I purchased a copy of Paul Mallory's hand laying track book over 35 years ago. I still refer to it.. you're absolutely correct about not ignoring the old masters of the hobby.
I decided to try listening to classical music when I scratch build, I found when I do mistake it is not the end of the world. Rather than start over, it is a challenge to fix it or paint it to get the results. The right music just makes things flow, as a modeler ya just have to find the right one. As always thanks for your thoughts.
@@alweinhofer5453 Don't know what scale you do but with N scale it is easy to do. but you are right happy accidents like I told my grandson " it is what you learn after you know it all that counts"
Jim Harper is a master modeler and artist. He taught me and many others that track is a model too. His PROTO 48 layout was amazing. He hand-laid all of his track with tie plates and 4 spikes per tie. He even cut notches every 39 scale on top of the rails where the tie plates were placed. Color and texture of the ties is important. I use steel rail because it looks real. Nickel silver is too shiny unless you paint the sides and stain the tops. Ballast selection is also critical to having realistic track. Merry Christmas to everyone!
Totally agree. I had the "ballast breakthrough" on my layout. It was the first scenery I tried after the benchwork stage. Couldnt believe the difference it made. The late Paul Mallery and Iain Rice are big a influence for me. Model railroad legends.
That is what sets you apart from most railroad modelers, you put so much effort and detail into every aspect of your layout. Iwas sure those leapers were wood. Merry x-mas!
Merry Christmas Boomer - I don’t know of anyone else on RUclips who puts so much detail into ballasting track. You should count yourself as one of “the Masters” in this hobby.
I just love your work and layout. When that engine pulled up and then stopped I was waiting for someone to exit the engine and do what ever the job is. Meaning your layout looks so real that I expected someone to start moving around. Great job and Thx for the video. Happy New Year.
Merry Christmas Boomer! I believe we met briefly at the Cloverdale train show in October when I saw your dioramas and was impressed at how realistic the trees were. That was before I knew about your channel or had any intentions of getting in to model railroads for that matter. Needless to say, I've been bitten by the bug and am gathering materials for my first layout as we speak. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and skills with all of us, you're both a huge inspiration and an outstanding ambassador to the hobby. Cheers
Santa's gift... ironically, today we're going to the local mile-wide, inch deep hobby store to spend the gift certificate my wife got me last year! Woodland Scenics ballast was on the list, as well as high grasses, etc. to try due to some of your recent vids too! Actual trains there are very generic and high priced... Their supplies are more down to earth price-wise and will allow me to spend efficiently. Thanks again and Merry Christmas!
Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Looking forward to learning a lot more from your vast store of expertise and perspective in 2024. Many thanks.
I'm looking forward to getting to the ballast stage on my layout. As you mention it's half the layout. Once the basic scenery and ballast is in place a layout really jumps forward in realism. I've taken a different approach than you where I'm doing all of one thing on the entire layout, then the next thing and the next thing. But once I get my basic scenery and ballast in place I'll move to a scene-to-scene approach. Beautiful work as always! Your layout shows us what can be done with our model railroads.
Thanks for the great content in 2023. Looking forward to more in 2024. Im going to borrow your idea of the tissue paper for an old plastic tarp. I got some silver tissue paper with a Christmas gift and before my wife tossed it, I told her I might need it for my layout :) It could possibly work as a tarp without needing to paint it. I’ll wet it, form it to whatever I put it over, then paint it with matte medium to solidify it. Thanks for the tip. Cheers and Happy New Year.
I want to add my best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year for you and your family (the cat too). Your videos instruct and inspire, delight and depress but are always appreciated for the generosity they represent. Stay well.
Hey Boomer , Thank you for everything this year and all the wonderful teaching this year. Merry Christmas to you and all your family , have a wonderful rest of the holiday season. Looking forward to all the adventures to come in the year ahead. Cheers ..
When I had my trains up and running I was what's known as an Operator... So While others were balisting their track, I was up and running my Trains LOL Good Stuff, Thanks for posting... Merry Christmas!!!...
