The Atlantic and Southern Build Thread Continued, Part 3

[ACL1504]

TC — just to add my two cents: I always say that unless you are building a prototype, it's purely a matter of what you prefer. I say this because everything I produce isn't accurate to the era it leans toward. In fact, on close scrutiny, you'll probably find a vast amount of inaccuracies. It's an art and creative license is what leads — sometimes a well kept orange grove is what might fit best!

Just to be clear, this isn't a criticism of your fair comment. Just my thoughts

Craig,

Thank you for your thoughts and comment. I appreciate all whom follow the thread and take the extra time to post to the thread.

Tom 

[ACL1504]

"T. C." - We kept our groves in more pristine condition here in ORANGE COUNTY.  The groves were well-manicured.  While I do remember seeing a few groves with weeds etc growing between the trees, they were the exception rather than the rule. 

Of course, the winter of 1983 killed most of the citrus in Central Florida and the grove owners figured out it was more profitable to develop the land instead of growing citrus.  Very few orange trees around here today. But a lot more millionaires.

Bill,

My dad and a few friends lost quite a bit of $$ in the freeze of '61. Of course, he was only an investor and didn't own the land. He certainly didn't have the million when he retired.  He once told me "I've made millions and lost millions." And so it goes.


Tom

[ACL1504]

Hey Tom:

The orchard loom great. Look like another 80 trees. Am I close?

Karl

Karl,

Thank you, yes, there are 80 trees in the grove. You win!

Tom 

[T.C.]

Having been born and growing up in Central Florida, I've had my share of "citrus lips". One can only get citrus lips from playing in the groves, biting the top off and orange and then sucking out the juice. Of course, you also get the citric acid from the peel on you mouth, thus "citrus lips".

I appreciate you taking the time to post a comment.

Tom
Thank you for not taking it the wrong way Tom as I meant no disrespect.  I've only been in Fla. sense 1957, I was four years old when my family moved here from Port Huron Mich.
One of my grandfathers retired from the PHD RR, he used to hitch a ride on the ACL to Ft. Pierce every summer for vacation.
Only thing better than citrus lips is bending your spoon digging out the center of a frozen orange. Of course nowadays they say that's poison, dont eat a frozen orange you'll die! LOL
FYI I have watched your post sense the first day I signed up on this forum and truly enjoy your work and your methods.T.C.

[ACL1504]

TC,

I'm very happy to have you following along on the build thread and posting, thank you, much appreciated.

If eating frozen or half frozen citrus was bad, I'd be dead 65 years ago. Eating a frozen orange, tangerine or grapefruit right off the tree is a memory I'll cherish forever. And, to add to this, the best kind of grove fight is to splatter your friend with a moldy rotten orange.

I had a great uncle who worked for the IC RR but he never made it to Florida.

Again, happy to have you along for the journey.

Tom 

[ACL1504]

I was able to get a few hours in on the layout today. First, I mixed some Sap Green and Phthalo Blue (Green Shade) acrylic paint and painted it along the river's edge about 5 HO scale feet from the bank. It's just a slightly brighter blue green than the rest of the water.




I got the river banks covered in the first basic layer of scenery also. Yesterday, I poured some white glue into a shallow pan and let dry overnight. This morning I skimmed off the top layer of glue leaving me a thicker mix of Elmer's White glue. I'd say it has the consistency of a paste rather than a fluid glue.

Yes, I did this for a very good reason. When I paint the white glue on the river bank, I don't want it to run down and onto the plywood river bed.

I put some of the thick white glue in a Dixie Cup and added some WS Fine Earth #T42 in another cup.



More in a few.

[ACL1504]

In the next photo you can see the white glue is thick and sticks to the side of the river bank and doesn't flow onto the plywood.



I then take the WS fine turf and spread it over the glue. The snowy patches you see is just the glue coming through.



More in a few.

[ACL1504]

After about an hour, I lightly sprayed some "wet" water on the turf material. My "wet" water is made using some warm tap water and a few drops of Kodak Professional Photo-Flo 200. It is odorless and the bugs don't like it. Most people use a liquid detergent but I've found when spraying it, I get bubbles.



After wetting the area with the wet water, I use an eye dropper to add a 50/50 mix of matte medium and regular tap water. The matte medium soaks the WS turf. I add a very light sprinkling of WS grass mix on top of the matte medium.



Continued -

[PRR Modeler]

I like it, especially that mucky edge we get down here.

[ACL1504]

While the matte medium is drying, I sprinkle on some Scenic Express Flock & Turf Grass Turf Blend #880C and Scrub Grass Blend #882C. Along the river's edge, I add a very thin sprinkling of my oak leaf blend.



The oak leaf blend is made form oak leaves gathered from the yard, placed in a blender with some water and blended until I get a mush of oak leaves. I then squeeze the wet leaves through an old stocking, pilfered from the Babe, to removed most of the water. I'm left with a paste mix of oak leaves. I then spread the blended oak leaves across a pie tin and let it sun dry. If in a hurry, I bake it dry in the oven at 140 degrees until a soft dry mix as seen below.



It looks a little messy now but in the morning it will be fine. I'll show you the difference then.

[ACL1504]

I like it, especially that mucky edge we get down here.

Curt,

Thanks very much. Now I can really get going with the extra details for the river scene.

Tom

[Jerry]

Perfect look!!!!


Jerry

[ACL1504]

Perfect look!!!!


Jerry

Jerry,

Thank you very much. I'm getting closer to the look I want.

Tom 

[ACL1504]

Well, no update as promised. Everything came up today and no layout time was available. Christmas shopping with Pam pretty much took the day.

Tom   

[ACL1504]

I got a few hours in on the layout today.

I weathered the drainage pipes and installed them.






More in a few.