# Railroad Dioramas In "G" Scale



## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I am currently working on a RR diorama based upon the film "Once Upon a Time in the West" kit bashing Bachmann cars and building an old locomotive " The General ".Hope you guys like it. Cheers! John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Well that didn't work out too well ! 
(Here you go John, you can't use the UBB/Forum Code (square brackets [ & ]) you've got to use the HTML image element tags to include your pictures in your replies, SteveC mod.)[/i]


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## Dwayne (Jun 10, 2010)

Posted By JohnReid on 31 Aug 2010 05:58 AM 
 
 
Well that didn't work out too well ! 




'Passenger' status members aren't able to use the photo attachment aspect of this forum. You have to be a paying member. All you can do is post the link or pay to become a member. 

I copied the URL and went and viewed the photos. Looks good. Oh, and welcome to the forum.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Oh,thanks Dwayne for the info ! Cheers! John.


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## Robert (Jan 2, 2008)

Those are some nice dioramas John. Loved the hanger.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Thanks Robert glad you like it.I have been modeling for over 60 years now,the last 10 for the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa Canada.However this is my first attempt at a RR diorama.I can't join right now but I will keep you guys up to date with some text from time to time.I post to about 30 RR,aircraft,ship,car and art sites right now.Nice site here but I will remain a passenger for now.
Cheers ! John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I thought that I would start with the ceiling and do something new for a change to see how it works out.Instead of plywood I used cardboard to cover the ceiling.I took an old box and measurements from the model and cut it to fit.An xacto knife with a #11 blade is best for this as it leaves a nice clean edge.I sealed the card using my standard 2/3 lacquer ,1/3 lacquer thinner mix and applied it with a soft brush.When dry I then used some burnt umber gesso as an undercoat.For those not familiar with gesso it is a medium that artist have used for centuries as a sealer for canvas,wood etc..and can be picked up in any art store usually in white, gray,burnt umber and black.I thin mine down with about 25% distilled water (although most tap water will do) I then apply this with a soft brush over the dried lacquer on the side to be painted.Usually about two coats will do and let air dry.Drying can be hastened up by using a hair dryer but don't hold it too close to the surface or you will fry your paint.Normally, gesso because it tends to be applied a little thicker, is best air dried as little cracks can form on the surface if dried too quickly.The great thing about gesso is that it sticks to about anything and anything sticks to it acrylics,oils whatever.It also dries flat with no shine,if you want a little shine you can add a little varnish medium.The trouble with most paints is that they dry too shiny,especially for figures but we will get into that later.
I then glued it to the ceiling using two part epoxy.


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Dwayne & John

Hey guys, go back and review John's second reply in this topic, as standard registered members you are only limited in the buttons available on the HTML editor (i.e. Add New Topic, Add Reply, etc.), but this does not prevent you from including pictures in your replies you just have to use the HTML code rather than the UBB/Forum Code tags (i.e. the ones with square brackets [ & ] ). Your current user gategory (e.g. Passanger etc.) is based solely on the number of posted replies you've made.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Thanks I will use HMTL code here from now on . Cheers! John.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

you just have to use the HTML code 

Yeah, Steve. Our favorite way to post photos . . .


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

John, 
i love your detailed descriptions of what is used how. please stick to it.


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

John

Since the default image width on PhotoBucket is 1024 pixels and max displayed image width on MLS is 800 pixels you might want to include the width="800" attribute in the HTML image tag.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Ok ! I'll give it a go and see what happens, Thank you.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Sorry bout the size of the pic .I am no computer whiz as you can see ! Where is it that I add width="800" to the address?


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

John

Sorry about the slow responce to your question.







The following image depicts the width="800" attribute.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I tried to alter it in photobucket but it doesn"t seem to want to work for me.Maybe I will just add my photo bucket site to the text and let it go at that.Cheers John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Because this diorama could be years in the making,rather than me 
posting a bunch of pictures which just takes you to my photobucket 
anyway ,I will post my photobucket site address only ,the occasional pic
I will post direct to the thread.In the text of my posts I will 
identify the picture number that I am talking about.This should make it 
easier for everybody including me.I plan to add a lot of "How 
to's......" to this thread as my way of doing things maybe a little 
different than most, which you may(or may not) find interesting.Thanks. 
Cheers! John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Weathering wood,everybody seems to have a different method here is mine.
The woods I generally use for model making are basswood,pine , birch tongue depressors and various sizes of coffee stir stiks.In pic 024 in my G scale album you can see the different types that I have collected till now.They are very strong. The raw wood has only been highly polished.
I like the barnsiding look and this is the way I do it.
Mix up a thin wash of paint using flat acrylics. Why flat acrylics ? because there is no varnish in them, to make the paint shine and who wants shiny barnsiding.For this wash I use Nimbus Grey with a touch of Raw Umber added plus lots of water.I brush this on the wood letting it soak into the raw wood.Do not use a sealer at any time during this process.After 2 or 3 thin coats you should have a nice gray with some of the wood grain showing through.You want to take advantage of the transparency of acrylics for this technique.When happy let the wood dry or use a hair dryer to speed up the process.This wood is now ready for use and should have an aged look about it. To be cont....


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

......because of its transparency it is necessary to hand select each piece of wood used for color,grain,unwanted out of scale imperfections etc.....
With this station /passenger car I have lots of leeway with the wood but remember that at one time this was a functioning RR car, so I will build it aged but some of the original car will still be there.When I get to building Morton's luxury car when using various hardwoods ,I will have to be much more careful with both the miniature carpentry and wood finishes.
OK so now we have a lot of stained wood of various wood tones and grays.Now we will have to decide whether or not to take the weathering process a little farther at this point or not.If you will always have easy access to the wood like on the outside of a shack wall ,go ahead and use it as is, but if it is inside in a confined area you can take it a few steps further at this time.
(With this method no airbrushing is required and the methodology is very forgiving of mistakes.)
Get an old toothbrush with stiff fine bristles,then mix up a very thin wash of raw umber and water.Raw umber is best for this step as it makes for a nice representation of mud flecks,fly sh.t etc...Dunk your toothbrush in the mix and flick off most of the contents onto a sheet of paper with your thumb.When you get down to a very fine spray then flick it on your work ,either board by board or section by section that you are working on.If you have prepared your boards properly it with instantly sink into the wood and dry very quickly.Keep doing this until you are satisfied ,and remember some boards that are close to the ground may require a gradual change in intensity top to bottom.Later some may even require a little mossy green were they come in contact with the ground.
to be cont.......


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

......On the areas where you may only have restricted access to later on, you may want to do some of the detail now such as dents, nicks, scratches,putting up old of new signs,making rusty nails and nail holes and pre-shading with chalk pastels.
With the use of pastels on dry unfinished rough wood, this is where my method is a little different than most.On most surfaces chalk pastels will easily rub off but on rough wood surfaces they are quite permanent as is, with no fixative required.Remember I am doing a diorama here, so it is just to look at.If I was using the same method on shiny plastic that is meant to be handled,I would roughen up the surface to get a little tooth in it before applying the pastels and then use a pastel spray fixative over that.I will mark that on my list for further experimentation.

For now lets just deal with the barn siding look.OK so now we have this gray transparent surface with a little wood color and grain showing through.Perfect! Lets add some nail holes and rusty nails which is common with most old wood.Find a pattern that you like or just put a few here and there but remember you are probably( in real life )nailing into joists or studs which will create its own pattern.Rather than have a whole bunch of old boards with a straight line of nails running across them which is boring,you may want to create a different pattern.I often use a kind of zig-zag pattern to avoid this.......to be continued(the doorbell is ringing!)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

G-Scale Trains - John Reid[/b]


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

For the area between the side of the ceiling and the cars wall,I decided to use some paper backed wood veneer,in this case maple.Rather than use glue I used florists wire to secure it to the plastic.I try to stay away from toxic glues as much as possible.Once I get the basic wooden frame up I can go back to using the regular carpenters glue on the rest.
Paperbacked Veneer is great to work with as you can cut it cleanly with a pair of scissors or Xacto blade.The glue between the paper and the wood acts like a vapor barrier so their isn't much warping when using water based carpenters glues.The glue when dry is also waterproof.
Over this I have stared to apply the aged tongue depressors using pegs to secure it down while drying.Once I get the basic framing finished I will feel much better again getting back into woodworking territory.These plastic cars are great as a starting point and have saved me a lot of time getting to this point.The basic framework for Morton's luxury car will be a lot the same except it will be finished in polished hardwoods and brass.

For step by step photo's see my photobucket album "G scale trains"


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Using the smallest coffee stir stiks in my arsenal ,the movie side sheathing has begun.First I cut out some veneer and glued it over the plastic, over that I glued the vertical sheathing which is slightly larger that that depicted on the model.The outward side has been aged a bit and will be finished later as in the film.
I really don't know how this set was built for the movie and of course you don't see any of it in the film.I don't know of any pics that have survived of the actual set so I will just have to use my imagination here.
I am assuming that a real old railway car was used and a set built around it.I am probably wrong about this but using an old car makes it more interesting for my purposes and I think for my RR buds following this thread and gives me a great place to start.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I came across this pic just today.Wow ! great timing as I had just started to sheath the movie side of this car with wood.Although it is not exactly like the car in the movie it sure is loaded with research info.
Like Sergio I love detail,attention to detail was one of his great strengths.
The trick here is to maintain enough of the original passenger car while aging it.Some of the original carpentry on the car was of high quality and must be retained while a lot of the added stuff looks like it was just slapped up there any old way but you and I know that everything there was precisely planned to be there.My diorama is not meant to be an exact copy of his film sets but something similar.
The wood siding that I put on the model today was treated with a couple of washes of the gray mix.Some edges were left broken on the ends. Remember old breaks can be aged too but new breaks should show a change in color back to the original wood.
I left enough of the windows outline to identify this as an old passenger car which is an important consideration as you want your viewer not to question what it is.
I then took a sharp needle and added some nail holes not in a pattern but not just randomly either. Then I took a sharp HB pencil and added a little graphite to each hole to make it look like a nailhead.Later when finishing the weathering I will add a drop of water to each hole which will swell the hole back level again but leaving behind something that looks like nails.I will then add some rust and have it running into and down the wood.The whole thing will be softened using pastels which are put on last after all the handing is over but that is still a long way down the road.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

This is the interior of the same wall.I placed the rough cut boards 
horizontally because if I decide to light the car from above it will 
have a more dramatic effect.I covered over all the windows except one 
which will have shutters.(mostly for my picture taking purposes) These 
boards in real life would have been put up there in an attempt to make 
this area livable.The interior will be weathered but not to the extent 
of the outer side.How this car got there is not really explained in the 
movie.It looks like it got there in pretty rough shape to begin with.Why
? because if the railway was just pushing through this area, where did 
an old weathered rail car come from? It could be that its present 
resting place ,is just its final resting place , at the end of a long 
hard trail across the country.(maybe on a flat car)Anyway that is my 
story and I am stickin' to it !


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I almost finished the interior ceiling ,the only thing left will be to do some shading with pastels after the sides are finished.I used some long thin coffee stir stiks and painted on some very thin nimbus gray /raw umber mix (95% gray,5% raw umber).I then glued them on with carpenters glue to the underlying cardboard roof that was pre-painted burnt umber .I left the boards really rough and warped for the aged look.When dry I took a pin and created holes in the wood in a random fashion, as though somebody had quickly nailed them up there at some point in the cars history ,for insulation purposes.I then used a ordinary HB pencil and twisted some graphite into each hole to represent a nail head.With a small brush I then took some very thin raw umber and put a small drop on each pin hole to swell the wood level again and add a little color.Next I mixed up a very thin wash of raw umber and with a stiff bristle tooth brush I flicked on some of this onto the ceiling.You could also have handy a thin wash of the gray and flick this on if things get too brownish.The trick here is knowing when to quit and not cover all of the underlying wood grain.
The next couple of steps require that you be subtle in your work and don't over do it.Take a thin burnt sienna wash and with a very small round brush randomly put drops onto the nails to represent varying degrees of rust.Rust you say!! in the desert? Well like I said earlier this car only ended up here.
Let it dry ,and then you can come back with another small brush and soften the rusty edges using a little burnt sienna chalk pastel.Also the ends of the boards tend to soak up a little color too.Now stand back a take a look If your not happy with the look you can always come back and flick on some more gray or raw umber if you want more color or to slightly change a shade.Here again you can play with this all day if you want.Have fun! The pics in my photobucket covers each of the steps involved.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Here we are getting close to the finished product.I added a little shading using black pastel applied very lightly with a small soft brush(kind of a miniature make up brush).Try to be very subtle about this ,try not to overdo it.
If you blow up the picture(all my pics are 2 megs at least) you will see that the underlying wood grain is still there which is most important for this technique.Each piece of wood retains its individual pattern and color ,no two are alike.
When I come to doing the luxury hardwood stuff on the other car, I will use no paint or stain just the natural colored wood, hand selected for grain,pattern and color.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I think that equal sign in your address may be a problem.

http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y2...ns/?action=view&current=Gscaletrains051-1.jpg


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

This is the opening scene from the movie and is from the film set that I
am constructing now.It looks old and chaotic but everything here has 
been purposely selected for maximum impact on the viewer.Nothing is 
square or at right angles to the other.The colors,the lighting,the 
textures,even the old clothes line wheel, all have a role in creating 
the scene.The drama is created by the anticipation of who is behind the 
door ?What better way to open a film than the opening of a door ?


