Rich has been back in touch with his O scale NYC Hudson locos.
If you missed his last post, it’s here.
“I want to thank you all for your kind comments about the Pine Island Railroad and encouragement to send more.
Many of you wanted to see some video but, unfortunately, I don’t have the capacity to produce it. My friend, and tech wizard Jeff, could help me out and we will be in touch as soon as life starts to open up again around here. (Jeff is also the airbrush virtuoso for the backdrop work.)
My technique for photographing the Pine Island is to use a tripod and time exposure.
Also shoot at night because natural light through windows and flash photography leads to unrealistic color and overly reflective highlights.
Set the f stop as high as it will go (22-29) and regulate the shutter speed slower than 1 second.
The high f stop keeps more of the depth in focus (although nothing’s perfect) but the shutter speed requires an absolutely still camera; setting the timer helps too.
Also try to stay low at track level. Too many aerial shots are unrealistic and don’t do justice to detail.
I will send still more pictures at another time and hopefully draw up a track plan.
Thank you Alastair for again posting my photos.
Robert”
O scale NYC Hudsons prepare to depart.
A long quiet platform.
BBQ gone to the dogs.
Back street game of hoops.
Smoke stack.
Busy barnyard.
Diesel service yard.
Dad scolds lazy son for not helping out.
Farm plowed field was cardboard box.
Lovers kiss as nuns look on.
NYC T&P motors at hillside junction.
Overview of layout taken through window.
Ready to hoop up orders.
River valley looking south.
Pine Island 0-4-0s and 2-6-4s croud roundhouse whisker tracks
This is a bust!
Toxic dump creates puddle under the bridge
I do love the story that the captions tell.
Stunning stuff from Robert and his O scale NYC Hudsons. His pics are as a good as his layout – it’s good of him to share his photography tips too.
That’s all for today folks.
Please do keep ’em coming.
And don’t forget the The Beginner’s Guide is here if today is the day you get thoughts together to get going on your very own layout.
Best
Al
PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.
great pictures of the layout,very nice detailing .wonder if you could do a running video at some point ……..5 star set up
UnbeRIVable! That really is the coolest. At 71 I wish I had modeled by own American Flyer S gauge, then morphed into Straight s gauge. Seems to me you can do so much more in the larger stuff.
Not to knock the guys doin all the really cool stuff with the smaller gauge, cause they do some spooky awesome stuff as well.
I am at HO/HOn3, Goin after the Virginia Truckee line from Reno to Virginia City, Really fun stuff. I have contracted multiple myeloma, so too hard for me, and the clock on my ticket seems to be ramping up. Some good guys are helpin out so it will be finished whether or not I get to see it.
Great work!
That was some great pictures can’t wait for the video.
HOLY COW !! WHAT A GREAT SET UP!
How much investment does Robert have in his hobby? I’m considering joining the HO scale community as a retirement hobby and want to make sure I know what I’m getting into.
I don’t want to just set up some train kit on a piec of plywood. I want something I can show folks and be proud of.
Good points on photographing for more nearly realistic results.
Some fantastically realistic pictures. Brilliant. Pity about the third rail, though.
as a kid Waaaay back as a kid I had a Hornby clockwork trainset and always got such a buzz resting my head at laying a long oval on the floor and resting my head at the end of the straight to watch the loco get bigger as it approached. Seeing these photos brings me all the way back to my childhood imagination. Thank you so much for sharing these.
Rob M
Stunning details.
GREAT in every respect !!!!
Shlack
Wooi fantastic foto’s.
HC Treintje Belgium Herman C.
Amazing. Love it.
Love the details!
Robert,
Please post the track plan/layout. All your pics are great. Beautiful detail.
The upcoming video is anxiously awaited.
Your work is museum quality.
I too have a number of O Lionel trains and will begin another layout due to recent move from Tx.
Last thought, again wonderful work.
Bruce in SC USA
Beautiful details – realism is unbelievable!
Love all photo’s especially the NYC Box electric I wish I had one in HO but there 700. + All N All great pics
The Critc
The best compliment I can give you is, the first photo of the passenger cars in the station looked so real, I thought it was. I was ready to get my ticket punch out and start boarding passengers. Your detail is absolutely fantastic!!
Conductor Dave, Dayton, Ohio
Great stuff and some old memories
Totally awesome layout!!
