Scratchbuilt warehouse in H0

[Hauk]

The whole concept for the warehouse, tramway and the background terminal might very well stretch the imagination of the viewer too far.

But there is only one way to find out, and that is to build it and evaluate the results. We don't risk much, the background buildings will be very simple buildings with little detail.

If it does not work, we will just remove the background building and plant some trees.

Regarding scale color, I feel that the concept have something going for it. How would you paint a background without using paler colours for the hills and objects most far away? I would argue that the same goes for a background 3D building.

And it is important to remember that scale colour will be less relevant in the larger scales. In the smaller scales, the scale distances we view the models at are far greater.

And regarding forced perspective, my guess is that a smaller scale background building will work if there is sufficient space between the smaller building in the background and the "normal" buildings in the foreground. On our layout there will be around 20" of forested hills between the 1/500 building and the nearest H0 scale item.

But for now, all this is pure speculation. Hard evidence will hopefully follow!

[Ray Dunakin]

An example of the representation of perspective by decrease of the scale.

I like the animated features on that model.

[Hydrostat]

Hauk,

if you give the different scales a try please consider that not only colouring of the whole landscape but texturing also has to change (I'm sure you already did). Things get blueish, brighter and blurred in the distance. The uniform texture is one of the bigger problems I have with Helmut's example. It may help to have a visual barrier between fore- and background, too, like a mountain crest or something.

Cheers,
Volker

[Hauk]

One thing that puzzles me is that there is no sign of any wheels or rollers to guide the cable. Can anyone suggest an explanation for this? If it is just a slot for the cable to pass over, the friction would be far to high one would think? Could it be that the wheels are on the buckets/wagons and that the carrying cable is static, and there is a lighter cable doing the pulling?

I might have to do a hike and take a closer look...

I got in touch with a historian that have done a lot on research on the tramway and also written a very fine book on the tram and the mining complex it served.  

I asked him about the possibility of making a hike to the location of the tower.  He had been there several times, and sent me another image of the place. I must admit that my idea of measuring the thing suddenly did not seem so tempting!



It might be one of those very few field trips where you would consider bringing a parachute!

He also told me that when he did the research for the book he walked/climbed the entire length of the tramway. There are still wooden ladders in place that was built for the maintenance crews. Climbing a 60+ year old wooden ladder up that cliff? I dont think so...

[Ray Dunakin]

Yikes! Watch out for that first step!