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1,592 Posts
Wish I can do that level of detail in my buildings!
[HO] The Santa Fe Big "L"
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Thanks for the wonderful comment to all who are following my progress!
I am usually the one who just want to get it done and save the details for later, like tweeking my track and adding ballast, putting up street signs and stringing telephone poles. But these backdrops arent the easiest thing to remove and replace. The panels are long and need to be unwired everytime they are removed, so I fugured out from the last 3 panels, it is better to totally finish them before moving to the next.
I worked on the Transfer Warehouse lighting and got that all done. Decided to illuminate the sign and that got to be quite the chore....
![Green Wood Line Table Gas]()
Drilled 5 holes as close to the top of a fitted styrene panel and hot glued the wiring to the back, then soldered it all together. I test each light before and after to make sure it will work....
![Font Bumper Automotive exterior Vehicle door Motor vehicle]()
I mounted and wired the sign and nano LEDs under the dock overhang, testing each one. It is a pita to undo a light if you get a defective one, So far, out of the batch I bought, 2 do not work. I also illumanated the rooms and added a picture frame in the rooms walls....
![Window Building Font Fixture Wall]()
In all, this one building uses 14 nano LED's...
![Window Building Font Facade Tints and shades]()
Later I will be adding some nano LED's to the warehouse next door exterior facia and working on fencing to define the railyard boundries. I sure love that realistic look and the whole 3D backdrop look as it really make the layout better than it really is.
A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!...
![]()
I am usually the one who just want to get it done and save the details for later, like tweeking my track and adding ballast, putting up street signs and stringing telephone poles. But these backdrops arent the easiest thing to remove and replace. The panels are long and need to be unwired everytime they are removed, so I fugured out from the last 3 panels, it is better to totally finish them before moving to the next.
I worked on the Transfer Warehouse lighting and got that all done. Decided to illuminate the sign and that got to be quite the chore....
Drilled 5 holes as close to the top of a fitted styrene panel and hot glued the wiring to the back, then soldered it all together. I test each light before and after to make sure it will work....
I mounted and wired the sign and nano LEDs under the dock overhang, testing each one. It is a pita to undo a light if you get a defective one, So far, out of the batch I bought, 2 do not work. I also illumanated the rooms and added a picture frame in the rooms walls....
In all, this one building uses 14 nano LED's...
Later I will be adding some nano LED's to the warehouse next door exterior facia and working on fencing to define the railyard boundries. I sure love that realistic look and the whole 3D backdrop look as it really make the layout better than it really is.
A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!...
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1,592 Posts
No kidding! I hope I have half that attention for my buildings and layout scenery!!!
Joined
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1,182 Posts
I hit a little snag as I realized I promised a close relative I would make a birdhouse for her new home, with a party G2G the first weekend in February...so my backdrop got put on hold again. I spent about 32 hours on the birdhouse as I model these birdhouses to look like their new home. I have my fathers band saw, scroll saw, drill press, and various wood working tools from when we use to make lawn ordiments together. He taugh me how to use them but I am always still...breaking a finger nail or two. Here a few pics for those interested....
![Property Wood Rectangle Architecture Wooden block]()
And painting and detailing is what takes the time....
![Building Property Window House Architecture]()
I make them with a bit of realistic whimsy, if that is even a thing?!?
I suppose it is me just being too lazy to make it perfect.
I think they call it, "Artists perrogative", or something.
I found a O scale man and lady that fit the scale pretty close (still have to paint the figurines, sigh), so the relatives will be modeled, standing on the front porch of their birdhouse.
I did get to finalize, for now...my fourth backdrop and reinstall it on the layout,
This 3.0 version backdrop main attraction is cotton clouds, which think came out "Amazing" in real life.
![Building Water Transport hub Urban design Rolling stock]()
I will be adding these to all the backdrops along with the crystals for stars and planets and glitter glow glue up in the heavens...all the little additions to outer space adds interest during daytime running of consists.
This backdrop also features the chicago skyline in the background and buildings that increase in size and are spaced apart in 1/8" increments with my trusty tongue depressors....adding depth to the scene....
![Sky Cloud Building Urban design Window]()
I added street lights all along the inkjetted paper buildings and skyline with fiberoptics.
Here is a closer look trying to capture the cool 3D effect staggering the buildings provides to the human eye...
![Cloud Water Sky Building World]()
It is all wired up except for the 4.5vdc animated Coppertone sign so I didn't get any night time pictures of the back drop yet. I also have a few tricks to tie this backdrop into the one next to it, just have to print out a few more things.
I am off for a short winter vacation to a place where they make tropical drinks, if the dont cancel my flight do to snow these next few days...eeeeeek!
![Water Azure Beach Cloud Liquid]()
A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!...
![]()
And painting and detailing is what takes the time....
I make them with a bit of realistic whimsy, if that is even a thing?!?
I suppose it is me just being too lazy to make it perfect.
I think they call it, "Artists perrogative", or something.
I found a O scale man and lady that fit the scale pretty close (still have to paint the figurines, sigh), so the relatives will be modeled, standing on the front porch of their birdhouse.
I did get to finalize, for now...my fourth backdrop and reinstall it on the layout,
This 3.0 version backdrop main attraction is cotton clouds, which think came out "Amazing" in real life.
I will be adding these to all the backdrops along with the crystals for stars and planets and glitter glow glue up in the heavens...all the little additions to outer space adds interest during daytime running of consists.
This backdrop also features the chicago skyline in the background and buildings that increase in size and are spaced apart in 1/8" increments with my trusty tongue depressors....adding depth to the scene....
I added street lights all along the inkjetted paper buildings and skyline with fiberoptics.
Here is a closer look trying to capture the cool 3D effect staggering the buildings provides to the human eye...
It is all wired up except for the 4.5vdc animated Coppertone sign so I didn't get any night time pictures of the back drop yet. I also have a few tricks to tie this backdrop into the one next to it, just have to print out a few more things.
I am off for a short winter vacation to a place where they make tropical drinks, if the dont cancel my flight do to snow these next few days...eeeeeek!
A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!...
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794 Posts
The layout is looking awesome SF Gal!
Have a great vacation!
Have a great vacation!
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1,592 Posts
Joined
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1,182 Posts
I need to do a new video once all the backdrops are done. I still have a major part of the layout unfinished too. The last video I did was just a test on how to actually do a video. The music was a bit loud as I had my record player going. I hope to to a nicer one that shows the unfinished part too...
Made it to warmer weather before more snow fell! WooHoo!
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1,115 Posts
What about some of those passenger coaches? Are those Tyco?? If so, it is a bold artistic flair to run 1970's vintage with state of the art electronics. Very dramatic to see the freight and the passenger trains sharing a single track. I presume this a function of DCC?
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Tyco??? They could be, I dunno. Got them at our local monthly train show. Yes DCC as I have a NCE procab from 2006. Bought it new for over $400...
...that is in my current version of Microsoft Photos 2022 I am learning...miss Microsoft moviemaker in my old version of windows...why do they do tht to us?!?!?Adding the special effects to the layout is the icing on the cake.
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610 Posts
MS makes a lot of stupid changes with each new version. It seems they like to make things harder.....
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1,592 Posts
Thanks for sharing that really puts the layout into perspective for me! I'm a tad scatter brained and do better with videos that show everything!!!
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