Extensive Landscaping Work

Since Woodland Scenics C1203 plaster cloth finally arrived, work could resume on the missing terrain. What better way to see some progress than by extending the landscape to the right of the C(ross) segment (that would be the line partially covered by masking tape, and the 2 old flat PIKO cars at the end). This also involved finding a way to blend the right tunnel portal as well. For the portal, I took a look here to see how it should deal with abrupt terrain, and decided to go, just as the picture shows, with a wall next to the portal itself. Having made a mock-up of the whole area, a flow-chart diagram was created (second photo, the text is in my native language- romanian) so I'd know which tasks should be done, in what order, and what are those that could be done in parallel.

First thing was to solder together the 2 wires between segments P(re)-T(unnel) and S(mall) R(amp) - visible in the 3rd photo. Next, an infrared pair had to be installed on the remaining end of the C segment (where the cars are in the first photo), meaning that a place would have to be found for the MRD board (these boards were first introduced to this layout here).As was done previously, a hole was dug in the foam baseboard, 2 spacers - 5 mm long - were cut from the insulation material provided with the emitters/detectors and the corresponding holes drilled in the base wooden board. The 3rd photo shows the MRD along with the handmade spacers and the supplied screws right above it.

For the walls needed next to the portal, I used what I had left from the Noch retaining wall (seen first here) and glued the pieces together, two by two. Once these were glued, I looked at the way I painted the left tunnel portal, and the retaining wall placed there. Then I came up across an article from Chris Nevard, where the method I initially used, and quite popular around the web - picking up individual bricks in an uniform color - is not seen in a good light. So this time I went for multiple layers of drybrushing, using the same colors as before - Stone Gray, Raw Umber, Slate Gray and Concrete (all from Woodland Scenics). The result looks more natural, however I'm curious how it'll look when I'll take some photos of the finished area.

  Most of the work however went into cutting and gluing the foam walls that would support the plaster cloth. The holes for the wires will have to be accessible after all is done, so the "mobile covers" must be employed again. The infrared pair was secured in place using plaster, and a check was done to make sure that the gaps between cars don't trigger false readings.

  A couple of rocks were fixed in place using plaster and the same set of washes used - 1:4 Yellow Ochre, 1:4 Burnt Umber, 1:16 Black (parts of paint : parts water).
  As of now, things are looking as shown in the last photo. Click for a bigger view.

Right Corner

The Noch tunnel lining has been extended, so that the white foam can be covered due to issues examined before. This seen here is the one covering the IR detector (for which the hole seen in the bottom left exits). The small trimming in the upper left corner is due to one of the piers of the tunnel overhead system.

At the same time that the lining was glued in place, the right corner was prepared for the plaster cloth.The one I had left fitted exactly for the 2 layers needed, and now I'm awaiting a shipment containing 3 rolls (Woodland Scenics C1203).

Avoiding IR Reflections

Trying to fix the infrared detectors on one end of the tunnel segment, I've ran into an issue with the detection - even though the infrared path should be blocked, the receiver was still sensing the radiation. However reminding my past hard times I knew it must be some sort of reflection due to the white foam around the receiver. Just using a black card solved it completely, and now all is well.

All that needs to be done now is for the emitter and receiver to be fixed using some plaster, and the black card replaced with special Noch tunnel lining.

More Plaster Cloth

More foam walls are being cut to size and glued in place. After masking tape is also added to help preserve the final shape of the terrain, the plaster cloth is dipped in water and applied. The hill pictured here gets closer to completion, with the final edges being built now, and a large lid being planned for the center. A lid is needed because a number the boards for the infrared detectors will he hosted underneath, and also the switch visible in this photo will need the motor dismantled and cleaned from time to time - covering them permanently is not an option.

New Terrain Construction

The hills surrounding the C segment are starting to take shape. Just on the bottom of the picture, that space, containing 2 holes in the foam baseboard, will have to be covered by a mobile lid. The same kind of "cover", but a larger one, will have to be used to the left of the vertical (in this photo) divider, while the part to the right will have fixed terrain, supporting the Viessmann model cow that just arrived. Seen in the second photo - although that's not the final position since it will have to move further to the back and to the right - the cow has a really natural movement and, as a bonus, Viessmann also throws in a separate, static cow to hold company.

  The small sharp edge next to the bridge was designed specifically so that some infrared emitors/detectors can be hidden inside the steep hill that will result. One of the detectors, 61 (segment 6, detector 1), is visible right to the left side of the Brawa long car.

Drilling and Plans

 In the unlikely event that the current layout will be electrified at one point, it's going to be hard installing the overhead wire in the tunnel, even though a "cover" is being manufactured now. So with the plastic masts from the Viessmann tunnel overhead system glued in place using some Bison solution, tonight I went ahead and drilled 2 holes at each extremity of the brass strip, as indicated in the Viessmann manual, in the event that overhead wire will have to be connected.
  In a completely separate process, I'm also trying to make a sketch of how the PT segment will look like next to the Faller station. I also ordered a Viessmann yard lamp (6384) that I'm thinking will make some nice lighting effects, especially during nighttime.

