The "wow" factor

Proto follows model, where was the camera?

Dear Joe,

Time maybe to find your nearest sympathetic Drone FPV operator,
get the unit up over the prototype, and see if you can take a "model shot" of the prototype...

Usually we start with a proto shot, and try to emulate it on the model,
in this case you've started with the model, and just have to find the proto "camera position" to view it from...

Seriously, amazing work...

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr
 

Sure beats knocking out walls...

...but it kind of looks like you did!  Nice expansion job!

Rene'

Eye popping!

Eye popping!

Great job, Joe! This really

Great job, Joe!

This really gives one the feel of the wide open Iowa landscape and certainly stretches the railroad beyond the basement.

Thanks, for sharing.

Barry 

Backdrop

That backdrop really looks great, Joe- beautiful job of blending everything together. And as Paul said, the rain storm/thunderhead is a nice touch. Backdrop elements like that aren't easy to do well, but you've really pulled it off. And are those a couple of C.C. Crow bridge piers in Walnut Creek?

Tom Patterson

Photo backdrops

Joe,

Your photo backdrops are beautiful.  Now all you have to do is to come to my  house and do mine.

Jared Harper

Athens, G

Excited!

Joe, 

It all looks great, but I’m most excited about the bridges. The Walnut Creek bridge scene is going to look fantastic with the narrow width expanding into the piers. 

Do you plan to touchup the backdrop seams? 

Also, is there a rainstorm as others’ have mentioned or is that a lighting issue?

"If you build it...."

Nice title there Joe....got me chuckling.

The backdrops look excellent!  I'm especially impressed with how well the fore and background colors match.  Did you have to adjust printer and color setting multiple times to achieve that?

It looks like you used 8x11 printouts and then glued them edge to edge.  I'm assuming you used matte?  Also, does each individual sheet represent a separate picture, or are the printouts made from one large picture and just divided up over several printouts?  Lots of questions, but I'm wanting to begin experimenting with photo backdrops in the near future.

Glad to see an update on your layout!  The backdrops really add an impressive amount of depth.  The horizon looks to be at the perfect height....the landscape just seems to roll on forever.  Keep up the excellent work!!

-Kevin

Thank you

Thank you all for the kind words!

They are!  I have to admit that, much to the disappointment of some of my operators (I'm looking at you, Gerry and Scott), I'm a little nervous to tackle my first bridge, which will likely be Walnut Creek.  And every one after that, come to think of it.  I know I need to just dig in and do it - and I will - but there are so many unknowns to it, and the idea of causing "permanent" damage weighs on me.  I know that's wrong.  I built it once, and I'm sure I can fix anything I happen to screw up with a bridge installation.

I do share my operators' excitement for getting the bridge scenes done.  The prototype IAIS has what I consider to be some impressive structures out here - especially at the West Nishnabotna River west of Hancock Jct. and McPherson Ave. in Council Bluffs - and I think they're going to give the layout a whole new look once they're complete.

If I can do this, you can too Jared.  Honestly, it wasn't hard.

Absolutely!  I should have mentioned that.  I'm just waiting until I'm completely done with the entire backdrop so I'm not having to mix paint multiple times.  

Thanks to that big ugly seam at Walnut Creek, I finally realized a mistake I'd been making up to that point:  I'd always applied the caulk right up to the edges, thinking that was necessary in order to keep them from coming loose.  Not a problem on the horizontal edges, but on the vertical, a tiny bit of excess caulk can really ugly up the job.  Behind Hancock Elevator and beyond (to the right), I altered that approach, only applying caulk up to about 3/32" from the edge.  Once the photo is pressed into place, excess caulk covers that last portion, and the photos seem to adhere fine without as much of a visible demarcation between them.

Completing this section, with the rolling 3D hills, left me wondering how those of you who order long custom backdrop prints do it.  There was so much trimming, test fitting, and adjusting to work around the rise and fall of the 3D scenery, which was difficult enough with 11" wide prints.  I can't imagine how you do it with long prints unless you put the backdrop photos up first, and then you run the risk of ruining them during scenery application.

