Deer Creek Mine/My new Sierra West Layout

ironmountainlumber

Phil,
The color or the road and the scenery is exceptional. I am really enjoying watching the kits fit into your layout. Great job!
Jim

KCSTrains

Thanks Mario and Jim. I should have more updates soon. I really need to finish this area and get onto other things. Phil

KCSTrains

I have finished for the most part the scenery around the Woodcutter's Shack. Of course, I will tweak it as needed, but I need to move on to other things. See my pictures below. Thanks Karl for the idea of the sawdust around the logs.









Thanks for checking in. Phil

admin

Wow Phil. Fantastic!

Joel

What a beautiful scene.

KCSTrains

Brett, this is an example of my vision. A layout that does nothing but feature your great kits. Phil

Karl.A

Terrific scene Phil, that really looks fantastic, and natural.
Well done.
Karl.A

CarlLaskey

Phil What did you use for the backdrop I is just what I am looking for. ..............Carl

CarlLaskey

Phil I just read about the backdrop can you put me in touch with Joey.
Thank You for your time. .....Carl

Karl.A

Looking back and admiring your pics again Phil, great scenery variation.
The trees also detract and disguise the purely deciduous backdrop as hoped for.
Can I offer you a small tip on your great pine trees?
Really nice work. Love that red dirt road

Karl.A

KCSTrains

Carl, I sent you a message. Karl, you advice is always welcome. You are responsible for the great red dirt road. Fire away!! Phil

ironmountainlumber

Phil this is absolutely stunning. The transition between the scenery and backdrop is seemless!!!!!!!!!!! What a great way to highlight Brett's beautiful kits and your skills. Well done.
Jim

KKarns

Great job Phil, love the winding road cut through the shallow hillside. Very well done.

Karl.A

Sorry for lateness Phil, I forgot to post the tip, thanks for reminding me.

When building caspia pines try inverting the lower third of branches so that the tufts are pointing down and the branch has a sagging 'u' shaped arch rather than the other way.

I find this gives a much more 'southern pine' look as opposed to the northern look.

The bare trunk up to just over halfway is great but don't forget to add in a few of those broken off branch stubs that we are used to seeing in this area of the tree, I think I see one but hard to tell from your pics.

Your pines look great and theres no better way I know of doing them than with caspia (unless you want to twist wire for every branch).

Try one of these for some variation in your 'forrest' to see how you like it.

Lower trunk bare.
Next trunk section several broken off limb stubs
Lower branches pointing down with a saggy 'u'
mid branches a transitional mixture
Upper branches pointing up as new growth.

I'll try and find a pic, but worth a try.

Karl.A

sdrees

Phil,

I don't know that much about southern yellow pine, but I have made some pine trees and made the trunks out of balsa strip wood. I carved the trunks with a hand knife and then made a board with a bunch of nails close together and ran the trunks across the nails to provide the texture. The reason for carving the trunks out of balsa wood will give you irregular trunks and not the perfect round trucks you get from using dowels. And you get a really rough texture from running the trunks across the nails.

By the way, I am installing my tortious switch machines and have mad one control panel so far using the Barrett Hill system. I like it very much.

KCSTrains

Thanks Karl and Steve. Karl, you are exactly right. I probably just did a poor job executing the arrangement of the branches. Also, southern yellow pines are very round and straight, so you don't want a lot of irregular trunks like a deciduous tree. However, Steve, I do like your idea about the nails. On these trees I used a razor saw in a vise. Phil

Slimjerkins

Phil - I can't tell from the photos but did you use some of that red dirt to weather the trucks?

I'm thinking of that "ya got mud in yer tire" scene from the movie "My Cousin Vinny."

Bill S

KCSTrains

Bill, I did. As I put the red clay down, I ran the truck through it to make tracks. That coated the underbody and tires. Phil

Bill

Slow to chime in but wanted to throw some props your way, Phil. Lots of nice work--I especially enjoy seeing how you tie in and connect these all together. You're taking the same kits that we all have but presenting them in a unique way in order to tell your story.

I'm anxious to see some more overall pics of your layout. I can't remember how we left things after the Expo...did you design the track plan or did you get a hold of Byron?

KCSTrains

Bill, thanks. I will bring some pictures with me to the EXPO. I couldn't afford Byron, so I did it myself with some help. Can't wait for the EXPO. We need to have a Sierra West lunch or dinner and talk about Brett. Phil

NejcR

Beautiful scenes. This is going to be a great layout...

Nejc

KCSTrains

Ok guys, I going to resurrect this thread. As some of you know, there is no chance of moss growing under my feet. Because of work, I am going to spend time in both Spokane, Washington and Georgetown, Texas (just north of Austin). My house (and my layout) is in Texas, but I now have an apartment in Spokane. Last week, I moved some of my stuff to Spokane. Included in this "stuff" was my modeling table and a few Sierra West kits. Since I will be spending most of my time in Spokane, I should have time to do some modeling. Therefore, I plan to continue my build of the Deer Creek Mine. Stay tuned for some updates. Phil

vietnamseabee

Looking very good, Phil

Terry

kebmo

it sure does. outstanding scenery work!

geoawelch

Amazing.

Robert.G

What a nice layout you are building there. Love the 'nature' part. As for the track, once it is fully integrated it will look better. I am sure. No need to change it .

KCSTrains

Almost ready to roll!! Now, where did I put that kit???

geoawelch

Nice work area, Phil. I admire organized people.

Karl.A

Nice area Phil.... dig out that kit and lets get going, looking forward to watching over your shoulder.

geoawelch said:

Nice work area, Phil. I admire organized people.

Ha, George, let him get at least 3 pages into the manual and he'll be working in the same 6" space as the rest of us...

Karl.A

brownbr

Nice setup. I think you need a more comfy chair though.