shortliner Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 WOW! - almost irresistable! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWB Posted August 5, 2011 Author Share Posted August 5, 2011 Thinking about some of the comments on "American gothic" or "gingerbread", yes, in certain cases, those things can be overdone. On the other hand, models can add a great deal of visual interest. In places like Oakland, CA, there are lots of such houses left in their natural state and visible near rail and transit lines. In the past, I've done a number of such buildings in N and am still mulling a way to include them as reduced-scale scenery on my layout. Here are some prototype examples -- if you want to substitute ticky-tacky, well, that's your business. The shots below are just grab shots from train and BART windows, but that just goes to reinforce how close to the rail environment they can be. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 http://www.flickr.com/photos/9270422@N05/2535234075/sizes/l/in/photostream/ I'm calling "modelgenic inglenook" with plenty of "Incidental details"... Wot no flangeways..??!!?? I'd like to see a model that could replicate that trackage and still run trains - I bet even the P87/P48 boys would struggle!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 I believe that is just mud on the tracks in the Good Prof's photo link..... Looks bloody great though doesn't it! The industrial building in the middle distance on the left is thick on the ground all around the NE. Prof do we know where this was taken - If I didn't know anything else I'd say around Newark - but then I hang out there the most, lovely town Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 I don't know what style those houses in Oakland are, apart from "Ugly"! Here's probably the Ultimate American Gothic (combining Acute Victoriana):http://www.angelofthesea.com/ I stayed there with my Wife, everytime I moved I'd knock something over - never again! Hated the place, twee, twee, twee! Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozexpatriate Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Of course the other pitfall of modelling from over here is that after being raised on a diet of questionable TV we think everywhere on the planet looks kinda like Southern California... I agree, it really doesn't help when Hollywood uses southern California to represent Connecticut... (e.g. Cannonball Run II). Also, a lot of major US cities have been represented by Toronto. Infamously punned in "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me" with "You know what's remarkable? Is how much England looks in no way like Southern California." These days there are many US films and TV shows filmed in Vancouver, BC. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve1 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Gordon Bennett Pete! That's awful! steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozexpatriate Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 In a Austin Powers film a scene was set in London with the Santa Monica Mountains visible (at the top end of Regent Street, seemingly). It is "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me". Felicity and Austin are shopping on "Carnaby Street". As they cross the street together just before the Burt Bacharach/Elvis Costello number the mountains are quite visible. While it might originally be an oversight it goes along with the "England looks in no way like Southern California" gag and I don't think the editors minded either way. Jay Roach's commentary on the DVD makes particular note of it. (Why I bothered to listen to the director's commentary on this particular movie beggars belief, but let's not go "there" .) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozexpatriate Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Here's probably the Ultimate American Gothic (combining Acute Victoriana) Angel of the Sea ... It's ... even ... pink!!! ... Or perhaps puce is more accurate? "acute Victoriana" and certainly not "cute". Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Ironically when I travelled on Metra in 2008, I was amazed how tidy everything was. No litter, no graffiti.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pH Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Gordon Bennett Pete! That's awful! steve Look at some of these: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWFsj1gMWk0 I'm sure the Addams Family lived in one of them! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 The prof's linked pic is here Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave1905 Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 Infamously punned in "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me" with "You know what's remarkable? Is how much England looks in no way like Southern California." These days there are many US films and TV shows filmed in Vancouver, BC. I was watching a trailer before a low budget horror film I rented and the preview for "Zombie Strippers" said it took place in Nebraska, but on one of the street scenes in the preview there was a palm tree in the background. That has to be the hardiest palm tree in the world. I'm from Omaha and we don't have those around here (palm trees or Zombie strippers (all the strippers are in Iowa). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
signalmaintainer Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 Thus I don't feel able to comment on the 'realism' of F&SM, etc.....although I have to admit, F&SM does smack of 'Gangs of New York' to me. Maybe that was how 'industrial revolution' USA looked? No, your instincts are right -- the F&SM is a caricature. The workmanship is of course superb, but the layout is nonetheless a caricature of 1930s urban New England. The burdensome amount of detail and decay is almost numbing and certainly detracting. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