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

to me it seems, that you are overdoing it. 
for instance the random nailmarks on your boards. 
nobody puts a nail into a board, if there is no beam behind it, where the board is nailed to. 
if i look at your pics, there is implicated, that there are nearly as much beams behind the boards, as there are boards themselves. 

if you want to create "moods" through the setting, never overdo it. (if you are not planning a parody) 
some dozens of settings i created for our local theatre group teached me, that less is more. (apart from being less work too...)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Thank you for your response .These boards were put up as insulation over other boards already installed,they are nailed to the boards not the beams.I deliberately put in the nails in a random fashion because I hate the boredom of a pattern.
Sergio loved detail,I love detail, the more the better !I learned this from the master you can never have too much detail.Cheers! John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

This is about the most you ever see of the other side of the set,taken 
from a camera high angle near the water tower.The wicket /WC (every 
station needs one)was created with original parts of the model.On the 
inside of the window was the old telegraph machine that got on 
everybodys nerves and was ripped out by a baddy.On a old railway car 
bench on the outside was where the now famous "fly on the face" scene 
took place.Next up will be the shed to be built over top of the old 
car.This should be fun!


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I have a choice for set #2 ,Morton's car.I can use another passenger car like the one I am doing now or use this Bachmann passenger/baggage car.I am assuming here that they adapted an already built car for movie making purposes.It probably never happened this way but I like the idea ! This car will be on its wheels and a set built around it.
If I use the baggage car I will use one side of the already built car and adapt it to my purposes.It will not be the exact car from the movie but my interpretation of it.The passenger car section and part of the baggage area will be movie set.The rest of the baggage area will be a staging area.
I like the paint job as is ,except I will be modifying it .Most of the green I will keep but will matte spray it with acrylic sealer and then finish it using pastels.The roof area will be matte black including the area with the RR letters,I will replace them with something more appropriate. The car will be broken down and gutted so only the shell remains.The interior will be in Victorian luxury style with elements from the movie and the Disneyland train.I will install the unique brass tubing near the ceiling that Morton used to move around the car.On the prop side I will put a backdrop of Monument Valley to add to the atmosphere.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## Robert (Jan 2, 2008)

Really enjoying your posting and the descriptions of some of your techniques. 
Thanks


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Thank you Robert ! I am glad to be on board.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I have doubled the set side of the train station /shacks width to be more like it is in the film.At first I thought it maybe was too wide but I set everything back up on the 40 inch circular table I use for reference at it looks fine.A mock-up cardboard roof has been added to work out the dimensions and angles.Because the cars roof is blocking any view of the shacks roof interior I can fake the roof and use well lacquered cardboard.I want to build it with a slight curve in it and then sheath the exterior with wood tongue depressors.The set side of the roof will be faked with only the ends built to a point where max camera angle would reveal it as such.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

You know the modern dioramist (word?) is soo lucky ! I am surprised that more of us haven't really used all the tools available to us for research and especially for visual playin' around.Sitting here at my computer I have available to me, in my own home,all the possible visual reference I could ever want.I can scan for the minutest detail and teach myself things that only a few short years ago you would have to go to film school for and even then it would be filtered through a teacher who has his own biases.
This is really the golden age for visual artists who want to take advantage of all the tools now available to them.
I never in my wildest dreams thought that this level of research was possible until just recently.When I was a kid going to the Saturday movies, my buds and I would come home and act out what we saw in the movies.Endless hours of childhood arguments over who did what or how, can now be solved instantly.
This may or may not be a good thing for our childhood imaginations but now at least we can get on with playing the game.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## takevin (Apr 25, 2010)

You need to post the img code from photo bucket if your trying to post pictures on here to be seen,


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Moving on to the shack portion of this RR diorama I am starting to put up the roof rafters and boards.I want to make both the cars roof and shack roof detachable for ease of working on and any future maintenance that may be required.
I want this roof to look old so I put a little sway back in the beams.The wood was bent by simply steaming it a while over a stove top pan,then I took an old curling iron ,heated it up and hand bent it over the round tip.The center beam and rafters were then cut to length and installed right on the model.For this I used extra thick crazy glue to tack it all in place.Generally I don't use a lot of CA but for this tacking operation it really is the best way to go,from here on I will use the yellow carpenters glue as I am sensitive to the CA's fumes.
This shack is a lot of fun to do,it is easy in one aspect as exact standards are not required due to the nature of what I am building but then again you really have to study your references to make it look right.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Tongue depressors make great roofing boards.The boards may look wide to the modern eye but they really were easily available in those days.Each board was hand selected for color,pattern , texture and lots of defects.Ten years ago I had bought a whole load of these second quality depressors and used the best of them for hangars that I was building .I kept what I thought was junk just in case,and a good thing it was that I did, because they are perfect for my purposes now.As a modeler one thing I learned early on was not to throw anything model related or what could be model related away.
I used my usual nimbus gray/raw sienna mix and lots of water and created a wash.I put on three thin coats and dried between coats with a hair dryer.It is my normal practice to color my boards before putting them on the model but in this case I only want to paint the film set side and leave the prop side natural,like a prop would be in reality..You don't paint what won't be seen in the film! 
The carpentry is crude in keeping with what I see in my references.I haven't yet decided on the weathering I will do on these boards, because the desert environment is something new to me.There are two ways I can approach this, either the rail car was brought from the east and was mostly weathered in a damper environment with lots of rust etc... or leave the wood bleached from the sun ,or something in between.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Making a little progress on the station/shack area.That hanging board fascinates me,you can be sure that it was not put there accidentally by Sergio.If you look closely at the pic you can see the top of a cowboy hat on the L/H side of the pic.That is where the famous" fly on the face" scene happened.I have not yet weathered this area until it is finished,both sides of these boards will require finishing as both areas are in the film.One of my modeling buds actually went out and took some pics for me of old desert railway cars near Carson City Nevada.That was very kind of him to do so! It always amazes me that the vast majority of modelers can be so kind to their buds.


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

i stopped to use coffee stirrers and tongue depressors for everything. 
they are too thick! 
or do you know many roofs with 2" thick shingles? 

i started to use veneer for scale 1" boards. 
the stirrers i cut for "two by fours" and such.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Depends on the scale your building in,works great for me! Cheers! John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

These Bachmann kits are super for kit bashing.The way that they have been designed to go together makes them very easy to work with.They could be broken down even further by cutting the walls in four separate pieces.This wasn't necessary for my purposes here as I am not doing a lot of fancy detailing on the car/shack.When it comes to the luxury car though it will be necessary in order to do all the carpentry that will be required.The car/shack piece has turned out to be the best place to have started to become familiar with the construction methods as the work here is fairly loose in the tolerances required.

For the luxury Victorian car I plan to buy a lot of the furniture in 1/24 scale from the miniatures world (dollhouses).They seem to love Victorian furniture and have loads to chose from.Building fancy furniture is another hobby itself so I might as well take advantage of what is out there already.My principal is "buy what you can and built what you must."Up until now this has meant just about everything as what is available is very limited in 1/16th scale but in 1/24 the sky is the limit. (or should I say my hobby budget)I should have lots of time to build it back up again as after this car/shack I plan on doing the locomotive which will be mostly out of the box.I will be doing a lot of bashing on it however, as it will be depicted as a fake locomotive built for film purposes, not like the other two pieces that were adaptations of real cars.(in my world).I am sure that the way it was really done in the film studios would have been much different than I am depicting here.What I am trying to create here is an art piece using lots of artistic license,just like they do in Hollywood ! This will be an empty sound stage with no figures at all just the empty directors chair which is what the story is all about anyway.Sergio left us much too soon just when he was getting it all together as a director,who knows what other great stuff he had planned.I wonder though could he have ever have topped "Once upon at time..........? a recognized masterpiece of film making.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

John, 
are you aware no one can see your photos?  

lets try the "HTML code" from photobucket: 

 

re-sized to 800 pixels wide by Peter Bunce - moderator


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

well, that works! 
although they are too big.. 

could you maybe upload photos resized to 800 pixels wide? 
(resized to 800 pixels wide before you upload them to photobucket) 

then copy and paste the "HTML Code" from photobucket.. 
that should do it.. 

Scot


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

You know it is funny how it goes with art. I started off wanting to do and learn about everything.Take figures for example,I wanted to learn how to do them as I thought at the time, that they really completed a diorama.Normally this is true ,they add a sense of scale and life to the scene.In my work I only used them in relaxed positions,standing talking in groups for example.No action not even walking as I felt that it broke the illusion of "a moment in time."My first diorama had three figures,the next five,after that too many for the fourth diorama, then it was back to one, and now none.
A lot of artists are the same from what I see around me.In the beginning they want to prove that they can master the techniques,then having done that they want to experiment with their own ideas and a lot of the time it is about minimizing things to the point where you can get say what you have to say as simply as possible.
Some artists minimize a whole aspect of their art and tell an even more powerful story by letting the viewers imagination fill in the blanks. Making a film with 15 pages of dialogue in a 3 hour piece is a wonderful example of this.When you do it right it can become a masterpiece !


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Hi Scott ! all my pics are large and I have almost 8,000 of them, so in this case it is easier for you to go to photobucket than for me to re-size everything.Cheers ! John.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Well.... easier huh? 
FYI I only copied and pasted twice.... after that I just look in to see if others have commented. Otherwise I just read your comments, have a chuckle and go back to the other forums. 

I don't want to see all your pics, so can the big number, you could resize for this series of posts. Heck I'd rather waste your time once, than ours everytime you post. 

Spaghetti westerns will never look right with 2 axle cars....and buffers! Yet that is what I always see first. No matter how you dress it up, it still looks like Italy to me. 

John


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

re -sized to 800 pixels wide by Peter Bunce - moderator


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Why waste my time either? Most forums re-size pics automatically !


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Well sir, 
Since you are taking the time to post, you're time is already in the equation... 

There is resizing available when you become a paying member, but it is still appreciated when the poster conforms to the site, rather than suggesting the site conform to you. There's also consideration for those on dial up ISP's to reduce the pixel count when resizing. 

I was gointg to wait until you were done to comment.... but I'll probably lose interest. 

Happy Rails, 
John


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Changed my mind again . I won't be doing the interior of the luxury car after all.I reviewed the film again today and it just contains too much stuff.Fine scale furniture building is not something that I really want to do and buying that stuff costs a fortune.It really would not add a lot to the diorama and actually it might be distracting.The primary purpose for the car is to have a Morton Railway logo which is on the outside anyway.I can just make up some wooden blinds ,light the interior through the blinds to add atmosphere and put a sign on the stage door side saying something like "Movie Set,please keep door closed."
The car/shack plus the fake locomotive should get the sub-story line of movies being mostly about illusion, across to the viewer without going to all the trouble involved with building the interior of the Morton car. 
For pic please see my photobucket album G scale pic #103


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Disregard.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Happy Rails ! to you too John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Next up will be the locomotive "The General".I have gathered most of the reference I need.I plan to make this locomotive a complete fake and build only about half of it so that it looks real only when viewed from the directors chair on stage ,as if he would be waiting for the actors to come on the set.(or maybe it was the other way around,they were waiting for him)I am sure that you have seen this kind of thing many times in the movies and never even realized it.Movies are all about altered reality and deception,were not doing History here.A lot of so-called history is illusion anyway but that is another story.
I really like this kit and I am really looking forward to bashing it into something completely different than what you usually see in scale modeling.In full scale 1:1 modeling it has been a long established tradition to fake it.Even for the"Titanic" movie they built a 3/4 scale fake of the real thing.How many models life size or scale model have I seen blown up and destroyed in the movies ,especially before the modern era of animation.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Hi guys ! I won't be posting as often(some will say thank goodness) 
or working on the train diorama for a couple of weeks. The aviation 
museum called and they will be picking up their stuff within the next 
month. I am not expecting a lot to do to finish their first three 
dioramas.The fourth aircraft and the train diorama will be worked on 
over the winter.I will however still be doing research on the train 
diorama and will post anything interesting in the meantime.


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi John,

Acting as a moderator, I have squeezed the last two photos down to just below 800 pixels wide, which is the limit in size for the width.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Well thank you Peter,that was very kind of you.Cheers ! John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

This is pretty much the final composition of the major components of the diorama in HO scale, in G scale that is a diameter of almost four feet.The space between the locomotive and the station/shack, as represented here by the red car, is as close to a front of the diorama that this design gets.The empty directors chair will be in the center.The green boxcar will be Morton's luxury car, which will be a closed set, with a sign on the rear sliding door saying" closed set ,do not enter".From the directors point of view everything will look normal and lifelike but from the viewers point of view it will be a movie set.This diorama will be my idea about how movies were made in the past before all the animation we see today.
It is essentially an artistic license piece about artistic license.A behind the scenes look at how I think the magic was made.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Quote:
Originally Posted by *choo choo*  
Hey John, 

Your concept is as fascinating as the modelling exercise. How do you think up stuff like that?

