A hole in the wall X4 - a liftout bridge (page 12)

[Steamtrains]

That's cool...!! A REAL subway.....That's something that's not often modeled....Good job...!!!

[Trucklover]

TN, that is fantastic! Ive only seen 2 people model a good looking subway, YOU and a clubs layout at a previous train show. Yours is coming out really cool! Keep up the good work

For those that actually read this stuff...

BTW, while i may not post all the time, i do read it all and appreciate all the txt to go along with the pics

[pennman]

All I have to say Is that is sharp!! Would never though of putting a subway in on my layout..

[TrainNut]

That's cool...!! A REAL subway.....That's something that's not often modeled....Good job...!!!

Thanks for the comments everybody. When I first designed the track plan, I had the tracks running underneath towards the back through a tunnel. It then occured to me that it would be a better idea to run them along the front for easier access. After that, it just made sense to make half of it a subway scene and to detail the other half as a tunnel.
Lately, I've been trying to populate the scene with people (it's taking a lot and they don't seem to make a huge difference... I need like 100 people but at $10 for every 6 people, that just ain'ta goin'ta happen. I've also been putting benches on the platform and installing more platform lights. It also just occured to me that I need yellow stripes along all the edges for the safety of the little people.

[nachoman]

That's cool...!! A REAL subway.....That's something that's not often modeled....Good job...!!!

Thanks for the comments everybody. When I first designed the track plan, I had the tracks running underneath towards the back through a tunnel. It then occured to me that it would be a better idea to run them along the front for easier access. After that, it just made sense to make half of it a subway scene and to detail the other half as a tunnel.
Lately, I've been trying to populate the scene with people (it's taking a lot and they don't seem to make a huge difference... I need like 100 people but at $10 for every 6 people, that just ain'ta goin'ta happen. I've also been putting benches on the platform and installing more platform lights. It also just occured to me that I need yellow stripes along all the edges for the safety of the little people.

Ever tried painting your own people? In HO, it is kinda fun. N scale, though... Hmm. I use the craft paints that cost about 1.50 per bottle, magnification, and the smallest paintbrush I can find. Sometimes it is a good activity while watching a ball game, or when the weather is bad outside.

[TrainNut]

Nah, I think I'd go nuts trying to paint them little tiny figures.
I got the underground scene more or less finished. I was wiring all the street lights individually and both my 7 year old and my wife said that it was too bright for a subway. So, I redid the wiring two per series, dropping the brightness in half.
here's some shots...










Sorry for the blurriness. Low light level...

[tetters]

I have to disagree with your family. Subway stations are pretty darn well lit even earlier ones. Lots of light all the way down to the platform. The only dark spots are in the tunnels. Just my two cents.

[Dan85]

Very Nice!!

[Steamtrains]

I agree with you....The lighting is just perfect..!!!
Too much light makes you think you've walked into a clinic...Baahhhh....

[Trucklover]

Whoa TN, that is awesome!! Great Work

[TrainNut]

Allrighty companeros,
Backdrops.... what to do.
1. Paint your own. Problem with that is... I'm no artist. I started by painting everything a nice solid, dark blue. Uhm, yeh. Nuff said.
2. Backdrops by Athearn. They look great but are only 36" wide and I didn't want any seams. Still, I temporarily hung one up behind my farm scene.
3. Backdrop warehouse... a very viable option as they seem to allow you to customize images in any way shape or form to fit your layout. Problem is, they are a bit on the pricey side.

Panoramas... I found some nice images while surfing the internet. Using Photoshop and a combination of different pictures, I managed to splice together a nice image that fit my size requirements (13"X9').
How to print? Conveniently, my wife just bought a new plotter for her office in San Diego that could quite easily print this panoramic image. I asked her very nicely if she could print it out the next time she was over there... which she did.

Applicaton...
I did nothing special to attach this image to my backdrop except scotch tape at 12" intervals along the top edge thus it can easily be removed if necessary in the future. IT TURNED OUT GREAT! HOWEVER...
My access hole was no longer accessible. In the next two pictures, you can see that I have cut the image around the access panel.

[TrainNut]

For the next step, I printed out an 8.5 x 11 of the image only where the access panel was.


I then scrounged through my wifes scrapbooking drawer and found some suitable glue to attach the image to the panel and then trimmed it with a little overlap to hide the crack when reinstalled.


And, for the final shot, it's barely detectable.


I had problems getting the image colors to match from two different printers but many test plots later and lots of manipulation in Photoshop, I came up with similar results. I was also going to originally fold the image at the corner but decided to round it a little thus requiring some modification of my removeable scenery in the corner, above the tunnel.

[tetters]

Nicely done!

[TrainNut]

Thank you Tetters. I thought I was gonna get skunked for comments on that one.

[Steamtrains]

No skunking here either....I hope to be able to do as good a job as you when I get around to putting in a backdrop...