Ballasting is one of those things where I love watching people do it, however totally hate doing it myself. Awsome tutorial Boomer. Hope you have a Merry Christmas, and now I got some ballasting to do. Lol.
I would consider making very small diaramas over building a layout, even a micro layout. I am trying to work out if I really want to do operations or just display rolling stock and stuff I am scratch building? Plus it's something I can finish in the time I have available. I hope to see more of this diorama you are building in the future.
As you describe, this is the philosophy behind this layout. It is sort of a Diorama/Layout hybrid where I get to do both. The more I work on this layout the more I feel inspired and drawn in. Thanks for sharing your thoughts by the way. I appreciate hearing them, Cheers ~ Boomer.
Boomer, Thank you for a wonderful CHristmas message, I don't like ballasting, but am working my way into it, as it does just finish off the layout. Bad ballasting makes the whole layout not look good, but good ballasting forgives other sins. Cheers, and have a merry and safe Christmas, Michael
This couldn’t have come at a better time. Got my order in for my first ties and rail to arrive in the new year. I will be ballasting before rail so I will get some practice in for sure. I’ve always used white glue and water but I’m gonna go with matte medium this time around. I like how you layer it up without the gloss effect
With matte medium you can easily lift track after by soaking in IPA. Matte medium is also great for turnouts because you can also free up the points, etc. easily with IPA as well. As you say, it also dry's flat and clear - and mixes with all acrylic paint. 😁
Dear Boomer, kinda funny you first mentioned wooden ties. Looks awesome! Yeah, O scale. Track indeed is a model too! Slowly getting there. I’ll check Paul Mallary’s book! Cheerio
It's interesting that you mentioned in a previous video the scale speed. Too many videos I have watched from other modelers is that they run their trains too fast. Additionally, few bother to weather their rolling stock or locos so they look realistic.
Good point! I was never impressed with "toy-like" speed either. I like modeling things as I experience them. Even then . . . slow speed is key for me. It's way more immersive and realistic as a miniature. Cheers ~ Boomer.
Wow that makes us poor off the shelf track buyers look like real amateurs. I use Märklin tracks, hard to reproduce the third rail hand made, wish I knew how to make them look half as nice. But as usual a master class. Have a Merry Christmas Boomer.
Merry Christmas Boomer, I always enjoy your content thank you for teaching us your skills. I've been using your advice on slowing down when I air brush my locomotives I tend to rush the job
A great post, Boomer. About a month ago, I did small HO Scale dioramas as desk name plates for my girlfriends dental office. Graffiti'd the names on one side of the boxcar. Lots of static grass&broken ties. It is in my shorts if ya get a chance to check it out. I'm on board with ya in 2024. I'll keep running the laps🚂so you don't have to😊🇨🇦
Gee, Boomer, and I was just about to say, "Hey, wanna do my ballasting on the logging layout?" 😅 I do enjoy most ballasting, mine is mostly dirt (from the yard)...at least it's authentic, eh? Great work!
This is my thing. Can't wait to have all my track down so I can't paint my ties and ballast. (N scale) Owner of my hobby shop asked, "why aren't using Kato track with roadbed?" My answer is because I am looking forward to ballasting. I love doing it. Most people find it a pain in the ass. I don't.
Merry Christmas Boomer!! I have a question if you don't mind, How long is your big warehouse on your layout? I'm wanting to do my main industry like that and it will have 4 car spots. . .thanks for your time sir 🙂
A short time back you described a community page where a particular topic is further examined. I’m not seeing a link. Of course this video may not have one. I’ve also looked on your home page which appears in my subscription list. Do I need to join a / your Community? Or does this link only appear with a video that has a discussion?
