Newbie from Arizona

[MinerFortyNiner]

Hi, I'm Verne Niner, hailing from Arizona's Sonora Desert.  I come to learn, to admire, to expand my modeling...and to offer what I can.

I have been lurking for some time and would rather come out from behind the curtain and gawk openly at the fine modeling on this forum.  I've been into modeling in some form for more than 42 years, mainly trains - but with forays into ships and aircraft.  I am currently building an On30 copper-mining model railroad loosely based on the Coronado Railroad in southeastern Arizona - the Estrella & Sonora Grande Railroad. 



A recent project involved construction of a small coke plant (the fuel, not the illegal stuff - in Arizona, that's important to point out!).  Here are a few images of the coke ovens and pump house/water tank:





I have a website showing my work here:

http://members.cox.net/vgniner/home.html

I have already found a few familiar names on the forum, but I won't embarrass them by mentioning anyone in particular!  I look forward to hanging out here, keeping my eyes open and sharing when I have something of value to offer.

[Chuck Doan]

Welcome Vern! I've enjoyed seeing your work on the RR Line.

[eTraxx]

Wanted to add my welcome with Chuck's. Funny how you keep seeing names you recognize. Good. Love your work.

[Frederic Testard]

Welcome Verne. I love your patient rendition of the desert.

[MinerFortyNiner]

Thank you, gents...

Frederick, I am not sure my rendering of the Sonora Desert is patient, but it certainly is progressing slowly!  I'm pretty sure we all have multiple projects awaiting their turn on the workbench, and never enough time for the hobby.

Maybe we could all apply for government grants to build models instead of working a real job...perhaps as a health and wellness study.  I would be willing to sacrifice for the good of science...

[JohnP]

I checked out his website and read this about the long wall: "It was made of about 2,200 travertine stone blocks laid by hand."

Verne, you'll fit right in here. But the government grant would take a lot of paperwork. Just stay up late modeling and sleep at work.

I like the simple layout. Plenty to keep you busy but not overwhelm you. Looks like it's in a real room too. Comfortable color and texture pallets on the scenes. Must be nice to run the little trains through.  Nice job!

John

[MinerFortyNiner]

I checked out his website and read this about the long wall: "It was made of about 2,200 travertine stone blocks laid by hand."

Verne, you'll fit right in here. But the government grant would take a lot of paperwork. Just stay up late modeling and sleep at work.

I like the simple layout. Plenty to keep you busy but not overwhelm you. Looks like it's in a real room too. Comfortable color and texture pallets on the scenes. Must be nice to run the little trains through.  Nice job!

John

Thanks, John...laying the blocks was the fun part, the hassle was soaking them in hot water and picking the glue residue off the back of each block.  That got old after the first batch of 100 blocks...   

[RoughboyModelworks]

Welcome to the forum Verne... if you're building stone walls block-by-block, you'll fit right in here.

Paul

[Malachi Constant]

Hi Verne --

Glad to see you here.  Really like that first shot ... don't think I've seen that one before.  Did you photoshop a background above the incline track there ... or have you installed a backdrop in that area?  Either way, looks the part.  Will be glad to see both your insanity and fine modeling ...

Cheers,
Dallas

[finescalerr]

Modeling aside, I like the lighting on your photos. -- Russ

[MinerFortyNiner]

Thanks Paul...I think one has to be a little crazy determined to invest so much effort into building a model.  'Normal people' would have given up and gone golfing, watch the game, or plant a garden.

Dallas, I am back on my meds and have my doctors' (that's plural) written permission to participate in modeling again.  But, they make me wear a funny shirt that makes it hard to do delicate work...

Russ, thanks for your comment...the railroad room has a blend of fluorescent and incandescent lighting, which provides a good color balance to the eye, but causes color balance problems in photography.  I turn off the fluorescents and use two simple 200W floodlights on stands I made from PVC...a fill aimed at the ceiling, and a key from high up to simulate the strong sun.  The backdrop is photoshopped, I hope to paint a credible backdrop in acrylics this winter.  Dallas, the shot you mentioned was actually done with 12 exposures combined to provide good focus throughout the scene.

[Ray Dunakin]

Welcome aboard! Your layout is awesome! I love the desert and desert railroading. Very nice modeling, and I especially like the stone walls.

I thought those were photomurals in the background. Have you considered doing that?

[MinerFortyNiner]

Thank you, Ray.  Your In-Ko-Pah is very impressive, I never considered the challenge of building a railroad that measures its scenery materials in tons!  I like the feel, and enjoy seeing the desert modeled in large scale...real rock!

[finescalerr]

Painted backdrops are almost always disappointing because paintings are inconsistent with modeling and therefore jarring. Photos can be okay if the relative scale, saturation, and resolution match the foreground modeling. A simple sky blue wall might be best of all. -- Russ

[TRAINS1941]

Verne

Glad you made it over here!!!!  You'll fit in, just watch Unc though he is a little on the crazy side at times!!!

Jerry