Rainbows in the Lehigh Valley Gorge

[TMo]

You clean everything up and paint it pretty....  then splotch on some glue on the banks and liberally seed the glue with green and brown stuff and make a giant mess....   I'll vacuum off the stuff that doesn't stick later today.  I'll then add some detail shrubs and call the banks done.

   

[TMo]

While glue was drying on the riverbank, I picked up a chip brush and got the "road pizza" brown out in order to basecoat all of the new areas that got Sculptamold yesterday.  From pink foam and plywood to white plaster to brown paint all in two weeks.  Goes to show you that some work on a model railroad can go pretty quickly.  I expect some slowdown for the detail work.

       

[TMo]

Finished the tidy up and installed some low scrub between the ballast and the river.  I have to scenic the top of the opposite bank (probably paint applications with several layers of static grass), but mostly done here.

   

[FiatFan]

Very nice work on the stream.

Tom

[hillyard999]

Agreed, all of your scenicing is looking very nice.

[ngauger]

River looks Great!!!
This is so cool watching everything take shape

Remember - Moss grows on the North side of trees and rocks

[TMo]

Thanks for all of the kudos and tips, fellas.  Stuff's going to slow down from the breakneck speed I've been working at lately.  No new pictures for a couple of days - I plan on getting some paint and brushes out tonight to work on the top of the near bank and on the flat foreground areas immediately to the right of the girder bridge.  Once that dries though, I'll be able to start some static grass application.

[TMo]

After doing some detail painting yesterday, tonight was the night to throw down the base layer of some static grass along the river and then up the grade on the viewing level to where the hills start on the foreground side of the tracks.  I masked off the tracks and made sure I could contain any runny glue before getting the static grass applicator out.  I'll let that set up until tomorrow night, vacuum up the strays, and then I'll add some more types and colors of grass in that area.

   

[TMo]

I went for a more "burnt out" look to the grass with the final layers - more like the end of summer with some greener highlights.  I like the scruffy look, and the relatively quick install.  I'll probably add some more shrubbery and maybe some trees, but I would like to preserve some easy access to the track in case of derailments here.  I'm not modeling the prairie, so I made do some selective ripping, expose some rocks, maybe add a few groundcover patches.  I also need to add a little more ballast on the edges.

       

[TMo]

Checked my supply of plaster rocks and thought I'd need to make some more to apply to the face of the mountains I'm going to scenic next - my stock was pretty low, so I got out my Woodland Scenics molds (3 of them), sprayed on some "release agent" which is nothing more than water with a little dish soap in it, mixed up some plaster and poured it in.  Since I want to apply these to mountain surfaces, I only filled up the deep ones about halfway.  I'll wait for them to dry before painting the faces with a basic gray.

   

[TMo]

No.... I did not vanish, but other things in life are certainly intruding on playtime. Painting nearly the entire ground floor of our house to include ceilings, walls and trim still isn't done - two more rooms to go. I was into the home stretch with a day interlude before visiting my son in Texas when our dog blew out his last set of virgin rear leg ligaments while we were hiking. I'm now looking at 12 weeks for his recovery (deja vu all over again after the right rear leg required surgery in the fall of 2023) and he's a very needy dog with a very sharp bark. Point is, I'll be on an extended hiatus from a lot of things for a while with model railroading taking up the rear of the bus. Things are starting to green up, and I'll also need to get outside to get my 4 acres looking good enough for the neighbors. I'll try to check in occasionally, but maybe in the fall I'll be back in gear.

[Charlie B]

Todd, 
     Best wishes for your dogs recovery. I know you are worrying.  Spring is here too but this year things will have to wait until I feel up to the work, My neighbors understand. Modeling here too is on the back burner. 

Charlie

[TMo]

Yes, and best wishes for your own recovery, Charlie.  One step at a time and one day at a time.  We'll both get more time to do the things we like as the days get longer. 

Cadbury's TPLO surgery went very well today, and we bring him back home tomorrow.  One night off until I'll be tending the needy like this:  

   

The doc looked over her work from 2023 on the other leg and said we're doing very well keeping him toned and active, and promised us that we wouldn't see her anymore with this particular dog since he doesn't have any more rear knees to blow out.

[jim currie]

layout looking good , but there is one word of caution I would give you where the track runs close to the edge i(from experience) would add 1/8 or 1/4 quarter plex glass to the edge to prevent locos and cars from having a close encounter with the floor.
Jim

[ngauger]

TMo I know it's a lot of work taking care of a sick furbaby....
Best of luck for both of you!! Get well soon!!