One thing I forgot, you can see on the cleats the rust tones vary just a bit but the rails (that are really bad to see) is a solid rust color. Sometimes the cleats rust a bit differently from the many rail photos I have, so from my mix you can see the slight variation in colors.

Another quick update. Fruils are in, assembled and primed. During the time I waited, I've accomplished alot. Once the ties, cleats and rails were installed I layed out the major parts to get a feel for the overall scale. Everything on the board is far from complete, but now that I've set things in I'm going to finish everything, piece by piece. I set in a Tamiya Flak AA on the gondola but thats going to change, I have another gun in mind that will add much more detail.

Love it, love it, love it! :)

Two photos in this update. One is of the almost completed gondola, I'm waiting to let the newly placed decals dry overnight before I weather them then they're ready to go. 

Sorry forgot this one. Terry

My latest update is that the Gondolas are ready for final paint. They have retractable walkways and working couplers and my Fruils have been weathered slightly and installed. I've also started on some ground cover and scenery. 

jibber

Sorry forgot this one. Terry

 

 

Karl thanks for showing that, with so much going on I forgot to put a wash over the decals. Busy, Terry

One quick update, The stone wall that'll be located as a backdrop to the rail lines is cut out and painted. I'm waiting for the glues to set before I color in any missed spots and work on the top of the wall. I think the colors and stone came out alright.

Terry

Bish I decided to put this rock wall to the back left on my board instead of the right corner, I placed everything in position and it gave a better balance. 

Instead of this:

This is one I'm struggling with. Every step I take, a new idea or plan creeps in. I can see how those really large dio's are a lifetime of work. Anyway this is how I'm proceeding, slow but sure but I need to get moving, I have another idea but somewhat smaller in scale.

Geez I forgot what I wanted to post with the stonework, IDIOT....

I experimented with a lot of things to get the right "look" for the wall and in the end I used a couple Woodland Scenic rubber molds with lightweight Hydrocal, in all I think I have about 10 different poured rocks in there.

I also used just (4) paints to get the color I wanted. Woodland Scenic Stone Gray as my base color, then a black acrylic (with some water) as a wash over craggy areas then drybrushed some acryllic Milk Chocolate color and basic white on the tips. I think it was  effective. 

Terry

My next bit of work is to shape up the foam board I used as a platform to glue the stone to and then cut away and tint those areas where the rocks connect. A grass, weed an gravel ground cover will go on top creating a guards pathway.  

Terry

Realy nice work there once again, Terry!

jibber

Karl thanks for showing that, with so much going on I forgot to put a wash over the decals. Busy, Terry

 

that's funny. i have a bad habit of forgeting to put decals on becasue i want to get to the weathering. everything is looking good. i like the tracks. as was suggested, i think by Karl a while back, to add some dark stains along the mddle of the ties from oil, grease, passenger waste, etc. my low side gondola took a first in miscellaneous at a local contest on 10OCT.

Great Wayne and thanks for all the support. As to the oil track along the ties, I just haven't got their yet. It's on a long list of TTD. I'm tackling them one at a time and I still have figures to add...

jibber

Geez I forgot what I wanted to post with the stonework, IDIOT....

I experimented with a lot of things to get the right "look" for the wall and in the end I used a couple Woodland Scenic rubber molds with lightweight Hydrocal, in all I think I have about 10 different poured rocks in there.

I also used just (4) paints to get the color I wanted. Woodland Scenic Stone Gray as my base color, then a black acrylic (with some water) as a wash over craggy areas then drybrushed some acryllic Milk Chocolate color and basic white on the tips. I think it was  effective. 

Terry

 

 

that's how i do mine too. i usually add a hint of color on the rocks, green if a mossy area, reds and yellows otherwise. then what you do with darker colors in the cracks. save the broken pieces from the mold. i have an entire container of scree, which are big rocks in 1/72.. have you found a way to seal the rocks after painting? only problem with hydrocal is it chips really easily.

as for the tracks, yes long list of little things. i understand from doing the K-5.

Those rocks look like real rocks. O.O

Wayne small cracks I'll fill with Hydrocal but larger ones its plaster cloth. Just wet it and form it in place, sets really hard and paintable. 

Thanks Mike I agree, even close up they have a nice color and shape to them, little more work to do before I set the wall in.

Terry

Hey Terry, I keep forgeting you're posting a few things over here you're not posting on the GB and I'm missing out! Great job on the rocks, I'd swear they were the real thing. 

I'm running a little slow lately but I've almost completed my rock wall, I still have to finish the top after laying a thin sheet of artist clay. I'm really happy in how realistic its looking. I still have a ways to go but I think nows a good time to make some real progress.

A close up of any of the photos will show how intricate the stone is. Thanks for looking, I cant wait to finish this one.

I like the look of that rock Terry. I have been wanting to do something like for armour dio's and have been eyeing up those Woodland moulds. Very nice indeed.

The woodland scenice pigment, is that painted onto the rock or added to the Hryocal before adding into the mold.

WOW, the dio looks great..all paintwork is magnificent.

I would had saved me a lot of time and just add real rocks...hehehe..but yours really give a nice scaled rocks.

Thumbs up.

Thank you both, I rarely get to excited over this stuff but I think the rocks look cool.

Bish I made the forms and gave it a base coat. In this case I used Woodland Scenic Slate Gray, let it dry and dry brushed a cheap craft brown as an iron tint. Then I watered down a cheap acrylic black to gave it a wash and then to finish, a dry brushing of an acrylic white on the tips.

Relatively easy but looks great.

Terry 

It looks better than great, it looks real! Those look like real friggin rocks, man.

Thanks Mike. I've done some before but to me this technique has been the best so far, a little messy but good results in the end.  

Terry

A little more work on the base and groundcover. Still much to go but its starting to look like a scene, minus the Morser.

More to do, thanks for looking.

I think those rocks look brilliant and I like the buffers as well.

But if that was not enough, that last pic just got my attention. I love the /20.