Making a Tunnel Cover

Since the tunnel is planned to be about 1m long, it will have to have visiting holes, in case trains derail or the line needs inspection from time to time. This means that the land above the line will have to be flexible. In photo to the right I've experimented with some 6,5 mm summer Silflor grass applied on the fixed terran and the same grass and several Silflor weeds glued to the cover.

  I've discovered these weeks 2 things that make things better and faster: 1) applying the brown latex paint in 2 layers has been thrown out of the standard procedure for applying the earth formula - simply applying the earth on top of the wet plaster cloth (previously hardened), in 2 layers, provides excellent results, with nearly none of the colored plaster becoming loose, as was the case before with the paint; 2) the formula for the white glue used for applying the static grass has now changed - from the old 1:1 Noch glue to water to 1:2 Noch glue:water. The old formula would result in visible stains at the zone's border, now they're much more subtle.

New Objects Around the Pickaxe Worker

The barrel presented in a previous post has now been given a partial rusty look. Some Noch 'rust' weathering powder was used and a wash of Woodland Scenics raw umber applied (I'm almost sure the ratio must have been 1:4 color to water). The wash was used just around the ribs of the barrel. The shovel got some 'dust' noch weathering powder before being added, while the box has been drybrushed. Nothing is glued in place just yet, I'm waiting until the grass will also be spread around to make sure all fits well.

The photo seen here is obtained by focus stacking; click for a better view.

Vegetation Planted on a Corner of D segment

 Different types of grass have been planted using the GrasMaster and several plants and weeds applied here and there. The formula for the white glue used until now - 1:1 Noch glue:water seams to leave a bit too much contour, and a 1:2 ratio blends better with the terrain, giving it the same bonding capabilities. The second photo is a focus stacking photo from 12 independent photos, each took using a different focus, but with approximately equal steps.

The Barrel

The barrel, last mentioned here, has now been airbrushed with 2 layers of Tamiya XF-12 JN Grey, 2 thin layers of Tamiya X-19 Smoke and then drybrushed with Tamiya Gun Metal X-10. Here it's seen next to the Viessmann animated figure. Grass and weeds still need to appear on this side of the track, and later some of the tips of the grass blades will have to be painted either brown or white. The barrel itself will have to be better integrated in the scene - maybe some weathering powders or some earth formula will do the trick. Click for a close-up.

Building a Scene

The corner on (D) segment that's currently under work has been covered with earth now. The layers, 3 or maximum 4 in some spots have settled properly, with a nice texture everywhere. The boulders were further treated with some zip texturing in order to blend them in with the terrain. Several pieces of tree trunks and twigs were also glued to place. A miniNatur bush has been also temporarily fixed next to the track. Since this photo was taken yesterday however, more than half the space was filled with grass and some scattered rocks, and ballasting was done on almost the whole curve.
The Viessmann figure (5127 Farmer with pickaxe) has been reconverted to a railroad worker, since the blue outfit including the cap didn't suggest much farm work, at least to me. Around this fellow that's supposed to dig a bit around the ballast, a couple of elements will have to be placed. Pictured below we have - (1) a railroad piece of track, already airbrushed with 2 coats of the standard railroad tie formula (2ml Tamiya XF-10/0,6ml Tamiya XF-1/3ml Tamiya X-20A) that will sit across the tracks to the small figure, (2) a crate, taken from a Preiser military ammunition kits, sprayed with 2 coats of 0,3ml XF-64 Tamiya Red Brown/0,2ml Tamiya German Grey/0,25 Tamiya thinner) which will probably be placed next to the worker, (3) a metal barrel that I intend to spay with some Grey/Gun Metal combination and (4) one shovel that will have some Red Brown for the handle and a Grey/Gun Metal for the metal part. These last two, as seen in the photo, are not yet done; their origin is from the accessories given with the Faller 110096 railway station - itself a very interesting assortment, including big bags, ladders, various shovels - their only downside is the rather crude finishing - quite a few burrs that take time to treat.

Plaster Questions

There were always issues after sifting the first "earth" layer - most of it would simply not stick to the dried latex paint - and I suspected that the formula might contain too much dry pigment, making the plaster to pigment ratio too small, and perhaps this was making everything crumble. So after I applied the first layer on the corner of the D segment and found out the same problems as before, I decided to see if this was the cause of the problems. The brown washed out area is actually what's left of the first (and very thin) layer of earth after it was brushed and vacuumed up. On the center is a new layer of dirt applied, on the right there's just plain plaster over the same type of area and on the left there's just plaster sifted over a wet area of previously dried latex paint (2 coats). Even though the plaster was lightly sprayed with water after applying it, only the right patch actually partially glued itself to place, while the left one could just be brushed easily. 

