The Truck Parking Spot | Evolution of a Diorama | CCMR At The Bench #11

[@yamo1226]

Looks fantastic! You're taking n-scale art to the next level....so much detail in such a small scene. Don't stop

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

Thank you! Lots of scenes like this still to go on the layout -I'll be keeping busy ;)

[@MU-2]

Drizzling here in CT where your musings and background music selection are just the perfect fit with which to pass the time.

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

Awesome, glad this puts a bit of good mood on a rainy day!

[@chrisbarr1359]

Always a bright spot in my day when we get a CCMR video!

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

Thanks Chris, always a treat to catch up with you in the comments!

[@Fabsterk]

I appreciate your attention to detail!

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

Thank you Fabian!

[@mervinenh]

Amazing work Eric...as usual!

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

Thank you Mark!

[@conrailfan6277]

Very nice work, I also like the realistic size of your dock area, that's the biggest bugaboo with me, I've been a Trucker for almost 20 years now and I continue to see modelers not making the dock area around their factories and warehouses bigger, my trailer is 53 foot plus my Big Truck with sleeper adds another 15 feet in length so we need room to maneuver to back into a dock, daycabs and yarddogs are shorter so in a pinch a modeler could condense their space more but most have unrealistic areas where trucks are concerned!!! 👍👍👍👍👍

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

Glad to know it passes spec on that . Selective compression on a layout is a tricky thing, because at some point there will be at least one element that just becomes fantasy on there. For the trucks, I pretty much just rolled mine around in there like a kid would, to get an idea if it was feasible.

[@Shelfandtabletoplayouts00gauge]

Inspirational video, the concrete block with graffiti tops it off. Always a great watch 👍

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

Thanks! This was a really fun project on the layout.

[@folkertvanwijk5168]

Nice work, nice layout and good to see something this quality in N-scale!

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

Thank you Folkert!

[@alanritchie9781]

A beautiful model.

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

Thank you Alan!

[@jeffherdz]

Your work is so top notch ! Love watching the progress in the layout.

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

Thanks Jeff, it's a good reason to hang on to a layout for a while as skills build.

[@bruceperkins6844]

That looks outstanding!

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

Thanks Bruce!

[@JasonJensenTrains]

Incredible work!!! You are an artist in the hobby!

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

Thank you Jason - it's a blast watching your N scale vids these days!

[@danielfantino1714]

Far better ! Proof that a little something can makes huge difference.

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

It's very true, and oddly enough provides a lot of instant gratification. 'Big' projects on my layout can take a good while :)

[@brooklyngraham1151]

Another great video! I love the air brush work on the scenery. It really does blend things together well. I’ve been playing around with adding misc puddles along the road to the coal mine and amongst the slag piles. I’ve also been building chain link fences for certain areas which is time consuming, but rewarding when they’re installed. Again, always a treat when I see you’ve posted a video. Thanks.

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

Thanks Brooklyn! Have you posted any images of your layout? Seems quite cool from what you've described here.

[@brooklyngraham1151]

@@ChicagoCrossingRR I’ve never really thought about posting images of my layout, although I’ve taken a few over the years. I don’t have a KZbin channel or anything like that as a medium for sharing. Perhaps I should think about it, but the layout has always been an outlet for my creative side, something I’ve worked at singularly for the best part of twenty years. I do take a little heat from friends and family, being a woman in a predominantly male hobby. They’ve accepted the fact that I’m the “train girl”, but I’m still shy about sharing my interest in it. If I do post pictures, I’ll be sure to let you know.

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

@@brooklyngraham1151 certainly worthwhile even if not on a medium like KZbin. You're right to point out the extreme gender disparity as a pain point, which I imagine has the potential to make it difficult to advocate for the hobby or one's place in it without feeling the associated cultural headwinds. I've seen a few model railroaders who are female on YT, I'm curious as to what their experiences are. In any case, eric.pietras(at)gmail is my address if you want to share without all others looking in.

[@PlanetMojo]

Great job!

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

Thank you!

