Category: Ztrains Build Corner
Red Rock Reworked
I don’t know what it is about this desktop layout, I just can’t seem to leave it alone! I find myself going back, again and again, reshaping this, adding that, etc. I think I have the basic shape now in place after the most recent changes. Of course, I’ve said this before. I’m still not […]
Red Rock Layout Spires
As I began working again on our Red Rock desktop layout, I was looking through lots of online photos from iconic areas in the US such as Sedona, Arizona and the Colorado Plateau. These are such beautiful areas; I wanted to try to bring a bit more of this feel to our desktop layout. Building […]
Desktop Layout | Milwaukee Road 2
This month we’re back to our scenes, starting with the Milwaukee Road desktop layout. In the last installment, we showed the basic foam shape covered in latex paste. It’s always a process to go from that very basic shape to fine tuning the carving of the scene with areas being reworked several times in some […]
Desktop Layout | Milwaukee Road 1
Our first desktop layout is clearly a desert-themed operation so I wanted to go in a very different direction on this second layout. With the recent release of the AZL Milwaukee Road GP38-2, Rob Kluz over at Ztrack Magazine suggested I do a Milwaukee Road layout. Not a bad choice at all when you consider […]
Desktop Layout | Red Rock 1
Following the last article in the Ztrains Build Corner, we have a very preliminary look at the basic rockwork and soil covering. Miles from completion of course, but I thought it might be interesting for you to have a look at this stage. The red soil used for the base coat comes to us from […]
Two Desktop Layouts In Z Scale
As I work on the MTL Waterfront Project track, I thought I’d also like to also get to work on a pair of desktop layouts for the upcoming holidays. I’ve previously built about a dozen of these pieces for customers, and this time out I decided to build a pair at the same time I’m […]
Coal Diorama | Final
In this article we come to the end of the Coal Diorama build, it’s been a fun build and just a little challenging, fitting in enough track and scenery to keep things interesting in this compact size. On the coal tipple I was going to go with tar paper for the roof but I wanted […]
Coal Diorama | Part 4
We’re now in a pretty good position with our 2012 National Z Scale Convention, Coal Tipple diorama, there’s still work to do but at this stage this piece really starts to develop a feel. With the addition of talus and smaller rock, more soils and just a light weathering on the rock work; our scene […]
Coal Diorama | Part 3
This is one part of any scene build I’m not crazy about photographing, the bare bones scenery look, still I think it’s good to share a sense of how things look worse before they look better! I’ve laid my short track sections on cork subroadbed. I actually use a half-section of N scale cork and […]
Coal Diorama | Part 2
In this installment of the Coal Mine diorama, we’ll be modifying the coal chute just a bit to better fit our scene. We’ll also lay in a little expanding foam to begin forming our scenery. I’ve decided to leave the roof sections off for now as I’m still deciding on a roofing material (though I’m […]
