The bridge was a special project built by Lynn K to simulate the prototype’s 2-track rail bridge structure over Powell’s Creek. He used plywood, foam core, and styrene plates. The water in Powell’s Creek was a plaster bottom painted with acrylic paints by blending tans, ocre, green, and black putting lighter shades near the shoreline. A two part epoxy was poured to simulate water and stippled to reflect water movement as the resin dried.
The road was constructed by smoothing plaster and painting it with charcoal acrylic paints. The road goes under the bridge and “disappears” into the forest on Dispatch Mountain. Mason Neck along the Potomac River has tall cliffs with a forest at the top and trees along the shoreline.
The mountainside forest was made as described earlier for Dispatch Mountain. The shoreline trees were Woodland Scenics ready-made trees. The rocks along the shoreline were plaster clumps merged into the soil and grasses from Woodland Scenics and stained with acrylic washes. The Potomac River water was done using the same river techniques for Powell’s Creek.
As shown in Figure 13, Eyore Mine was constructed at the bottom of the Dillinger Grade cliff terrain. The original structure was a cardboard mockup. A custom structure to extend over the mainline and into the mountain above Ridgeline was planned but hasn’t been built as yet. Only a few trees were installed near the mine. The mine siding tracks have cinder ballast. Extensive rock carving was done for the cliffs around the mine. Dillinger is a small town at the base of the top of Dillinger Grade and adjacent to the Harbor. Mainline tracks from Coopers Holler with grey blend ballast along the fascia lead to the town of Dillinger. A Dillinger train station was installed along the Ridgeline mainline above Dillinger along with a road extending into the forest.
This area, constructed by Tim B, includes a harbor front to the Potomac River and a custom double track viaduct bridge over the harbor area for the mainline. The viaduct was a custom bridge constructed using Plastruct and parts from many kits. At the harbor level, water was constructed using a drop ceiling light cover painted blue-green and using the ripples in the plastic as water movement. The immediate waterfront along the harbor was constructed using 15 dowels tied together and painted charcoal grey. A boat in the harbor accents the scene. Trackwork along the harbor supports a shipping industry that includes a pump station under the viaduct, PDQ Electric Company power station buildings, and tracks feeding 3 small businesses: farm & seed and lumber. The scenery includes a lot of asphalt under the viaduct and around the trackwork that was constructed using plastic painted shades of grey. About 35 parking spaces were defines for trailers and a freight station along the waterfront by scoring/painting plastic. A large warehouse was installed at one end of the harbor
Some small town structures and few trees integrate the scenery into the backboard behind the mainline tracks.
The forest in Possum Branch, shown in Figure 15, was constructed using a local weed and following a unique foliage process for them defined by Dave P. We made close to 100 Dave P trees on the PDQ. The weeds [using the tops from 4-5 foot tall stalks] are harvested along selected county roads in August and covered with green or black poly fiber and sprinkled with ground foam using spray adhesives. These trees are sufficient quality for foreground trees with lots of woody branches.
Division Yard has two mainline tracks with grey ballast; 1 incoming storage track with brown/grey blend ballast, and 3 siding tracks for yard operatio
At the right end of Division Yard, as shown in Figure 18, is a small 8” turntable on a siding and a couple of other yard industries on a siding: a brewery and an REA shipping building.
Along the fascia side of Division Yard are foreground trees, bushes made from clump foliage, and grass areas purchased from Woodland Scenics.
The trackage at the end of the yard will transition into Easton and also loop around and come back into Division Mountain. Scenery there is carved rocks, more trees, and ballasted track.
Easton is a rural community with a forest of Dave P trees covering the center of the peninsula. Open areas are Woodland Scenics grasses. A double track mainline with grey blend ballast goes around the back of the peninsula and expands to 3 tracks on the front side to incorporate the Easton train station. Roads across the tracks to community structures are made with foam core and painted grey. Similar to Division Yard, the base is Homosote over plywood. A green backdrop is mounted behind the peninsula blocking viewing from the window to the street by the Quantico Train Station. The sky was painted sky blue color. Some plaster hills with large Dave P trees were added to the peninsula near the lake. A brown sandy road through the town of Easton to the lake was inserted. A large hillside, with 6-8 large trees, provides a scenery break between Easton and Division Yard. A double track portal provides access into Division Mountain from Easton. A small train station supports the citizens of Easton.
This completes the tour of the PDQ. Just to summarize a little on the basic techniques used on the PDQ:
- Hydrocal was used for the hard shell construction of the various mountains
- Extensive rock carving using acrylic paint washes were used in multiple locations
- The scenery was a team effort with members addressing multiple areas to learn/use their skills
- Water was simulated using painted bottoms and two-part resins with stippling as the resin cured.
- Trees were constructed using some purchased trees for foreground trees. But for background forests, local weeds, poly fiber, and ground foam were used.
- Mainlines were ballasted with a grey blend but sidings were usually cinders.
Now that you have read all about the PDQ and construction of its scenery, come on down and visit at one of our Open Houses defined on our website, www.pwmrc.org .
Note: Late in 2015, a “tornado” severely damaged Armstrong. Consequently a massive rebuilding project was launched involving laying new track, wiring new turnouts and track, and construction of new scenery. Stay tuned for progress on upgrades on the PDQ.