signalmaintainer Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 A small example of something else found along railroad tracks: or is this going too far? Glad you circled the dead critter, because otherwise -- GRS 5H switch machine, dead critter, and all -- it's all fairly workaday for me! Well, there was the beheaded possum I found last year at Bridge 6.3. Head on one side of the rail, body on the other. That was bit gross. ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Gwinnett Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 ... (all the strippers are in Iowa). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 The prof's linked pic is here Thanks, Tim. Looks like Queens. How did you find that or did the Good Prof tell you????? Jon, I had my 40th Birthday in North Carolina. Some friends organised a stripper, Unfortunately all she did was take her coat off............they had different anticipations down there compared to a Londoner. Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 Thanks, Tim. Looks like Queens. How did you find that or did the Good Prof tell you????? The flickr page that the prof linked to was the 'All sizes' page. I clicked on the 'Photo' link which takes you to the standard size picwith a description saying it was the NYA Bushwick branch between Metropolitan Avenue and Woodward Ave. Also linked from this page are some other pics of the area in the guy's Early Days of NYA photo set The Bushwick branch looks like it was interesting few years ago.The the former lines of some spurs can be seen in the curved shape of buildings in the area and where it joins the Montauk branch at Fresh Pond Junction the line is under a building. The combo of going through a building, across a couple of roads at grade and Flushing Ave on a bridge is pretty cool too. Wiki Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Gwinnett Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 Pretty cool indeed. Another for the file entitled "If I model this, no one will believe it" Pete, you have to remember I live in Scotland these days - up here taking your scarf off is risque! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Ray Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 The Bushwick branch looks like it was interesting few years ago.The the former lines of some spurs can be seen in the curved shape of buildings in the area and where it joins the Montauk branch at Fresh Pond Junction the line is under a building. The combo of going through a building, across a couple of roads at grade and Flushing Ave on a bridge is pretty cool too. The Bushwick branch is interesting now - it was sort of revived starting in the 1990s (Rail Frieght traffic on Long Island reached a nadir sometime in the 1980s, and has slowly revived since, especially with the coming of the NY&A lease in the mid-1990s), and now is kind of heavily weighed toward MSW and (much less) building materails, among other things. They did replace a major bridge on the line a number of years back and did some grade crossing and track work, so the branch is actually better looking than it was a decade ago. OTOH, if by a few years ago you mean mid 1960s..., well, yes, the Bushwick branch was indeed a bit busier then: Bushwick Branch Map 1 Bushwick Branch Map 2 No reason not to share the entire list of available mid-1960s LIRR freight customer diagrams - here BTW, not sure if it was mentioned, or indeed if it was true in the UK (I think called Great Britian back then ), but in the US many Victorian era houses were indeed as brightly colored during the late 1880s as the ones shown in the Humboldt County house tour video linked in an above post - those 19th century chemists kept developing durable bright-colored house paints, and by gum those well-off Americans were gonna use them! I bring this up because around the middle of the 20th century any Victorian house would tend to get re-painted in bland, somber colors (white, black, greys, dark browns), because that's what the (Black & White) photographs show, and Victorian people were all prudish and boring anyway, right ? Eventually, historical researched showed Victorian houses were indeed often painted in bright, cheerful colors (never mind the coal dust from the heating systems), and so color came back...in some cases at least, whiile numerous other Victorian houses on Long Island still retain subdued. 'stately' black, white, and dark browns... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWB Posted August 6, 2011 Author Share Posted August 6, 2011 Another factor is that the Victorians, by the mid-20th century, were in older, less desirable parts of town, and the owners were less well-off, so they couldn't repaint them in as many bright colors. Thus the whites, etc. When Victorians were rediscovered -- often as part of gentrifying older parts of town --- the more well-off went back to painting them colorfully. Now, of course, not only do you have to spend money on paint, plumbing, foundation work, leaky roof, wiring, whatever, but you have to hire lawyers and consultants to get the whole project past the local historical board. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Gwinnett Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 In the UK, much less use of timber as an exterior cladding probably means the houses were less colourful. The Victorians themselves though, were colourful enough for anyone - I suggest a reading of Thomas Hardy for anyone thinking we were all staid and boring back then! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Gwinnett Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 ...No reason not to share the entire list of available mid-1960s LIRR freight customer diagrams - here Note - Steinway Pianos - interesting cameo idea! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 OTOH, if by a few years ago you mean mid 1960s..., well, yes, the Bushwick branch was indeed a bit busier then: Bushwick Branch Map 1 Bushwick Branch Map 2 No reason not to share the entire list of available mid-1960s LIRR freight customer diagrams - here Thats some great links, thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 The combo of going through a building, across a couple of roads at grade and Flushing Ave on a bridge is pretty cool too. Wiki Follow the line on northeastwards from the building and look at some of the yards that are up there, and there is a curved building, beyond the bridges that has an oo-er curved siding around it! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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