If you are using "Liquitex" (Professional) Matte Medium (green label), you only need about 20% Matte to 80% water - per volume. This Matte medium is of such good quality you can use less, especially around the points of a turnout. Use it for awhile and get familiar with it. It will go a long ways when you get used to it. Cheers. 😁
@@boomerdiorama thanks for the info! Getting back into little dioramas and having fun watching your vids especially now that I invested in an airbrush and compressor 👍
Hi Boomer, I am building a walk around layout that essentially comprises two scenes in approximately 6'x45' bent elbow. The two scenes are a canyon (very loosely based on Cisco) and a harbour city with a grain terminal and docks. Lots of hidden track so that long trains can enter and exit scenes while operations are challenged by constrained waterfront trackage, as per Vancouver. A few prototypically unique track arrangements are depicted. I am 3 years in and I'd love to share some of my ideas to see what you might think. I am a19 year MLA in the BC government and Parliamentary Secretary for Forestry. I'm decompressing from a career in politics, retiring this year😆 My model railway is restoring my perspective through selective compression. I am sure you have many requests for comment and understand if you don't have time, but I'd really appreciate an opportunity to chat with you about the conceptual aspects of this. Thanks, Doug Routley
Thanks for sharing Doug. My favorite Model Train store (where I can be found on Saturdays) is Intercity Trains and Hobbies in Langley, B.C. Funny you mention forestry. In my twenties (1980's), I was in the silviculture industry for awhile on the B.C. coast. I loved working in the outdoors when I was young and foolish. ;-)😉
@@boomerdiorama thanks for your reply! I, too was treeplanting in the early 80's, before teaching English in Japan through contacts I made while planting. Currently old and foolish, I work outdoors at home and indoors at "work". I'm often over on the Lower Mainland, so I will definitely check out Intercity. If you find your way over to Victoria sometime, I'd love to show you around the "rock pile" (Legislature🤣). I'm easy to reach D
See this episode for staining plastic ties: ruclips.net/video/TiBhKEc9M-s/видео.html
I purchased a copy of Paul Mallory's hand laying track book over 35 years ago. I still refer to it.. you're absolutely correct about not ignoring the old masters of the hobby.
I also have his first edition which has better illustrations than later copies.😁
I decided to try listening to classical music when I scratch build, I found when I do mistake it is not the end of the world. Rather than start over, it is a challenge to fix it or paint it to get the results. The right music just makes things flow, as a modeler ya just have to find the right one. As always thanks for your thoughts.
Sounds awesome.
There are no mistakes just happy little accidents. Part of the learning process as we improve our skills.
@@alweinhofer5453 Don't know what scale you do but with N scale it is easy to do. but you are right happy accidents like I told my grandson " it is what you learn after you know it all that counts"
Jim Harper is a master modeler and artist. He taught me and many others that track is a model too. His PROTO 48 layout was amazing. He hand-laid all of his track with tie plates and 4 spikes per tie. He even cut notches every 39 scale on top of the rails where the tie plates were placed.
Color and texture of the ties is important. I use steel rail because it looks real. Nickel silver is too shiny unless you paint the sides and stain the tops.
Ballast selection is also critical to having realistic track.
Merry Christmas to everyone!
The model railroad hobby is awesome this way. I have been revisiting some of my HO Scale track for additional details as well. Cheers. 😁
Totally agree. I had the "ballast breakthrough" on my layout. It was the first scenery I tried after the benchwork stage. Couldnt believe the difference it made. The late Paul Mallery and Iain Rice are big a influence for me. Model railroad legends.
Oh yeah! Ian Rice art work was totally inspiring to me as well.
That is what sets you apart from most railroad modelers, you put so much effort and detail into every aspect of your layout.
Iwas sure those leapers were wood.
Merry x-mas!
They look great when you paint them. Wood is nice as well when they are slightly distressed and stained.
Merry Christmas Boomer - I don’t know of anyone else on RUclips who puts so much detail into ballasting track. You should count yourself as one of “the Masters” in this hobby.
Thank for all the support this year Peter. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. God Bless. ~ Boomer.
@@boomerdiorama my pleasure Boomer. God bless you and your family.
Merry Christmas to you and yours, your video’s are the gifts that keep on giving
Thank you! You too!
