The next step was to airbrush the bridge with aged concrete.
Airbrushed bridge in spray booth
Then test fitting the bridge in place
Bridge in setting
Then working out the river area under the bridge with aluminum angle, foam, plywood, masonite and caulk
Working out the river course
Then fleshed out a little more with rocks, sculptamold, and the start of scenery
River and banks starting to take shape
More scenery and bridge weathering in a future post.
Back, finally, to casting the second side of my arch bridge, so to bring things up to date, here are a few shots of the mold and initial pour.
Wood & Sintra mold with steel wire re-enforcing rods
Starting pour
Pouring Hydrocal in a hurry – sets quick
and leveling off
Leveling Hydrocal
Then back to the present starting the second pour
original cast and second pour
Both casts with spacer cut from 3/4 inch Sintra (expanded closed cell PVC sheet)
I’ll continue detailing and assembly in the next post
Some Photos showing progress, and also trying arrangements of structures for the engine servicing facility, and how these would photograph in different light (time of day-or weather)
Working with laying track and stone wall at one yard lead
Track down and stone wall further along with concrete cap.
Trying position of servicing structures
Working it out.
Trying angles
Camera and lighting set up after placing structures and ballast, greenery etc.
Final early morning light Photo.
Early morning happening-Click to enlarge
Just a few more examples of the things on view at Steamtown national historic site
Reading FP7 number 902
Massive UP Big Boy No. 4012
In an ongoing summer of visiting railroad related sites, we visited Steamtown national Historic site in Scranton PA. run by the national park service. A lot of very interesting trains and exhibits. I’ll post more in a future post, but thought this cool cutaway of a steam engine showing the firebox, Boiler, smokebox and cylinder, was a good introduction.
Steam Engine cutaway
The Museum of Science and Industry has a model train display that is really much more than just a train layout. It is about transportation, and how the railroads move goods from place to place.
The fact that it is beautifully crafted, with scale large sections of Chicago and Seattle and the industries , plains, mountains etc in between, makes it a modelers must see if you are in Chicago.
Chicago
The buildings in Chicago are true to the sections of the city that is being modeled. Two times an hour there is a short night segment to show the display in that setting.
Chicago-night
Of course along the way showing double stack containers, mountain bridges and peaks, not to mention some human interest in a stream
Containers
UP in the mountains
Beach
Finally ending up in downtown Seattle including the docks.
Seattle
Visited the Museum of Science + Industry, Chicago this past weekend, to see their terrific HO model railroad exhibit, from Chicago through the plains, the rocky mountains, and ending up in Seattle.
I will put shots of the exhibit up in future posts, but this one to one scale Empire State Express greets you at the beginning.
Empire State Express
Closeup of Driver
Empire State Express Driver
Another area that I am working on, both for operation reasons and for photography, is the yard and engine service area. Still have some final pieces to add to the concrete coaling tower, as well as definite weathering. This is the first of several structures to be completed for that area as well as track and signaling
Almost completed coaling tower
Also working on Sanding tower, water tower and stanchions, small sheds, as well as the switches and trackwork.
Town areas to be completed and detailed in steps, and then show examples of lighting changes in different weather/time of day at that location. Final photos of this area soon.
middle of town with Woodland Scenics just plug lights being installed.
As a photographer, I am starting to look at sections of the in progress layout to work up into completed photographs of scenes, looking to do this in different weather scenarios, time of day, etc. I will put up several in the next few posts and then later I’ll recall them and the finished photographs.
View across main line and siding to town