Scenic update for Sweethome Alabama

[Sumpter250]

I can do a reasonable facsimile of a tree ----    

But, Jon, I know I have a long way to go to match what you have done.

[Jon Grant 4472]

Nice trees there, Sumpter . I think the only thing I have done differently is to add a photographic backscene.

Work on the scenics is progressing rapidly now, in fact too rapidly to upload any progress photos for nearly a week. The backscene has had the sky repainted, the silos have finally got a name, the main road bridge has had some work done on it and I've planted a load more trees.

Here are some photos














I've also been planting some new grass seed. Lets see how quick it grows in the Alabama sunshine.

Jon

[Jon Grant 4472]

Well, the grass seems to be growing quicker than 'Chia Pet' and possibly even kudzu. It has already covered the next hillside and more. The trees are following rapidly behind.

Here's the next set of photos








The trees are now on the other side of the road bridge




I have also been working on the highway guardrails




Now to make some more trees


Jon

[Steamtrains]

This has got to be some of the most realistic scenery EVER...!!!

[Jon Grant 4472]

The grass continues to grow rapidly on Sweehome Alabama as the green baize spreads eastwards towards the freight house. I also added the greenery to the small area behind the backscene, which is visible through the fiddle yard exit in the backscene.

First up, some photos taken from behind the layout with the backscene removed for to make the scenery work easier.












More photos to follow, taken from the front of the layout

Jon

[Jon Grant 4472]

Moving to the front of the layout, the grass and underbrush have now been laid as far as the freight house. The trees will follow just as soon as I can 'grow' them.












Jon

[tetters]

Very nice work!

[Sumpter250]

I am really liking the variety of color and texture, in the scenery.
It's that mix, that make the scenes look so authentic.
When there are no learning curves left unexplored, it will be time for me to study grass, from the "root side"....'til then, I'll continue to live on the sharp leading edge of the curve, and this is a great one to be on.

[Jon Grant 4472]

Work on the trees and ground cover continues rapidly and tonight I finished the basic scenery in the East Yard. There's still a bit to do over the weekend, before I can add some flowers and weeds, but the end of the tree planting is in sight, after making what seems like hundreds of them.

Here are the latest photos around the freight depot.











Jon

[torikoos]

This looks great Jon, I like the warehouse, and it's individual coloured bricks. It makes it look more realistic. It's a technique I first saw on a small UK narrow gauge module many years ago. It looks like it's made from DPM/Walthers parts, but looks great the way you've detailed it.
Koos

[Jon Grant 4472]

Koos,
the front of the freight house is from DPM parts, the bricks on the sides are from Walthers brick sheets, the roof is from Wills sheets and the fire escape is Langley etched brass

CSX MP15AC switching cars in the east yard












Jon

[Mike Kieran]

Jon, I've shown your photos to some people and they think that it's the real thing.

[Mike Kieran]

I really love the trackwork with the grass covering the ties. I’m hoping to do that with my Atlas Code 83 that I’m using for my layout.

[Steamtrains]

I'll bet more than a few of us had to really look hard to determine that it is a model. Unfortunately, unless you know Photoshop and other "enhancers" (which I don't... ) the blurry foreground will give it away every time....

[Jon Grant 4472]

I removed the end-scene between the layout and the fiddle yard to get some unusual photo angles of the freight house








I also took an 'aerial' shot to show the overall appearance of the new scenery



Jon