So from now on I'm thinking applying the first layer using only plaster, clean this us after it's dried, and then use the real earth formula. The following days will decide what is best.

The 2 small rocks have already been colored, using a mix of Woodland Scenics yellow ochre, burnt umber and black. I'll have to finish this using some earth formula as well, both to blend them in the soil, and to give them that weathered look.

Building the D(isplay) segment corner

Despite the corner pictured here being a perfect place for placing tools and various construc- tion materials, this place also has to be modeled. So using the same procedure used to build the hill next to PT, foam walls were cut to size and given a certain shape on their top side, then masking tape was used in order to create a web strong enough to support the first layer of plaster cloth (Woodland Scenics C1203). After soaking and applying 2 coats of plaster cloth 2 small rocks were glued to the terrain using hydrocal (Woodland Scenics C1201) - this was chosen because of convenience - getting to the classic but more heavy plaster was just a few meters farther away. Foam walls are not used on every possible side, since I still need access to various wires and access holes. Enlarging the second photo, you'll spot a paper cylinder protecting the thing inside from the latex paint that's about to be applied. What's there ? A Viessmann animated figure; more details will be unveiled as the corner comes closer to completion. 

D Segment Track in Place

The track on the D segment has now been glued, along with the bridge than goes over the PT segment (visible in the photo in the bottom left). The 2 girders supporting the bridge are not yet fixed.

Line Fixed on C(ross) segment

Finally the track on the C segment has been fixed in place. Also the Lenz LK200 module was also put to the test and found to be in good working order.This device is necessary since the C(ross) segment actually formes a reverse loop, which raises some problems. The manual actually describes all these best. The track is isolated with Tillig insulating connectors and the wires feeding this segment are only soldered in a single pair of points.

The photo shows the track right after being glued, with locos heavy enough to hold it in place. The bogie visible in the bottom left, belonging to an old PIKO double decker car currently under works, was used to check the radius doesn't drop under the minimum radius value (360 mm).

Earth Formula Rediscovered

A couple of months ago I needed another area covered with the standard earth formula, but it seemed that the original recipe did not work anymore (9,5g plaster+0.5g burnt sienna+2g orange+0.3g black). The main problem is that the estimated 0.3 grams of black dry pigment weren't that accurate - main reason was that the electronic scale's unit was 2 grams, so no way I was able to see 0.1 increments - so those 0.3 grams were actually an approximation. The big trouble with the black dry pigment is that even a small amount over the right quantity will make the formula too dark. So I dedicated a couple of hours to tests as to get a new accurate formula worked out.

The final formula is seen in the first photo, on the sheet to the right. The base is simple: 5 plaster spoons + 1/5 burnt sienna + 4/5 orange. The black pigment is not so easy to quantify, so I've taken photos with each quantity of black pigment added each time. An approximate amount of 8 times of what's seen in the second picture were added. Just so I don't forget, right now the final formula is stored in a jar labelled with 3, so for the next batch of "earth" I'll be able to have a reference while adding small amounts of black pigment.

Of critical importance to a homogeneous result is a shaker, a medium sized container, that can be closed shut and shaken to make sure all the dry pigments blend together. The one used in this case is seen in the first photo.

This post might look a little creepy, but had to be written since I'm planning to throw away the sheets of paper that were used 2 months ago for this test, sheets that contain the details of the composition they sported and I don't want the next time I'm sifting the earth formula to begin wondering why isn't the color right.

Painting Blades

The hill on the corner of PT is starting to look ok. The telegraph pole turned out nicely (with minor issues when airbrushing the insulators, but nothing a small brush won't fix). The reason there's two apparently identical photos is because on the top one I've tried something that was long due: touching a few of the grass blades with brown paint, something that's being done in an effort to make everything look more real (even Faller does it on their Klingenberg station box cover). Not sure about the outcome on the front green grass, and even though I've tried touching up the yellow blades too, somehow they look just the same as in the other photo.

More is still to come though: weeds, plants, a couple of flowers, some grass around the telegraph's poles and hiding the infrared detector (you can see it just right of the telegraph pole, on the top of the hill).

Same old Helicon Focus used to stack the individual photos, somehow I don't remember the watermark being so annoying - anyway, it gets the job done so far. Click for the close-up.

Telegraph Poles

A couple of telegraph poles are to be installed on the PT segment, since they're definitely going to add some detail to the scene. Faller manufactures a nice set of 20 - item no 130955, complete with wood texture, insulators and even wire for the cables. They aren't painted, but this is even better. I've started with 2 coats of Tamiya Red Brown (XF-64) - first on the left - added some dry brushing with Woodland Scenics Concrete - middle photo - and then used some black Noch weathering powders for some touch-up - 3rd image. The top beams also need to be painted in the same way, and then the insulators are going to be sprayed in 2 coats of Tamiya White (XF-2). Click for a detailed view.