General Store Update

More General Store pictures.

Guss I'm about done on this kit, it was a lot of fun.


Front shot with figures and interior added.


Side shot with Chimney added. Used soft pastels for soot.


3/4 view


Interior added.

Happy with the result. Got a long way to go but feels like improvement.

Thanks Cameron

Creek creation

Made some more photos of Creek creation, hopefully they will form a SBS as Phil asked on Railline Forum.

Building in layers. So after creek banks created and bed painted and sealed with Wood Glue. Began building the first later of Rapids, rocks and objects that will be seen underwater. Pretty Basic stuff.

Next I use bathroom clear chalk in a squeeze tube (easier to control and more precise) to make the rapids and secure the rocks.

Depending on water flow this could be minor ripples or a raging torrent. Since this is spring in Colorado the Clear Creek is full and rushing with water.


Chalk put in place leaving plenty to sculpt around rock or log to simulate flow. Water piles up where it first encounters the object then flows around and creates a tail behind the object.


Another shot. I use the back of a small artist brush to shape the rapids. Pulling with the water flow to create the tails and piling up more chalk in front of the object. Looks best to me if the rapids get bigger closer to the rock. So the effect is building as it gets next to the rock.


This shot and next show the effect as the water rushes through the creek, next to the track between the canyon walls.



Really happy with the this part of the canyon. Lots more work to go on the creek, will take pictures. The next steps will be repeated as necessary while we build depth. Each pour is no more than 1/8" thick and I expect it will take 3-4 pours.

Have many more pictures at higher res showing more details on the steps, let me know if anyone wants them.

More to come as we begin adding the "water", coloring, more rapids and the final step to add ripples, deal with glare and add just a little sparkle to the surface.

Stay tuned, lots more fun.

Thanks Cameron

Friday Update

Friday Update

Been spending time working on a booklet on creating water on layouts for a friend. Using some of the techniques for taking quality photo's using aperture priority and a small table top tripod and Kodak 915 Camera. A couple of progress photos:


Existing water, rapidly moving Colorado stream in spring.


Another existing shot. The little tripod and apature priority seem to work really well


This is the new work on the creek in the corner I been adding mountains to.

This booklet is going to be a how-to on modeling moving water. Was real excited to be asked to do it. Should count towards the AP for MMR.

On another front (back to phone camera), this is a building for the Narrow Gauge Chat module in Pasadena. Still need to add lights and interior.


Wild West General Store. They make nice kits.



Also started another section house.


Beginning applying wood with contact cement.


Weighting down is critical. These weights are from Micro-Mark and are great.


Trimming off the wood.


Plank floor in-place.


Plank floor stained.

Steady progress.

Thanks Cameron

Getting er done

Sunday went pretty well, got in 4 hours, all in the Mtn corner. Used the white dry brush (1") this time going downward lightly. Then used another 1" going up lightly with Payne's Grey.

Added rocks to creek and surround. Then vegetation for contrast and color. This is spring early summer.













Looking back from Forks Creek through mountain valley.

Final shot from the Idaho Springs side.

Began working on first of the 2 wooden bridges on the Idaho Springs to Black Hawk line.

These show colors better and all in all getting much closer to what I had imagined.

Thanks Cameron

More rock work.

Tried white highlights dry brushed on along with some shadowing. Please give feedback may have over done.

Sorry to always ask feedback. Have no modelers I know within 20-25 miles of me. Joined local NMRA but still trying to plug in. So this group and NarrowGaugeChat supply 90%+ of my feedback.


Middle of Forks Creek to Black Hawk canyon. Added white highlights to tips and some Payne's Grey (is it Gray or Grey?)to underside and cracks. Also begin putting in some dirt and rocks and prepping creek bed.


Forks Creek side up against forks Creek to Black Hawk Bridge position (bridge yet to be started).

Going to have to break out a better Camera so it does not over expose, picture is lite, actual much darker.

Your help is always appreciated.