Merry Christmas Boomer. Thanks for the great videos this year. Very inspiring modelling.
Same to you!
I just love your work and layout. When that engine pulled up and then stopped I was waiting for someone to exit the engine and do what ever the job is. Meaning your layout looks so real that I expected someone to start moving around. Great job and Thx for the video. Happy New Year.
Thank you very much! Happy New Year to you as well!
Merry Christmas Boomer! I believe we met briefly at the Cloverdale train show in October when I saw your dioramas and was impressed at how realistic the trees were. That was before I knew about your channel or had any intentions of getting in to model railroads for that matter. Needless to say, I've been bitten by the bug and am gathering materials for my first layout as we speak. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and skills with all of us, you're both a huge inspiration and an outstanding ambassador to the hobby.
Cheers
Thanks for sharing your new found passion for the hobby!
Santa's gift... ironically, today we're going to the local mile-wide, inch deep hobby store to spend the gift certificate my wife got me last year! Woodland Scenics ballast was on the list, as well as high grasses, etc. to try due to some of your recent vids too! Actual trains there are very generic and high priced... Their supplies are more down to earth price-wise and will allow me to spend efficiently. Thanks again and Merry Christmas!
Yes indeed. I need to stock up on more static grass.😉
Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Looking forward to learning a lot more from your vast store of expertise and perspective in 2024. Many thanks.
Happy holidays!
Teasing us with O scale.
Merry Christmas to you and your family, Boomer. . .and to Dusty.
O Scale sure does film well with the larger scale. Good scale for demos. 😉
I'm looking forward to getting to the ballast stage on my layout. As you mention it's half the layout. Once the basic scenery and ballast is in place a layout really jumps forward in realism. I've taken a different approach than you where I'm doing all of one thing on the entire layout, then the next thing and the next thing. But once I get my basic scenery and ballast in place I'll move to a scene-to-scene approach. Beautiful work as always! Your layout shows us what can be done with our model railroads.
Sounds good!
Thanks for the great content in 2023. Looking forward to more in 2024. Im going to borrow your idea of the tissue paper for an old plastic tarp. I got some silver tissue paper with a Christmas gift and before my wife tossed it, I told her I might need it for my layout :) It could possibly work as a tarp without needing to paint it. I’ll wet it, form it to whatever I put it over, then paint it with matte medium to solidify it. Thanks for the tip. Cheers and Happy New Year.
That sounds awesome. I always collect and keep stuff like that for those very reasons. ;-) Happy New Year!😁
I want to add my best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year for you and your family (the cat too). Your videos instruct and inspire, delight and depress but are always appreciated for the generosity they represent. Stay well.
Thank you.😁
Merry Christmas! See you next year! 😊
Cheers! 😁
Hey Boomer , Thank you for everything this year and all the wonderful teaching this year.
Merry Christmas to you and all your family , have a wonderful rest of the holiday season.
Looking forward to all the adventures to come in the year ahead. Cheers ..
Thank you Sam. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and family as well.
Merry Christmas Boomer, your videos have bought much enjoyment again this year.
O.K. Thank you!👍
Merry Christmas to my favorite Model Railroading ASMR!
Thank you! 😁
Merry Christmas to you and your family Boomer. All the best!
Thank you! All the best to you as well!😁
Merry Christmas Boomer! All the best to you and yours, fine Sir! Wishing you Health and Happiness in the New Year as well! 👍✌️
Thank you! Happy New Year to you as well!
I just Love these!! Merry Christmas! and be safe...
😁Same to you!
When I had my trains up and running I was what's known as an Operator... So While others were balisting their track, I was up and running my Trains LOL Good Stuff, Thanks for posting... Merry Christmas!!!...
Same to you!
@@boomerdiorama thanks for taking the time to get back to me
Ballasting is one of those things where I love watching people do it, however totally hate doing it myself. Awsome tutorial Boomer. Hope you have a Merry Christmas, and now I got some ballasting to do. Lol.
