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With the core of the Stutsman Elevator building skinned and complete, I turned to exterior work. First step was to fill and sand any gaps or imperfections with modelers putty. I then painted the entire structure with Rust-oleum flat gray primer spray paint. The color is neutral enough to help blend in all the individual … Continue reading The Stutsman Elevator, Part 2
I'm getting better, or at least more consistent, with using my Cricut Plotter for scratchbuilding on The Hills Line. While my primary structures, especially the rail-served ones, will always require sturdier construction methods, the majority of the buildings can be quickly and efficiently assembled from styrene sheet. Case in point, Iowa Fire Equipment. The small, … Continue reading Fire Sale
Continuing where we left off... the next phase of construction involves turning plain styrene sheets into something representative of the actual structure. My weapon of choice is photo wallpaper, made famous by Lance Mindheim. I often rely on Google Streetview for acquiring images from afar, since Iowa City is a two-hour drive for me, one … Continue reading J&M Automotive
Out of the 19 planned structures on The Hills Line, a grand total of two are served by the railroad. That ratio is all together appropriate for the modern era, but means a majority of the industries on the layout are pure filler. The goal then becomes how to replicate these offline buildings so that … Continue reading Iowa Business Supply
The Hills Line 