Weekend Photo Fun 12-10-21-??

A tunnel of trees...at least, that's what I often call the former PRR Middle Division as it looks today. Unlike in the days of the PRR when photography was easy since the right of way was clear, today it is all walled in with trees since there are no cinders to kill the vegetation and there are no line poles to maintain. So in order to recreate that on the more modern parts of the layout, I need LOTS of trees. Here are some images of me making Scenic Express "Supertrees"...

First, here are the raw trees ready to spray paint black

And here they are painted

Next, this is what they look like after soaking in diluted matte medium, then dipped in ground foam and hung up to dry overnight

Next, here they are installed in the river bank of the Juniata River in Jacks Narrows

And finally, now you can see what a great job they do blocking the view of the trains, just as on the prototype!

That's it for this week! Enjoy!

No stockings hung, but the train is partying under the tree(well, trees lit, train will run on the weekend).

Neal,

The trees look great and really make the scene come alive. Seems like making them is a never ending task. How many did you make in this batch?

Dave

@luvindemtrains posted:

Neal,

The trees look great and really make the scene come alive. Seems like making them is a never ending task. How many did you make in this batch?

Dave

Thanks Dave. Yes, it does become quite a chore, but I've come up with some ways to mass produce them and speed up the process. I lost count, but I think there are about 100-125 trees so far. I cut some in half to reduce their height as well which in effect gives me more trees. Here's an overall picture which shows most of the trees in the area I'm working on right now.

Brief video of my Lionel PRR M1a now equipped with 4 chuffs thanks to forum member gunrunnerjohn.

Not sure I have posted this car before.  It is an AtlasO Trainman 52'6" gondola.  This is my only Trainman Line car, and I picked it up pretty cheap.  I was surprised at how detailed it was.  It is long.

@PRRMiddleDivision posted:

Thanks Dave. Yes, it does become quite a chore, but I've come up with some ways to mass produce them and speed up the process. I lost count, but I think there are about 100-125 trees so far. I cut some in half to reduce their height as well which in effect gives me more trees. Here's an overall picture which shows most of the trees in the area I'm working on right now.

100-125 sounds about right. It looks great and the end result makes for some nice video/photos. Supertrees are nice and don't take too much time to make. I like you, try to do a bunch at a time.

Dave

Ron, I like that gon. I, too, have only one Trainman gondola, but I hope Atlas continues with the line. Here’s mine:

@Artie-DL&W posted:

Ron, I like that gon. I, too, have only one Trainman gondola, but I hope Atlas continues with the line. Here’s mine:

Nice work on that car!  I need to weather mine too so it at least looks like it is earning its keep.

Are there two WEEKEND PHOTO FUN 12-10-21?

High tension wires going in.  You have to get a lot of things straight to get this to work out:

Thanks, Ron, it’s just light ground chalk weathering.

John, those high tension wires look great!

The REA area at Cameron Station

Zeke, that looks SO real!

A little brisk on North Main Street this Friday night...but folks are in the holiday spirit...

@Zeke posted:

The REA area at Cameron Station

More of the layout please!

Dave

Posting this on BOTH Weekend Photo Fun Threads this week.    It don't often run standard gauge, but when I do it's all vintage Lionel.

@luvindemtrains - Nice of you to ask, thank you! The layout is about 1% done, so I don't have any decent wide shots. Here are a couple more closeups. I tend to like night shots, and I think I've posted these before.

Zeke,

Thanks for the additional photos. Based on the photos you have taken your layout will be magazine worthy.

Dave

That's very kind of you to say. Thank you!

And thank you too, Artie!

Federal Express shows my New Hope set on the truck and out for delivery today! I cleared the upper level track for its arrival. All other trains had to move to another track or take a rest on a shelf:

MTH Premier Grand Trunk Western 1776 GP38-2 diesel locomotive with the Grand Trunk Western AAR 40' box car.

Andrew

Falcon Service

The other MTH Premier Grand Trunk Western AAR 40' box car with a Premier Grand Trunk Western PS-1 40' box car.

Andrew

Falcon Service

Why are there 2 photo funs for this week?

Other thread.

@MartyE posted:

Why are there 2 photo funs for this week?

Other thread.

Twice the fun??? I mistakenly started on the wrong forum. By the time I got back to delete it other people started to post their pictures on the wrong forum as well. So we ended up with two threads.

Scott Smith

@PRRMiddleDivision posted:

And finally, now you can see what a great job they do blocking the view of the trains, just as on the prototype!

                                             Now that's how it's done! Great scene Neal!

Well just so I cover both photo funs.

The Polar Express Berk and Bi-Polar meet.  The Bi-Polar is dropping off coal, reindeer food, and supplies.

The big Christmas 3. Santa Shay, Polar Bi-Polar, and the Pilar Express Berk.

@SIRT posted:

                                             Now that's how it's done! Great scene Neal!

Thank you SIRT!

@PRRMiddleDivision posted:

A tunnel of trees...at least, that's what I often call the former PRR Middle Division as it looks today. Unlike in the days of the PRR when photography was easy since the right of way was clear, today it is all walled in with trees since there are no cinders to kill the vegetation and there are no line poles to maintain. So in order to recreate that on the more modern parts of the layout, I need LOTS of trees. Here are some images of me making Scenic Express "Supertrees"...

First, here are the raw trees ready to spray paint black

And here they are painted

Next, this is what they look like after soaking in diluted matte medium, then dipped in ground foam and hung up to dry overnight

Next, here they are installed in the river bank of the Juniata River in Jacks Narrows

And finally, now you can see what a great job they do blocking the view of the trains, just as on the prototype!

That's it for this week! Enjoy!

Thanks so much, Neal, for sharing your process for making your terrific trees, which I found to be highly informative. Arnold

I'm a little smoked out, wow this thing pops the smoke like you wouldn't believe.

Some videos to get smoked out by.

And two more, a little less smokey.