Sunday Scenic Showcase March 2, 2025

Alan, the church is magnificent!

Finished except for some roof detail and signage………and , this week will work on placement.

First picture is where I left off…….

Have a great and safe week, everyone!

Peter

I’d like to share a project I’ve been working on. I had some parts leftover from a Labelle kit for a while and wanted to make a restored boxcar maintenance shed. This boxcar was in service for many years with the road names shown with decals (all imaginary of course, I just wanted to display my favorites)😊. I also wanted something unique to carry on my depressed flatcar. I don’t like the placement of the chains, so today I’ll replace them with a crisscross style tie down. It was a fun build.

Gene

I am not up to the outstanding skill level displayed in this post, but I did give a kit project a try this week.  Assembled and weathered a K&P Brick & Buildings waster column.  Also made a wooden walkway over the tracks in the maintenance yard.

I’ve been experimenting with easy/ reversible ways of toning down the bright blue LED lights on Menards buildings.  I’ve found the yellow masking tape in the Frog brand cuts the brightness some and gives it a more incandescent soft yellow tone.

Knickerbocker Transfer:

With the walls of the service facility now painted it was time for assembly. But first I realized it might be easier to add some basic interior details now while the walls were lying flat. Heating radiators, wall mounted fire extinguishers and safety warning signs were a good start. Additional clutter will be add after assembly. I also installed the windows at this time.

After the four walls were assembled on a piece of tempered glass I moved on to the roof trusses. They were held vertical with a collection of 123 blocks. Overhead lighting was installed as the trusses were located in place.

I used two brass rods as a power buss. They were tucked up into the roof trusses were they couldn't be seen from the viewing side. They will be painted to represent conduit or compressed air lines. A wire lead and mini connector were added to the end of the buss so that the building can be unplug and removed if any layout maintenance is needed.

This is the progress so far. Still have to address the roof and side shop. I've always invisioned this building as a light maintenance facility. Any major repairs would be sent back to the main shop. As such the side shop will house the employee break room, locker room, rest room and boiler/compressor room.

Nice work everyone. Have a good week.

Great work everybody-thank you all for sharing your terrific work!

I’ve just been working on some scenery the past few weeks. Still more details to add, but making progress.

Alan, Gene, Peter, J straw, Anthony excellent work!  Third Rail, you are continuing to both amaze me and give great ideas for detailing a building.  Funny enough, I just received yesterday my order of hanging lights and was wondering what my next step would be, but you've perfectly documented lighting a large warehouse.  I got the lights with just hanging wires as  i didn't know how low I'd have to hang them.

My contribution this week, instead of working on the Korber model like I stated, was to finish detail my Clinton market.  I adding window glass, which you probably cannot see but takes lots of time, then finished the roof using various odds and ends and the Korber model packet of roofing granules which turned out very realistic.  Does anyone know what Korber uses for those materials?  They make a really nice tar and gravel roof which I can use for other buildings.  I spread Mod Podge on the roof, then added granules.  Once it was dry, I soaked it with watered down Mod Podge to lock the granules in place without getting glue on my roof sign and details.  Sharing the technique since it worked well.  I first tried it on a scrap piece of styrene to avoid ruining my roof.  I need to finish the signs but otherwise this building is "done".  Excluding the interior and lighting which will take awhile...

@Thirdrail600v posted:

Knickerbocker Transfer:

With the walls of the service facility now painted it was time for assembly. But first I realized it might be easier to add some basic interior details now while the walls were lying flat. Heating radiators, wall mounted fire extinguishers and safety warning signs were a good start. Additional clutter will be add after assembly. I also installed the windows at this time.

After the four walls were assembled on a piece of tempered glass I moved on to the roof trusses. They were held vertical with a collection of 123 blocks. Overhead lighting was installed as the trusses were located in place.

I used two brass rods as a power buss. They were tucked up into the roof trusses were they couldn't be seen from the viewing side. They will be painted to represent conduit or compressed air lines. A wire lead and mini connector were added to the end of the buss so that the building can be unplug and removed if any layout maintenance is needed.

This is the progress so far. Still have to address the roof and side shop. I've always invisioned this building as a light maintenance facility. Any major repairs would be sent back to the main shop. As such the side shop will house the employee break room, locker room, rest room and boiler/compressor room.

Nice work everyone. Have a good week.

Wow! This picture can’t be any more realistic. No matter how long I look at it, it’s hard to believe it’s a model. Outstanding job!