Greg

Well thank you Greg that is the biggest compliment you could ever give my work!
I have been doing different art forms for many years saying to myself "why didn't I think of that?"It is the originality that always alluded me until now,I found myself saying the same thing " how do they think up stuff like that?"
With ordinary modeling it is still that way with me but with dioramas I seem to have found my niche late in my life.I think that it is the storytelling I like most and taking pictures of the project underway and when it is completed and "in the can" so to speak.After that the fun for me is over and I just enjoy putting the stuff in museums and such for others to see and hopefully have a few of the young ones catch the bug of making dioramas too.
I find that most modelers are "History "minded and stuck on replicating reality ,I just want to bring some fun back into it like when we were kids with unbounded imaginations.Just the mention of "artistic license" drives some modelers crazy,Why? I don't know because anything fun to do requires a certain suspension of belief and modeling like other entertainments is no different.
Because of this fact I thought that it would be fun to kind of play a little trick on Hollywood and the like and switch things around a little by having the director from his point of view think everything looks normal while the viewer is really in on the magic.
Anyway,thanks again ! you have really made this old guy happy.One last thing and really what I am most happy about is that I was lucky enough to have the time and good health to accomplish this in the decade of my 60's.With art it is never too late to work on your dreams.Cheers! John.


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Hi John! 
I remember now your topics on Kitmaker/Aeroscale. Especially your "Memories of Flight School" diorama (what was top of the class!) If I remember correctly you build it for a museum? 
If this RR diorama will be at the same level of realism and detail, this will be a delicious topic to follow!!!! 

So PLEASE keep us posted!!! ;-))) 

Paul


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Thanks Paulus ! I hope it will be too!Actually all three dioramas are going together to the museum in a couple of weeks,a fourth will be finished this winter along with the new RR dio,


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

John;

Your project is progressing nicely.

I was also amused by your "Certificate of Artistic License" I thought you might enjoy seeing my "Modeller's Licence." My copy (below) came from an issue of the British magazine Model Railways. I probably got that copy sometime in the early 1980s. As you can see from the photo below my Modeller's Licence, I use it with impunity. The photo shows the dragon transport car for my Brandywine & Gondor Railroad, "The Mainline of Middle Earth." My fantasy railroad was built about ten years after the great War of the Rings. The dragon is just a hatchling. He can't breath fire or fly as yet. The men of Gondor are transporting these young dragons to a remote training facility where they will become the backbone of Gondor's airforce. Should they ever come back, the Nazgul will not dare darken the skies over Gondor, not with Gondor knights riding full-grown dragons. (Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!)

Best wishes,
David Meashey


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Hi Dave! Isn't it fun being free.Best decision I ever made. Cheers! John


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

*Gap & Seam Repairs* When I was building this base for a diorama I made, somehow (but I can't remember why ),there was this gap in the plywood that now needs to be filled.This is a common modeling problem so I thought that you guys might like to follow along as I try to fix it.The gap shown in the pic is similar to the one I am working on now maybe a little smaller.
It is now crunch time so I can't put it off any longer ! Normally this would be an easy job,just fill the gap and blend the terrain.My dioramas are different though ,as they were designed to come apart and be broken down into modules.This was done for maintenance purposes and ease of moving or storage if required.
Well anyway now I have to find a solution for this problem.My usual method of doing basic landscaping is the glue,water and sand over plywood kind, as described by Ken Hamilton in his book "How to do creative car dioramas".It is now out of print but is available on line.This repair will be using the same basic methods .


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

See my Albatros Dv album in photobucket for the following pics:

08-2[/b] The gap.Double check that the plywood edge has been well sealed as this fix requires the use of water.I use lacquer for this.

06-1[/b] 2 sided carpet tape.

07-1[/b] cut the tape in strips.

05-1[/b] tape is applied along plywood edge.A second layer of tape was applied over the first beause of the width of the gap to be filled.

01-1[/b] all materials are soaked in achohol before applying 

02-1[/b] apply your earth or fine sand'

03-1[/b] apply your thin glue/water mix.

04-1[/b] add turf then more of the thinned glue mix.

05-1[/b] remove tape backing and de-stick the surface using dry earth or fine sand as you want the panel to be removable from the other panel edge.If this is a permanent fix carefully line up both edges and stick the panels together. to be cont........


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

11-1[/b] put wax paper under both panels.

12-1[/b] add more wax paper between the edges of the two panels and begin laying down your soil or sand.

13-1[/b] continue filling until gap is filled and level,then spray with alcohol.

14-1[/b] apply glue/water mix drop by drop.

15-1[/b] fold over wax paper and fill the other side .

16-1[/b] both sides should now be level,let dry overnight.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Meanwhile back at the rail car build,I have put in the floor.The movie set shows a very damaged area as though the floor had been ripped off at this point.I used my usual method to weather the wood but with no rusty nail heads as it would be subject to more recent wear.The pic was taken from the outside, through the car door window, using an ordinary light bulb.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

This is the outside of the rail car from the movie prop side.In my storyline they took an already old car and made it older.The original car would been more carefully put together and some of that carpentry is shown here.I assumed that the window casings were removed along with the glass therefore only the basic frame remains.
All the wood was carefully selected for grain pattern,color and texture.I am assuming that the original color was red but is now aged to orange.I removed the sashes from the windows and build the frames with strip wood that had been tinted orange.The large boards above the windows are part of the carpentry put up by the film crew for their purposes.
The pics in my photobucket show the various steps and the tools used for this operation.


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

John

If you use the 'Add Reply' button instead of the 'Quick Reply' and on Photobucket use the HTML Code field instead of the 'IMG Thumb' field. Then just paste the code into the content area of the MLS editor, yes you'll get the large image (i.e. 1024 x 768) but you'll most likely also get more interest. Your call.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Yes,I understand Steve,I am not trying to be difficult here but I post to a number of sites and I find that this is the best way of doing it for now.I used to post a lot of pics but now I just put up a thumbnail to my site and just briefly describe the pics on the forums.I hope this does not cause a hassle for you. Cheers! John.


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

John

Have you gone back and looked at your previous posted replies? Using the UBB/Forum Code type tags (i.e. the ones with the square brackets [ & ] ) for either images or URL addresses isn't supported in the software, which means that the thumbnail image linked back to your Photobucket album is displayed as text and anyone interested has to copy and paste the URL portion displayed into the address field of a browser window to go back to your Photobucket album.

All I'm saying is if you do the following.
[*] Use the text in the Photobucket 'HTML Code' field that's displayed directly below the thumbnail image of the picture you wish to post when viewing in the album mode.
[*] Then open the MLS HTML editor via the 'Add Reply' button.
[*] Click the 'HTML' button located just below the lower-left corner of the editor's content area.
[*] Then paste the Photobucket copied HTML code in.
[*] Then click the 'Submit' button.
[/list] Then you'll have what you're trying to do work. You can also follow the same procedure described above, while in the image view mode on Photobucket. The only difference is you'll wind up with the 1024 x 768 image displayed instead of the thumbnail, and it will be linked back to your Photobucket album. Note, if you don't switch to the 'HTML' view mode in the MLS editor prior to pasting what you've copied from Photobucket. the image will still display but the hyperlink part will not work.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Forget it! I am no computer wizard as you can see!


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

For those who may be a little confused as to what I am building here don't feel alone as I feel like that sometimes myself.
The above pic shows the area of the set I am working on now.I don't plan on building all of the lighting grid as this is basically an abandoned set but I do plan to show where some of it was attached to the rail car prop.This will be confined to the prop side only and will not be visible from the directors chair.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

This side of the open set is where I imagine the interior shots of the opening scene would have been taken.The opening on the left is where there is a little jog in the interior wall which I presume was a sleeping area for the station master.I am only building that part that can be seen in the film.After the jog is a badly built brick wall with the doorway at the end where the movie begins.The large opening will be from where the interior scenes would have been taken in my little scenario.HO scale track makes a perfect dolly for the camera and really tells the story here without even having to show a camera which would be out of place on an abandoned set.The figure is there to check the scale.
I am presently building the sleeping area/camera platform but on a reduced scale due to space requirements at the edge of the round base.In the film the shot through the door to the outside(where the first nations lady is running away)opens on to the desert and in my scenario would have to have been shot in other open set.The wall where the figure is standing actually extends for a long way and is held down with ropes and stakes in the ground.Nice scene but I can't show it here.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Some of you guys must be wondering why does he keep posting this stuff 
when hardly anyone ever responds ? Well in the beginning ten years ago I
wondered the same thing myself and almost gave up.I build every day so I
don't have a lot of time to socialize on the net, other than sharing my
work and techniques with you guys, which I find extremely rewarding.So 
why is it I don't quit ? well my photobucket tells me a different 
story.Sometimes over a five month period I can get up to a million hits !
Recently it has been running around 600,000.I post my stuff on about 35
websites; aircraft ,RR,cars and ships, some more than others depending 
upon what I am working on at the time.It is very time consuming but I 
love the opportunity to do it.You see I am almost 70 years old and I 
remember how it used to be years ago when most modelers built in 
isolation from one another, except for the occasional phone call or 
snail mail.Now I can instant communicate with other modelers, on a day 
to day basis, and show my stuff in real time.Until now this was never 
possible, before the era of computers, digital cameras and photobucket 
etc....I show it, if you like it fine, if you don't that is fine too 
,but at least the majority of the official gatekeepers, as I new 
them,are pretty much irrelevant today and thank goodness for that. 
Cheers! John.


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

Posted By JohnReid on 20 Sep 2010 05:45 PM 
Yes,I understand Steve,I am not trying to be difficult here but I post to a number of sites and I find that this is the best way of doing it for now.I used to post a lot of pics but now I just put up a thumbnail to my site and just briefly describe the pics on the forums.I hope this does not cause a hassle for you. Cheers! John. 

i am looking up this thread every now and then, to see, if you learned to put pics.

if YOU want to show off, YOU make the pics avaiable.
i don't care, what you do in other fora, and i will not fumble with your "non-links", just because you don't care.

either you start being polite enough to put your pics in a visible manner, or don't count on many admirers.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

"Some of you guys must be wondering why does he keep posting this stuff when hardly anyone ever responds ? " 

Naw sir, it's ego... 

"Sometimes over a five month period I can get up to a million hits !" 

Whoop dee do....We don't care about that. 

So far I haven't seen anything new or exciting and nothing I haven't done already in smaller scales. 

I do think your heading is false though as it isn't a railroad diarama as much as a recreation of a movie set. Your infatuation aside, I'd rate it a B Grade movie at that. So, to me, this diarama is your interrpetation of the Director's interrpetation of life in an other country.... 

I'm in the same camp with Kormsen, I look in occassionaly to see what others are saying, I've given up on your ramblings.... 

John


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

My photobucket :


http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

This small closet looking area is actually a prop set up for the camera.You never see this room in the movie only the suggestion of it being there.The near wall will be fake brick made from previously cut artists watercolor board.Attached to the brick wall will be the door from the opening scene of the film and then finally the actual set.The exterior of these walls will be almost new wood ,while the interior will be painted and weathered to look old.Most of the camera shots from the opening scene were taken from this end of the rail car.
There is one area that had me stumped for a long time and it took my wife's fresh eyes to spot it.The brick area was curved I thought but why would anyone build such a crooked brick wall? Sergio did everything for a purpose and I couldn't figure it out.A closer look actually reveals that there is another wooden wall behind the brick one and it is this wood that has warped to create this odd form.The brick actually starts at the wood post and ends at the rear door and is fairly straight but heavily weathered.

My photobucket:

http://s6photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

see G scale album


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

*Finishing seams,gaps and screw heads.* Quote:
Originally Posted by *JohnReid*  
The rest of the pics are just the cosmetics stuff and the blending in of the two panels for color and texture.It is a matter of just playing around until it looks right.

The pics in photobucket are almost self explanatory on the final cosmetic stuff.
The screw heads are covered using round felt pads the tops of which were covered with white glue and then dipped in the original earth soil,glued on using contact cement and blended into its environment with the materials shown in the pics.You just have to play around with this until it looks right to your eye. 
__________________
"Once upon a time......." Storyboard dioramas by JohnReid.
My photobucket:
http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Some of you guys must be wondering why does he keep posting this stuff when hardly anyone ever responds 

I can understand that sounds a lot bragging and all for some of us here, this statement coming all 'out of the blue' from John. 
However, he posted this post automatically on several forums but it was an answer to questions asked to him on another forum. 

He's relatively new here on MLS but I know John from other forums and John's postings differs from most of us here, more like a one-way communication perhaps. This looks arrogant if you don't used to it. But please be aware; John is far from arrogant!!! 
Although not directly related to garden railway, I know we can learn A LOT from John's work (at least I and many others did). 

John is just very keen to share his knowledge and skills to as much modelers as is possible and is therefor posting on a lot of forums. To win time he is posting on each forum with the same text each time. 

So, what I'm trying to explain I guess is that you must see his post more like a book you can read than as a real interaction... 

I also do regret John does not post pictures here but let's be honest; it is not that easy anymore to post pictures on MLS... 
What works for 99% of the other forums does not work here (simply copy and past URL or IMG tags). 

If you bother to take a look around on his Photobucket pages you can see he is not bragging about his skills. It's a treasure. Cherish it or not. And perhaps it's nothing new, but who did something really new anyway?? 

If some think John's showing off.. well I can only say you are wrong about that BUT I can understand it looks that way. 

If you don't like his post, just don't read it. *But you don't have to put a man down because he's not posting the way you like*. 

Meanwhile John, I hope you'll keep on posting on MLS!!! 