Lol . . . it does feel good when you get it done. 😉
I belong to The Model Railroad Club in Union NJ and Paul Mallory started it in his basement and grew to big for it now its 100' by 50'
Wow! Sounds awesome! 👍
Merry Christmas! 🎄🎅🎁
Thank you! 👍
Excellent! I hope that you follow it up by showing how the track is laid and nailed. Thank you!
That's the plan!
Thanks!
You are awesome! Thank you so much for supporting the channel the way you do. I really appreciate it. God Bless and Happy New Year.
Merry Christmas to you and yours 👍🤠👍
Thank you Randy. Same to you!😁
THANKS !! & MERRY Christmas !!
Happy holidays!
Another great video and commentary! Wishing you a merry and blessed Christmas and New Year!
Thank you! You too!
I would consider making very small diaramas over building a layout, even a micro layout. I am trying to work out if I really want to do operations or just display rolling stock and stuff I am scratch building? Plus it's something I can finish in the time I have available. I hope to see more of this diorama you are building in the future.
As you describe, this is the philosophy behind this layout. It is sort of a Diorama/Layout hybrid where I get to do both. The more I work on this layout the more I feel inspired and drawn in. Thanks for sharing your thoughts by the way. I appreciate hearing them, Cheers ~ Boomer.
Merry Christmas Boomer!
Samee to you!
Boomer,
Thank you for a wonderful CHristmas message, I don't like ballasting, but am working my way into it, as it does just finish off the layout.
Bad ballasting makes the whole layout not look good, but good ballasting forgives other sins.
Cheers, and have a merry and safe Christmas, Michael
Same to you!
good-looking track.
😁Cheers!
Wishing you a Merry Christmas.
Same to you!
Merry Christmas and best wishes for 2024...🎄🎄🎁🎁
Same to you!
This couldn’t have come at a better time. Got my order in for my first ties and rail to arrive in the new year. I will be ballasting before rail so I will get some practice in for sure. I’ve always used white glue and water but I’m gonna go with matte medium this time around. I like how you layer it up without the gloss effect
With matte medium you can easily lift track after by soaking in IPA. Matte medium is also great for turnouts because you can also free up the points, etc. easily with IPA as well. As you say, it also dry's flat and clear - and mixes with all acrylic paint. 😁
Dear Boomer, kinda funny you first mentioned wooden ties. Looks awesome! Yeah, O scale. Track indeed is a model too! Slowly getting there. I’ll check Paul Mallary’s book! Cheerio
Modeling track can be quite satisfying once you get into it. 😁
It's interesting that you mentioned in a previous video the scale speed. Too many videos I have watched from other modelers is that they run their trains too fast. Additionally, few bother to weather their rolling stock or locos so they look realistic.
Good point! I was never impressed with "toy-like" speed either. I like modeling things as I experience them. Even then . . . slow speed is key for me. It's way more immersive and realistic as a miniature. Cheers ~ Boomer.
Wow that makes us poor off the shelf track buyers look like real amateurs. I use Märklin tracks, hard to reproduce the third rail hand made, wish I knew how to make them look half as nice. But as usual a master class. Have a Merry Christmas Boomer.
Three - rail Marklin looks great when painted as well. Happy New Year and Merry Christmas to you as well.
Thanks for christmas episode
O.K. ;-) Happy New Year!
Merry Christmas Boomer, I always enjoy your content thank you for teaching us your skills. I've been using your advice on slowing down when I air brush my locomotives I tend to rush the job
I get that. I still rush things sometimes and then need to pause and slow down as well. Thanks for sharing.
Merry Chrismas
Same to you!
Great work like always!!!
Thanks again!
You are an artist
Thank you! Cheer!
You're a madman after me own heart
Yes, I certain madness, or rather obsession. ;-)
Merry Christmas!
Same to you!
A great post, Boomer. About a month ago, I did small HO Scale dioramas as desk name plates for my girlfriends dental office. Graffiti'd the names on one side of the boxcar. Lots of static grass&broken ties. It is in my shorts if ya get a chance to check it out. I'm on board with ya in 2024. I'll keep running the laps🚂so you don't have to😊🇨🇦
O.K. Sounds cool, I'll check that out. Cheers.
