Layout Progress...Never too late!!! "Steel Mill Painted and Weathered" 6/25/24

T-Bone1214 you're welcome.

Dave

Finally got to do some scenery. This is for the church diorama. More work to do but glad I won't have to look at painted grey insulated foam any longer. Fun stuff!

Dave

I can't wait to see the church with the landscaping around it. You will bring it to life.

Alan,

I will be sure to show it. You will get a "preview".

Dave

WOW!!! Dave, I don't know how I could have missed this thread until today! I just scrolled through 6 years of posts and subscribed to your YouTube channel which I will refer to when I get back to work on my layout this summer. I just started it last summer and actually thought that I had a lot accomplished in just three months, but NO WAY compared to what you have been up to. You are truly an artist!

Mikki

Mikki,

Thank you for your very kind remarks and I'm glad you found the thread. Thanks for the sub.

Dave

I have been putting the final details on my large 3-span truss bridge. Most recently I took a break from the actual bridge to work out a few details that will go inside of it. Here are some photos of the "guard" that is between the track and walkway and the walkway itself. The guard was made out of 1/4" X 1/4" basswood. I used seguin pins as rivets. The walkway was made from 1/16" X 1/4" basswood. Finally, I utilized some leftover PRR style handrails I had 3-D printed on the walkway.

I had to make both the guard sections and the walkways modular as I did the bridge. The walkways will be secured in their corresponding section of the bridge. The goal is for it to be seamless once installed. Removing the bridge and maneuvering on the tabletop is the only way I can more quickly access the rear of the layout. Did I mention I can be pretty clumsy. This is note to self for "things to improve on" if there is a future layout.

Dave

@luvindemtrains posted:

I have been putting the final details on my large 3-span truss bridge. Most recently I took a break from the actual bridge to work out a few details that will go inside of it. Here are some photos of the "guard" that is between the track and walkway and the walkway itself. The guard was made out of 1/4" X 1/4" basswood. I used seguin pins as rivets. The walkway was made from 1/16" X 1/4" basswood. Finally, I utilized some leftover PRR style handrails I had 3-D printed on the walkway.

I had to make both the guard sections and the walkways modular as I did the bridge. The walkways will be secured in their corresponding section of the bridge. The goal is for it to be seamless once installed. Removing the bridge and maneuvering on the tabletop is the only way I can more quickly access the rear of the layout. Did I mention I can be pretty clumsy. This is note to self for "things to improve on" if there is a future layout.

Dave

@luvindemtrains

Dave:

Your work is magnificent as always. I have one question. Your railings, are they scratch-built or purchased. If they are purchased, where are they available?

Thank you.

Thank you Randy. Railings are from Shapeways.

Dave

Dave, those diesels look superb!  (and I don't even like diesels that much. )

George

Thank you George.

Dave

@luvindemtrains posted:

I have been putting the final details on my large 3-span truss bridge. Most recently I took a break from the actual bridge to work out a few details that will go inside of it. Here are some photos of the "guard" that is between the track and walkway and the walkway itself. The guard was made out of 1/4" X 1/4" basswood. I used seguin pins as rivets. The walkway was made from 1/16" X 1/4" basswood. Finally, I utilized some leftover PRR style handrails I had 3-D printed on the walkway.

I had to make both the guard sections and the walkways modular as I did the bridge. The walkways will be secured in their corresponding section of the bridge. The goal is for it to be seamless once installed. Removing the bridge and maneuvering on the tabletop is the only way I can more quickly access the rear of the layout. Did I mention I can be pretty clumsy. This is note to self for "things to improve on" if there is a future layout.

Dave

WOW Dave, just WOW!!! As with your other creations, they look real. No idea how you create all that you have.

Jay

I appreciate that Jay. Today's products allow us to do so much with a little imagination and patience.

Dave

@luvindemtrains posted:

I have been putting the final details on my large 3-span truss bridge. Most recently I took a break from the actual bridge to work out a few details that will go inside of it. Here are some photos of the "guard" that is between the track and walkway and the walkway itself. The guard was made out of 1/4" X 1/4" basswood. I used seguin pins as rivets. The walkway was made from 1/16" X 1/4" basswood. Finally, I utilized some leftover PRR style handrails I had 3-D printed on the walkway...

Dave

Dave,

Nice job on the PRR railings and the "Green growth."

Tom

Dave the details you’re adding really make the scenes pop. Collectively they are more than the sum of their parts. Excellent work and effects as always.

Andy

Thank you kindly Tom and Andy.

Dave

@luvindemtrains posted:

Thank you Randy. Railings are from Shapeways.

Dave

@luvindemtrains

Dave:

Thanks for the lead. It took some creative searching on Shapeways. But I found the railing and ordered a single length of it, which will be sufficient for my current project.

Sounds good and glad you found it. Make sure you show us your project when it's completed.

Dave

Taking a break from the bridge and other projects, I decided to just run some trains. These are photos and my latest YouTube video of a Lionel PRR J1a with TMCC. This model is from 2001, I believe. It was brand new old stock when I purchased it about 2 years ago. This was my first time weathering a steam locomotive. That process certainly brought about a level of anxiety as I'm sure it does for others doing this for the first time. However, I'm pretty happy with the results. The photos below show the before and after.

Dave

Dave, you have the vision, talent and patience for outstanding detail on your layout. Excellent work!