Paul


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Thank you Paul,I couldn't have said it better myself. Cheers! John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Maybe I should explain! When I started all this diorama stuff I was really doing it for kids as donations to the museums educational department.In my wildest dreams I never thought it would take off the way it did.For the longest time I had trouble even calling myself an artist or craftsman or whatever your want to call it.It is only when I got a lot of positive feedback did I really start believing in myself enough to post my stuff unafraid of the criticism this may generate from some.I know sometimes it can look like the ramblings of an egotistical old man but it is really about sharing my ideas with you guys in my own way.I really don't have time to build,keep up with my email and the websites and socialize too. Some day I plan to write an online "how to... book "after my building days are over.I simply just love doing dioramas.Cheers! John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I woke up this morning to a hairline crack about half way along the repaired gap.Rather than re-do anything I think that I will just take a little of the vegetation, soak it in alcohol,place it on the crack in a random manner,and add a little of the glue/water mix which should take care of it.Because of changes in humidity there will always be a tendency for the wet soil type of repair to crack a bit.The overlying vegitation will expand and contract with the wood and should make it totally invisible.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Posted By Paulus on 26 Sep 2010 07:46 AM 
Some of you guys must be wondering why does he keep posting this stuff when hardly anyone ever responds 

I can understand that sounds a lot bragging and all for some of us here, this statement coming all 'out of the blue' from John. 
However, he posted this post automatically on several forums but it was an answer to questions asked to him on another forum. 

He's relatively new here on MLS but I know John from other forums and John's postings differs from most of us here, more like a one-way communication perhaps. This looks arrogant if you don't used to it. But please be aware; John is far from arrogant!!! 
Although not directly related to garden railway, I know we can learn A LOT from John's work (at least I and many others did). 

John is just very keen to share his knowledge and skills to as much modelers as is possible and is therefor posting on a lot of forums. To win time he is posting on each forum with the same text each time. 

So, what I'm trying to explain I guess is that you must see his post more like a book you can read than as a real interaction... 

I also do regret John does not post pictures here but let's be honest; it is not that easy anymore to post pictures on MLS... 
What works for 99% of the other forums does not work here (simply copy and past URL or IMG tags). 

If you bother to take a look around on his Photobucket pages you can see he is not bragging about his skills. It's a treasure. Cherish it or not. And perhaps it's nothing new, but who did something really new anyway?? 

If some think John's showing off.. well I can only say you are wrong about that BUT I can understand it looks that way. 

If you don't like his post, just don't read it. *But you don't have to put a man down because he's not posting the way you like*. 

Meanwhile John, I hope you'll keep on posting on MLS!!! 

Paul First off let me say I'm glad he is still posting here, I know others like his work.
Initially we were trying to welcome him into our family, but his response seemed to say' no thanks' and a gadzillion photobucket hits justified his atitude. One link per post seems to be the way to add numbers even tho it's a PITA for many...

John


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I have mentioned this book before and it is now out of print but my good modeling bud Ken Hamilton has given his permission to put it on the internet.
Ken encouraged me to get into doing landscaping,making good looking junk and super weathering when I needed a lot of encouragement.Ken's work along with Shep Paine are the two rocks that my stuff is built upon. Thanks guys!

See Ken's book here:

DIO Book pictures by mercman51 - Photobucket

Enjoy! __________________
"Once upon a time......." Storyboard dioramas by JohnReid.
My photobucket:
http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Hey John ! don't worry I am not easily discouraged. Cheers! John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Hi guys ! I have had to put the Sergio piece aside temporarily as the museum will be picking up their aircraft dioramas soon .I still have the finishing touches to do and take the final pictures with the lighting as I intended it to be.I did these dioramas mostly for taking pictures but museums have other priorities for display.Example ,I used real bulbs for the lighting fixtures but they can't remove a huge glass case every time they have to change a bulb,so these pics I am taking now will probably be the last where I can control the lighting.
Cheers! John.


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

I used real bulbs for the lighting fixtures but they can't remove a huge glass case every time they have to change a bulb 
John, does that mean the museum will not light the diorama (what will be a pity) or that you have to change the bulbs with LED's?


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Hi Paulus ! Evidently they have their technical people working on this now.It is really only one of them that presents a real problem as it contains enclosed modules for a carpenter shop,engine shop etc...You can see into the shops but with a restricted view and of course you lose all the nice shadows that the interior lighting offers.The fourth one is an open backyard scene with a little lighting in the windows of the buildings facade and I have maintain easy access from behind(viewable only on 3 sides).
You can be sure that with the Sergio RR piece I will be more careful with the lighting options.It will have three parts to it,an open movie set,a closed set and a fake locomotive.I see this on a lazy Susan type of arrangement with a 1 RPM motor of some kind.Cheers!


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I hope that you guys don't mind me just posting pictures of my recent progress on this diorama.I am doing this in the spirit of "a picture is worth a thousand words".Most of this is plain old woodworking and there isn't really much to add.All of the building techniques I use I have covered before and will add again in my upcoming online book.If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.Your input is very important to me.
Recently I was given a great idea for the old west diorama that I am working on now, that will add a whole new dimension to the piece.Old west = ghost town right ? Old movie sets have much the same feeling about them,and this diorama will be no exception,it will have its resident ghost too. Everything is there except the actors.Imagine the feeling of being alone on a set such as this after everyone has gone home !
The figure will be set in the shadows painted an iridescent white .The figure is already in a nice pose just quietly standing there and fits right in with the fantasy nature of this piece.This is where the art of storytelling really comes into the picture.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

This is the basic composition.The open set that I am working on now.Then a closed set as represented here by the passenger/baggage car and finally where you see a flat car the" General "locomotive and tender.In the center will be the empty directors chair and of course the ghostly figure will be inside the station.The locomotive will be constructed as a fake made of metal and plywood, probably cut in half but with a full cab and front portion.
The closed set will be identified as such by a sign posted on the sliding door."Keep door closed", filming in progress "or something of that nature.I may add to the outer perimeter a prop with a backdrop picture of Monument Valley depicted on it.Other than that the car will be completely closed with only some interior lighting filtering through some closed blinds.Anyway ,that is the plan for now!


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Here is a better pic of the rail car/passenger station with the shack built over the top.This is the station from "Cattle Corner" depicted in the opening gunfight scene in the movie.I presume that it was built as a temporary station, as the railway was being pushed through the area, or it was just a cattle station that happened to sell tickets and pickup and drop off passengers until a real station could be built.The railway tie platform was obviously built for cattle and not human traffic.
The" Sweetwater Station" is just newly built and would handle the regular passenger traffic for the area although cattle were also loaded and unloaded there as well.
The whole Cattle Corner thing is special and very unique to this film ,I believe that it was built to symbolize the new ways taking over the old.A station in transition and soon to be replaced by something completely new.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Interesting project. Will you have the lights and cameras too?


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Hi Ray ! No I want it to have an abandoned look about it !Cheers! John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## jbwilcox (Jan 2, 2008)

I don't understand why you can not take the time to learn how to post your pictures so we can see them. 

If you are such a great modeler, you must have the basic intellect to figure out how to post pictures. I periodically look to see if you have learned and each time I find it is the same old stuff. It is now up to seven pages and I still cannot see your pictures. 

I guess I will just stop trying.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Whatever !


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## Bob in Kalamazoo (Apr 2, 2009)

Posted By jbwilcox on 13 Nov 2010 10:53 AM 
I don't understand why you can not take the time to learn how to post your pictures so we can see them. 

If you are such a great modeler, you must have the basic intellect to figure out how to post pictures. I periodically look to see if you have learned and each time I find it is the same old stuff. It is now up to seven pages and I still cannot see your pictures. 

I guess I will just stop trying.


I have to agree, after 14 pages it would be nice not have to play extra games to see what you've posted. A little more time on your side would save that time for everyone else. 
Bob


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## Bob in Kalamazoo (Apr 2, 2009)

By the way John, I don't mean to complain. I've seen your postings on the Garden Railways forum and you do some amazing work. But I can't see it here. It's a shame for people to not see what you've done. 
Bob


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Well, the *most simple and userfriendly** solutio**n* would be if the normal use of URL tags are restored again by the MLS staff. 
Also it's unbelievable other standard tags from for the most common photo storage sites (for instance Photobucket, Flickr or Fotki etc.) just don't work anymore on MLS.








About a year ago these options stopped, never find out why and can't understand why these bugs don't get restored... 
Instead you still have to type a code manually to post a picture (what is not hard, but we are not all home in codes). While a simple button or share option from a photo storage site would do the trick... like on ALL other forums these days (and this one in the past...)








The result is members get irritated because others can't (or won't) figure out these codes. 
I myself am becoming more and more reluctant posting pictures and share work here simply because of this, and I'm not alone in this I'm afraid. I have the feeling more 'regular' members post less regular. And that's a pity because MLS is a very nice site to be... 

Hopefully these options will be restored once, but after all this time I seriously doubt that...


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)




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## Tails (Nov 9, 2010)

This forum uses IMG SRC for photos.

Reverse the things

>img src=""<


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Use the correct URL address with the proper HTML element tag and it works fine.

Gscale077-1.jpg[/b]









(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Thanks for posting the pic !Love your dogs.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

And it is simple to use,just brush or sponge it on the surface to be 
painted and the cracks just appear.The thicker the application of paint 
the smaller the cracks.For the barnsiding look use Silverwood stain as 
an undercoat.Individual flakes can be picked off using an xacto 
knife,tape or gentle knife scrapping .The jury is still out in regard to
using this technique on plastic but I will keep you guys informed after
further experimentation.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

The look that I am trying to achieve here is a bleached, sun baked surface that may have seen some rain sometime in the past.The nail or screw holes were made with a sharp needle in a pattern that indicates some kind of framing structure beneath.I deliberately did not line them up in rows like rivets.I want it to look like it was done by a human hand not machines.
After punching in the holes I came back with a sharp HB graphite pencil and twisted a little graphite into each hole to create a nail or screw head.The graphite works well as it has a slight shine to it like it was metal.
I then took some very watery raw umber and with a bristle toothbrush I flicked on a spray of paint to look like crud ,mud or fly sh.t etc...Then with a small round brush and some very watery burnt sienna I touched every nail head and the wood swelled back to level again and soaked up a little rust staining.Try to be subtle when using this technique.Now I will do a little shading with chalk pastels in all the nooks and crannys.I do all my old barnsiding the same way using birch coffee sticks or tongue depressors.Do not seal the wood prior to painting.
This is a long tedious process but I think that it is worth the effort in the end.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/G scale trains/?action=view¤t=Gscale093.jpg


(Click image to go to Photobucket album)
http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y2...ale093.jpg 



Hi John, I have tried to get your link to work, but with only partial sucess - if the lower (above) link is copied and insertyed in the address line that will go to the photo I think you wanted to display. 

Looking at the ID I think that the '20%20's' in it (which equal spaces in Microsoft code) may be at fault - the program that MLS uses dos have troubles with them!

At least with a slight bit of copying it is now available!

Yours Peter Bunce - moderator


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

A lot of work to make what looks like an old chicken coop !







This section has yet to be treated with the burnt sienna rusty nail heads look.Although they are hardly noticeable they do add a lot to the finished product.When weathering try to treat each area as a artist would do when painting.Make it interesting for the eye and try not to line things up in rows and right angles etc....or use monotone colors. Treat each piece as an individual part of the whole and put your best effort into it no matter how insignificant it may seem at the time.Avoid trying to rush through the things you don't particularly like doing.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Here is a cool old wood study pic ! The paint looks like it was once a 
red color that has now faded to orange.The surface looks like it is 
beyond the cracked paint stage and only a little of the paint stain 
remains.In this damp environment and a little greenish moss has 
developed where the wood nears the earths surface.Not a worry in the 
desert.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Click image to go to Photobucket album.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

OK now here is the finished product ! All it needs is a chicken in the 
window.This is what I love about wood , nothing can replace the real 
thing.Each piece is unique and different and has a character of its own.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Click the image to go to Photobucket album


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Click the image to go to Photobucket album.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Thank you for posting the pics!


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Here is one of those circumstances in modeling where a compromise of some kind has to be made.The bench is to scale but the wall of the car is a little too thick which moves the bench seat a little too far into the aisle.(no conductor is that slim) Lucky for me that all the benches are not required to be side by side
as in a normal railway car.I can cheat a bit in the arrangement of the benches and it won't be noticeable.This is one of the difficulties you run into when scatchbuilding by eye alone.


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

John - if you remember from the beginning of this thread, the UBB tags don't work for posting photos. You need to use HTML to post them here. Go back and look at your first few posts in this thread.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

You know in reviewing my pics of Sergio's set I came to realize that he cheated a bit in this same area.The door is not in the center of the car and the seating is creatively arranged to suit the scene.The master himself was not above making some compromises too!
While on the subject of scale I was wondering how high that braking wheel that is located on the platform should be in relation to the height of the man?I think mine looks overscale in height.I am not too concerned about the diameter of the tubing or the diameter of the wheel itself as that could vary a bit I guess but the height must have been standard.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Or..... you can opt to continue with the red X's.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I would say that Claudia's rear end is perfect but big Marshall Dillon out of Dodge city might have to pay for an extra seat.This is Economy class for sure.
Like everything else about this station the bench legs need straightening.
I grouped the seating arrangement around the wood stove which seems like a natural to me for those cold nights in the desert.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

For picture taking purposes I am sure that Sergio widened this set and 
adjusted the rails to suit the scale.I am not sure exactly how he did it
but the left wall seems to have been moved outward with the rail was 
still placed in the middle.


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)




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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

John, there is a simpler way to post the pictures directly from Photobucket. 

Instaed of using the "Quick reply" you use the "Add Reply" button (always under the last message/post) 
In the newly opened window you see a textfield; choose the HTML button under the textfield and then paste the HTML code supplied by Photobucket in the field. 

