Fault Lines - the layout build

[Janbouli]

The structures look great Mark , thanx for sharing.

[Twist67]

Hi,
looking nice.Keep it going.

Cheers,Chris

[NEMMRRC]

How did I miss this thread?!

Cool stuff here.

Looking forward to more.

Jaime

[Mark Dalrymple]

Hi guys.

Thanks for checking in and thanks for your comments Mike, Janbouli, Chris and Jamie - they are always appreciated!

Its been a while and we have safely returned from our epic 5-week adventure to the USA.  We both had a fantastic time and fell in love with the desert.  Utah was amazing!  My highlight was our guided tour through the fiery furnace in Arches National park, while Michelle's was our Navajo guided tour through Mystery Valley in Monument Valley.  We drove for 12 days through Arizona, Utah, Colorado and Nevada, but spent most of that time in Southern Utah.  3 days in Las Vegas was one day too many and 4 days in New York was just right.  The architecture was incredible - from the North End in Boston, to Stonington in Maine to the Navajo Nation - it was all very different from what we have in NZ.  We struggled with the crowds (even though it was off season) but bare in mind that the South Island of NZ is about half the size of Colorado and home to only 1.1 million people.  I remember walking near Time Square and noting that the footpaths were 12 wide with pedestrians, and being pleased that we were leaving that night!  Don't get me wrong - we had a wonderful time and saw so much - I think we just missed the quiet.  The Expo was great and it was lovely to meet up with many of my modelling cyber friends, and to see some of your work in the flesh.  My other great highlight was to meet George Sellios (and his lovely wife, Cathy) and spend several hours soaking in the F&SM.  Both George and Cathy were great hosts, and it is truly one off the bucket list for me!  I'll try and put up a photo or two of our trip in upcoming posts.

So now it is time to get back to work on Fault Lines!

Photo 1 - Bryce canyon
Photo 2 - my new bridge being test fit on Fault lines
Photo 3 - and again
Photo 4 - George Sellios and me
Photo 5 - Michelle and me - Grand Canyon

More soon, cheers, Mark.

[S&S RR]

Mark


It was really nice meeting you and Michelle at the EXPO.  I can't believe how much of our country you saw in 5 weeks.  We all love New York but most of us love the mountains a little more. I'm looking forward to the pictures and watching the continued progress on your layout.

[bparrish]

Mark....

Glad you had time for our southwest.  Amazing place.

See ya
Bob

[coors2u]

Mark, It was great to be able to meet and talk with you at the expo. I can't wait to see you get started on some of the stuff you got at the expo.

[ACL1504]

Mark, It was great to be able to meet and talk with you at the expo. I can't wait to see you get started on some of the stuff you got at the expo.

Mark,

I also enjoyed meeting you at this years Expo. Sorry, I didn't get a chance to meet Michelle. The bridges on the layout look fantastic.

Tom

[Mark Dalrymple]

Hi guys.

Thanks John, Bob, Dustin and Tom.  You know - its really nice to type names in and see faces!

John - you should be getting some pictures of my visit with George soon.
Bob - it sure was great to see the Southwest - and we saw a lot of on our 12 day drive!
Dustin - those kits will have to wait as they are all for Tellynott and I'm working on Fault Lines at the moment.  I'm trying to get as much done as I can before our annual train show in October.
Tom - Thanks.  9 bridges (and one road bridge).  Nearly done.

With the new bridge temporarily in position I could see the fascia need some reshaping.  I cut a little extra off on the right hand side and added a little extra in on the left hand side.  Glue, clamps and a couple of small offcuts on the inside.  When dry I filled where needed and sanded back.  Pretty easy and quick, and by holding the new piece up against the fascia, marking with a pencil and then cutting with a jigsaw, you can get a pretty neat seam.

Well I then felt the need to see something finished and so I bought myself some matt black paint, counter sunk all the screws, and sanded and painted up one side of the layout.  I had decided some time ago that although I have seen fascia's painted several different colours that I like - I still think matt black is the sharpest, and shows off the layout best.  I can only get an angled shot because of where the layout is positioned in the garage at present.

I put a few trees around to get an idea of how things will look and immediately decided I needed a lot more!  and many smaller trees.  I got out my tree making supplies and have made up another 50 trunks.  I'll get some tree making done in the next few weeks while carrying on with other jobs.  I also put in an order with Walthers for some more flock.  Along with this I ordered a CMX track cleaning car.  I've been meaning to get one for ages, but held off in case I found one while in the USA.

Photo 1 - matt black fascia.
Photo 2 - the tree making starts.
Photo 3 - Jerome, Arizona.  Day 1 of our drive.
Photo 4 - Monument Valley, Navajo Nation, Utah.
Photo 5 Monument Valley - where Tom Hanks utters the words 'I'm pretty tired now.  I think I'm going to go home." in Forest Gump.

More soon, cheers, Mark.

[Mark Dalrymple]

Hi guys.

I spent a few hours today jigsawing together rock castings.  I'm trying to create a nice S-shaped river leading the eye into the very narrow scene and under the bridges.  A tier of waterfalls will drop down from the cliff to the right into a deep pool from which the river will run through rapids to the layout front.

Photo 1 - without the timber trestle.
Photo 2 and 3 - with the trestle.

More soon, cheers, mark.

[GPdemayo]

Good looking trestle & scene Mark. 

[Zephyrus52246]

Rock work looks great.  It'll be a great looking scene.


Jeff

[S&S RR]

Mark


The rock work looks great - this is going to be a very nice scene - trains and mountains just look great together.

[Mark Dalrymple]

Hi guys.

Thanks John, Jeff and Gregory!  Always great to get your comments and feedback.

Here are a few pictures of the left side of the short tunnel on the mountain side of the layout.  This short tunnel splits the mountain side of the layout into two scenes. The scene to the left of the short tunnel is a wedge - 17 inches long, 4 inches wide at the left end and 11 inches wide at the right end (at the centre of the short tunnel) and 17 inches high.  Its really pushing the boundaries to see how big of a scene can be fitted into how small of a space.  The shaped fascia helps keep it isolated from the other area of the mountain side of the layout.  Just still plaster castings and sculptamold - and some bare polystyrene - but coming together.

Photos 1-4 show different views of this area.
Photo 5 shows the opposite side of the short tunnel where I am jig-sawing the last castings together
Photo 6 shows the shaped fascia isolating the area.

More soon, cheers, Mark.

[LongHornCaddy]

Nice layout Mark!