Realism and operating accessories

A couple of years ago I weathered both the sawmill and log loader. At some point, I'm going to go back over these as there are many more details that could be added.

Zeke, great job on the weathering! I almost didn't recognize the accessories!

I'd love to see how you have the log loader and sawmill set up within your layout. Can you post a picture or two? I have both of these pieces and I have not finalized how I want to fit them in. I do want to personalize them, though.

Dennis - thank you for the kind words! 

I would gladly post pictures of these on the layout but, unfortunately, it's currently under construction and I haven't placed them yet.  I'm planning to have a siding long enough to accommodate both with the sawmill toward the end.  I've always thought it would make sense to have a lumber storage shed (or sheds) at the end of the mill where the boards come out.  I think I'd like to have mine at a right angle to the mill. Then, at a right angle from the loader there could be an office building/store.  So everything would be in a "U" shape with space in the middle for parking and for trucks to pull in and back up to the storage shed to get loaded up.  All of this would be in a rural setting with a few small houses across the street.

All of this is subject to change, of course, but that's a high-level view of what I'm thinking about doing.  I hope my description makes sense.

Operating horse corral with landscaping.

This is a topic that is dear to my heart.  My layout is basically intended as a setting for Lionel accessories.  When completed, it will contain every accessory in the 1957 catalog, plus my favorites from other periods.  I try hard to make them look as good as possible, but my "ground rules" prohibit modifying them in any non-reversible way (except for a very few that started out as basket cases).  Here's a tour:

A prewar bascule bridge:

In most cases, the easiest improvement involves hiding the large and  unrealistic bases that most accessories have.  I usually recess them in pink foam and make construction paper cutouts to add landscaping non-destructively.  Here's that technique applied to a pre-war 165 crane:

The same technique applied to the coal ramp and 397 loader:

Adding small scratchbuilt add-ons helps a lot, too:

The prewar log loader is a great accessory, but in its native state it is very big and unrealistic.  Easily dealt with by recessing the base and covering the ugly green plastic with a balsa shell:

Similarly, the #97 coal loader looks a LOT better with an outbuilding and when the clunky bakelite is buried:

Even the plastic stations and Lionel cars can look pretty good in the right context:

Finally, I made a plausible home for the oil derrick:

Sorry for taking so much space, but as I said, I am  a sucker for this topic.

Those are fantastic Pete - and I love how you are able to work so well in three dimensions.  I wish I could think that way!

But you have given me some great ideas for improving accessories.

Pete: Your layout is pretty much exactly what I'm going after. Can you post a shot of the entire layout? I've seen some other shots you posted on the backdrop posting a couple of weeks ago. Great work!

Wow, Pete, That is great work. I really like you layout and the attention to detail. Very nice..