Previous Posts

Focus stacking

I bought a new camera the other week, and reports of a good snowfall up in the mountains had me itching to use it. So today I packed myself a lunch, grabbed a book, and hit the road, heading for my favourite spot again.

There was less snow on the road this time so I was able to park just around the corner. I opened up the laptop and started picking up some ATCS transmissions. Soon I had a pretty clear picture what was happening out there... nothing. Never mind, I had my book to keep me company and knew that in an hour or so the regular Glacier Express passenger train would be coming through.

Sure enough, a couple of hours later I saw the track occupancy circuits on the ATCS lighting up, so I headed out and set up for my shot. Unfortunately with no other traffic on the line there would be no crossings or breaks here, and hence I'd only get the one shot.

Building lighting

It was going to be another long night, I could tell. The siding was being shunted tomorrow and we had a load of grain going out, so everyone was rushing to get the last of their harvests in today. Which of course meant another late night at the weigh bridge for me.

I'd run all the numbers and my radio serial (Drag Net) had finished, so I stepped outside for a breather. There was a warm breeze blowing and the crickets — or were they frogs — were loud, as usual. Sometimes I wonder if they ever sleep.

I wandered down the road a little and looked back up at elevator. It was quite a sight looming up there, flood lights over the loading bay. Tomorrow I'd probably have to climb out on the roof and inspect the cyclones. Off in the distance I cou...

Sunset at the grain elevator

They say there is nothing better than Summer in Utrainia. I'm inclined to agree. Coming home one evening I saw some activity down at the grain elevator. I pulled off the road, grabbed my camera and went off to investigate.

Turns out the hot new kids in town were doing a spot of shunting, and the lighting was just perfect.

I clicked off a few shots and then headed for home. A friend in a chopper (a Robinson R22 I believe) forward this to me, I'm surprised I'm not in the shot!

San Luis and Rio Grande SD90s

New motive power is rare is rare here in Utrainia, but this morning I got word that some very eagerly awaited locos were heading out for a test run. I made a quick call to the San Luis and Rio Grande yard office and found out their plans for the day. Seems they were scheduled to haul the prestigious Ski Train! To see the Ski Train running was great news, but with a pair of fresh SD90/43s on the front! Oh boy!

I immediately put all other plans on hold, topped up the car with gas and hit the road. I knew exactly where I could catch it, a nice little clearing up north where the double track turned into a single track section. As I got closer I noticed the weather closing in and soon there was snow at the sides of the road. Luckily I had chucked my All Weather Railfanning Crate in the back with plenty of warm socks, mittens, arctic-grade jacket and so forth. Winters here in Utrainia are known to be unforgiving, so it pays to be prepared.

Static grass

Mid-west Utrainia is famed for its vast fields of waist-high grass, so naturally I had to model this. A recent innovation in model railway circles is static grass, and after some hunting and researching I set about making some of my own.

The grass fibre

First ingredient is static grass fibre, apparently a side-effect of textile manufacture. I got mine from ebay, from Aussie Scenics. I used their Wheat Fields, Late Harvest Brown, and Desert Scrub flavours. Since ordering they have come out with a new expanded range of dry looking colours which I am keen to try. Another source on ebay is War World Ltd, also on ebay.

The Grass Blaster

The other ingredient is a static grass machine. Mine is a home made one, based on a very simple circuit of power-pac...

Power poles

When the Soviets build the Utrainian State Rail Road (USRR) they strung up a great network of communication lines to ensure operating orders were swiftly and efficiently delivered throughout the railway. Of course as the relentless march of technology progressed, two-way radio links mostly replaced the traditional analogue lines of past, however if you look hard enough there are still patches of the old lines standing.

To model this, I took some very ordinary Atlas N scale telephone poles. I chopped off the molded on bases and drilled a small 1mm hole into which I stuck a beheaded track pin. I then primed them with some spray can primer (good and quick).

Nice and straight? Notice original brown plastic underneath.

I stuck them in a lump of cork and went ove...