Superior & Seattle Railroad Build (Volume 3) Started 7/27/19

[S&S RR]

The back of the tractor shed with the traditional old parts.  I have more to add here but wanted to do it with the diorama in place. The tractor shed on the right in this picture comes with Dario's kit. The cement block structure was scratch built using Monster laser cut cement block walls.

[S&S RR]

This little scene was from a picture in my mind of my Grandparents farm. 


A short back story:  When my Grandfather passed my Grandmother continued to run the farm with 20 + head of milk cows.  She lived alone and got the families help on the weekends - most of the family lived 100 miles away.  On one of my visits from college I asked her what was the hardest task for her.  She said getting the wheel barrow to the top of the manure pile.  She would pile it up behind the barn in big piles and then shovel it again into the manure spreader when it was time to put it on the fields.  Without telling her I dug a hole in the barn yard and parked the manure spreader in it, and built a level board walk similar to the one in this picture. She told everyone that I learned how to move S**t in college. It worked and so it had to be part of my Beach Farm.

[S&S RR]

Now for the red tractor - it will go in front of the brick portion of the tractor shed.  WHEN I FIND THE CASTINGS.  Over the last week I have been searching for the castings that I had prepared for painting.  I waited to paint them because I had my new air brush on order and wanted it to be one of the first projects with the new tool.  I had the paint sitting right on the workbench and put the castings somewhere. As soon as they show up, or I get tired of looking and buy a new set, the red tractor will be added.


I have a number of figures and a couple more mini scenes planned once the diorama has sit on the layout for a few days. There will also be some more scenery added after I have had time to study the photographs and the scene on the layout. For now, I have two more builds on my workbenches to finish and the next one on my build list to get started.


Dario I really enjoyed building the kit.  I can't wait to see what you come up with for your next one.

[Mark Dalrymple]

Bravo, John!

To be perfectly honest, I had my doubts whether you could pull off this scene believably with the small amount of space you have for it.  I think by half burying the barn, making it seem smaller and further away, by having fencing that seems to disappear up the hill amongst the trees - suggesting a whole lot more - and your careful composition, placing the homestead in the middle of the vast valley, with the distance accentuated by the painted backdrop, you have more than achieved your goal.  Oh - and I love the cameo shot of the cows through the barn.  A beautiful, and I would think somewhat rare scene for a model railway.

Cheers, Mark.

[Janbouli]

John , love the story of your grandma. The detailing of the scenes is amazing , every last little bit of it , it all looks very real life and natural , what a great job.

[Zephyrus52246]

John, you've really outdone yourself with this diorama.  Absolutely beautiful.  And it least you learned something in college.   


Jeff

[Keep It Rusty]

Just wonderful work John. It's all in the details!

Very well done.

[PRR Modeler]

This is truly outstanding,  what a beautiful scene. That is a great story and remembrance of your Grandmother.

[jerryrbeach]

John,


Great story about your grandmother.  Farm scene looks awesome.  There are so many interesting details and wonderful scenes within the farmstead.  Great modeling!!!!!   

[EricQuebec]

Very impressive country scene. very well done.
Eric

[Bernd]

Nice job on putting that farm scene together. In a couple of pictures it looks like you are observing a prototype farm. Very nice.

Bernd

[BrianM]

Hi John,


Thank you for repositioning the cow on the hill in a more natural posture.  I think she now blends a lot better into the scene.


I continue to be amazed at the quality of your modeling and extensive range of skills.  The Beech Farms module is a winner IMHO and along with all the agricultural action in mini-scenes makes for very nice rural contrast to the industrial areas.


This is a very, very minor detail: You mentioned a manure spreader in an earlier post about your grandfather so assuming the waste hay in the wheel barrow and trailer (the last photo you posted) came from the barn floor then it might be worth dirtying it up quite a bit with some manure mixed in. 


BrianM

[S&S RR]

Bravo, John!

To be perfectly honest, I had my doubts whether you could pull off this scene believably with the small amount of space you have for it.  I think by half burying the barn, making it seem smaller and further away, by having fencing that seems to disappear up the hill amongst the trees - suggesting a whole lot more - and your careful composition, placing the homestead in the middle of the vast valley, with the distance accentuated by the painted backdrop, you have more than achieved your goal.  Oh - and I love the cameo shot of the cows through the barn.  A beautiful, and I would think somewhat rare scene for a model railway.

Cheers, Mark.

Mark


Thank you for the very encouraging words. There were times during this project when I thought it was going to be very difficult to pull it off.  When I got the scenery completed the pasture land was the side of the mountain.  I also needed to move the horse barn back to get more depth to the scene. This diorama made a lot of trips back and forth from my workbench to the layout for visualization experiments. Anyway I'm happy with the results.  I have some more detailing to do but the pictures have it at about 95%.

[S&S RR]

John , love the story of your grandma. The detailing of the scenes is amazing , every last little bit of it , it all looks very real life and natural , what a great job.

Jan


Thank you so much for the very kind words. I had a lot of fun building this one. It also brought back a lot of great childhood memories.


  I received the power supplies today so I can start working on the power board for all the LED's in the barn and farm house.  I fished a lot of wires down through the layout when I installed it, yesterday.  Completing all the details and lighting up the LED's will be two more occasions to take some more pictures.

[S&S RR]

John, you've really outdone yourself with this diorama.  Absolutely beautiful.  And it least you learned something in college.   


Jeff

Jeff


Thank you, and yes I did learn a thing or two in college. It served me well and is paying for my obsession with model railroads.