My HO scale diorama

Geezerbill

After completing my ON30 layout I wanted to continue modeling Brett's great kits. Therefore I purchase the Railroad Camp, Main Street, and Logging Camp Essentials HO kits. I built these kits along with another structure kit; a scratch building, and one Donkey kit which I then duplicated twice more. All of these kits were then placed on a 72"x24" foam and MDF base.

I enjoyed the building of this diorama but did fine it a bit much for my old eyes.

I have been asked to post some pictures so this is my attempt at doing so. Hopefully they will show up with this post. I have some additional pictures that are more close up should you wish to see them I can try to post them as well.

You will note that I have deviated from Brett's instructions/plans to some degree. I also have made enough errors to choke a horse but as my wife says "it is what it is".

Thanks for looking.

Bill

admin

Love the Dio Bill. Wonderful job. Layout is excellent. I really like the way you incorporated the rocky outcroppings. Very believable. I love square water tanks and yours looks fantastic in the scene. My only critique is the "smoke" in the first shot... Please post those close up shots so we can see more. Thanks for sharing!

Geezerbill

Thank you very much Brett! I really appreciate it a great deal. Are you saying it would be better without the smoke? It is easily removable.

I did forget to mention that the water tank was also from a kit other than yours but heck I had to have a water tank.

I'm going hiking tomorrow so I'll post more pictures Wednesday.

KKarns

Great Bill to see all these SWSM kits together. As Brett mentioned some close up shots of the structures and scenes would be welcome and your builds look really good from here. Great stuff Bill...Ken

brownbr

Looks really good. Smoke is really hard to pull off. Yours has a transparent nature to it like smoke should have. In other words, I can see through it at the top, but not really at the bottom. Some of the military modelers have pulled off convincing smoke but it is really a challenge. Some of the ones I have seen are lighted from within to simulate a gun blast for example. I've always wanted to give it a try on a steam donkey but cant get the look quite right.

KCSTrains

Thanks for posting Bill. You have done some really fine work and I'm looking forward to seeing more. Phil

SteveCuster

Looks good Bill. Looking forward to seeing more.

Geezerbill

With my hike over I will try to post some close up pictures of the scenes as requested. Bill's great instructions of resizing photo's was perfect for me as I am NOT the best on a computer.

Thanks to Ken, Bryan and Steve for your kind comments.

Photo's to come soon.

Bill

Geezerbill

OK, here are a few pic's I have resized to post. I think they are not as close up as you wish to see. If not, I'll take some new photo's and post them Thursday so please let me know. Thanks,

Bill

Geezerbill

Thank you very much Ed! I really appreciate it.

In attempting to get some closer photo's I have noted some glaring issues that should be corrected. My passion with O scale carried over too much in these kits. Namely, in my wood graining. It is to pronounced for this scale. I also have ridge caps to apply to the Fuel Building, a chimney to remove and file to the correct roof angle on the Hotel and a few others.

As one who just loves a shake roof in person, I used real cedar shingles for all the structures that have shingles applied to them. Getting the color correct is another issue for me but I like that kind of roof.

If anyone has a good trick for removing an epoxied part from wood other than trying to carefully cutting it off with an xacto please let me know. Thanks!

Thanks again Ed, most appreciated.

Bill

Geezerbill

Finally I am attempting to upload a few more pictures of the diorama. The pictures of the rigging shed and tool shed clearly show too much wood graining with the modeling saw. I will see if I can correct that some in the days ahead, although it might be difficult now that they are glued down.

Bill

admin

Bill... don't touch a thing! What an awesome dio. so glad you shared more pics.

Geezerbill

Thank you so much Brett!! I can't tell you how much I appreciate your comments. Wow.

Bill

KKarns

I agree with Brett!...great stuff here Bill. Wonderful assemblage of SWSMs. Your structure builds look great. I can certainly appreciate the time and effort you have put into this diorama, well done...ken

nextceo

Hey Bill, sorry it took me a while to reply. Was in Vegas all last week and just got back tonite. The pictures look great. My favorite part is seeing a large collection of Brett's kits (all done very well) in one large scene.

Alan

Geezerbill

Ken, Ed, and Alan. Thanks so much. As with Brett's comments, yours are greatly appreciated! I do NOT consider myself a good modeler. Just one that enjoys it a great deal. With all of your compliments, as Ed said, it doesn't get better than this.

As this forum is for SWSM kit builds, I was reluctant to show pic's of non SWSM kits (3-4), however, they were part of the dio so I appreciate Brett allowing them.

I also am in the process of adding ridge caps to the Fuel Depot roof, using 1"X8" planks. Although Brett says don't touch anything, it always bothered me without them. Additionally, I just have to straighten up a chimney on the hotel. Then I'll consider the dio finished.

After that is completed I may post some photos of my completed ON30 layout.

Thanks again.

Bill