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andykins
Fireman
United Kingdom
3878 Posts |
 Posted - 04/11/2012 : 09:18:12 AM
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| wonderful work, i love the table with the wheels on the axle. neat little detail. i would post it in this months gallery if i was you :) |
"Is it really "rivet counting" if it's regarding NBW castings?"
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MarkF
Engineer
USA
9272 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2012 : 10:55:05 AM
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| Excellent work Joe! You are doing a great job of capturing every little detail. The overall shot really captures what you have done. |
Mark
See my homepage at http://home.comcast.net/~prrndiv/
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IAISfan
Engine Wiper
USA
206 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2012 : 5:08:53 PM
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Thanks gentlemen. It's interesting to me how a prototype that we've been familiar with for years takes on new interest when we go to model it. No matter if it's a scene, locomotive, structure, or whatever, I always find a prototype more interesting after I've tried to model it. I think it's because the process makes us notice and appreciate things we never did previously.
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Modeling Iowa Interstate's West End, May 2005
http://www.iaisrailfans.org/gallery/Sub4WestEnd |
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IAISfan
Engine Wiper
USA
206 Posts |
Posted - 04/21/2012 : 11:25:38 PM
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I finally addressed a long-standing concern with my Bluffs yard scene, redesigning the fascia. This was done partly to eliminate my earlier unsuccessful attempt to incorporate the support column into the scene, but my primary reason was to reduce the depth of the scene to improve operator access to the yard.
Here's a "Before" image from 2008 showing the first fascia design for Bluffs yard. From the left it went through a large sweeping curve at the corner before wrapping around the support column so I could attempt to hide a portion of the column inside a model of the Bluffs fuel storage tank.
View of the semi-complete support pole and fuel storage tank before the changes.
Finally, the revised design. I re-routed the fascia around the back of the column and cut away the curved portion to the left of the turntable, reducing the scene's depth as much as possible and greatly improving yard access.
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Modeling Iowa Interstate's West End, May 2005
http://www.iaisrailfans.org/gallery/Sub4WestEnd |
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nhguy
Fireman
USA
3665 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2012 : 12:08:21 AM
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That's a much improved version Joe. I have been toying with where to put supports myself when I have to support my upper deck with the lower deck. I think the outside approach is good instead of trying to incorporate it into a scene.
I will make an observation though since this has happened to me on a couple of layouts. The black pole in the isle-way is now a knee knocker. I would suggest blending the pole in with the fascia by painting the strip along the fascia the same color. Then maybe bold yellow wrap around warning stripes below the layout so folks won't run into them with their knees and toes. |
Bill Shanaman
Superintendent, New Haven RR in the 1948 to 1952 era
PMRA President 2013-14, OpSIG Member
NCE User Since 1999
Sugar City, Colorado |
Edited by - nhguy on 04/22/2012 12:09:22 AM |
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Red P
Crew Chief
USA
886 Posts |
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Jordan114
Engine Wiper
USA
130 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2012 : 09:09:20 AM
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That looks great Joe! When I saw the "after" picture it just looks like it flows a lot better. Keep up the good work!
Jordan |
Modeling The Wisconsin Northern Railroad
"The Weyerhaeuser Route"
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MarkF
Engineer
USA
9272 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2012 : 2:36:00 PM
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Why is it that support columns are always in the wrong place! [:-boggled]
I like your solution and agree that it flows much better! |
Mark
See my homepage at http://home.comcast.net/~prrndiv/
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Tyson Rayles
Moderator
USA
10168 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2012 : 3:06:06 PM
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Mike |
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IAISfan
Engine Wiper
USA
206 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2012 : 10:55:31 PM
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Thank you all for the encouragement. I knew I needed to make this change due to the access issues, but it's nice to know it seems to be going over better than my efforts to hide the pole.
quote:
Originally posted by nhguy
I have been toying with where to put supports myself when I have to support my upper deck with the lower deck. I think the outside approach is good instead of trying to incorporate it into a scene.
Sure seems to be better received Bill, from all the feedback I've gotten. Out of probably 30 or more people who replied about my original attempt or this change, almost all liked the pole better outside the fascia. The only two dissenting votes came from my most frequent operator and me, but we both have sentimental ties to the prototype tank - a major spotting feature at the yard - and really wanted to see it on the layout.
quote:
I will make an observation though since this has happened to me on a couple of layouts. The black pole in the isle-way is now a knee knocker. I would suggest blending the pole in with the fascia by painting the strip along the fascia the same color. Then maybe bold yellow wrap around warning stripes below the layout so folks won't run into them with their knees and toes.
Thanks Bill. I'll make a point of watching for any problems in my next op session.
quote:
Originally posted by MarkF
Why is it that support columns are always in the wrong place! [:-boggled]
This pole used to be just a few inches from the backdrop, so I moved it out front before layout construction thinking it'd be fine disguised as a fuel tank. Shows you how little I know!
