Bridge at Mason Park

[Sumpter250]

Third coat of paint. I added some blue and some green to the gray, I think too much green.

The Central Valley girder has closer spacing between ribs than the real thing. But I can live with it.

   

I think the green, once there is some gloss to the water surface, will look much better.
Your discussion of shadows......it is interesting that the bridges shadow, on the water, does not "show up" any where near as clearly in the prototype photo, as it does in the model. Just another interesting aspect of "real water".....but gloss and texture may create the same effect in the model once it is done.
Yet another excellent bridge !!!

[tetters]

I agree with Sumpster's opinion on the water. I think the color looks good. The gloss medium and a clear coat may help bring out the color even more and give it some depth. Plus the gloss surface may diffuse some of that shadow underneath the bridge. It is looking really good Gary. I also think that the angle on the photo of the model is just a few degrees higher then the prototype. I bet if you drop your line of sight, just a tad more and get under the bridge, that shadow will almost disappear.

[Gary S]

S-two-fiddy and Tetters, thanks for the thoughts. On the non-shadowed water of the prototype, I supoose the sunlight scatters in the water which reduces the shadow somewhat. And as mentioned, maybe the gloss coat will have some effect on that. also, shooting the photo from a lower angle as suggested may perceptably lessen the shadow on the model.

As for the color of the water, I had mixed some white and black into the paint to get rid of some of the green, and then painted it on and let it dry. My wife came out and said "yuck, that water looks like nasty sludge - you need to add more green." :o

As I stepped back and looked, she was right, it was a nasty grungy gray color. So, I added some light green and some tan into the mix, and I think it is close enough now. I'm ready to move on to the next step on this bridge, I am tired of painting the water! I think it has 7 coats right now! I'll put up a photo tonight.

Next step will be to put in the old trestle pilings, then will come the gloss gel medium for the ripples and then a couple coats of water-basded gloss varnish over that.

[MasonJar]

The Central Valley girder has closer spacing between ribs than the real thing. But I can live with it.

When you decide you can't live with it any longer (because it is such a terrible model ), you can pack it up and I'll provide my address and some shipping funds...



Andrew

[Gary S]

Andrew, I'll make a note of that.

Ya know, I sometimes think about what will happen to the layout when I am dead and gone. Will it simply be destroyed, or will someone want the stuff? Would someone be willing to come cut the benchwork in sections and take the good parts, like the bridges? It really wouldn't be that hard, as it is a shelf layout that is pretty much built in 8 foot sections anyway. Will someone want the structures, or will they go the way of the landfill? I told my wife that if I die first, she should contact the LHS to see if anyone wanted the stuff.

[MasonJar]

Thanks Gary...

I put a clause in my will that if the family does not want anything, the local railway history library gets it all and can add it to their collection and/or sell it to support their work.

I have seen parts of layouts come through my LHS, and it is not a pretty sight. The demo is most often done with a sawzall, and not much survives. It is mostly buildings that can be salvaged before demolition, and rolling stock.

Andrew

[tetters]

Yeah, well I don't know about you guys, but I plan to live forever.

[scubadude]

Andrew, I'll make a note of that.

Ya know, I sometimes think about what will happen to the layout when I am dead and gone. Will it simply be destroyed, or will someone want the stuff? Would someone be willing to come cut the benchwork in sections and take the good parts, like the bridges? It really wouldn't be that hard, as it is a shelf layout that is pretty much built in 8 foot sections anyway. Will someone want the structures, or will they go the way of the landfill? I told my wife that if I die first, she should contact the LHS to see if anyone wanted the stuff.

I know a fellow Texan in Richardson who would!

[faraway]

... what will happen to the layout when...

Not much, there is always a place for a good layout in heaven. Don't forget to ask for shipping service at the gate.

[ocalicreek]

Of all the funerals that I've officiated, I've never seen a U-haul behind the hearse!

My former club in Ocala, FL, has received and is caring for a few different layouts. They have some interesting stories about getting these layouts out of their former homes and into storage at the club facility. The plan is to reassemble and maintain these as public display layouts. One such layout was already setup as a display layout in a Christmas/Antiques Barn that I visited often. When the barn closed down the layout had to go. I'm glad to see somebody caring for it but I haven't been around down there recently to learn about its current status.

And of course the former operating crew of John Allen's Gorre & Daphetid had talked about which one of them would stay in the house and maintain the railroad. That was before it burned down and nearly took the house with it.

Galen

[BR60103]

One of our club talked about leaving the club the top floor of his house with the monster layout in it. I hope they talked him out of it.
[Do we need a separate thread on this topic?]

[Gary S]

[Do we need a separate thread on this topic?]

Not on my account, I don't mind the discussion here, but if everyone wants a new thread started, that's cool too.

As for the bridge, I did some touch-up with plaster on the bayou banks under the bridge. Got that painted to match what was there, also made and painted the concrete piling tops that are laying on the ground and the wooden abutments that still remain under the approach tracks. Will get that stuff installed on the layout this weekend. Also put another coat of "water" paint on, I'll do one more coat tomorrow, and will then do some fine sanding on it, the this weekend will see the gloss gel and varnish go on.

[Gary S]

I know a fellow Texan in Richardson who would!

I'll keep that in mind!

[Gary S]

Good afternoon... haven't had time to post much or work on the layout for the past few days... 12+ hour days at work .

Anyway, I figured I should get the scenery on the bayou banks done before I put the gloss gel and varnish on the water. Here is the look I am trying to get:

   

I decided to jump right in and try some stuff with static grass, hoping that it wil look okay. First, I painted on a layer of Alene's Tacky Glue on the area under the abutment, and sprinkled some sandy dirt into the glue. Let it dry for a bit, and brushed the excess off.

   

Next, applied some glue in spots, at random, over the area.

   

Used the rebuilt GrassBlaster to put down various colors of static grass, this is the shorter stuff from Woodland Scenics, I think it is 2 mm length. Note that the static probe is just pushed into the foam, not necessarily where the glue is. The foam has a propensity for static already, and since the grassblaster is based on the phenomenon of capacitance, the conductance of the materials don't appear to be that critical.

   

And what I have so far. The glue isn't dry yet, but will shrink and become clear as it dries. I'll add some more photos later once the glue is dry.

   

   

[e-paw]

looking good