I was actually kind of wondering that myself.   Paul and Tom, what thunderhead are you referring to?  The bright spots near the top of the backdrop in several pics are just my iPhone's way of dealing with the layout's lighting.  There are some clouds up there too, but they're not as visible in these pics.

Thanks again!

Kevin

Thanks!  I wondered after I posted that if anyone outside of Iowa would get it.  That line was kind of a big deal around here when Field of Dreams was released, but I'm guessing it probably didn't even register outside our borders.

Thanks again.  Those colors are just straight out of the camera.  The only Photoshop work I did was to blend the photos end-to-end.  Didn't have to adjust the colors at all, so I was happy with the way they ended up matching the Silflor Late Summer grass.

Correct on both counts.  I use the highest-quality photo matte paper I can find. Really seems to make a difference in color quality over standard printer paper, from what I've seen.

Most of these pics were sized such that a single photo covered two prints - just shy of 22" of linear backdrop.  Once you get familiar with Photoshop and get in a rhythm, it goes pretty fast.  That's another reason I like to do each phase of layout construction all at once, whenever practical at least.  Each time I step away from Photoshop (or anything else) for a few months, I end up having to re-learn what was once second nature.

Thanks Joe

Thanks for the explanations.  That helps a ton!  Looks like I'll have to start the process of gathering suitable photos, and then playing around with Photoshop and printing.

I totally agree with you.  That's how I've been approaching rolling stock and locomotive modeling and weathering.  I usually will do a batch of 2-3 similar projects at the same time so that I have all the materials I need on hand, and am able to use similar paints and weathering patterns.  I've found, for myself at least, that if I just do one car with the intention of finishing a few more of the same type of car later, it never gets done.  I lose interest after the first.  If I can combine multiple cars into one larger project then they all get done and I don't have to worry about going back and trying to relearn how I did the first.

And "Field of Dreams"?  Probably one of the best movies ever made.  And I've never been to Iowa.

-Kevin

Heavenly

Nice update, Joe.  It'll be interesting to see how things look with some more trees and final scenic details.

Having visited Iowa, I can't say for sure if it's heaven, but I did think I had entered hell once - turned out it was just northeast Philadelphia.

Rob

Agreed Rob.  With all the trees, bridges, and structures I still have to build, and 200+ pieces of rolling stock to weather, I find myself flip-flopping over what to do next a lot.  Bridges are currently winning out, since I think they'll have the greatest impact, but the others aren't far behind.

@Seeing things

Bridges

I feel your apprehension

Joe, I know just want you mean. I’ve got to scratch build these lattice truss bridges for my Rock River crossing. Talk about intimidating!

Scott

Wipple through truss?

Paul,

I don’t know bridge design very well but I don’t think they’re Wipple through truss bridges. I think a Wipple has more vertical side supports. 

I think the Milan bridges are just typical lattice truss bridges. Below is a photo I took last summer when I visited the branch and you can see the bridges do not include repetitive vertical supports. They are really cool turn-of-the-century structures that I think were built sometime in the teens – around 1915-1918. 

It’s amazing they are still in use. My understanding is the design was typical of that time period but now they’re considered unique. On my layout they will be signature structures. 

Nice work Joe,

hah....that bridge looks familiar.....I've got a lot of those bridges on the layout now....just need some scenery to cover them up.   good to see you back at work on the layout.....I'm sure it feels good after too much time at the computer/workbench

Looks good Joe!

I was out by you today. Had to make a run to Kearney for a customer.

Photo backdrop idea is good. Gonna have to try it as well.

Joe, What a difference the

Joe,

What a difference the backdrops make.  I've always followed your work and often referenced the progress photos.  Looking forward to more updates as you progress around the layout.  How did you laminate the backdrops?

Thanks,

Neil Schofield

Babbling creek

Joe, 

I was looking at Google maps of Walnut Creek (see below), and it looks like you’ll be modeling a very nice babbling creek under the bridge. 

Nice!

Looking Great Joe!

I'm also working on my photo backdrops. I've taken about 2000 photos in the last 14 days. I'll be editing them together and putting them up before starting scenery. I'm hoping to get them done on vinyl so they are waterproof.