Scenery, part 2

Back to the build updates! In my last build post, I got to the stage where the modules had been plastered. The next stage of the build was to seal this with a coat of paint. I chose a light brown colour, because, basically, I had a can of this left over form the last layout. It could have been darker, but for what I had planned it would do the job, as very little if any of the paint would eventually be seen.





This was also an opportune time to test the track again, and make some adjustments, so I got to have a little play with a locomotive. the modules were still running fine!



With my trusty airbrush, I next painted all of the trackwork a dark brown colour. Some layout I've seen go for rust coloured rails, but though this might be suitable for some areas, in general the rails around here appear a dull dark brown colour. (I've looked!) I didn't bother to mask the points at all, as it did not seem necessary.

Once this was dry, I decided to make the rock cutting for the river module. After masking the track to keep it clean, I mixed up some light weight hydrocal in a bowl, and applied this liberally to both sides of the cutting. Previously I have tried using Woodland Scenics Foam Putty for making rock faces, but I think that hydrocal does the job just as well. It's also a little more robust than the foam putty, which tends to soften when you paint it.



Leaving this to dry for a couple of days, I took to it with a craft knife to carve out the rock surface. I still need a lot of practice at this, but I'm fairly happy with the result. I'm sure I'll get more practice at this on the next modules I have planned.

Next, this was painted with some very diluted water based paints. I used a light brown, ochre, and finally a black stain in patches to give it a varied and natural look.

By this stage it was time to start thinking about grass and ground cover for the modules. Previously I had just used Woodland Scenic scatter of various shades, but this time I was keen to try out static grass, as I had recently seen a method of building an applicator on YouTube involving an electric fly swat. However, I decided to give the modules a base of scatter, and to apply the static grass over this to allow for a little variation in the appearance of the grass. So using three shades of Woodland Scenic ground foam, and plenty of PVA, I began to apply the grass, starting on the river module, leaving me with this:



It's amazing how the layout begins to spring to life when you get to this stage! Exciting!

Next time: building the bridge.

Winter approaches...

Unfortunately, I haven't done any rail modelling since the convention. Last week I did set the modules up in the spare room, which is probably where they will stay over Winter. I've worked out that rearranged, there is just enough room in the spare room for an end to end "U" arrangement once I get some corner modules built. Realistically I'm probably not going to get much modelling done in the next couple of months given the busy time it is at work, so I'm probably going to take a break from trains for a couple of months. I'm also saving up for the next batch of modules, which I will probably begin in the second half of the year. Here's a few pics of the modules as they are now.





I will continue to update my build posts, with another one of these on the way shortly.

Convention 2010 part 2

A little more from the convention. I wasn't able to attend for the entire day today, with work commitments and so forth, but I managed to spend a few hours over there. I has a couple more good discussion about the scale, and was able to catch up with Greg (Weeduggie) about the developments he is making. Russell from Trackgang also showed me the method for installing the new bearings he is including with his kits, and these give a very obvious improvement in performance.

Here are a couple more pictures, first one of Russell and his Trackgang table, and second of the excellent Kai Iwi Tunnel layout adjacent to our setup:





The convention has also been the prompt for a little thought on my part, so the following is an account of some of my recent cogitations.

First off, my big disappointment at the convention is not being able to run the layout because of its partially completed state. Of course this can't be helped given that I've only been building the thing for five months, but it has fueled my enthusiasm for finishing enough modules to form a loop to make running practicable.

At the least, this means five further sections, but ideally another seven, with four sections for the end pieces, and three for the other side of the loop. I've already got a number of ideas for what to put on the other sections scenic-wise, but I think I have decided to concentrate in the next six months on getting the framework built and track laid so to have a functioning layout. Then I can move on to the scenic work. I'll spend a bit of time soon calculating the amount of timber I'll need for the other sections (obviously it will be something like twice the amount that went into the current three sections). Hopefully I can get the materials and make a start on building these in the next couple of months.

Second, I've had a few thoughts about the scope of the scale for modelling. Looking around at the quality of the other modular layouts on display at the convention, I think our stuff compares very nicely, and it strikes me that our scale has a number of advantages, most obviously in terms of what can be put into a given space. Even though in comparison our scale looks quite dinky, I don't think you need to compromise in term of the level of detail you can put in NZ120.

There is occasionally talk about NZ120 being a "two foot scale" in that it's sufficient that it looks good from this distance and gives a good general impression. I'm not sure I agree with this, and in fact I think it sells the scale short in that there is plenty of potential to build detailed models that bear very close scrutiny. One of the most impressive things I've seen at the scale are Weeduggie's brass etches for various small locos. These look excellent, and I think that once they are built up and detailed, that they will build into very nice and detailed models.

We train modelers could improve the finishing we give our models. Even looking at some of the competition entries at the convention, I was struck by how the standard of much of the painting was not very good, and this really let down some otherwise fine models. We have a lot to learn from the painting and weathering techniques used in aircraft kitset modelling, I think. Some rail modelers seem very slow to adopt airbrushes for example, even though these provide vastly improved finishes over brush painting. Perhaps taking our scale to the next level should not merely be a matter of refining prototypical accuracy and the scale standards, but in refining the aesthetics of our models?

Convention 2010

I've been attending the Convention all day, so I thought I would update and share some pics. I've met a bunch of people that I've only known from online, and for the most part they haven't been completely insane. (Being a model railway convention, I have met a couple of those people today however!)



Graham (Greytrainz) called me late on Wednesday night suggesting that we take my modules to represent NZ120 at the convention. I accepted his generous offer, and so I took Thursday off work to put some last minute detail on the modules and get them presentable. Graham turned up at about five that evening, and we took them over to the venue and set them up (helped by Jolon and Russell).



I spent most of today hanging around by the modules and chatting with other modelers. Most had good things to say, and it was nice to get some feedback. We had some of Jolon's and Graham's models set up on the modules, and it looked a pretty good display. Jolon had one of John Rappard's old Abs on display, which is a very nice model.



Graham's work on styrene etched buildings is pretty impressive by the way, I'm looking forward to getting hold of some of these.

Russell from Trackgang was there with his range, and impressive it is too. I'm looking forward to building more of the stuff. Especially impressed by some of his loco builds. I'm tempted to build a Dg after seeing what he has managed with the kit! Today he managed to sell me some premade signals, which will be going on the modules.



Tonight's SIG was busy and positive, with lots of discussion about the future of the scale, though we could have done with more time.

Tomorrow I'm planning to attend a couple of clinics, including one on modeling New Zealand scenery. I'm hoping to learn some techniques for making native flora.