locomotives in their boxes. I would miss them but I'm afraid that the catenary will create a lot of problems and that I will come to regret installing it. Don't know yet but will decide over the weekend...
Dear Michael:
It is really not so fragile after it has been installed. However, it has a tendency to get into the way when ballasting and other track work.
Ulrich
I made the mistake to take the old E175 out of the box. After one run around the layout it's clear that there has to be catenary. I can't have a layout without this beauty!
I made some progress on a building as well today. This is going to be part of a larger structure and so far it looks promising...