Locomotive Works

[finescalerr]

And what's wrong with that result? -- Russ

[Hydrostat]

Looks much better, Michael! If you have darkened the flangeways a bit and add some light rust stains it will look close to the original. Did the paper's fibers come out because of watering? Compared to the surrounding surfaces it creates another impression. Maybe you don't need to water the paper if you notch it, glue it to the strip beneath and then use thinned, nearly fluid Elmer's Glue to fix the flangeways.

Another point to mention: The rails have bolted joints and concrete usually is going to break at those connections, at least between the rails. If your street's surface is representing concrete you should add some expansion points filled with tar. Or grass. Just to answer Russ' question.

Volker

[michael mott]

Russ thanks, I do think that there is a fair bit of room for improvement yet.  Then the is the issue of different watercolour paper weights 90lb and different brands because they do have different textures.

Did the paper's fibers come out because of watering? Compared to the surrounding surfaces it creates another impression.

Wow are you looking at this through a microscope?.... just kidding! I think that the difference Volker is because I worked the inset differently than the surrounding concrete because I did not paint it first with the latex house paint, I just rubbed the chalks over the raw paper. It took only a couple of minutes to do after the paper was dry. I think that the Camera caught some of the chalk still laying on the surface.  I skipped the latex step which would have sealed the surface without losing the texture too much.  because I was in a hurry,
If things work out well on the curves I will then see what I can accomplish with the points, I woke up thinking about them this morning trying to picture them in my minds eye.
I will slow down a bit and take a little more care, after all it is a hobby isn't it.

Michael

The wetting of the paper really helps to shape and set it into place.

The rails have bolted joints and concrete usually is going to break at those connections, at least between the rails.

This has also crossed my mind so I will use shorter lengths of paper to create the joints, I was going to do this as I test the process on the curves.

[michael mott]

This project has been dredged up from the past because I am still fiddling with it. After moving and looking at the sorry state of the base I have made a new base and am in the process of revisiting the track plan and also the way to get the appearance I want without using up the rest of my life doing it. I'm turning 70 next April so want to get on with things. The new track plan is simple and I will be using turntables instead of points to move about the works.

Michael

[michael mott]

I am soldering the track together first using my third hand tool.

Michael

[Barney]

Looking good - very neat workmanship -nice textures and plenty of atmosphere
Barney

[finescalerr]

Please don't put it aside again. I'm a sucker for a good diorama and really want to see how yours comes together. (At least some dioramas can fall within my limited set of skills; I could never build a boat or a mill.) -- Russ

[Ray Dunakin]

Glad to see you working on this again!

[michael mott]

Thanks Russ, I won't put it away now, Ray me too.
This evening I soldered up most of the sections of track. the tabs will get drilled for some small brads to hold the rails to the baseboard.

Michael

 

[Greg Hile]

Looking really nice!

[Bill Gill]

Michael, I hadn't seen this diorama before. Glad to see it now and follow along as you tinker with it again, It's looking good.

[Design-HSB]

Hi Michael,

very interesting diorama with many possible details. Is it also possible to operate there?

[michael mott]

Greg and Bill thanks for the comments. Helmut I this be able to move the locos from inside the building to the yard and back via the turntables.

Michael

[michael mott]

A bit more tinkering, I am looking at a more traditional brick factory type structure for the right end of the diorama layout. I think that the massing works better. The gap between the sandstone building at the left side and the asbestos rear building is filled with a stone wall with a door. This closes the rear massing better although the filler is stone at the moment this will change.
Once the massing is OK then I can start working on the more permanent structures.

Michael 

[finescalerr]

I like how you filled up the background with structures. The brown brick protrusion with three windows doesn't seem to integrate well with the rest of the scene, maybe because the material of the big structure behind it is different in color, texture, and size and maybe because it looks like it just was stuck on. No doubt you'll mess around with everything before arriving at a final layout, though. -- Russ