Voila! That's it! 

The diorama is looking great and I'm looking forward to see more Sergio secrets revealed! 
;-)


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Like this:



(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Right you are Paul.

There is also an 'Add Reply' button at the top of every topic page too.

The other things are...
[*] He has to be on the Photobucket 'Image View' page where he's viewing a single picture.
[*] Then he has to copy the code in the Photobucket field labeled 'HTML Code:'

And not the one labeled 'IMG Code:' as he has been doing.
[/list]


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Perhaps John doesn't realize that the rest of us are not seeing any photos.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I have a friend coming over today who may be able to help me.My problem is that what I know about posting pics is the only way that I have ever done it.When I learned this stuff I only taught myself what I really needed to know without learning much about the basics.I am afraid to change anything for fear of not being able to get back to where I started.Funny though, with my art it is just the opposite.I am always trying new things.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

John

While the following isn't one of your pictures it does show the Photobucket page that I refer to and the URL fields. The field pointed to by the arrow labeled #4 is the field you need to point to and in the text area (i.e. where you see the < a at the begining) left-click with you mouse. This will automatically copy the HTML code to you clipboard. Next you need to switch to the browser window where have the MLS HTML editor open in. First make sure you've clicked the HTML button that's located in the lower-left between the Normal & Preview buttons. Next, right-click with your mouse pointer anywhere within the text area of the editor, then select the 'Paste' option on the context menu. If you now click the 'Normal' button your image should be displayed in the editors text area. Lastly click the 'Submit button.'


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

You've got it John, the only thing you didn't do was switch to the HTML view in the MLS editor before you pasted the code you copied from Photobucket. That's why the picture displayed but the link back to Photobucket doesn't work. But hey you've got the picture there good deal.


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

John

I'll make you an offer, if you stick with it you'll get it to work for you, and I'll go back and redo all your previous llinks so they work, deal?


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I have been trying to figure out what is the black thing hanging on the wall ,you can be sure that it is there for a reason,something that prominent would be planned. Also what the piece of furniture is below it?It looks like it could be a bench or bench and table together.Victorian furniture is very dark so I stained it burnt umber.I think that is a wooden pail hanging from the rafter and there also seems to be a rolled up black curtain to be able to close off this section.Probably for privacy or to keep out drafts and dust.
I would say that passengers would use the door at the end of the car to gain access to this area.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Thank you Steve ! that is very kind of you to offer to do this for me.Cheers! John.


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

We've got vision!!!! ;-)


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

John, 
Viewing the set pic it looks to me, like the back of a chair where you see a bench. The back is a diamond shape to extend a square. 
On the left side in the shadow looks to be the left upright as it doesn't appear to go any higher than the diamond top. The right one is behind the curtain. 
It's a crude chair, but explains a place for another person. Takes advantage of the width of a coach setting. 

John


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By JohnReid on 05 Dec 2010 07:12 AM 
I have been trying to figure out what is the black thing hanging on the wall ,you can be sure that it is there for a reason,something that prominent would be planned. Also what the piece of furniture is below it?It looks like it could be a bench or bench and table together.Victorian furniture is very dark so I stained it burnt umber.I think that is a wooden pail hanging from the rafter and there also seems to be a rolled up black curtain to be able to close off this section.Probably for privacy or to keep out drafts and dust.
I would say that passengers would use the door at the end of the car to gain access to this area.

I use Infranview to redo the photos. might try it.. neat program and free... 
Here is it lighten up and now maybe you can see what you are looking for? Noel


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Noel, that's his pic of his work! The pic in question is above Steve's tutorial w/pic of flask.... The Original set pic. 

John


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

photo reduced to 800 pixels (the width limit) wide from 900 by Peter Bunce - moderator


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

These little creamers from the coffee shop make excellent tin garbage pails or forms for building wooden ones.I first cut out the bottom disc and then glue on the side pieces,trim the top level and add a band around the top.I painted it burnt umber and then sanded most of it off.
I spent way too much time making this but because a lot of the storyline revolves around the symbolism of water I felt it was worth it.However it looks a little large in this scale.I will live with it for a few days and see if I have to make another one and keep this one as a wood bucket.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I decided to give myself an early Christmas present this year and start working on my first locomotive as a movie prop.I have never built one before and am really excited about getting started.The station prop has very little creative stuff left to do except some of the finishing.Every year in Montreal the miniatures people have a show in April and I will wait to see if I can pick up some nice 1/24 scale Victorian furniture for the old stationmasters desk and chairs etc..
My background is aviation so I am out of my area right now.I find this exciting but also a little intimidating.Just learning all the new terminology itself will be a challenge .
If you see something that is obviously wrong or I am headed in the wrong direction please feel free to jump in at anytime with constructive criticism.
Thanks ! Cheers. John. Should be fun !


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Noel

This is what John is speaking of...
















Original Movie Set Picture John's recreation


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Don't know if this will be of any help but here's a blow-up of that section of the original.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

I doubt it matters Steve, I don't think Mr. Reid reads any replies. 

John


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Posted By SteveC on 07 Dec 2010 12:51 PM 
Noel

This is what John is speaking of...
















Original Movie Set Picture John's recreation
It still needs lots of dust and dirt though, which will be part of the finishing process. Cheers!


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Steve, I see Mr. Reid didn't read the whole exchange. 
I think it's a monolog. 

Rah 
John


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

OK, so step one will be the overall composition and in which direction the train will be heading . This will determine which side of the loco that I will build.I think that clockwise would probably be the best as that is the way most viewers would feel comfortable reading the storyline.Therefore I will be building mostly the R/H side as the prop facing inwards.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Remember John,please try to be constructive in your criticism.Do we really need remarks like that!


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Photo adjusted in width to maximum by Peter Bunce - moderator.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

The two boiler halves required a little coaxing to go together but finally lined up very well.The front of the smokebox was an easy fit but the backhead will be a problem and will be fit last.I have 2 kits so I checked if the other kit had the same problem,it did.Now I will wash these parts with water and detergent to remove any left over mold release agent and sand the surface to give a little tooth for the paint.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

"Remember John,please try to be constructive in your criticism.Do we really need remarks like that!"

Sir,
Earlier in this thread you posed a question and I gave a possible answer(Dec 05), it was your ignoring that, that led to my comment. Can your attitude please.

John


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

John I post to many different websites and I do not get a chance to always answer everyone right away.I am also a dedicated modeler and that comes first I am afraid.I don't see any reason to change .If that offends you please don't bother to read my stuff. thanks .Cheers! John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Working on the prop side.I have put up some of the interior plywood paneling to which the fake tin or fiberglass on the other side would be secured to.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I have started to build up the interior framing using bent formers and have cut out a viewing hole in the other side.I keep the little loco handy to check out the viewing angles.I will probably build everything above the running boards on both halves and play around creating new stuff below on the prop side.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I will have to work on how to change the pic sizes in my photobucket before sending them.


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## takevin (Apr 25, 2010)

Posted By JohnReid on 08 Dec 2010 04:43 AM 
John I post to many different websites and I do not get a chance to always answer everyone right away.I am also a dedicated modeler and that comes first I am afraid.I don't see any reason to change .If that offends you please don't bother to read my stuff. thanks .Cheers! John. 
Then whats the point in even posting here???? Usually you join a forum for interaction. If you just want to post pics, start a website up and your good. Might want to check the attitude at the door from what I've read. Also its very easy to change pic size in photobucket, just read, it's not rocket science.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

This is where I am so far.The kit has been modified for use as a movie prop.Everything that looks like metal I assume would be made from tin or fibreglass or whatever would look good on camera.
After washing and sealing the seams with some thin super glue,and some light sanding of the fake metal ,I used some watered down black gesso (about 50/50) and a couple of drops of flow medium and painted on a couple of coats with a brush.Keep your coats thin as there is some pretty fine detail here that you don't want to cover up.
I added a dowel handle for convenience.

I plan to build all the wooden parts from real wood or wood veneer and just paint the fake metal parts.


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

John, what is your Gesso made of precisely? I know it's normally some sort of chalk/paint for canvas or wood but does it stick (and hold!) on plastic also?


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

On some of the newer websites that I post to there seems to be a misunderstanding about what my posts are about.


About ten years ago when I first started posting it was my intention to promote the building of dioramas on the web.The armor guys had been well into this for a long time but there is little communication between the two groups.I wanted to help change that situation at a time when a lot of modelers thought that a diorama was a nice wooden base to put your model on.
I post to about 30 different websites.RR,auto,ship,figure and aircraft as well as some other art and photo sites and I am also writing an online book about storyboard dioramas.I have always been a teacher and I love to share whatever knowledge that I may have with others.This is more of a How to..... thread than anything else.I am also an active builder of dioramas for museums and at 70 years old this keeps me very busy.I just don't have time to socialize on the net.If you are expecting feedback on every post , you won't find it on this thread.Please try to understand.I know that there is a lot of interest out there as my photobucket averages thousands of hits a day and that is reward enough for me.Cheers! John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

The great thing about gesso is that it sticks to just about anything and just about anything sticks to it.It is a thick medium so you may have to thin it a bit with water for painting with a brush.When watered down(I wouldn't go more than 50/50) it is self leveling with no brush marks.A few drops of flow medium in the water may help if you want a thicker consistancy.
I have used it on bare shiny plastic but you have to be patient and build up your coats thinly .You can use a hairdryer to speed things up a bit but don't hold it too close to the surface with the heat on as it could fry your paint or make the paint run.On areas where there is no fine detail you could also use some very fine sandpaper or crocus cloth to provide more tooth for the paint.Especially on a shiny surface wash the area really well with a small soft toothbrush and detergent to remove any mold release agent or greasy fingermarks etc....To answer your original question modern gesso has an acrylic base and you can also paint with oils over it too if you want to. Good luck! Cheers. John.


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Posted By JohnReid on 12 Dec 2010 07:57 AM 
The great thing about gesso is that it sticks to just about anything and just about anything sticks to it.It is a thick medium so you may have to thin it a bit with water for painting with a brush.When watered down(I wouldn't go more than 50/50) it is self leveling with no brush marks.A few drops of flow medium in the water may help if you want a thicker consistancy.
I have used it on bare shiny plastic but you have to be patient and build up your coats thinly .You can use a hairdryer to speed things up a bit but don't hold it too close to the surface with the heat on as it could fry your paint or make the paint run.On areas where there is no fine detail you could also use some very fine sandpaper or crocus cloth to provide more tooth for the paint.Especially on a shiny surface wash the area really well with a small soft toothbrush and detergent to remove any mold release agent or greasy fingermarks etc....To answer your original question modern gesso has an acrylic base and you can also paint with oils over it too if you want to. Good luck! Cheers. John.


Thanks John! I'm gonna give it a try!


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

The smokebox backhead required a lot of fitting to get it right but finally it looks OK I think.There still is a small seam visible in some areas which I could re-do but I will leave it as is for now as it may not even be visible when finished.I can see that this is going to be quite a long process to really do justice to this fine old locomotive.When building in wood the replacement piece must fit exactly like the plastic it is replacing.Wood veneer also has its problems because when you veneer the plastic part it ends up just a little bigger than the original.I will have to shave down every plastic piece I use so things will fit properly.Luckily I have two kits so that will make it a lot easier to replicate any plastic part.I think that I will start with the running boards,I have two choices here,make them from solid cheery wood or shave down and veneer the plastic.Maybe I will do one of each as an experiment and use the best one on the model side.
I have discovered a great set of reference pictures of the inside of the cab of the Lilly Belle ,Walt Disneys train.I will try to get permission to use these pics as reference here from the photographer .Cheers!


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Dave has kindly given me permission to use his Lilly Belle photos that I took off of my computer screen.Not the best but they will have to do for now.For more pics see my Lilly Belle album in my photobucket.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I will have to start making decisions about color almost right away and I kind of like Lilly Belle's cab.It is very colorful which appeals to me a lot but I will be weathering it down somewhat and my painting won't be so shiny.Any suggestions ?


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I think that old looks better in this scale,more realistic and less like a toy.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## Madstang (Jan 4, 2008)

Couldn't take my eyes off this thread...like a train wreck! Geez!

Bubba


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

For a complete tutorial on cracking paint please see:

http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/m...s-266.html

Cheers! John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

John

You need to remember to use the field labeled "HTML code" for posting images.


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Actually, the right place to look for the explanation/tutorial is: here (265 pages further in that massive but interesting thread...). 
Looks awesome John!


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Posted By SteveC on 08 Mar 2011 11:41 AM 
John

You need to remember to use the field labeled "HTML code" for posting images.









Oh darn ! I forgot,sorry.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Thanks Paulus ! I am actually getting anxious to get back to the RR diorama.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Photo reduced in width to 800 pixels approx., from 1024 pixels - Peter Bunce - moderator


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/models/16792-how-build-aircraft-dioramas-274.html


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

For a complete " How to....."on building a stone wall,my style,please see the above website.

Please note:
Because I contribute to 32 modeling websites of all kinds I have had to pick one to post detailed "how to's...." to.This site happens to be the first site that I happened to contribute to back in 03 .It also has all of my content in one place which will be of great value to me someday when I hope to do an online (free) book about my methods which I will then post to all the websites that have so kindly supported me and my work up in the past.
Because of the type of work I do a lot of my stuff crosses over between different genres. I would ask that if on occasion that I make a mistake and post something on airplanes in a car or RR or ship site( or visa versa ) please be patient and I will try to correct it ASAP. But most of the time I am dealing with" modeling in general "that crosses all boundaries."