Gene

Love everyone’s work! @Thirdrail600v your details are amazing! I finally finished my Conrad Building rendition …..sort of. As you can see in the last photo, my tar paper roof (construction paper on foam board) has warped. I am currently trying to flatten it out by wetting it and weighing it down to see if I can reshape it. If not, remake with new materials is in order, then on to the layout. Have a great week all! Thanks for sharing.

Mike

@EmpireBuilderDave posted:

Alan, Gene, Peter, J straw, Anthony excellent work!  Third Rail, you are continuing to both amaze me and give great ideas for detailing a building.  Funny enough, I just received yesterday my order of hanging lights and was wondering what my next step would be, but you've perfectly documented lighting a large warehouse.  I got the lights with just hanging wires as  i didn't know how low I'd have to hang them.

My contribution this week, instead of working on the Korber model like I stated, was to finish detail my Clinton market.  I adding window glass, which you probably cannot see but takes lots of time, then finished the roof using various odds and ends and the Korber model packet of roofing granules which turned out very realistic.  Does anyone know what Korber uses for those materials?  They make a really nice tar and gravel roof which I can use for other buildings.  I spread Mod Podge on the roof, then added granules.  Once it was dry, I soaked it with watered down Mod Podge to lock the granules in place without getting glue on my roof sign and details.  Sharing the technique since it worked well.  I first tried it on a scrap piece of styrene to avoid ruining my roof.  I need to finish the signs but otherwise this building is "done".  Excluding the interior and lighting which will take awhile...

Dave, I’ll add you to the list of “excellent work”, the building looks amazing. The talent on this thread is exceptional, thanks for sharing.

Gene

Great work as always on this thread.

@Thirdrail600v- I second Gene's comment. That looks as close to 1:1 as I've seen. Nice work.

Making small progress on my girder bridge diorama. I added some ground cover and weeds. I have some scrap basswood that I cut into RR ties that I'll place by the signal tower. I might put a MOW crew up there too. The head of the MOW dept says that that signal has been a little flaky lately....

Also found that I can fit a second bridge span behind the main against the wall so that will get the same treatment next.

Bob

@Genemed

Nice work Gene. A great scratch build.

Bob

@RSJB18 posted:

@Genemed

Nice work Gene. A great scratch build.

Bob

Thank you Bob.

Gene

March 2nd has been the “coming out perfect party” this morning.
I have learned much about scenic adaptations for our layouts and I thank you.  Such realism has been displayed today.  So much talent is found in our Forum.

My February was interrupted by my attempts to install the MTH WTIU.
I kept thinking, I’ve been waiting for three years for this???

I began implementing my plans to use a free space for a 20 foot trolley stretch.  Hope to complete in the next couple of days.

Peter,

if love the blue trim color you used. Nice work on the building.

Mike,

Your building looks fantastic.

Nice work Gene.

Bob,

The bridge is looking good. I like your choice of the girder bridge.

Dave,

The building looks great.

Anthony,

I love your progress photos. Of course I am little biased looking at the tanks.

Third Rail,

Your building is a work of art.

Great scene jstraw

John,

Your layout has been coming along very nicely. Keep the pictures coming.

@Genemed posted:

Wow! This picture can’t be any more realistic. No matter how long I look at it, it’s hard to believe it’s a model. Outstanding job!

Gene

Agree totally, amazing!

Peter

Though it is not on the scale of the other great posts that precede this but, here is my small contribution. I and my assistant, Ms. Zora Maya Keith (the younger layout helper with hands steadier than my 74-year-old ones), today put the final touches on an O scale roll-top desk that I began, and the Z lady finished. It was from a small, laser-cut kit that I purchased from a seller on Etsy.

@Genemed posted:

Dave, I’ll add you to the list of “excellent work”, the building looks amazing. The talent on this thread is exceptional, thanks for sharing.

Gene

Thank you Gene!

@Alan Graziano posted:

Peter,

if love the blue trim color you used. Nice work on the building.

Mike,

Your building looks fantastic.

Nice work Gene.

Bob,

The bridge is looking good. I like your choice of the girder bridge.

Dave,

The building looks great.

Anthony,

I love your progress photos. Of course I am little biased looking at the tanks.

Third Rail,

Your building is a work of art.

Great scene jstraw

John,

Your layout has been coming along very nicely. Keep the pictures coming.

Thank you Alan, and thanks for starting this thread I look forward to every week.