Thanks Cameron

Getting the orange out part deux

Posted a few more pics. Took friend on NarrowGaugeChats advice and made my own gray. Looking closely I could see the green he was talking about. I think this is better.
Camera lightens things up too much is a good bit darker. May have to work at
lightening some.







Going to add some spring static grass in a few spots and some weeds. Should
help the look quite a bit.

Thanks Cameron

Tuesday Update - Did I mess up?

Tuesday Update - Did I mess up?

Finally got to do some work on layout. From feedback and checking pictures of Clear Creek rocks were too orange. Decided to try and fix. May have made it worse. Strated with black wash (Payne's grey I think), then went grey wash. The grey maybe too much. Feedback please.


First good news removable mountain casting done. Beginning coloring. CFL light still bothering me, going to have to try something here, the contrast with light showing is too much and distracts. This is planned to be sort of the showcase picture really bringing out the narrow canyon with high walls. May try LED's here or a light block in front of light.


This is coloring on the removable mountain, still needs some work. The plaster filling often takes washes differently even though exact same material. Letting it dry more will help.

The next 3 shots are the recolored rock.


Black Hawk side looking down grade. Pictures show less gray than seen in person. Rock in Canyon tends to gray with lighter and orange patches.


Closer look


The Forks Creek side.

The walls don't seem to have the pop of before, for good or ill.

Thoughts, suggestions, did I really mess up?

Thanks Cameron

Rough week for modeling

Been a rough week for modeling.  A friend died suddenly Thursday and performed the funeral Sunday.  Family is doing as well as expected.

Hope to get a few hours in tonight.  Got some good comments on NarrowGaugeChat about rock being too orange.  Pulled photos from last trip to Colorado in 2012 to verify and they were spot-on, too orange.

So one of my tasks is to go add some gray and brown to tone down.  I had tired a technique in the past of using zip texturing on rocks to make look dusty.  May try that again.

Thanks Cameron

Good Sunday Progress - Scenery and mine.

Good Sunday Progress - Scenery and mine.

Got a solid 5 hours in Sunday and made some good progress on Forks Creek to Black Hawk scenery and Mine.


Creek bottom painted and rock work stained on Black Hawk side of curve.


Continuing towards Forks Creek


Moving closer to Forks Creek


At Forks Creek


Mine with added deck and loading dock, Rock coloring in place and side of mountain added behind mine. This was done so looking around mountain would preserve illusion of the full canyon.


Mine updates note loading dock and loading extension on ore bin. Mike Condor gave me a tutorial on mine operation and suggested dock with hoist for supplies. should make a nice addition to the scene.


Mine updates with extension of mountain to right side.


Forgive the lousy lighting, shows canyon from left side of Forks Creek (the Idaho Springs side) looking through to show canyon. Really starting to dislike CFL lighting, base gets hot and too much reflection. May start redoing with LED a little at a time.


Close up on the mountain extension from Black Hawk side. Once sculpt-a-mold applied and casting should look ok.


Final of mine showing loading dock, adding supports to top deck. Rewired lights (one still not working). Inside now lit and shaft light adding interest. I'm pretty sure I will regret not changing these to led's.

All in all good progress. Once I paint track, ballast, add dirt, vegetation (not trees yet). I will prepare creek bed and add chalking where needed as dam's. Then I will pour envirotex for water.

Thanks Cameron

Update pictures

A few update pictures. Mayour a friend on NarrowGaugeChat made suggestions to add a loading dock, and scree deposit. Working on those now.


Rough scenery in and initial painting


Front view, loading dock will go in front of ore bin with a platform up top with hoist.


Last image is a project build for a moduar to be used on the NarrowGaugeChat exhibit. I think for Pasadena.

Thanks Cameron

Minor Mine update

Minor Mine update

Just a pic or two or progress:


Mine front with bents in and roughed in scenery.


Rear of mine showing rough-in.

Slow work but getting there.

Thanks Cameron