Next up, I'm prepping for my first op session since last June, but once I'm ready for that, I plan to start installing backdrop photos, including those that'll cover those ugly holes in the photo above (leftover from a previous layout's false start).
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Modeling Iowa Interstate's West End, May 2005
http://www.iaisrailfans.org/gallery/Sub4WestEnd |
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Ollie
Engine Wiper
Sweden
340 Posts |
Posted - 04/27/2012 : 02:22:50 AM
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Just had a look at your track plan and there is one really nice detail among other equally nices ones. The single double ended stageing. I have been one of those who prefer them as you dont get trapped at the end of the run with quite a number trains with power facing to the end of hte track and you dont have to restage everything or handle ome of those rather delicate detailed models when you run operations. Once the trains enter their final destination at the staging track they are ready to go again and if you just like the idea of a train running around the layout and just want to railfan, there you go.... After all i think backing up consists from one stub ended stageing to another not just take time and I guess in the end becomes plain boring!
Ollie |
www.olaviahokas.com/trainstuff |
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IAISfan
Engine Wiper
USA
206 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2012 : 08:48:03 AM
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Thanks Ollie. My layout originally started with visible return loop staging at both ends in order to allow walk-in access. I got the benchwork for the loops built, but didn't even get to the point of laying track before I realized that the loops didn't make for a very visually-pleasant "welcome" as you entered the layout room. So, I took them out and built the shared double-ended staging yard and swing-out entrance gate I have now. Last year I added the taller fascia there so the yard is only visible if you're standing close to it on the inside of the layout, but still fully-accessible. On the outside, the fascia extends to the ceiling, and serves as the wall behind my dispatcher's desk.
I've never regretted the change. I've really enjoyed having everything in one staging yard when it comes time to build trains for the next session. Also, in my era, the only UP detours on my portion of the IAIS were westbound empty UP coal trains and eastbound manifests, so I like that both are always ready to go again after a session without any additional work.
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Modeling Iowa Interstate's West End, May 2005
http://www.iaisrailfans.org/gallery/Sub4WestEnd |
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IAISfan
Engine Wiper
USA
206 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2012 : 4:34:20 PM
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My apologies to those who saw this over in the Sunday Photo Fun thread, but I thought I'd keep my updates current here as well. Hope you don't mind.
Not much from me this week, but I did have a chance to print and piece together some preliminary backdrop pics for Hansen-Mueller Elevator, the large structure that overlooks IAIS's Bluffs yard:
The other thing I managed to get done this week was scratchbuilding the first of the new sides for my grounded ex-BN, xx-CB&Q 60' beer car, another storehouse for Bluffs enginehouse supplies.
Here's an overall view of the area now. I hope to finish this car in the next few days.
It's amazing how many grounded box cars are needed for shop supplies even for such a small facility, and yet it's something I don't see modeled all that often. Besides the three visible here (ex-NP 40', ex-LNAC 50' SIECO, and ex-BN 60' beer car), there's one more I won't have room to model, as well as a grounded 40' trailer used for electrical supplies on the north end of the shop. I think it's fun to model old equipment getting a second lease on life, and it allows even those of us representing fairly modern eras to try our hands at modeling equipment we wouldn't get to otherwise.
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Modeling Iowa Interstate's West End, May 2005
http://www.iaisrailfans.org/gallery/Sub4WestEnd |
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andykins
Fireman
United Kingdom
3878 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2012 : 4:50:09 PM
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ok, two questions, whats the thing on the roof of the car in the proto photo? and did a beer car carry the wet stuff or just the grain? :P
nice work so far, i agree with you about second life for old equipment. can be very interesting, the same even applies here in the uk, one of the main reasons vintage carriges lasted so long was because they ended up in yards or on MoW trains. but very little often modelled. heck even i plan to model a few old 4 wheel boxcars, ofcorse its a little easier for me to do what i want.
nice catching up with your layout :D |
"Is it really "rivet counting" if it's regarding NBW castings?"
Unknown |
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IAISfan
Engine Wiper
USA
206 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2012 : 5:01:56 PM
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To be honest, I'm not sure what that is up top. My first thought is that maybe they're locomotive exhaust manifolds wrapped in plastic and just placed up there temporarily, but then I noticed the "fins" attached to the roof on either side, making it appear as though the objects are permanently attached.
As for beer cars in general, they carry the wet stuff, packaged for sale I believe. I think the idea is to keep the cans from getting too hot or cold during shipment, without the use of mechanical climate control.
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Modeling Iowa Interstate's West End, May 2005
http://www.iaisrailfans.org/gallery/Sub4WestEnd |
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Topic |
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The Iowa Interstate's West End