[@kahunatiki6498]

Excellent video Eric! The super detailing of the scenery area you worked on shows a how you can get an incredible return of investment of minimal cost and satisfying time. Your scene looks phenomenal! FYI: another natural scenic material I use is pulverized gravel dust from gravel parking lots. I collected in the summer after a dry spell then finely sift. You may find it useful in other areas. Take care! Scott

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

Thank you Scott! I’d never thought of gravel dust, that’s a great idea. I enjoy how our models can inspire resourcefulness in materials :)

[@kahunatiki6498]

@@ChicagoCrossingRR Yes sir! Helps the budget too!!

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

@@kahunatiki6498 that's a big motivator for me in not buying every color of grass or turf out there, and just painting it instead :) More money for other cool stuff!

[@TravelinginMiniature]

It’s amazing what you have been able to do with N scale.

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

Thanks!

[@RailroadGuy49]

Perfect. As always.

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

Thank you John!

[@stevetandysr.2816]

Wow , just Wow . Very nice . I am learning a lot from your video's . Thanks . Keep up the great video's .

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

Thanks Steve, glad they're useful and thank you for supporting the channel!!

[@keithludowitz9637]

Really, really nice scene, and actually useful commentary (thanks for that). You and Boomer are at the top of your game!

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

Thank you Keith!

[@kinnywolf2862]

Great video

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

Thank you Kinny!

[@pacificcoastminiatures]

That's a great scene! Love all the various textures.

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

Thank you, and BTW really great job on that harbor...

[@pacificcoastminiatures]

@@ChicagoCrossingRR Thanks very much, it's a longer project!

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

@@pacificcoastminiatures all the fun ones are!

[@lucgagnon5241]

I'm amazed by your work... After all, it's N scale !

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

Thanks Luc - trying to get as much done as possible while I've got good eyesight :)

[@lucgagnon5241]

@@ChicagoCrossingRR The goal here is to have fun. For me, nothing gives me more satisfaction in life than doing things most people can't do ! Scenic is I think the most difficult thing to do. Not only it request talent but most of all... good taste ! Keep on your good work.

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

@@lucgagnon5241 thank you! Absolutely agree. For me the pleasure of the artistic journey keeps me coming back to this same little set of models. There's always more to do, but never a particular requirement on agenda or order of operations. My career is quite the opposite so this offers some more freeform time.

[@laspiedrasrailroad]

I am doing a video on the best layouts of the week, may IU use the Crossings and give you full credit? I can't find your name anywhere?

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

Sure thing, you’re welcome to show the layout. I’m Eric Pietras. Cheers!

[@alanritchie9781]

Looks N Scale? Cool the tinier, the better? The challenges of bigger and smaller scales are tough? HO. Everything is almost made right out of the box for the modeler? Not much needed in 1/87 scale.

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

That's correct Alan this is on an N-scale layout. From a modeling perspective I think both scales offer distinct challenges. For N, the physical size of the models offers challenge for those wanting to incorporate a level of detail that approaches the sort found more commonly in HO. In HO, I suspect the greater size of the models makes them less forgiving for errors in details. For instance, in N scale I can make representations of graffiti art that in HO would be expected to be much more finely crafted. Just my thoughts on it.

[@thomasdecker7631]

So I suppose we could say you're a "flat earther"? Seriously, looks great. All these small vignettes make your layout seem amazingly large.

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

😅I suppose you're right about that!! It's funny how big the scene looks on video or as a photo because many of the other visual cues that provide information on 'real' size are missing. I went down to the layout the next day and thought, 'all that energy for maybe 20 sq inches of space!'

[@thomasdecker7631]

@@ChicagoCrossingRR 20 sq. inches of space=big impact.

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

@@thomasdecker7631 absolutely Thomas!

[@tmfe1986]

i wanna divorce my wife and marry this layout.

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

🤣😂🤣😂

[@TeutonicNordwind]

Swanky music bro. Looks great

[@ChicagoCrossingRR]

Thanks!

[@TeutonicNordwind]

@@ChicagoCrossingRR New sub here. I'm planning on an HO layout down the road and just doing some homework and getting inspired and the detail and realism in your layout is off the charts! (as well as the aesthetics and thoughtfulness of the whole configuration)