The Little Rock Line (N)

[Michael Whiteman]

I agree Allen, but I think you could have added that "wispy" effect to the originals using your air brush. It sure would have been faster. I'm sure the new ones will turn out just the way you've planned. It's not like you've never done clouds before.

[Michael Whiteman]

These two areas on the right just don't look believable to me. The slope on the left was probably cut by the RR when grading the roadbed. If this was a nutural land formation, then how lucky was the RR to just lay their track in there? So why wouldn't we see the continuation of the ridge on the right side? After you make it look like it was one ridgeline to begin with, totally remove the mound of dirt in front of it because of the same reason. Doing this will also help hide the track along the wall. Otherwise, everthing you've done along this section of the layout looks very believable to me. I'm looking forward to seeing it with ground cover and trees. I hope you don't feel I'm being a nit-picker my friend because this could be an easy fix before you move on to groundcover.

[Allen]

These two areas on the right just don't look believable to me. The slope on the left was probably cut by the RR when grading the roadbed. If this was a nutural land formation, then how lucky was the RR to just lay their track in there? So why wouldn't we see the continuation of the ridge on the right side? After you make it look like it was one ridgeline to begin with, totally remove the mound of dirt in front of it because of the same reason. Doing this will also help hide the track along the wall. Otherwise, everthing you've done along this section of the layout looks very believable to me. I'm looking forward to seeing it with ground cover and trees. I hope you don't feel I'm being a nit-picker my friend because this could be an easy fix before you move on to groundcover.

A "nit picker"? I would never call you that Michael, lol. 😉
I understand what your saying and why you would think that way.

Let me see if I can explain it.
The land mass along the left wall in my mind continues into the backdrop on the right. Imagine a river valley.
The little bumps that you refer to are there to just give a bit of uneven terrain.
I had it in mind to bring that mound across the diamonds, but in reality there just isn't enough room on that spot on the layout. It narrows down quickly to 6" wide as it enters the yard.

What should really have done was to lower the opening in the backdrop, thereby I could have lowered the height of that hill. Which I suppose I could still do and then let the trees stand above the ground and let them hide the opening.

Which there is no reason I still couldn't do that if I see it'll work.
On the two little bumps, I plan to add tall trees there as a partial view block. They'll be tall trees and will hopefully add to the sense that the ground is higher there.

But massive earth work has been everywhere.

Bottom line I'll see what it looks like as I start with the scenery.

As for the clouds, I may have been able to make them look better using the airbrush to touch them up. But like companies using specific lots of a product so their outcome won't change is why I did it.
Who's to say that I'd be able to get the same color or consistency of paint?
In my mind, it's better to start over.

[Alan B]

That bigger hill on the left rear reminds me of fairly typical formations in the Iowa hills along the Missouri. In fact, my grandparents lived at an intersection of two gravel roads with a similar arrangement. Of course ALL the grandsons were up in them hills!!

[Ron McF]

How 'bout a low hill in the corner, with a couple of cuttings and tunnels ... ?
Hello, BTW

[Michael Whiteman]

If you would like to lower the hole in the wall would some duct tape over the top painted blue work?

[Allen]

Not sure Michael?
I don't think one could blend it very well?

[Michael Whiteman]

Then 2 inch clear packing tape. It's thinner. Give it a try. Ya can always peel it off.

[Allen]

OK just saying, this is still very much a work in progress, I got the clouds redone by the farm scene but still need to work on the tree line blocking yet.

I think these came out much nicer, they are lighter and a little more wispy than the ones I had before.
I did something a little different this time, before adding the clouds, I spray some high thinner clouds on first before the main clouds went on. I mixed white paint with some blue and sprayed it in pretty much a straight line at a slight angle to help tone down the blue paint to help make a slight transition from all blue.

This was to simulate higher thinner clouds in the higher atmosphere. Unfortunately the main clouds did manage to cover it up somewhat.
This by itself looks good and I may use this technique elsewhere on the layout.





After that was dry I mixed up more white paint and added a touch of gray and drop of blue for the main clouds. It only discolored the white slightly so it wasn't so stark and then I grabbed the stencils and started working on the main clouds.

After getting the clouds sprayed I followed up with some light gray and sprayed under some of the clouds to give them a little bit of a shadow.
While they are not exactly what I was hoping for, I think they'll do just fine.



Next up, I'll go back and repaint the green tree line. I have an idea on how to make this tree line look a little closer than I have before so it will hopefully blends in with the 3D trees.

[Allen]

Thank you sir.

[LorenC]

That looks fantastic Allen. You can really tell that you put in the effort in making them.

For the base of the tree line have you given any thought to using Lance Mindheim's scuff pad technique?

[Ron McF]

I agree with LorenC. This is looking REALLY good.

[Allen]

That looks fantastic Allen. You can really tell that you put in the effort in making them.

Thanks Loren.

For the base of the tree line have you given any thought to using Lance Mindheim's scuff pad technique?

Can't say that I know what he did?
I do know there was another decent modeler that used something similar along his baseline, but he did along the whole line, across his whole layout and for me, it got a bit redundant.
I'm thinking most of mine will be covered by trees mainly. In some areas, maybe use shrubs, kudzu or other scenery material.

Do you have a link as to what Lance used?

[LorenC]

Actually, I was mistaken. He uses that technique to create a tree line which you have already done.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/...t/ar-BB1iQa4G#

The issue of the Model Railroader magazine referenced goes into much greater detail.

[Allen]

Here's what that owner did with his Scotch pads, I'll say this, it's not a bad way of doing it. It's definitely better than just green paint.
If I used them it would not be across the entire length and I would probably stretch them out, both vertical and horizontally.

