Out With the Old...

Best laid plans and all that! In getting back to the layout (finally), I decided I didn't like the corner scenery, so I changed it - a lot. While I'm not totally happy with the small conifers, they look fairly good for the location. I built a small camping scene (from Osborne Model Kits) and painted the fire pit to more appropriate colors. Not bad, considering I haven't built a kit or painted anything like that for decades. The two large trees are not permanently mounted; in fact, they aren't attached at all. I'm going to replace the small nail I used previously with something else, maybe a small dowel for better stability.

Not seen in the above photos is additional scenery I've installed. I painted background hills (using Raw Umber Earth Color from Woodland Scenics) from the corner to where the tunnel portal resides. I then painted different-sized conifer trees on the hills (using acrylics - Nutmeg Brown, Christmas Green, Spring Green, and Black) to provide some depth to the area.

I installed a sloped piece of 1x4 and a piece of foam (cut from the tunnel mountain) about 1/2 inch behind the elevated track from the tunnel portal to about 18 inches from the corner, and drilled holes about 1-1/2 inches apart as a base for more trees. I sprayed scenic cement on the area between the backdrop and the track there, and sprinkled some turf materials (soil, earth blend, yellow grass) from Woodland Scenics.

On the ramp for the elevated track, I've added Chooch flexible stone walls on the side towards the corner for the area that can be seen. I've added sculptamold plaster before that to where it rises from the Albany yard.  I've also plastered on the inside of the ramp to just past the corner.

I've added more color to the tunnel mountain, darkening it and setting the flat areas to a more green (for grass) color. It's the next piece to be scenicked. I'm not sure exactly what I'm going to use yet, but I have a pretty good idea that there will be turf and trees.

So what happened to building structures, turnouts, and laying track? In looking at the design, I realized that if I didn't do the scenery for this area now (and more after this), I could damage structures or track when trying to do so later. So, some scenery first.

I'm hopeful that I can move past this once I install the intermediate backdrops (which I still have to paint). Why those? They need to be installed for the same reason that I'm doing scenery now. I might damage the track, etc., if not done first.

Don't despair, I am going to lay the cork for the elevated track (at least to the tunnel mountain area) before the backdrops.

Enough for now. I'm done with major ham radio events for the year, but I want to learn Morse code again before next year. I did participate in the Field Day event on the last weekend in June and did pretty well (although I have to still submit my contacts).

Until next time.