Bashing and building 'The General" 4-4-0 1/24 scale layout.

[whatlep]

Chaps - three things:

1) Rule 8 applies at all times - everyone has their own way and if it works for them it's the right way. End of story.
2) Criticism is rarely seen as constructive. Praise accompanied by a polite suggestion often is.
3) No one is forced to read a thread. If you find yourself dissatisfied, stop reading and move on. It's a short life.

 

[3Valve]

Chaps - three things:

1) Rule 8 applies at all times - everyone has their own way and if it works for them it's the right way. End of story.
2) Criticism is rarely seen as constructive. Praise accompanied by a polite suggestion often is.
3) No one is forced to read a thread. If you find yourself dissatisfied, stop reading and move on. It's a short life.

and sarcasm definitely isn't constructive.

 

[trammayo]

I think John's thread has merit, his modelling skills certainly have, but his subject matter is, to some of us (myself included) not quite what we expected. I could say that many of us expected a working model! It took a long while for me to realise that it was a specific backlot scene - but I think it deserved a better explanation - which might have triggered a deeper understanding of what he is achieving and altered our perceptions much earlier on.

I think also, that John's work is very film industry related, and captures what might be a dying art form (backlot construction) in the face of CGI. After all, there will not be many of us who would have the chance to see behind the scenes that John is recreating.

 

[beavercreek]

Although John did say in post No 2 that it was going to be in a cedar box and it was going to be a diorama it was in post No6 where he said at length that the loco was not going to be motorized and there would be no point in motorizing a loco for a couple of feet of track. I think that gave us all the info that it was going to be a diorama and nothing else.
As Mick says, it is still very, very good modelling and although he has done it from a filming perspective (only detailing what can be seen) it is still good to see and follow how he has approached it, and it is G scale!

 

[trammayo]

Yes you're right Mike (post 6) - I miss things sometimes (well many times)!

 

[JohnReid]

Yes ,I changed my mind as I will continue to do many times over the length of this build. I never know how it will turn out in the end and that is what makes it so interesting for me too.

 

[steven large]

hey i like yr work and it so interesting as static display! it look marvellous...it same as anyone who ave diorama with steam trains on it.
i loves kitbashin and scatchbuiltin a diorama and aslo the same as yr...it hobbies and make all peoples look at yr work as they think wow tht it so good and great!
coz it G SCALE!! LOVES it....keep up the work...DONT give up as we all want to see it..

 

[steven large]

HI JOHNreid....thought i ask u tht i did scatchbuiltin a static display for my g scale locos or boxcars....it the same stuffs tht u been building it
i wud like to share my pictures for u mate.....
yr is AWESOME.....i like it.......:love::love::love::love::love:

 

[Richie]

Nice to see your modelling progressing John keep the photo's coming
Like your display stand Steven has given me a idea to show off my snow plow

 

[JohnReid]

Hey Steven that looks great ! Nice 3D effect.

 

[JohnReid]

After gutting the car,removing the seats and wiring,I laid a sub-floor in basswood on the passenger side of the car.I haven't yet decided whether to leave the sky lights as is of remove them and put up clear glass.The detail on the glass looks a little overscale to me.
I strengthened up the roof line a bit by adding 1/4 x 1/4 lumber in anticipation of cutting out the cars side.This is necessary to keep the cars structural integrity while working on it.The hole in the side is for movie making purposes.

 

[steven large]

Hey Steven that looks great ! Nice 3D effect.

hi...thks u for the comments mate....yes it nice.....

 

[JohnReid]

The next step will be to lay the finished floor in Morton's car.Hardwood floors on his side while the rest will be pine.I try to hand select each board for color and contrast.Using a darker one right up next to a light one will help to achieve what I am looking for.

 

[JohnReid]

Even though it is separated into two compartments there still is lots of space to work with.The baggage side will eventually become a storage area for old props etc..
I have removed the orange windows even though they made for a nice warm glow inside as they were overscale plus I like to have complete control of the lighting including color.The ceiling has been finished with cherry wood veneer and I am now boxing in the beams in walnut veneer.
In Mortons car there was a lot of brass tubing hanging from the ceiling above to be used as handrails to steady himself as he moved about his private car.He was disabled and slowly dying from bone disease.

 

[steven large]

keep goin mate

 

[JohnReid]

You have to be careful to see the right version which is the original 3 hour movie not the version that was cut to hell by Hollywood for American audiences.:thumbdown:

 

[JohnReid]

I have decided to have a bit of fun laying the floor in Morton's compartment.I have gone one size larger on the planks(stir stiks)which gives me a nice edge to work with when doing the following technique.Wood floors can be quite beautiful when laid properly.I want to try a technique that I haven't used since my old ship building days of HMS Victory.Morton must have hired a couple of unemployed shipbuilders to do the floors and cabinetry for his rail car.There will be no visible nails or wood trunnels holding the floor in place.There will however be a black waterproof caulking material between each board which will make the floor more interesting to the eye.The wood is birch.

 

[JohnReid]

This is where I am on the veneering.The ceiling is cherry,the beams are walnut and the walls are mahogany.I used epoxy to glue it on and a lacquer for the finish.

 

[JohnReid]

This is lots of fun to do but it does require patience , it can be quite tedious at times fitting and re-fitting.

 

[JohnReid]

I used some pretty wide floorboards for finishing.I have noticed that in this era of virgin forests they used what we would consider today very wide boards. I forgot to take pics for a "how to..." on this method but I will be doing more for the other compartment later.