Tom Patterson's CWE Layout...

Just thought I'd put up some YouTube footage of a good friend of mine and fellow MRH forum members, CWE Layout.

Tom has an amazing eye for detail, and his scenery work is outstanding.  This is one layout that I use for reference, and inspiration and hope that the JL&T looks like this one day...

Jas...

Weathering Completed...

Well today I had a great run at weathering the last of the structures around the L&T Branch entrance.  Again the majority of the weathering has been achieved with weathering powders.

The only different type of weathering used has been a powder wash in isopropyl alcohol.  I'm starting to get quite used to the powders and how to apply them, and each time experimenting with something different is yielding great results.

And the structure in place...

  

Jas...

The L&T Branch gets a working grade crossing...

Last night I fully installed our Walthers - Cornerstone Cantilevered Crossing Signals.  I used a Circuitron FL2 Flasher Kit, which is installed as a manual operating crossing.

The lights are activated via a push button on the fascia, and will be operated by switch crews working this spur off the L&T Branch.

Took a little over two hours, and all that it requires now is a sound module to be installed, anyone with ideas about where to get one please let me know as I've only found one to date.

Jas...

Window Frames & Something a little Special...

Well tonight I had a few hours on the weathering, window frame and something a little special on the structures for the L&T.

I was working mainly on the smaller structure tonight (right of the L&T main) adding window frames and some brick detail.

And yes for those that have picked it up, there is a lit LED flood light on the side.  These a BRAWA model LED that come pre solder with resistor and just needed to be wired up to a 9V supply, all that remains is to weather the light case to the same as the remainder of the building.

The only real changes to this building was the addition of a little wash in a few spots, the window frames and some extra brick detail via some odd coloured bricks.

More to follow.

Jas...

A few washes...

Hi All,

Well today I added a few washes using some Isopropyl Alcohol & Black Weathering powders.

Seeing this is my first attempt at weathering using washes, I'm extremely happy with results and will be using this method again.  All that is left is to add the windows, loading bay door and detail parts and we are almost ready for the layout.

Jas...

Painted & Weathered...

Hi all well a update on the progress on hiding the seams/gaps on our Walthers - Modular Kits.  I have airbrushed both structures and done the initial round of weathering.

Both airbrushed and ready for weathering...

The first structure was painted a red oxide colour for the main brickwork and weathered with AIM weathering powder, then the concrete window sills and concrete decorative pieces painted with aged concrete...

There will be more weathering added to this, namely water marks, and more dirt, then a final coat of Dullcote to seal.

The second structure was weathered with a black pastel powder wash diluted in water, there will more details again along the lines of water run marks, rust from downspouts (to be added) and some dirt and diesel stains above the loading dock.

And here a few shots overall of the L&T entrance as it stood last night with the structures in place...

More when they are both finished and in place...

Jas.

Hiding - Walthers Cornerstone Modular seams...

For awhile now I have been trying to think of way to hide the joins/seams that are left when using Walthers - Cornerstone Modular kits.  I like the flexibility that the modular kits offer, and the fact that the design and layout of each building is only limited by your own imagination and requirements.

But one down side of the modular kits is the fit and the pesky gaps that are left when joining the sections together.

This is actually a fairly good example of the gap that is left behind when joining the sections, after a couple of coats of undercoat and two or three layers of final colour these gaps sometimes are hard to pick.  But more often that not they can be seen, one option would be to fill the gaps with putty but this would be time consuming and could easily allow the mortar lines to be lost.

So the solution that I thought of was to add a facade detail that would eliminate or hide the seams/gaps.  So I sourced a styrene strip that would suit the structure as a ledge or structural member exposed to the facade.  I tried a piece of Evergreen Styrene that was 4x6 in HO Scale and it was perfect.

I cut the sections to fit in between the modular sections and to cover the vertical columns, the column pieces extend over the centre sections by a 1mm either side.  These are then glued in place using CA, and are aligned so the top of the styrene piece is underneath the seam/gap.

And the finished result once the entire structure has been fitted...

The ledge will be painted a weathered concrete colour when finished and will also help break up the single colour of the brickwork on larger facades.  In all this building took around an hour to add all the ledge detail, and proven to be a winner in hiding the gaps.  Although the real proof will be when the structure is painted and weathered.

I also completed a smaller structure with a angle in the middle using the same method.  I like it that much that I will be using this method on the remaining structures on the L&T Branch & the JL&T RR.

I'll post more photos once these two structures have been painted and weathered.

Jas...

Asphalt & Concrete - Ballast & Dirt...

Well yesterday was a very productive day I managed to get the asphalt entrance and concrete loading area finished, and the remaining gravel/dirt in the ROW.

I'd forgotten how long it can take to blend the right colours when using an airbrush.  Because I was working in an already completed section (JL&T module) I had to blend the new area into the existing the module.

Also I had actually forgotten the process of how I obtained the existing concrete colouring and weathering, so this was like starting over again.  But I'm happy with the results so far.

Remaining steps are to add ballast throughout the area, start the painting and weathering of the backdrop structures, start to think about what detail parts I want to add to the scene.

Jas...

Airbrushing Asphalt...

Well today was another day of airbrushing the new entrance & unloading area for the new industry located on the L&T entrance.

I decided to do the entrance and main unloading area as a newish asphalt area and the remaining section in concrete.

This is just the first two layers, base layer of PS SP Dark Grey follwed by blending of CSX Grey.  I'll be adding some very light hints of PS Sand around the edges to simulate dirt and the doing a few more passes to blend everything in.

Jas...