Realistic backdrops by Pele Soeborg

Pele Soeborg is well known for his modern US layout set in the Californian desert. He's written about it in Model railroader magazine, produced DVD's, and has written several books about modelrailroad scenery techniques etc, all published by Kalmbach, and available in many good bookstores, Amazon etc.
His redesigned layout now featured photo realistic backdrops, and you can now have those too. He's collaborating with UK based company ModelJunction, through which his backdrops are now for sale. Go check them out!

Wolter Springs is rising

Progress has been slow, but I managed to finally make a pair of legs for my module. Here's the next module board, on the legs, the other earlier board can just be seen on the floor behind it. (that board already received a top coat of latex paint and plaster, but needs a darker earth tone on top of the current base ).
Once that has legs I can clamp the boards together and check the track alignment from one board to the next. The next job will be to install track feeder wires on the new board, and then we can start with the fun part, starting to do the base scenery.

Blog Housekeeping

I've done a little housekeeping, and removed some 'dead links' from my list of useful links on the right, and added another.  Express Models. They are a supplier of miniature lights and leds, fit for all sorts of applications, fibre optics, Kadee couplers and TCS DCC decoders among others. All items that modelers of American model railways could use.

If you know of any others that have (modeling) supplies that are useful for our American RR hobby, let me know and I'll review and add them, and if you come across mistakes or dead links, please let me know too and I'll correct it.

Picture of the 'month'

Perhaps not the most fitting title for this blog entry, as I don't know if I'd be able to find a model railroad picture every month that I want to post/share. Yet, I did want to show you this one.
This picture was taken by Mike Hughes, and shows Don MacDougal's Norton&Northern modelRR.
I really like the atmosphere of this picture, and all the weathering, note the windscreen wipers on the F unit.
Shot's like this provide lot's of inspiration I feel.

The original can be found here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikehughes2011/6241409011/in/set-72157626813473492/?reg=1&src=comment

Board 2

Construction of my second board, that will be used for my 'Wolter Springs' module has started.
Today I bashed together all sides, and top, and glued + screwed this basic frame together.
After this has dried I will make and install the cross braces after which I can turn my attention to the top of these, and start laying track :-)

Some video experiments on my layout

Hi all,

I decided to use my iPhone 4S for some experiments. I realised that as it's camera lens is very close to a corner, you can actually get very low vantage points, pretty much eye level of an HO scale seated person.
It sort of puts you 'in the scene'.
Here's a first attempt.

roadbed

A week later, but I finally managed to source some carpet underfloor tiles, that I could buy separately.
It's currently difficult enough at most DIY stores to get the right type of underfloor. Most sell foam rolls, or have a much coarser and more brittle fiber at present, and usually in packs which they often do not want to open.  However I found some and could continue with the module boards.
Why underfloor tiles? While any other roadbed (cork or foam types) would be good for the tracks, I want to use the same material as the base for the roads and line side structures, as to bring them up to the same level, on a level surface. These tiles are relatively easy to cut, if you take your time, and use the right tools.
I've found that knives work, but they need to be clean and sharp, otherwise they'll start to rip into the material.  A better option is a razor saw, which cuts cleaner lines. It creates a bit of dust though so have a vacuum cleaner at hand to clean everything up after you're done.
After the roadbed is glued down (using no more nails or similar) it's easy to use a few rail spikes to secure the track , in addition to some white glue mixed with alcohol (70 or 90% is both fine). This mix will ensure that if you make it wet again, it will turn back in to a gum like consistency and you can remove the track for future use. Don't worry when ballasting, the glue will set again after it dries.
Next will be to use Woodland scenics hydrocal, or another landscape moulding material, to smooth the edges and surfaces of the road, the sides of the trackbed and other landscape contours.
Then I will paint the surface of the entire board an earth colour, as the base of all scenery.