Sunday Scenic Showcase 8-12-2012...

Thanks for starting it off, Alan.  This week I completed a new business for my town of Lebanon: Rick's Army & Navy store (named for my brother in law who was a Navy Seal in the Vietnam years).   I'm not sure how long they will be staying open, due to the quasi-legal nature (even for the 1950's) of their product line.  You COULD so some serious hunting with their equipment though. 

The building is kitbashed Ameritown fronts with a Tichy fire escape on the exterior.  The signs were all done on my computer.  The interior was scratchbuilt except for a Berkshire Valley countertop.  The photo backdrop for the interior was found via Google and the guns, etc. in the  window displays are Tamiya.  Figures are Preiser and Model Power.  The guns themselves are 1/35 scale since the 1/48 versions were too small to show up well.  The interior is lit using the well-discussed LED strips that come in long reels.

Great project Bob....I have been considering purchasing some of the Tichy fire escapes since I need a lot of them!!  Can you tell me....is the one I see you have used the kit they advertise?  Looks like two landings as opposed to the 3 landing version MTH sells as a separate.  Any opinions or tips???

Thanks,

Alan

Very nice simple scene Bob!

Feeling a little rusty this week.

Another set of air-slide cars per customers request…

This week's project:

The old view beyond the Pinnacle Peaks was a less than scenic little town (Don't tell the town fathers I said that ).

Now, it is a more scenic vista of Wurlitzer Gorge.

The new "in-progress" scene is centered around an MTH Granary building with new paint and a water wheel to take advantage of its creekside location.

Jim

Bob:

I love the building.  I am intrigued by the roadway under the bridge.  I wonder if you could post some pictures of that.  I think it might help me with an area I am struggling with.

Hi Jim,

May I ask what you used or how did you make your water wheel ?

alan, in case bob doesn't see your post, I've built a number of the tichy fire escapes and they are very nice kits. i believe they come in a set of six or you can also buy them individually to make as many landings as you need.   

jerrman

Thanks for the kind comments guys.

Alan, I really like the Tichy fire escape kits.  I bought a bunch of the "6 Sets" kits.  I trim a bunch of sprues into the component parts and separate them into boxes.

I then build a bunch of platforms and railings so that I have "quick kits" when I want a fire escape for a specific building.

You need to fabricate your own way for escapees to get from the bottom platform to the street.  I've used Plastruct ladders and some 0.060" square styrene strips on some escapes.

Working from a photo on the internet, this escape has a hinged and counterbalanced stairway to the street (no it does not have operating hinges).

With the kits, you can go as large as you want.  This one is for a kitbashed 5-story building.

David, the road under the bridge was the only way I had to let the street leave my downtown area.  The other end of it crosses the tracks, but that was not possible on this end.  A single-lane road dips down under the railroad girder bridge.  The concrete sides are Masonite with Plastruct railings above.  I plan to add an MTH traffic signal at the corner.

Here is a flash shot under the bridge.  The road ends against a black piece of Masonite.  Note that I painted diagonal "shadows" on the side walls like John Armstrong and Frank Ellison used to do.

When viewed under normal lighting, the painted shadows give a nice effect.

Roger,

I made a pattern of the rim of the wheel on graph paper. Then I used that to cut the two outer rims from thin plywood on a scroll saw. (The scroll saw is the poor man's laser cutter! )

I added spokes and paddles with scale lumber to finish the wheel. It is mounted on a section of long 2-56 threaded rod for an axle. Someday I may motorize it.

Jim

Thanks Bob for the info and great pictures of your "process".  Do you buy these "6 kits" from Tichy directly or another supplier??

Jim...you are going to have to stop destroying your town and urban areas...your Homies and other citizens seem to be migrating to my downtown area!!  This has resulted in a crime wave since there are not enough jobs for all of them!  There is one side benefit....the occupancy rates in the buildings have gone up BUT we have no more room for highrises!!

Alan

Jim,

Awesome job on the MTH granary! Mine is still all gray and you've provided a great example as to how to paint it.

Jim thanks for the explanation on  the paddle wheel. And also Bob, thanks for the info on the Tichy Train items.

I am always amazed at how much a person can learn from everyone else on this forum. I do not know if other hobbies have a forum like this or not, but this forum is GREAT !

I hope that all of you have a great week coming up.

Alan,

Seems that most hopped willingly into this big plastic storage bin for the time being.

Not sure if they'll just be hibernating in there for the few weeks needed to get the new city built or if they have other ideas to pass the time.

Jim

Bob:

Is that railroad bridge actually used or is it a prop?

Great photos everyone, expertise as always.

ALEX

It is actually used and is not really a bridge.  The track sits on a plywood/homasote/cork roadbed in that area and is ballasted.  The "bridge" is a sheet of styrene with plastic angle pieces glued on.  This assembly is glued to the edge of the plywood/homasote.  The track goes behind the switch tower at lower left, behind Lebanon Lumber & Coal, across the "bridge" then behind the downtown buildings as it climbs the hill against the wall.

Wonderful Scenic Showcase.
All, Thanks for the input.  I believe the Turntable in the first beautiful picture is a Diamond Scale TT.

"Just what exactly are Rick's customers hunting?! (left window)"

With that equipment, anything they want to!

Bob.  Just what exactly are Rick's customers hunting?! (left window)

 

Originally Posted by Bob:

 

 

Home detroying Hobos of the wildest breed known to man and feared by women! See SIRT's picture under Mike's Hobo thread for visual aid to be used for identification purposses only!