*** UPDATED 9-8-14 *** Scroll down to see additional work on the structure.

It doesn't look like much, but I'm making (slow) progress on the Palmer structure for my layout.  I've got the walls cut out and a few other details in the works.  It's a good thing I don't try to make a living doing this!

I did a little detailing on the corner section today and added some grass and coloring to the rocks.  I'll be adding trees in front of the rocks as part of the next step.  If on a computer you can click the picture for a larger view.

As a boy growing up in St Matthews, Ky (East of Louisville) I drove past Palmer Asbestos during the 1950's and 60's dozens of times.  The building is memorable to me because of it's large smoke stack with "PALMER" lettered on it vertically.  I'm going to ROUGHLY model this on my layout by kitbashing Walther's "Gas Plant".  Notice that I said roughly....and that's because I am only going to do enough to satisfy my fuzzy memory of the building and it will be severely compressed because of my small available real estate.

**** UPDATED 8-16-14 - Today I harvested about 30 gallons (6 five gallon buckets full) of crepe myrtle branches from our community trees - and yes, it was O.K. for me to do so.  I just did the rough prep on a 5 gallon bucket full and temporarily stuck them in my benchtop to let them dry.  You can see the picture of my hour's worth of work near the bottom of this thread.

**** UPDATED 7-2-14 - I've added trees to the corner piece.  It's still a work in process.  Please see the new posting near the bottom of this thread.

**** UPDATED 6-26-14 - Added additional layers of stuff the the hills.  Please see the new posting near the bottom of this thread.

**** UPDATED 5-21-14 **** Trees, bushes, and more trees

**** UPDATED 5-12-14 **** Trees being added along with bushes

**** UPDATED 4/30/14 ****  First layer of ground foam added to hills.

It took three days for the carved plaster hills to fully cure.  I had to wait until they were cured otherwise it's difficult to color them and the color of the plaster is different uncured.  I use the "spotted method" (that I learned from others) along with washes and dry brush highlights.

**** UPDATE 4-18-14 ****  I've started adding carved plaster rocks to the hills.  Please see the details towards the end of this thread.

***** UPDATE 3/15/14 ***** The entire backdrop has been completed.

**** UPDATE 3/15/14 **** The installation of the backdrop is completed with the right side now installed.  Please see the pictures at the end of this thread.

**** UPDATE 3/12/14 **** My order has been received and I'm starting the installation process.  Please see the post farther on down in this thread.

***Revised 2/20/14*** My grand experiment is finished - printed backdrop it is!  See my latest post on this thread.

***Revised 2/17/14*** New painting with less of a yellow tint - see the latest posting at the end of this thread. *** Revised 2/16/14***  Please see my latest posting at the end of this thread where I have attempted to paint a backdrop using both an airbursh for the clouds and distant hills and using a brush for closer tries following Chris Lyon's technique.  Please give me your opinion.  Thanks!