In this late summer progress report, I’ve been working on several aspects of my hobby. I’ve painted the backdrop with a smooth gradient sky and added silhouettes of buildings to create depth. I used stencils and a laser cutter for the buildings. I also painted the rails and did some track adjustments.
Apart from that, I’ve been researching and collecting scale model trains, especially focusing on mixed train sets from Via Rail and Amtrak. I’m exploring different eras of passenger travel and hunting for affordable scale models to recreate these unique trains.
Lastly, I’ve been gathering urban structure kits for future city construction. I’ve expanded my collection from Outland Models and found another manufacturer with suitable kits for downtown structures near Toronto’s Union Station.
Now that the backdrop and rails are ready, I’m excited to start building structures and running trains. Thanks for checking in, and I’ll see you next time.
Additional Footage Credited:
MichaelLovesTrains: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzQK5E-yVYk
FMNUT https://youtube.com/watch?v=HH3AzLI0gRY&t=13s
FMNUT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhcjDbPzKiM
Dan Cluley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOclHkxPJVE
Dan Cluley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0ZNA_X7wNM
Lee Witten: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7GZsE_T_ks
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I could listen to you talk all day, man. Nice catch up!
Fantastic work on the backdrops! Really like the silhouette painting techniques. Looks excellent. Welcome to the grey finger club! 8^) I enjoyed the video update. Cheers!
Very nice work. Backdrop is impressive. Thx for sharing. Cool info on via cp and Amtrak
Your backdrop looks fantastic, very impressive, question can you do some stencils in HO scale , I would be interested, I am planning on doing my own backdrop, great job
Happy to again hear from you about your progress. The layout just keeps getting better and better.
Wow love your method on the backdrop!
That stencilled backdrop is so effective, really beautiful. Also, great to see a cameo from one of your gorgeous post-apocalyptic builds. Nice work.
Great job on the background. Looks just like one of those smokey summer days of late, lol. Take care. Sean.
Holy cow that looks good! Great job on the backdrop. Thanks for editing out the 9 hours or more that it actually took.
That backdrop looks absolutely incredible! Fantastic work as always! Also it was nice to see some of the Dystopia structures you've made make cameos on the Union 😁 It was also nice to learn that all those mixed passenger car consists are prototypical– even with the joint VIA-Amtrak operations.
In light of your research, are you considering to run CP Rail passenger equipment on your layout? Would you make a consist like the one you showed in that old footage; the bi-level gallery cars being pulled or pushed by an old CP Rail F Unit?
Great update. I wonder if they make those building kits in Ho as well. They would make good filler and backdrop flats.
im glad to say i’ve been able to see a few go trains in toronto while on a trip, ill still prefer Amtrak but its still beautiful
Very impressive! Thanks for the great update!!!
Great work. The bridges look great with the trains passing by.
are you going to add the saxophone lady at the end of the Skywalk? 😄
Looking Great! Loving the interest in all the passenger car varieties and consists. If I am remembering correctly, GO transit, before buying the Bombardier Bi-Levels briefly tested the CNW gallery cars to see how they would work. Those green and yellow cars looked very interesting behind a GO locomotive!
Love the video editing and really informative, well done my friend 👏
I had no idea CP had Bi-level coaches! Thank you for that and linking the videos in the description.
Love the backdrop techniques you used! I also spied a turnout control panel – interested in seeing how you make yours. I took your idea of using 3 pole stomp switches so I can have LEDs showing the routes that are selected and also printed out some of your servo brackets.
Like always, you never disappoint. Beautiful job on your backdrop and rails. I always look forward to your videos. Thanks for the update!
Bravo!
Dear N scale dystopia, love the research results you’ve added of the different Via, Amtrak, Montreal and CP/CN consists. Very interesting idea to replicate those on the layout. Beautiful how you did paint the backdrop. Awesome to see you use the stencils. Although I humbly think the foreground buildings can use a second stencil to enhance their main viewpoint details. Might be not appropriate for now, but closer to your filling in the 3D city scape. Also will recommend to place some low relief, or combo of (what I call) flat relief and low 3D just slightly in front of the backdrop. Similar in placement to the buildings you showed next to the overpass. With appropriate lighting this will cast a natural and enhancing shadow on the backdrop, which will further increase the perception of depth. Great vid! Cheerio
Love the back drop, superb.
Ok I’m inviting you over when it’s back drop time…
I love the depth you generated with your backdrop
Great to see another video from you. I love the effect you have gone with for the back scene. One to bear in mind for a future layout. Craig
Looks amazing!
Ugh, I love the research you've done on historical passenger car sets from various roads. Love the look of that CP set you called out. Careful, we may end up bidding against each other on eBay 😉