Love the layout, show the video and by chance tell us what size layout. Very nice great detail!
What kind of light(s) did you use? The shot of the Hudson and NYC Empire looks like real sunlight. How did you go that…or perhaps you are fortunate to have real sunlight come into your layout room.
Robert, From one Robert to another..You have photo smarts man!!! I speak from 30 years experience as a professional photographer…..GREAT SHOTS!!! Realistic in composition etc…
More great photos Robert and I love the captions to explain each phots vignette. I look forward to seeing your video whenever fate permits.
One of the better layouts I have seen on this site. I would like to see a picture of the full layout. Has to be large.
Great pictures ,great layout I love the waterfall
love the scenic pictures…dog pinching the steak big kids hoisting up little kid so he can make the shot
Quite colorful and great pictures . Well staged and great O scale equipment in motion. I loved the yellow VW bus which was exactly like my except I installed a Porche .Great lay out and I can tell many hours of love and labor went into this . Good luck..Marty
This is my first time replying to these posts (although I have enjoyed them for years) but your opening photo of the platform is so stunning and realistic I thought I was looking at life-sized! All of them bring out the detail and thank you so much for sharing how to take those spectacular shots as I was wondering how as I looked at them and then went back to the beginning (I admit I start with the pictures!). You have a layout to be proud of and I am sure you get much joy from it.
Great layout. I especially liked your use of the NEW YOUR CENTRAL RR. That was my favorite railway because it ran through my home town of Archbold, Ohio. Anyway, great job!
gorgeous lay-out.
Gilles from Belgium
This is a great looking layout.
As to the pics, I assume your using a digital
camera.
You might try shooting at F11, as most lens
depth of field does not improve much beyond
that aperture.
This would allow a faster shutter speed.
The use of a tripod will always give you a sharper photo
over hand holding.
Regards, Hal
It’s in fact very complex in this active life to listen news on TV, thus I
simply use world wide web for that purpose, and take the most up-to-date
information.
Very nice. Your pictures are stunning and the scenes are quite realistic. Thanks for sharing.
Jim AZ
It’s great to see an O scale layout, not many around. You did an awesome job with the details. Many different scenes that really add to the realism. You can be very proud of the work you’ve put into it,
All I can say is Wow. Beautiful scenery and well photographed. These are so nice I hardly even noticed the third rail. All my Lionel trains have three rails, so be it. It is a hobby, fun, and a way to express hour own personality. Keep the pictures and video coming.
This has inspired me to take some photos of my 3 rail O gauge and post in the near future. Great layout.
Robert’s O scale layout is amazing, the structures and details and stunning. The pictures are amazing and so clear. I’m sure a future video will be awesome.
Thanks for sharing
Cary B
VERY NICE……..
That’s the best O guage layout, I have seen. I have a Lionel OO guage layout, but there’s not much you can do other than the beautiful freight cars. My engine is a 1939 OO in perfect condition. My scenery is HO guage and looks pretty nice, but it’s nothing like Robert’s layout.
I will send some pics of my OO train and scenery in the near future.
Rich
Fantastic; Has me wishing I had my Lionel train set back!
Wow, so nice. An absolutely tits layout! Great detail work!
Terrific images and work. Envious ! Enjoyed your sense of humor depicted, dog stealing meat off grill, etc.
Rich, your vignettes are like a comic book or a Rockwell painting; even my wife was laughing and wowing. Your attention to detail extends to your backdrop. Masterpiece in every genre. Appreciate your Hudsons. My grandfather worked for NYCentral. And we drive through Weed, the Siskyous, Medford et al to see our daughter in Portland. Maybe I can drive your trains next time we go! Totally enjoyable posts. Jim in SoCal
Your vignettes are like a comic book or a Rockwell painting; even my wife was laughing and wowing. Your attention to detail extends to your backdrop. Masterpiece in every genre. Appreciate your Hudsons. My grandfather worked for NYCentral. And we drive through Weed, the Siskyous, Medford et al to see our daughter in Portland. Maybe I can drive your trains next time we go! Totally enjoyable posts. Jim in SoCal
And once again I’ll ask — where do you find all the posed people? They are hard to find at a cost that is not an arm and a leg!
Great modeling.
Hopefully, this will get seen, but I generally view emails late at night.
Very nicely done.
Love the photos
Love your content. Please keep me on your list. Thanks for your service. Joseph