I am by no means an expert in anything I do, in fact a lot of the time this is a real time learning experience for me too.A good example of this is what I am posting right now,this is my very first stone wall in paperboard,so you get it direct mistakes and all. I think that the guys that follow my stuff appreciate it more like this .It would be impossible for me to do it like this and post very detail to 32 websites everyday.

Thank you for your patience and understanding ! Cheers! John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

How did you add those rivets?


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

"rivets" Sorry, I don't quite understand what you mean. Cheers! John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I will build up in wood the small upper attic window which was probably used for ventilation more than anything else.Small sloping roof rooms on the upper floors were also common in those days.I will shutter the window or board it up,there will be no glass to attract the viewers eye.
These walls look much more natural if you don't attempt to make them too perfect.A queen's castle is something different but for your ordinary turn of the century building you may have to even force yourself to screw it up just a little here and there to give it an increased sense of authenticity.
Example. The bricked up window has very subtle errors built into it like the slightly different horizontal level between the stone and brick wall.
The key here is be be very subtle about it so that it does not immediately attract the viewers eye(like in the deliberately distorted pic above) however, could be picked up after a thorough look at the main subject,which in this case happens to be an airplane but it could be a car,train or whatever the main subject of the piece happens to be.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

The uneven blotchy color is only the first thin coat of paint that I put
on to get rid of the stark white of the paper.If not covered now it 
will stick out like a sore thumb and will be almost impossible to cover 
later if accidentally touched with glue.This light gray color can at 
least be easily worked into the overall stone color of the wall which 
will eventually become the lightest color stone on the finished wall.The
variety in shades on the individual stones happens automatically when 
using very watery acrylic paint ,as the pigment tends to settle to the 
bottom as you are using it over a period of time.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

The uneven blotchy color is only the first thin coat of paint that I put on to get rid of the stark white of the paper.If not covered now it will stick out like a sore thumb and will be almost impossible to cover later if accidentally touched with glue.This light gray color can at least be easily worked into the overall stone color of the wall which will eventually become the lightest color stone on the finished wall.The variety in shades on the individual stones happens automatically when using very watery acrylic paint ,as the pigment tends to settle to the bottom as you are using it over a period of time.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I build two types of dioramas ones that physically exist in museums and 
ones that exist in pictures only.The second type is a lot like a film or
stage play where you build and bring all the components together and 
record the images as they once existed in the composition.You still get 
to make all the parts ,scratch or otherwise ,which is really the most 
fun in model making,but it is really the composition of these parts that
tell the story.In fact when finished I often like the pictures of the 
piece more than the actual model.It is a lot of fun playing with the 
lighting,camera angles etc...doing all the things that movie directors 
get to do but on a small scale.An added bonus is that you still get to 
keep your models and display them the way you want.One nice idea would 
be to display your model with pictures of it in its original diorama 
setting.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Nice idea for a diorama. Gravity feed all the way !


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I have made up a series of pics on how to repair a crack when landscaping a vignette or diorama.They are pretty much self explanatory and can be found by clicking on the thumbnail.
If at any time you feel that there is something that you don't understand or the pics are not clear enough please feel free to stop me and ask any questions on the" how to..s" of diorama building.If I don't have the answer I will try to find it for you.


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## alecescolme (Dec 20, 2010)

Really great work- looks very realistic! 

Alec.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Thanks ! glad you like it.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Just for fun I put all 5 modules together to take a few forced perspective pics of various subjects. I enjoy playing around with the camera using the facade as a backdrop.None of the models depicted are finished they are here for composition purposes only.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

The following is a great free online book for novice diorama 
builders.The author Ken Hamilton has kindly OK'd it to be published 
here.This book is now out of print.Thanks Ken.Cheers! John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/mercman51/DIO%20Book/


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I recently read in the local newspaper that a large RR diorama (layout) here in Montreal is being forced to find a new home.The problem is there never was any plans made for this eventuality and there is no way to take it apart.
So another huge piece of modeling history will now end up in the garbage due to poor planning.
I see this often too on an individual level.Guys take a lifetime to build layouts that can't be moved and are just too big for most homes.Some of these are really little works of art that deserve a better fate. Someday they will probably be highly sought after by collectors ,hobbyists and museums ( after most have already been tossed in the garbage) as examples of our brief historical era of modeling will then be quite rare.
If you care about the fate of your stuff and I think most of us do,give a little thought about the future and do your stuff in modular sections or even a series of mini-dioramas that can easily be taken apart.I don't know how many times I have overheard the RR guys at the local hobby store talking about this very subject in very sad tones of too bad about this guys layout and what a shame about that guys layout when a little pre-planning may have made all the difference.Modules are really the modern way to go now if you care about the future of your stuff.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Sticking leaves to a flat surface where you don't want to use spray alcohol because of its effect on the acrylic paint has to be approached a little differently.
I use straight white glue put on with a small brush,sprinkle the leaves on and blow off any excess.Subsequent areas that require more leaves can be built up using an eyedropper for the alcohol and then the usual water/glue mix . 
Take a look at the normal patterns in nature created by the wind and rain and vary your leaf patterns accordingly.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

*More on modules.* A few posts ago I mentioned something about building layouts and large dioramas using modules.
I was back in the same hobby store yesterday and made some more inquiries .Evidently,they had two scales on display there "N" (very small scale) and "H" (larger).Someone had the foresight to do the "N" scale in modules and they moved it out in a single morning.Unfortunately the "H" scale will have to be busted up.They are going to try to preserve portions of it if they can.
With all the modern electrical fixtures ,quick dis-connects etc... there should be no excuse for this in the future.With a little planning in the beginning this hassle could have been avoided .
On a more personal level I am sure that a lot of families would love to be spared the agony of putting Uncle Joe's or Grandpa Jim's layout in the garbage because it is just too big and difficult to move.A lot of these decisions have to be made quickly at a very bad time in people's lives and some very fine work and in some cases real artwork is lost forever.
Modules could be built as separate dioramas each with its own little story and complete scene that when put together makes for an even bigger story.
Take nice overall pics of the huge layout as it once was and then create a picture book for your each modular section that could go with it to its new home.Even museums could make a very nice display of your work and put it in context for the viewer without have to find space for the whole thing.
Maybe it is because I am going on 71 now and these things have become more important to me.We all get old some day and faster than you think,believe me.This may not be important to you now but maybe someday it will.Do your family a favor and plan ahead.
Someday layouts will be as rare as old baseball cards are today and probably just as valuable.Lets face it we are in the golden age of modeling when old farts like me are realizing their boyhood dreams and have the money to do so.What I could buy with my allowance as a kid is history now.Times change rapidly today and a lot of stuff competes for our attention and money.

Personally I don't do large layouts but I do large aircraft dioramas in modular form and donate them to Canada Aviation Museum.Even if there comes a time that that they no longer want them chances are the airplane models themselves will survive as historical examples or maybe in a future collectors home.I feel good to at least have given my stuff a survival plan.
Nothing is forever but humans have since ancient times loved models of all kinds and probably will continue to do so.Kids never change and future imaginations will thank you for it and so will the memories of future older folk too .


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I have started a new thread over on theaerodrome.com on building basic wood structures for dioramas.It is intended to be for modelers of all kinds who are not familiar with working with wood.
I will in the future also put it up here as well ,when I get all the bugs worked out.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/models/53240-basic-wood-structures-dioramas.html


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

The following excerpt is from "The Road Not Taken" a poem by Robert Frost

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood,and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost.
Courtesy of WSP.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Please note:

For anyone who was following my day by day posts over on theaerodrome.com please see the following site for a continuation of that thread.

http://aeroscale.kitmaker.net/modul...le=index&req=viewtopic&topic_id=179956&page=2


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

pic courtesy of Achime Engels


100 years later,some things never change.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

*Why Keep Posting ?* You may be asking yourself,why does he keep posting this stuff when there is so little active response to his posts?

Number one is, to fulfill a promise that I made to myself 12 years ago to spread the word about dioramas as far and as wide as I possibly could,simply because I love dioramas.

Number two is, how do I know anybody is tuning in ? well in only one year I have got almost a million hits on my photobucket site. Yes,I can't believe it either.Most are repeats but still a million hits is very encouraging to keep on going with this stuff.
On occasion someone will tell me how they have been following my stuff for a long time ,sometimes on another site.

Number three is the amount of hits that I get on some websites that I post to.You guys may not always respond but I know that you are following along.

I want to thank all you guys and gals who have supported me now and in the past.You will never know how much your support means to this old guy. Cheers ! John.


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## todd55whit (Jan 2, 2008)

I wouldn't let the inactivity of return posts deter you. Your work is amazing! It is very inspiring. I am building modules for a club I belong to. I has visit your posts and get alot of ideas for my little project.


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

I don't bother why... I'm just glad you do post and share your work!


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

4 photos reduced to the correct size of 800 pixels wide by Peter Bunce - moderator


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

A large scale diorama can be built for taking pictures of all types of 
models.They can be built expressly for that purpose or as in my case as a
temporary backdrop before I ship it off.This backdrop was originally 
made for my airplane diorama "The Road Taken".The airplane has been 
temporary stored in my home and can be re-installed back in the diorama 
in as little as five minutes.Actually I have more fun taking pictures 
than the actual modeling and in some cases I like the pictures better 
than the model or diorama.Storyboarding using your own pictures is also a
lot of fun too when using them in a picture book or album.In my case 
the storyboard albums will be for members of my family and friends 
because the real thing will be gone to a better home.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

A large scale diorama can be built for taking pictures of all types of models.They can be built expressly for that purpose or as in my case as a temporary backdrop before I ship it off.This backdrop was originally made for my airplane diorama "The Road Taken".The airplane has been temporary stored in my home and can be re-installed back in the diorama in as little as five minutes.Actually I have more fun taking pictures than the actual modeling and in some cases I like the pictures better than the model or diorama.Storyboarding using your own pictures is also a lot of fun too when using them in a picture book or album.In my case the storyboard albums will be for members of my family and friends because the real thing will be gone to a better home.
This thread is about ideas not a specific type or genre of modeling.Website owners please feel free to move it or delete it at your own discretion if you feel that it does not meet the standards of your site.I don't mind,honest !


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Warning!! the next picture that you see may be disturbing to some viewers, yes it is a car. I used it here only for information purposes.Airplane,RR,figure guys etc...will just have to try to avoid looking at it ! Please let me explain.

The pic below depicts a car of course but it really could be anything.The point here is the backdrop and how it was used to create a little vignette within the larger diorama.
Here I have taken a 1/18th scale car and put it in a 1/16th scale diorama.By using camera angles,lighting,focus,forced perspective etc... I was able to create the illusion that it is all the same scale.
I deliberately selected a very shiny new car right out of the showroom for this example. Using proper lighting I was able to control any excessive shine which would otherwise only serve to make it look toy like.This is especially true of figures.You have to learn how to control the shine.Even in this picture it is still quite shiny but you should see it if I didn't play around with it a bit.
My technique is very simple, I just experiment and shoot lots of pics using different kinds of lighting.I have no professional equipment and I use a point and shoot camera.(In the old film days ,I wound be broke by now.)If you get 1 in 20 that looks good you will be lucky.Don't spend a lot of time and money on fancy equipment,you just don't need it.Most of my pics that I am taking now of an outdoor scene I just bounce the light off a white ceiling and use a hand held clip on light with a 60W bulb to produce shadows.Don't be afraid to keep moving the light around by hand until you get what your looking for.Sometimes an accidental shot will be the best of the bunch.
For my indoor shots in hangars etc.. I usually set up overhead lighting controlled by a rheostat especially when I am using figures to take advantage of the shadows that this produces, which is usually better than anything that I can paint on by hand.Simply underpaint only and play with the light to bring out the detail.In a controlled light setting this works very well.My figures for example look best indoors and in artificial light.Outdoors I have got to work a little harder but either way I am no Shep Paine with painting figures,that's for sure.

To make the scene look like it is all one scale there are a few things that can be played with.Camera angle is one.Low angle shots worked best in this case as it distorts the scale.Out of focus background also helps.Take shots that don't give it away.For example anything that is of readily known proportions like figures in the foreground or windows in the background must be used very carefully.In the above pic for example the fence can come in various sizes in real life but everyone knows the approximate size of a standard door or window from that era.

to be continued.......


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

OK, you've got me curious! ;-)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Great ! I will post some pics.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Please note;
I will be returning to my Sergio Leone RR piece today .My last aviation diorama is now, for all intents and purposes, finished.I want to thank you guys for bearing with me while I was posting things not directly related to RR's.I hope that you got something out of it. 

I would however like to continue using other genres of modeling as examples for picture taking purposes, lighting ,camera angles etc.. All of my finished references are not RR subjects,in fact this is my first RR adventure since I was a child playing with my electric trains in the 1940's.I guess that you could call it going back to my roots.Most of my pics from now on will be RR. Thank you ! Cheers. John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

The facade lighting is from the empty space in the back of the diorama that is normally covered with plywood.Here I am just just a 60w bulb to see if any light is still shining through the bricks after I painted the other side black.
The rooms with closed drapes or blinds with be painted various colors on the board in back.This should give each room a different color glow when lighted.The open windows will either be covered with wallpaper or painted ,with maybe a picture or clock hanging on the wall for added interest.I will have to experiment a bit here with the colors and the intensity of the light.
Would my dollhouse friends who follow my posts have some good ideas on this ?
Maybe using LED's ? 

pics to follow...