Gene

Gene I really appreciate your kind words.

Dave

@luvindemtrains posted:

Taking a break from the bridge and other projects, I decided to just run some trains. These are photos and my latest YouTube video of a Lionel PRR J1a with TMCC. This model is from 2001, I believe. It was brand new old stock when I purchased it about 2 years ago. This was my first time weathering a steam locomotive. That process certainly brought about a level of anxiety as I'm sure it does for others doing this for the first time. However, I'm pretty happy with the results. The photos below show the before and after.

Dave

Fantastic Dave and so realistic.

Jay

BRAVO on your weathering!  You achieved a dirty, grimy in-service appearance with none of the zebra stripes and rust pollution that many others use.  Great job. 

Thank you kindly Jay and Bob.

Dave

Dave, the weathering looks great and makes the engine blend in with your scenery.

Nicely done! Looks like a dirty old coal workhorse.

Mark-Thank you! That was my goal. I kept wondering why things were off a bit. The weathering ties everything together IMHO.

T-Bone1214-Thank you. I referenced the prototype.

Dave, the weathering makes a huge transformation. Well done.

Andy

Thanks Andy!

Dave

Dave, It looks great !!!   Like others noted, nice to see it, just dusty and dirty from road service, not overdone with rust, giant water scale stain marks etc.

So an inquiring mind wants to know what did you use to weather the 2-10-4 ?   Airbrush ?,  Acrylic or oil base washes ?  Pastel powders ?   

Chris a

Chris,

Thank you. I haven't been weathering locomotives and rolling stock for very long, less than a year. However, I have been doing quite a bit of research going back at least 8-10 years. I knew when I got to this point I wanted to make things looks used and in service. I always admired those modelers that weathered their equipment somewhere in the middle, whatever that means. That's not to say I won't ever do any extreme weathering but that's not for everything. No weathering or extreme weathering can have the same effect, which is non-convincing as it relates to real world modeling IMHO.

To answer your question, ALL OF THE ABOVE, as far as what I used to weather the J1a (2-10-4).

Dave

@luvindemtrains Dave, A very nice job of weathering.

Tom

Dave what an outstanding job weathering! It fits perfectly on your layout!👍

@luvindemtrains posted:

Chris,

Thank you. I haven't been weathering locomotives and rolling stock for very long, less than a year. However, I have been doing quite a bit of research going back at least 8-10 years. I knew when I got to this point I wanted to make things looks used and in service. I always admired those modelers that weathered their equipment somewhere in the middle, whatever that means. That's not to say I won't ever do any extreme weathering but that's not for everything. No weathering or extreme weathering can have the same effect, which is non-convincing as it relates to real world modeling IMHO.

To answer your question, ALL OF THE ABOVE, as far as what I used to weather the J1a (2-10-4).

Dave

@luvindemtrains

Dave:

Please also share your weathering artistry, both trains and your building structures, on Weathering Wednesday. Our readers will love your work and can learn much from you.

Tom and Mike -I really appreciate the complimentary words.

Randy-I'll get my act together and participate in the wonderful thread.

Dave

Dave, everything looks great. I agree with everyone on your steamer. Just the right amount of weathering on it for an engine in service.

If I can go back a bit in the thread. This scene has some great looking vegetation. I especially like the brownish straw grass. Can you describe what you used. It looks like you added some fine foam turf in spots to the top of it. I’m looking to do a similar look trackside in one area.

@luvindemtrains posted:

Randy-I'll get my act together and participate in the wonderful thread.

Dave:

@luvindemtrains

Dave:

Thanks. You will be an inspiration and role model to us all.

@Dave_C posted:

Dave, everything looks great. I agree with everyone on your steamer. Just the right amount of weathering on it for an engine in service.

If I can go back a bit in the thread. This scene has some great looking vegetation. I especially like the brownish straw grass. Can you describe what you used. It looks like you added some fine foam turf in spots to the top of it. I’m looking to do a similar look trackside in one area.

Dave C,

Thank you much. I did a few things on this diorama. I used 2-4mm static grass with three shades of green for variation. However the straw colored grass is a Martin Welberg product from Scenic Express. Typically when I use different colors, textures, and lengths of static grass as well as mats, I will then do a little blending with fine ground foam to bring things together. Whew, that was a long sentence. Anyways, I use just enough to show it's in the same area but maintain a fair amount of variation for a sense of realism and visual interest.

Dave

@luvindemtrains posted:

Chris,

Thank you. I haven't been weathering locomotives and rolling stock for very long, less than a year. However, I have been doing quite a bit of research going back at least 8-10 years. I knew when I got to this point I wanted to make things looks used and in service. I always admired those modelers that weathered their equipment somewhere in the middle, whatever that means. That's not to say I won't ever do any extreme weathering but that's not for everything. No weathering or extreme weathering can have the same effect, which is non-convincing as it relates to real world modeling IMHO.

To answer your question, ALL OF THE ABOVE, as far as what I used to weather the J1a (2-10-4).

Dave

I second Chris, …..looks fantastic!!….you’re hired,…….come weather all of mine 😁…that’s exactly how I’d like to have them done…..not over the top, just road dirt,….

Pat

Thanks Pat and you got a deal, lol. However, with all of the wonderful work you do to keep these things running, once I show you how to do it my services will no longer be needed.

Dave