Gee, Boomer, and I was just about to say, "Hey, wanna do my ballasting on the logging layout?" 😅
I do enjoy most ballasting, mine is mostly dirt (from the yard)...at least it's authentic, eh?
Great work!
Sure thing. Local substrate for the layout. ;-) 😉
This is my thing. Can't wait to have all my track down so I can't paint my ties and ballast. (N scale)
Owner of my hobby shop asked, "why aren't using Kato track with roadbed?"
My answer is because I am looking forward to ballasting. I love doing it. Most people find it a pain in the ass. I don't.
It takes a little practice to gain confidence for sure. 😁
merry chrismas
Merry Christmas to you too!
Do you have a video on painting ties? Yours look real. I need to learn this.
If you watched the whole video the link is at the end and also pinned down below in the comment section. 😁ruclips.net/video/TiBhKEc9M-s/видео.html
Merry Christmas Boomer!! I have a question if you don't mind, How long is your big warehouse on your layout? I'm wanting to do my main industry like that and it will have 4 car spots. . .thanks for your time sir 🙂
The "big" Warehouse is 42" long and the Brewery is 38" long. Merry Christmas and Happy new Year! Cheers ~ Boomer.
THANK YOU buddy I really appreciate it!!
what do you use to ballast, it looks spot on but it doesnt look a purchased product.. cheers
The ballast is sifted Limestone. I wash it good then dry it out and sift with a cheap flour sifter.
A short time back you described a community page where a particular topic is further examined. I’m not seeing a link. Of course this video may not have one. I’ve also looked on your home page which appears in my subscription list. Do I need to join a / your Community? Or does this link only appear with a video that has a discussion?
If you are subscribed it should be on the Homepage above the videos on the fifth tab to the right.
What medium are you using for the glue and at what ratio to water?
If you are using "Liquitex" (Professional) Matte Medium (green label), you only need about 20% Matte to 80% water - per volume.
This Matte medium is of such good quality you can use less, especially around the points of a turnout. Use it for awhile and get familiar with it. It will go a long ways when you get used to it. Cheers. 😁
@@boomerdiorama thanks for the info! Getting back into little dioramas and having fun watching your vids especially now that I invested in an airbrush and compressor 👍
Hi Boomer, I am building a walk around layout that essentially comprises two scenes in approximately 6'x45' bent elbow. The two scenes are a canyon (very loosely based on Cisco) and a harbour city with a grain terminal and docks. Lots of hidden track so that long trains can enter and exit scenes while operations are challenged by constrained waterfront trackage, as per Vancouver. A few prototypically unique track arrangements are depicted. I am 3 years in and I'd love to share some of my ideas to see what you might think. I am a19 year MLA in the BC government and Parliamentary Secretary for Forestry. I'm decompressing from a career in politics, retiring this year😆 My model railway is restoring my perspective through selective compression. I am sure you have many requests for comment and understand if you don't have time, but I'd really appreciate an opportunity to chat with you about the conceptual aspects of this. Thanks, Doug Routley
Thanks for sharing Doug. My favorite Model Train store (where I can be found on Saturdays) is Intercity Trains and Hobbies in Langley, B.C. Funny you mention forestry. In my twenties (1980's), I was in the silviculture industry for awhile on the B.C. coast. I loved working in the outdoors when I was young and foolish. ;-)😉
@@boomerdiorama thanks for your reply! I, too was treeplanting in the early 80's, before teaching English in Japan through contacts I made while planting. Currently old and foolish, I work outdoors at home and indoors at "work". I'm often over on the Lower Mainland, so I will definitely check out Intercity. If you find your way over to Victoria sometime, I'd love to show you around the "rock pile" (Legislature🤣). I'm easy to reach
D
Fake mews, that’s not a model, that’s a real railroad!
It feels real sometimes. 😁