The Black Bridge. 1/87 HO Scale Diorama. Scranton, PA.

[LyleW]

Lyle, thank you so much. I am sure you would have found this a bit easier than I did. You have a background in a design and engineering. Initially I was flummoxed by the lack of instruction until I realized “Google is my liege!”.

Naw, no background for me. I was a punter programmer. Way, way better than I could do!

[speedgraflex]

Lyle, no worries. I still think you could assemble these pretty easily - Programming is a great skill: just ask Ken!

[LyleW]

It is. I was application programmer (end used stuff). Had 34 years of it...

You are too kind. Stories coming about the DHC-2 Beaver balsa kit and the Love Bug....ugly.

[speedgraflex]

After painting and weathering, the bridge looks good to me. What is interesting is how the ore car lists at an angle. That is because the table is not level. This took a few minutes to suss out but I am glad I did; once the diorama has its plank base, then it must be leveled before the trains are placed on the rails.

For what it is worth, my own peace of mind perhaps, I was initially going to use just the Holbein oils to color and add weathering effects, then changed my mind when the Delrin ties resisted the color change. To create the realistic and in keeping with the theme effect of a black bridge, I resorted to using Flat Black Gunze paint, run at low p.s.i. through my air brush. I followed the Flat Black with U.V. “Cut” Flat Clear spray, which has a heavy duty odor. I left the pieces outside to degas in this unseasonably balmy Los Angeles late fall day, adding my own contributions to the thinning ozone layer.

Eight hours later, I brought the pieces inside and began weathering the finish. I finally found my sweet spot for rust by using burnt umber, and as a final touch an 8B pencil was used to add shading textures to each flat panel. Throughout I worked in the most random way possible.

[LyleW]

Looks great to me!

[Floki]

That's some fine looking work Bruce. Model railroads have always interested me but always have been a room issue, but just making a small setup like your doing, a static diorama, might do that one of these days.

[speedgraflex]

Thankee kindly, fellas. I am pleased as punch with that ME kit. Gonna build bridge abutments from cardboard first, then when the track comes, I will adjust the height. Meanwhile, here is a locomotive that will need some TLC.





A diorama is a short story! That analogy works really well. I am digging this HO Dio recently published on Facebook:

[mostrich]

I love the peacefullness of those tiny worlds. The more hectic this world becomes the more the urge to dream yourself inside a slower parallel universe. And us modelers actually make that universe come alive. Best hobby ever!

Bruce, if you're ever visiting my hometown we will have our "first date" at this very place:
https://www.miniatur-wunderland.de/

[Stikpusher]

Very well said Torben. We do just that, whether the miniature world is in the past, future, or another world....

[speedgraflex]

Incredible words, Torben! I swear on a stack of sprues that I received no message notifications otherwise I would have responded sooner to your eloquence.

Here is one side with graphite weathering—