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

My next diorama is called "Once Upon A Time In The Movies" .It is my idea of how a movie set may have looked like back in the 1960's and is pure fantasy .It is a piece that I have dedicated to the great Italian film director Sergio Leone.The theme is old Western movie making based upon my favorite movie "Once Upon A Time In The West."
This diorama will be in 1/24 scale.I plan to have lots of fun with this one !I am presently building a locomotive as a movie prop based upon the old General model kit.Well here goes !


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Here is a brief review of what I have done on this diorama prior to now.

The above illustration is of a typical movie set.

Of course everything starts with a little research on the subject that you are interested in.Pick a subject that is really personal to you,something that you love and not what others think you should love.If your heart is really in it that will see you through the rough periods and there always are a few of those along the way in any creative project.
Once you have a subject in mind the next step is the most important you will take.Research,research,research,get to know your subject really well.
The web ,libraries,museums books,magazines,films etc.. are good places to start. In my case with this project I have a huge advantage, I have the movie itself which I can stop and study frame by frame.
Other than for me personally, this diorama will be more instructive than emotional for the viewer.The last two dioramas that I have done were designed to involve the viewer emotional in the piece and send a message of some kind.This time it will be a more descriptive piece,how they used to make movies.
It is however emotional for me personally as I am a great fan of Sergio and have guided myself in the making of my dioramas the way he made movies,except mine are only one frame long.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

First I made a 3D mockup of what I am planning.I like to use this for reference purposes as I find that it really helps to put everything in context.It is not written in stone though, nothing is with my style of modeling as I want the freedom to change things right up until the end of the project.This helps keep me interested too as I never know where it will end up.

Anything that I measure on the HO mockup I simply multiply by 3.625 for 1/24 scale.Speaking about scales I sometimes cheat a little and call it Artistic License.A good example of this is the locomotive kit I am using which is actually 1/25 scale in a 1/24 scale diorama but unless I told you ,you probably would not have noticed and you guys are much more familiar with scale than the general public would ever be.
My goal here is eventually find a good museum as a home for this diorama, because of its descriptive nature I want it to be seen by the public.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Sergio is the fellow with the hat and white shirt standing by the rear door next to the light.I don't know from which of his movies this pic comes from but it looks like one of his westerns that he was so famous for.
My closed set will be quite different as the diorama will depict an old abandoned movie set with no figures except for maybe a ghost or two.(every old western set needs one).

The HO train cars on the piece of round plywood is the basic design so far.The caboose with the cardboard roof will be the station from the opening scene of the movie.The locomotive will be pretty much as you see here except it will be a prop.
The green boxcar will actually be a closed set passenger car in the diorama.Somewhere in the scene I plan to put an old directors chair with Sergio written on the back.

Originally I was going to do this piece as a set from the film.I have since changed my mind actually I now plan to make it a long abandoned set from that era.I really enjoy making things look old and weathered (like me) and I think that it will add some emotion to the piece.Sergio died at 60 at the height of his artistic abilities and I want to honor that sense of loss of a man that still had so much more to give.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Well I guess that I might as pick up where I left off building the locomotive as a prop to be used in the movie set.You will remember that I am using "The General" kit as my starting point and I am now adapting it to look like a movie prop.There is lots of nice detail to work with here and it is an eye-saving 1/25 scale.
This is my first RR diorama and my first attempt at building a scale model locomotive so please if you see that I am going down a wrong path I would appreciate it if you more experienced builders would advise me.I have run electric(yes we had electricity way back then, LOL) trains on and off for 65 years now but never had this building opportunity before.
I can't remember exactly what my first train was but it was back in Toronto just after dad returned from overseas about 1945 .I do remember him saying though before one of his flights "Don't leave it plugged in too long you will burn out the transformer"Well he wasn't gone long and I proceeded to do just that.It became a push train after that.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

This is my first locomotive build so it is taking me a lot longer than it normally would with an airplane build where I pretty much know where everything goes.The sand box cover and the steam dome came already painted brass but I didn't like it.Too shiny and it needed cleaning up of the flash along the seam lines.I stripped the old paint off,softly sanded them,scrubbed them clean and then applied gold paint which is close enough to a brass color for now.Later when I weather the whole thing I will adjust it as required. 
The running boards are gray in color and will likewise be weathered later.My final step on any model that is not meant to be handled a lot is the use of pastels.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I have mixed opinions about this kit.The accuracy I cannot vouch for one way or another because I simply do not know enough about locomotives of this era.
The quality however shows its age.The main problems are the type of plastic used and the molds.The plastic is of a type that makes it very difficult to remove the all too present flash.Normally I like to do this with a sharp Xacto or some gentle sanding.This is a type of plastic that does not sand well as it is too soft.The larger parts are OK but the small parts are very difficult to work with and break very easily.I have spent a lot of time on repairs.The brass parts all require that the paint be removed, the flash removed ,and then repainted with acrylics.Nothing looks worse than seem lines on shiny brass.The acrylics do not stick to the surface very well and must be lightly sanded,then washed and undercoated with gesso before the final finish is applied.
If I was doing this as a stand alone model as a new shiny example of a new locomotive of this era I would have to do a lot of scratch building.For what I am using it for as an old rusty and weathered piece it is adequate for my purposes and should look pretty good when finished properly.
The plastic kit making industry has come a long way since this kit was manufactured especially in aircraft modeling in 1/32 scale.The new kits have perfect fits and almost build themselves but as an old time modeler I find that just painting someone else work can be a little boring.I enjoy a challenge and have the time to spend rebuilding stuff whereas most modelers today don't want to invest that much of their free time scratchbuilding.
In todays fast paced world it is quite understandable.
We are living in the golden era of the kit but it wouldn't last long as they are too expensive for kids now and the old now have the money but are just getting older.In the end our hobby will survive as man has always been fascinated by model making throughout the ages. Maybe scratchbuilding will make a comeback but with a lot fewer modelers doing it though.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Here is a pic of the great director himself in action on the set of Once upon a time......It is taken near the cab of a Spanish locomotive in Spain, by Angelo Novi Sergio's personal stills photographer.
My locomotive will be a little different and is actually closer to the real thing in design.I have chosen to build a fake locomotive and use it as a prop as was commonly done back in earlier times.My General will be a shell built of wood and tin and depicted sitting on a track waiting for the actors return which never came.
Although I don't believe it ever happened in this case, props were often built after the main movie was shot and used in re-takes.It was a lot less expensive this way.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I am just starting the interior sheathing of the forward cab wall using coffee stir stiks.This is a long procedure of cut and fit,cut and fit,filing around windows etc....These boards will be painted a weathered green .
I have continued to dull the brass using a very thin wash of raw umber either brushed on or sprayed using the old toothbrush method.
The exterior of the cab will be painted a weathered orange to look like a well faded red color and then worked over with pastels.This diorama represents a long abandoned movie set.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I have temporarily taped the cab together to make sure that it all fits together before doing the finishing.Now I will break it down again and finish each panel individually.What looks like green barnsiding in the next picture is my standard method of aging wood stir stiks that I have discussed many times before when building old hangars.The important thing to remember is not be too neat and tidy as you want to retain the human randomness element in this type of work for it to look natural.On the other hand,remember only man plants trees in rows.Play with it and above all have fun,don't be in a rush to finish .Treat each object you do as a individual model in itself.Every piece that you do deserves the same attention whether it is that board behind the toilet or the cab instruments or cockpit panel.The key here is consistency and pride in your work !
If you make a mistake, so what, 99% of your viewers will overlook any small errors if the story is good.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I took a brass washer and worked it to the size of the pressure instrument face,blackened it and installed it with glue.I then installed the windows and their frames.
For the side windows I may just install windows on the real side only and leave the other prop side open for picture taking purposes.Sergio loved to frame his shots using doors and windows,I like to do the same so a clear open window option is a necessity.
As you can see working with extreme closeups has its limitations when using some of the lower quality models of yesteryear.Some of today's hi quality models, like Wing nut Wings for example,have much crisper detail and hold their realism well even in 1/32 scale.
Anyway it is what it is and I don't really have any choice right now and at a normal viewing distance it will look OK.If I had more experience building locomotives I would scratch build a lot of these details but for now this will have to do.I have a second General kit that I could use as a reference for scratchbuilding somewhere down the road.
Once the window frames are completely dry I will come back with some pastels to finish them.I am not completely happy with these frames right now so I think that I will add a small strip of wood inside for more realism.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Almost there ! The window frames could use a few rusty nails and maybe a little greenish patina for the brass.
The bottom left where the wall meets the plastic floor already has a nice wood grain effect so I will leave it as is and weather the floor with pastels.A small piece of wood trim should complete this area.It is a good idea to complete everything even things that you figure will not be seen in the finished diorama which is mostly the case at normal viewing distance but the camera has a way of picking up everything good and bad.I take a lot of closeups to check for errors or improvements that could be made to improve" the look " of the piece.My favorite look is old and weathered(like me)Stuff that has some history to it.

These kits are wonderful things for the modern diorama maker if you look at them as a good place to start your modeling of any subject.A lot of the hard stuff like research has already been done by the manufacturer so why re-invent the wheel? I check a few measurements in the beginning stages of any build just to see if they are within the ballpark to satisfy myself that it is a good subject for modification.Remember that I am not looking for 100% accuracy here but a good representation of a model to be used as a prop for my diorama.I look at all my work as props to help me tell an interesting story, which in turn gives me a lot of artistic freedom to do as I please.Once it is finished I lose complete interest and go on to the next thing,in fact I usually like the pics more than the diorama itself.
Well now back to the subject at hand.I will include a pic here of the kit built out of the box by the manufacturer for comparison purposes.There is nothing wrong with new and shiny or building out of the box it really all depends upon what satisfies you, all of us begin there and some just prefer to develop our own personal style of modeling later on down the road.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

This is slow going because when you add wood sheathing to the cab it changes all the measurements slightly which has to be anticipated and planned for otherwise you wouldn't get a nice tight fit when the cab walls are put together.
In this kit there are no windows provided for the large openings in the side of the cab which is really ok with me for picture taking purposes.I would like to make some removable ones however,does anyone have any good pics of these windows that I could use for reference ? I would like to do this before installing the seat backs.
If anyone sees any obvious mistakes in the cab please let me know before I close it up.Thanks ! if possible I will try to make the cab assembly completely removable.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

After a lot of fitting things together I finally reached the stage of gluing the cab assembly together,elastic bands were used to stabilize everything before gluing.
I want the body,cab,and roof all in separate removable pieces for picture taking purposes.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Chassis Assembly.
Well this looks like a nightmare to put together.Poor instructions,bad fitting of the parts etc..etc..I will have to build a jig to put it all together and keep it all square if there is any hope of having it fit properly to the body of the engine.
This kit was from an era when it was expected that modelers would find a way how to do it, far from the "fall together "kits of today.This will be a real challenge but lots of fun nonetheless.
First up will be to find a way to stabilize the main frames so that they can be joined together with the other components in between and then install the cross members to tie it all together.Glue alone will not do the trick here so metal pins will be required.
You know it makes me wonder how many of these kits actually got finished....


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

KISS ! ah yes the old Kiss principal was in front of me the whole time.Keeping it simple stupid, has always been the way to go when your in doubt.
This present diorama( which may be my swan song) will be much more focused than I originally intended.There is just something about an old steam train idling outside a RR station ,period.
This diorama will be just that,nothing fancy,no bells and whistles.The steam engine alone will bring it all to life,no need for figures and a lot of animation.What I may do however is add sound to the piece.
I got the idea from watching Sergio's "Once upon a time in the west" Actually it is from the special features section of the Collector's Edition.Just an engine idling at a RR station ,now how simple is that ! The thing is I could look and listen to it all day.
My diorama will be titled "Once upon a time a long,long time ago...." the way my grandmother always started her stories when she told them to me as a child.

But I do want this diorama to have something more about it.Yes,I will leave it as a movie prop as a testament to how illusion can be made to mimic reality for good or for bad.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

This layout will be contained in a box,yes a locked cedar box and will be displayed only at Christmas or other special family occasions.It will be my gift to my family past,present and future.

Why so special ? Well it has been my experience that no matter how nice a layout/diorama is after a while it just becomes part of the furniture.Nobody really sees it anymore except guests or visitors.However, on the other hand ,only seeing something every once in a while will help bring fresh( if not new eyes) to an old piece.Also I don't want to encase it in a tomb like structure, even of glass, but I wish to have it open to natural light, but without the dust, for those who may want to take pictures.

As public as my other stuff will be this will be only for private family or personal viewing.Why do it this way ? Simply I would like something that I made survive for a while after I am gone to the "Happy Hunting Ground" as a gift to my children and the young at heart.I have heard to many stories about how Grandpa Fred's or Uncle Phil's layout ended up in the garbage shortly after his death.Too big,no room,tired of looking at it sit there gathering dust etc..etc..

I know you say nothing survives forever ! No one knows that better than I and besides when I am gone who really gives a *** ? I surely won't ! but you know somehow I do and I don't mind admitting it.Ego you say ?well artists usually do have some of that it is true,Why else would we do what we do ?


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Wow ! how did the pics get so darn big ?


