Static scenic break...

This humble Walthers Proto tank wagon sits stationary on Beaverbrook, never moving a wheel yet as important as it's more mobile brothers and sisters on the layout proper...

It's 8" of track is disconnecting from the main, it's purpose to represent the end of the propane spur on the real Beaverbrook - of course I didn't have space for a full size tanker, but rather than cut one down I've used the fact that our eyes are happy to compress and extend scenes when viewed from 3/4 or even end on, that as you look down the layout, the fact there is a tank there is right.

That said, until now it has been 'out of the box' apart from some Kadee '88' profile wheel sets. I didn't want it to stand out, yet it didn't quite blend in - so whilst the paints were out for finishing the GP38-3 I decided it would be worth washing over this and seeing what could be done - trucks and under-belly were painted with my usual 98/33 mix, and then this was washed up (!) the tank to represent streaking - this sounds counter intuitive but looks great. To soften the effect I airbrushed on the same 133/27004 I usually use for exhaust and underframe dirt, softening the edges of this effect but not obliterating it.

The result is subtle, yet fits in perfectly on set. The only thing I must rectify at some point is the lack of an airbrake hose and cut lever, as in this position at a low angle their ommission becomes quite obvious when taking close up photos through the alley between the tank and corrugated office building. A worthwhile activity that I'd been putting off for some time, allowing the left hand end of the layout to take another step closer to some sort of completion. Perhaps this idea of a view block could be useful on your own railway or railroad, using a stationary item to 'hide' something else. Until next time though, more soon...

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