I would also add multi colors of fine ground foam to it to get away from the monotone green?



I'll give the painting a try first, which I've got the green tree line painted with the rough treetops already done this morning.
Next I'll try stippling different shades of green on top of the dark green and will see what that looks like first.

I guess another option would be to use Poly Fiber, stretch it out very thin and cover it with fine ground foam and glue them in place?

I suppose there is more than one way to skin a cat....

[LorenC]

Yeah, I don’t think Lance ever intended it to be used as a standalone. It just helps take away from the awkwardness where the backdrop touches the layout. He would always place trees, brushes, grasses, deadfall, etc. in front.

[Allen]

So I tried stippling the leaves on the dark green this afternoon, much like I did on the other portions of the back.
While these are more distant hills, the process was the same.



First I stippled on the black for depth.



Then the different shades of green, keeping the lightest shade to the left.



In most places along the backdrop, there will be varying amounts of 3D trees, so I'm hoping they will all somewhat blend together.
At this particular location, I'm not planning any trees, but there will be something along the base to hide the line between the backdrop and ground.

I really need to get some basic scenery down to see how this will look, but I think this has enough details to pass?

I am a firm believer that unless you're using a printed backdrop, the detail should be less than the foreground scenery so it doesn't draw your eyes away from the layout.

[LorenC]

Much improved. Like maybe by over 100% if that is mathematically possible.

[Greg]

Very nice! I love the stippling effect! Different colors work great also!

[Allen]

Thanks guys!

[Allen]

I finished getting the tree line painted tonight.
Now I can start working on the base scenery.

[davefoxx]

Wow. Just wow. That painting of sky and trees is really effective.

Kudzos,
DFF

[Allen]

"Kudzos" 😂
Thanks Dave!

[Allen]

Someone: "So, how's the ballasting going?"
Me: "Eh, Spotty"

[Allen]

The mainlines in Winnfield are ballasted.
What isn't will be the scrap yard, that'll come later.



Next comes the ground foam base.

[Allen]

Before I start adding the ground foam I realized I should get the base of the pond painted first.
I have to say, having not worked much with water, I'm a little concerned on how to go about it?

I know I should start by painting the pond bottom first so as to get the look of depth and murk.
What colors should I use? Well I know it won't be the sky blue that a lot of folks use.
I'm thinking of starting with a dark brownish green as it's not moving and maybe mixing it to a bit lighter green around the edges.
I think the cheap craft paint should work well for this?

Since I carved the pond out of the floral foam, I know it's not perfectly flat, so I think to achieve a flat surface of the pond, I'll have to pour the water.
It won't be resin and I don't think I'm going to use Woodland Scenics realistic water as I heard it has a tendency to delaminate. I know in the Whitewater Creek I did awhile back, some bubbles appeared afterwards. Not sure what happened there, but I know it wasn't air seeping through as I sealed it properly.

I think I might try and follow what Boomer did on his layout and that is to use Golden brand GAC 500
https://youtu.be/OlpB5kOYxE0?si=oH30Z-EFCjai3XaJ

[davefoxx]

Craft paints are perfect for the pond bottom. That’s what I used for my lake. I also painted Gel Gloss Medium over it for the shiny “water” reflection and to add wave effects. Don’t need to worry about perfectly flat and level with Gel Gloss Medium. I did not add any blue to the base paint or the water and instead let the backdrop reflect off of the water’s surface, like in real life. I like it.

If you do want to pour the “water,” consider Envirotex Lite.

DFF

[Allen]

Thanks for the info Dave.Understand about not being perfectly flat and level, but I carved the pond freehand and it might be out of level a little too much? I had thought about laying a piece of hardboard for the pond surface, then use the Gloss Mod Podge or similar on the surface.

I'll pass on pouring any kind of epoxy or WS realistic water. After seeing what Boomer created with GAC 500, I'm wanting to give that a try and this pond will be a good size to test that out on.

The biggest bonus to that, he said it does NOT creep like other mediums will. That would be a huge bonus with weeds around the ponds edge.
We'll see what happens...

[Allen]

Well I managed to get up the courage to paint the pond base. We'll see how that turns out?



After getting the pond painted, I decided to create a sloped edge between the tracks and fascia, something that's been lacking on the layout. Last winter I picked up a Milwaukee multi tool and some blades. I thought this might aide in cutting the fascia to an irregular shape? I also figured I could carve the ceiling tile with ease as well? It did 👍

Here's the tool and blade. I used the round blade for the ceiling tile and a narrow straight blade for the fascia.



The subroadbed is made up of a plywood base with a layer of 1-1/2" white beadboard foam covered with a 5/8" ceiling tile. My goal was to make and angled cut from the ballast edge to the fascia, then cut the fascia down close to match the irregular shape of the tile.

Here are the results, though it's a little hard to see the slope.




Next I cut the fascia and then painted the carved ceiling tile.
I'm not gonna worry about the brown paint on the fascia as I'm going to repaint it all black at a later date. I'll do this to cover up the blue and orange lines.



It's not much of a slope, but hopefully enough to make a difference once the greenery goes on?
It's been a very productive weekend for me. Hopefully the next images will have some green applied?

[Cody]

Looks good, I like the little dips.

[JerryZ]

Watching this scene develop has been quite enjoyable.

[Allen]

Thanks guys!
It's been enjoyable working on scenery again. It took a bit to get the juices flowing, if things work out I'd like to at least get the ground foam on, then I want to turn my attention to the two bridges that cross the Ouachita river on the other side.