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Here is what I am planning so far.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Such a simple solution I don't know why I never thought of it before.A RR station has been built over a coach sitting on a sideline track (spur line?)using whatever materials happened to be at hand.Why ? who knows !, but that is not what is important to our story.
To say the least the station is very crudely built of old weathered siding with RR ties for a platform.It could have been built on one of Hollywood's backlots expressly for this purpose or it could have been just a found location.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I was wondering has anyone here had a problem with allergies and super glue ? I have had some problems in the past with the fumes but lately it seems to be getting worse.I am very careful about exiting the fumes outdoors but just handling the stuff now seems to be a problem and of course there is always some fume residue lurking around.I have been using it for years but lately the symptoms seem to be getting more troublesome with even some skin reactions involved.Filters and masks don't work either.


I love my hobby but I don't want to croak because of it.


Is there a good substitute for ca ? something that sets up quickly but is not too toxic ?


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

You know this is actually a great little kit but it did test my patience
at times.Most of the problems are with the instructions and the hard to
read identification #'s of the parts on their sprues.In a kit of this 
size and complexity I wonder how many ever actually got finished.I know 
mine had been started years ago by someone else and I picked it up for 
the price of the postage.If the manufacturers had put a little more 
money into the actual kit and less in marketing a nice box ,it would 
have been money well spent.It makes me wonder how many potential 
modelers have lost their interest in building due to this problem.I know
that if I hadn't of had lots of prior experience mine would probably be
still in the box in the cupboard too.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I have been fooling around a bit with the camera trying to find 
interesting angles for future shots.This layout/diorama has a lot of 
possibilities for telling various stories about the old west.I would 
especially like to see how close I can come to re-creating scenes from 
the movie "Once upon a time in the west".I have the movie and I am able 
to review it frame by frame and thereby learn first hand how Sergio 
created some of his work.He had a wonderful eye for composition and 
detail and was a perfectionist in his work.I can feel his influence 
there with me whenever I am looking through the eye of the camera.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Sergio Leone was famous for framing his shots using doors and windows 
either from the outside looking in or like in this shot, the inside 
looking out.It is a great technique for compositional purposes and one 
that I use often in my own work.


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## general1861 (Jan 22, 2010)

John, Keep the photos comming. I have two General models i want to build myself one being started when I bought it for 10.oo bucks. I am into Civil War railroading as well. I saw the General in person when I was a kid. You are do awesome work!!. Travis


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Thank you Travis for your kind words.Please keep us advised of your progress.I envy you having seen her in person.Cheers! John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I build this locomotive as a movie prop and I am now faced with making it 
look more like one.I really over built one side and am now faced with removing some stuff in order to have it better fit in with the storyline.It is time to call in the guys with the blowtorches.
The original idea was that it was to be a half model made of tin on a wood frame and set up as it would be on a movie lot.
In many ways it is hard to do this to such a beautiful design but the story must come first in my view.I have another General kit waiting to be built anyway and of course I will always have the pics.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

The third part of my layout /diorama will be to build the luxury 
passenger car.(Morton's car in the movie) I plan to use finer hardwoods
and leave in a few remnants of furniture and memorabilia from the 
era.It will be weathered as though it has sat in the backlot for some 
time.I will build it like a sound stage and probably not even put it on 
tracks except maybe near one of the car stairs where Claudia Cardinale 
first steps off the train to make her unforgettable grand entrance in 
the movie.This was the one and only Western movie ever written for a 
woman and I would like to recognize that fact in the diorama.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

In the opening scene the train is going in the other direction but I had to compromise a bit if I want to show the locomotives best (realistic) side.From this view all will look normal but from the other side it will all be movie set.The work that I am doing now on the mock up side of the locomotive will hardly be seen at all in the final version as it will be mostly in front of the station. In the area between the front of the locomotive and the front right hand side of the station will sit Sergio's empty directors chair with his name on the back.Morton's deluxe car in the back will be modified into another movie set somewhat like the station was but will look normal from this viewpoint.On the backside of the station wall I will put up a double sided screen of a view of Monument Valley that will be viewable from both the single front window of the station and Morton's car.Claudia's arrival set will be on the backside end of Morton's car.
I never like to put anything square to the base so the final setup will be at an angle yet to be determined.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

From this angle it will be all movie set.The unfinished Bachmann car will be gutted in the mid section.The last two windows and stairs will be retained as will the last 3-4 windows between the cars as that will be where the double sided Monument Valley screen will go.As I noted before the gutted locomotive will hardly even be seen at all but the tender will be another story.This is an abandoned lot so an old poster from the movie could go on the side and of course wood will be piled on top.
I prefer this staggered look rather than the round idea for a layout/diorama at this scale and yet it remains interesting for the viewer when viewed from any angle.The whole purpose of this layout/diorama is educational for kids to know how old movies were made before the modern era of animation etc...When finished I will probably offer it to a museum of science and technology for display purposes.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

The train sequence starts at 1:50


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW-jSa9_k3M


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

John;
I love what you have done with your General kit, BUT it looks as though that locomotive will have a very bumpy ride!









Probably will be fine once you get the rails installed.









Way back in 1967, I split a spring switch with a 2ft gauge Crown Metal Products 4-4-0.







I'd NEVER want to do a repeat of that bumpy ride!

Best,
David Meashey


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Hi David ! I am just waiting a good long time for the gesso undercoat to cure before adding the glue /sand mix for the track bed.I figure that it will be much simpler to do without gluing down rails first.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

You know I think that this would make a great model either as a entertainment park scene or a dummy locomotive.Model trains pass many structures on their journeys ,a movie set is just one of those structures that can be depicted in scale.


I have heard that this kit is subject to warping.This is probably true if left out in the sun on hot tracks,sand,pavement etc....I have tested the plastic myself and it is no more subject to this problem than any other plastic that I have worked with.And yes there are options,one of those being to support the structure before assembly.I think that I would try coating the interior of the larger pieces with exopy,fiberglass or some other warp resistant material.Where the plastic touches hot metal like tracks make a section of the wheels in wood which is a great insulator.


For indoor setting I don't see a problem at all unless you were to put it next to a wood stove or other high heat generating source.When I do my 2nd General I will experiment with this a little further.


As far as availability is concerned just do some networking.I am sure that there are lots of Generals sitting in closets waiting to be built.I got the one that I am working on now for the price of the postage.It was partially started (a small bit of the tender) but no harm was done and the parts were still all there.I have also seen many sell on ebay for less than 50 bucks,new and in the plastic packages.


Personally if I was to do a G scale layout I would do it with a movie making theme of which the General would be just one of the structures that I pass along the way.I would do it as a "out of season" amusement park thus avoiding anything that would move other than the train .Having to make or modify all those figures would also be quite unnecessary.


Sounds like fun doesn't it ?



Once Upon a time.........dioramas by JohnReid


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Morton's Car

The choice I have here is between a straight passenger car or a combo.
The first choice would be to pretty much scratchbuild the whole thing beginning with the shell.The lower combo car has some of the work already done for me.Having already built a wood version I think it may be fun to do the plastic version and make it look like wood.
Luckily for me the plastic itself is colored and not just painted which will make my job a lot easier.It is also more interesting as it is already broken down into two sections passengers and baggage. The baggage side could be set up for movie making purposes while the passenger side could contain a portion of Morton's car as seen in the movie.
This is an abandoned movie set so a lot of stuff would have been removed and the set will be depicted as having fallen into some disrepair.
The steps at the far right I can use for Jill's arrival s







cene and the view through the windows will be of Monument Valley.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Things are way too crowded together in this pic but it gives you guys an idea of the final composition.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

After gutting the car,removing the seats and wiring,I laid a sub-floor in basswood on the passenger side of the car.I haven't yet decided whether to leave the sky lights as is of remove them and put up clear glass.The detail on the glass looks a little overscale to me.
I strengthened up the roof line a bit by adding 1/4 x 1/4 lumber in anticipation of cutting out the cars side.This is necessary to keep the cars structural integrity while working on it.The hole in the side is for movie making purposes.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

The next step will be to lay the finished floor in Morton's car.Hardwood floors on his side while the rest will be pine.I try to hand select each board for color and contrast.Using a darker one right up next to a light one will help to achieve what I am looking for.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Even though it is separated into two compartments there still is lots of space to work with.The baggage side will eventually become a storage area for old props etc..
I have removed the orange windows even though they made for a nice warm glow inside as they were overscale plus I like to have complete control of the lighting including color.The ceiling has been finished with cherry wood veneer and I am now boxing in the beams in walnut veneer.
In Mortons car there was a lot of brass tubing hanging from the ceiling above to be used as handrails to steady himself as he moved about his private car.He was disabled and slowly dying from bone disease. __________________


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I have decided to have a bit of fun laying the floor in Morton's compartment.I have gone one size larger on the planks(stir stiks)which gives me a nice edge to work with when doing the following technique.Wood floors can be quite beautiful when laid properly.I want to try a technique that I haven't used since my old ship building days of HMS Victory.Morton must have hired a couple of unemployed shipbuilders to do the floors and cabinetry for his rail car.There will be no visible nails or wood trunnels holding the floor in place.There will however be a black waterproof caulking material between each board which will make the floor more interesting to the eye.The wood is birch.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I don't feel the need to put a lot of fake windows in this car because of the reflective glass would be not good for movie making.Besides the windows provided in the kit are of poor quality and only serve to distort any image when trying to shoot through them. 
Because this would leave the interior open to the elements,subtle weathering will have to be employed as I would still like to retain some of the beauty of the woodwork. 
In those days the finish would probably be a varnish of some kind which actually seems to weather quite well judging by my own 30 year old tool shed that has been subject to Canadian extremes.In a warmer and dryer environment it would do quite well I 
should think.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Ya know when aging and weathering hardwoods I found found that the best way to do it is too weather it as it would do naturally,in other words from a polished finish to a dull.In this way you can retain the beauty of the grain as it seemingly ages.The birch floor for example was originally a gloss finish that was dulled using very fine sandpaper for the wear and tear, then chalk pastels representing the build up of crud over the years ,followed by a spray of matte acrylic fixative to hold it all in place.Later more crud can be built up in all the cracks and crevasses

and to create shadows.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Well I have decided to add a few more months work to the project.I was originally planning to save a little time by just weathering the exterior of this car but because nothing looks as good as the real thing,wood, I now plan to board it up instead.I have also opened up all the doors both interior and exterior for better camera angle shots of the interior.I will retain the red framed windows and stain the siding about the same green. 
On the roof it is presently what looks like a fine sandpaper type surface.Does anyone here know what may have been used on the real thing ? A tar paper or canvas material ? 
I could use a cloth backed sandpaper of appropriate grit and just paint it .Any ideas ?


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

From previous research I was able to determine what the boards look like
under the finishing material.I have also seen tin used in a kind of 
sheet and batten arrangement.What I am confused about is what would have
been used when this car was built around 1860 ?


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## Phippsburg Eric (Jan 10, 2008)

I thought the planks on the roof ends were side to side rather than around the sharp bend as you show... I think it would be easier to build that way too! 

Perhaps different builders did it differently.

The Jackson and sharp car at the WW&F Railway has a canvas covered roof...which would typically be painted with red lead. I have seen restored cars with silver roofing paint on them.


Other than that it is coming along well!


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Hi Eric ! It seems that the consensus of opinion for the era was heavy tarred canvas.I wonder if they were then painted with the red lead as a finish ?
My reference pics show the boards as being lengthwise and bent on the ends much like a ship builder would do.Actually it is very simple to do this way.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Old weather beaten ceiling from inside with a wood frame underneath and another layer of boards on top to create the roof.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Here is a little example that I did on the movie making side of the old 
station car.There just is no comparison between the plastic and real 
wood and it really isn't hard to do on the outside of the car.Morton's 
car will be dark green however.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Please note:

I have moved all the pictures in my photobucket taken up until now ,from the General Album to the G Scale Trains Album.Moving pics will cause them to delete in the General thread but they are still available on my G scale album for those who may be interested.

Bending stripwood:

Bending wood is simple for a rectangular roof such as this,shipbuilding is another story.I just use plain old warm tap water and soak the area that I want to bend for a few minutes in this case.(The thicker the wood ,the longer the soak) .I then take an old stick type hair curler and put it in a holding devise,I use a clamp. I then let it warm up to hair curling temperature which seems to be just perfect for bending thin strip wood like this.I hold the dry end in one hand and with the other wet end I use a pencil with an eraser on the end and apply increasing amounts of pressure with the eraser until I get what I am looking for.

Why the eraser end ,well it helps as a tool for bending instead of your fingers and tends not to slip on the wet surface.Keep checking that you are getting the proper bend and re-soak and do it again if necessary.You will want to slightly over bend it as there is a certain amount of spring back when the pressure is remove.If the piece of wood you are working with keeps breaking turn it over and try to bend it the other way.Use only straight grained wood running lengthwise on the strip as cross grain simply won't work without breaking.Most hobby woods bend without any problems.I used the thin long type coffee stir stiks used to stir the extra large double doubles.Your local coffee shop manager may sell you a box for a few bucks especially when you tell him what your using them for.He probably built models too in his younger days !

Most stiks and tongue depressors are birch wood ,which is in the hardwood category. So depending on the thickness they will require more soaking time in hotter water than say basswood , popular or pine.Have fun and good luck !

The above is in answer to a question I got from a another modeler.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Well the workbench is clear so now it is back to the Sergio diorama.I plan to do this one modular style too beginning with the central theme of a movie set and then if I decide to I can add from there.Right now there are three main components the locomotive(as a prop) the station from the opening scene and Morton's car. 
The first thing to do is make up a track bed for Morton's car.I only have round track so at present I am straightening a couple of sections out by modifying them.


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