Tools, tips and tricks
Photo-Unrealistic Backdrops
When I decided to put some scenery along a two track staging area along one side of my room things got a little out of hand, as usual. I added another track for a small stockyard left over from a previous module. And I needed a place for a recently retired (it’s 1959) coal and water stop. All of this required a simple backdrop. The scene I had in mind stretched across a narrow band of two slides taken from several miles away. Just zooming in and splicing would not have left any ‘photo-realism’. Besides this is a layout, it’s a representation, made by me.
Twisted-Wire Oak Trees
So I finally figured out how to use my iPhone & iMovie, so I've posted a three-part step-by-step video series on how to make the N scale twisted-wire oak trees to my YouTube Channel.
[sorry the first one's not in HD: casualty of the learning process]
Considering "Human Factors Engineering" in Model Railroad Yard Design... (Sound's like a PhD project, doesn't it?)
There are a number of great resources about designing yards (particularly yard throats) that discuss the best ways to move motive power and cars around, but I've never seen a book, magazine article or online resource that that discusses anything to do with moving the model railroad train crews around....
Garden Fn3 bridge plans
I'm working on my Master Builder Structures NMRA AP. I need two scratch built structures to finish it up. Linda (my wife) pointed out that I need a couple of bridges on the RMP, which is an Fn3 (1:20.3) garden layout, so why not build some?
Last weekend I built a small wood bridge in HO from 1:1 scale plans - just cut the wood to length, as shown on the plan and glue together. I could scale those plans up 4.29 times (87.1 / 20.3). However, I'm looking to see if you MRH folks have some already together?
Doin' the Desert - Scenery and Backdrops on the 8th Sub
Scenery construction is underway. Follow along as the Great Basin takes shape.
UPDATES:
03/15/2012: Rockwork completed around the steel trestle scene. See page 4.
03/16/2012: Color applied to the rocks. See page 5.
E. St. Louis Rail Group
To All: This is a new blog. My name is Elvin Howland from Jacksonville, Florida (previously, Manton, Michigan). I run a business called Layout Concepts. I sell scratch built, kit bashed and kit built kits, paint and letter freight cars and build train layouts. I have a Facebook page called layout concepts that features my work in various categories. My layout is an HO scale double deck one that measures 11' by 21' and is controlled by a Digitrax system. I model 1950-1970 on the layout. The area modeled is E. St. Louis, Illinois.
March MRH Magazine (E-Zine) Bonus Downloads
I really Thought these LED and Servo Videos were great 5 stars each. Everybody make sure you download these Videos on adding a resistor to a chip type LED, Building a small 9 Volt beeper circuit short tester, Setting up a Tam Valley Servo control circuit and more. I've added these to my DCC video library and will use them a dozen or more times I'm sure.
Fascia Control Panels
I needed some control panels at various locations on the layout to control powered switch machines. Panels on previous layouts were done with painted Masonite and colored tape. Workable but not very sophisticated, especially when labels were needed. My current control panels were created with a CAD package (Cadrail 9), printed on regular printer paper and laminated at a local Staples office supply store. Laminating provides needed protection and stiffness.
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