Full Throttle & More Scenery

Well, not only we almost completed the overpass last Saturday, but also Julien Boily paid us a nice visit. Julien is probably one of the most serious operator I know and it's always a pleasure to see him fully take advantage of the layout and making it runs like the real thing. Under such circumstances, I'm satisfied to see my modelling efforts paying off in terms of enjoyment.

Julien and Jérôme watching the eastbound train leaving d'Estimauville

The social aspect aside, it was also a good occasion to finally try a well-programmed Loksound Full Throttle decoder on a locomotive. Julien brought his Central Vermont Atlas geep to give a demonstration. This is hardly breaking news, but it was nice to see how the thing performed on our layout. I guess it was a success since Jérôme and Julien switched Donohue three or four times in a row!

Simple tasks such as spotting a single car take another dimension when done right

I didn't try it myself, but I could clearly hear the sound modulation and the notches according to where the locomotive was and what move were performed. I must admit I'm curious to see this decoder coupled with the new Proto Throttle.

How much effort and time required to pull out that boxcar...

Also, I made a few mockups to see how the repair garage scene would look at D'Estimauville Avenue. After a few tries, I came with this satisfying arrangement. I still have plenty of time until we fully scenic that area.

D'Estimauville's repair garage... in foamcboard.

It was also time to see if the new structures built for the residential area were up their game. So far, so good. It looks almost exactly like the real thing. However, thought I thought I could have as much as eleven structures, I think I'll trim it down to 9 structures to keep the scene pleasant to the eyes. It is one of these moments one must use his artistic sensibilities to alter reality. Blindly following the prototype here wouldn't have paid off at all, breaking the balance between structures and scenery.

A new apartment building now grace the layout. Six more to build.

What Matters?

Since the last holidays, I’ve been participating in a discussion on MRH forums started by James Six, a well-known modeller from the Midwest. The conversation – centered on one-town layouts – quickly raised fundamental questions about our relation with our hobby and why we do it. James is an accomplished modeller by most standards and built layouts and scrupulously detailed cars for years until he hit a wall and started to put in perspective what he was doing, trying to understand the “why” behind it all. The discussion could have been about sharing success recipes (which incidentally would be too handy to exist), but it became evident that as modellers, we too often prefer to discuss “how to” instead of asking why.

Interestingly enough, fellow modeller Mike Cougill just released a new blog entry about similar subjects. It is well worth a read since and it sums up quite well the topics explored my discussion with James Six in a more readable format.

At the end of the day, isn't it strange that most of us never take the time to ask ourselves what matters for us in this hobby? Blinded by our genuine passion - often fueled by happy-go-lucky consumerism - we often completely forgot what we actually like about trains and the mythos around them... 

Henri-Bourassa Overpass - Part 2

Work resumed on Henri-Bourassa overpass yesterday. Louis-Marie and I probably put another 4 hours in a row working on it and completing the structural members. Useless to say we are really pleased at how it is slowly taking shape.

Most people would think such details as small cross members are not required since they are invisible, but I think they matter. In fact, if you look at this picture, you'll see they are indeed visible and add a layr of realism to the scene. It is certainly not a waste of time replicating them as they should be.

The model will now be ready for primer, paint and weathering. Asphalt roads, streetlights, railings and drain pipes will be added later to minimize risk to knock these details off during handling.

Jérôme also pointed out we will have to add some lighting to the scene. The overpass cast a shadow on the backdrop that isn't very realistic. The entire city of Quebec is in the dark while the sun shines. We made a little mock and here are the results.

Before:

After:

I think we have an answer! You can see how a well lighted backdrop helps to create an impression of depth. It seems the city is about a mile away, just like it should be. We also found out it takes our attention away from the staging entrance.

Modelling 122th Street - Part 2

Work on 122th Street is progressing well. After drawing the lots on a sheet of fiberboard, I found out I could represent 7 properties out of 10 that are located along the mainline. Not bad when you take in account I use no compression to recreate this scene.

The first structure I built was a small garage that was recently torn down and replaced by a larger structure. While I don't intend to agonize over prototype with this project, I still want my models to set the mood. Here's the real structure.

And here's the model made of styrene. I still have to decide if I'll add the gutters and downspouts.

The next structure is another garage, this time larger.

Once again, there are some variations in details, but overall the building is quite a decent approximation of the real thing.

As you can see, I put substantial effort in modelling correct fascia, soffite and clapboard corner trims. These details are often overlooked by most modellers even if they take very little time and material to implement. Why I bother with them is because they improve realism by looking like the real thing. That may seem obvious, but such details makes models look larger and more delicate. The key being to use material with correct cross section. If done with thicker material, they are bound to look out of place and clunky.

Maizerets Pump House - Part 1

Among the many structures I have to scratchbuild for the layout, the most non descript one is a small 14 ft x 20 ft concrete block pump house located by Henri-Bourassa Boulevard overpass. Far to be interesting, this building nevertheless tells us a story about the industrial nature of the area. In my case, this diminutive building reminds me of deep industrial sounds typical of the area and locomotives idling in Limoilou yard.

Putting together this structure was a matter of a few hours and painting too. Not that I rushed the project, but it was simply easy to do. But beware, this time, instead of painting with straight from the bottle colors, I toned down every color I used by adding roof brown, white or black. It was the best way to get a faded effect without having to resort to overkill weathering.

A few dabs of PanPastel helped to add dirt along the footing and bring some depth to this gray-painted structure. Then, I airbrushed a light coat of Dullcote to fix and seal the pigments. The next step will be to add a few signs on the door and a red-colored cabinet on the right wall according to prototype.