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Back2Basics
PART 16 – On30
Section Two: Final Details
By John Levesley
In Section One in the previous issue we looked at the essentials of On30: track; baseboards, rolling stock and structures. In this Section we look at adding details and bringing life to the models and layouts. The following scenes are all on John’s layout “Sumach Grove”.
Some Scratch-building Scenes
Figures, Scenic Accessories and Vehicles
Woodland Scenics, Model Power and Preiser produce traditional 1/48th scale model railroad figures. One big bonus though is that 1/48th scale is a popular military and aircraft modelling scale and provides model figures that can be adapted. Generally speaking British 1/43rd figures are a bit too big (except for the occasional big bloke), though some British makers also now do 1/48th metal model railroad figures as well. European O scale figures are 1/45th and work well. Also worth investigating are packs of painted or undecorated figures from the far east these are very cheap and often post free, Be cautious, they are usually 1/50th scale and are limited in variety. Out of a pack of 50 there may only be 8 designs.
Photo 18: On30 figures, a 1/48th Woodland Scenics pre-painted figure on the left, the others are all 1/50th scale sold on line in sets of typically 50 for about a fiver post free from China. These were initially unpainted.
The manufacturers seem to have used real people for the figures, one pack has figures that are fairly obviously modelled on Queen Elizabeth, the Duke of Edinburgh, Marilyn Monroe, Marlon Brando and James Dean. The pre painted figures look pretty rough, but a coat of primer can reveal some decent detail that responds well to washes and dry brushing. One ideal use for these figures is to buy the seated figure sets to cheaply populate passenger cars.
Even vehicles sold for On30 can in fact be under scale, the lovely Atlas Ford Model As are actually 1/50th. If you’re modelling the 1930s several military model manufacturers produce Russian Gaz vehicles that are in fact licence-built Fords.
Photo 15: Scratch built loading ramp
Photo 16: Scratch built transfer dock. The crates and tarpaulined load at the far end are a single 1/48th scale resin military truck load.
Photo 17: Scratch built MoW rail rack
Photo 19: A Ford AA truck and Ford B 40hp both sold as Russian GAZ military vehicle kits that were designs licenced from Ford.
August 2019 - ROUNDHOUSE 15