Monday, April 18, 2022

Along the Bahnhofsstraße

A pinhole camera tour along Papphausen's Bahnhofsstraße... 

Entrance into the Hauptbahnhof Papphausen.

View down the Bahnhofsstraße with the Hauptbahnhof, one of my first scratchbuilt models.
It's based on the one in Duisburg.

Looking from the Hauptbahnhof towards the Feuerwache.
The post office was often attached to the station.

The Stellwerk.

Finally, reached the Feuerwache.

Back again towards the Hauptbahnhof.
The facade of the C&A was removed from the Palast der Republik.

The interior of the Hauptbahnhof is detailed, with a view through to Gleis 1.

A quick look back as we ride past the C&A and the Hauptbahnhof

An apartment block with retail/office space on the ground floor.
There is space available at the far end...

Heading down towards the more residential area with industry omnipresent...

The baker was swept away with a basket of Brötchen.

The Bergbau-Grill, a typical Imbiß/Bude which are everywhere. This layout has 4.
Zappelphillip knocked over his stroller with him in it... What to do? Well, at least he didn't die...


Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Pappeck and Different Ways of Seeing

I'm really enjoying running the trains and working/puttering about on the layout, but also finding it makes a great stage, especially when I turn off the full-spectrum/daylight fluorescent lights. Those bare bulbs in the corners of the basement can bring out other details and moods. 

I'm particularly loving the "artifacts" connected with using film, such as grain and other limitations like fixed focal length. The pinhole camera just added another dimension, in which the boundaries between reality and the stage fade away. A phone snap in color is different from one converted to black and white, which is different from one taken on [black and white] film.

I shared a few more views of the harbor side Kiez of Papphausen in my previous post. Here I head back to Pappeck to juxtapose snaps from my phone with those from the pinhole and the SLR, all scanned from negatives.

So anything to keep it interesting and find new details, or inspiration for more. All black and white images taken with the Chroma Camera Cube pinhole camera, the others with the Pentax, all on Ilford HP5 film.

Looking into Pappeck
Closer in view, looking past the Stellwerk and towards the Wartestelle.

Looking down the road with the some of the Arbeitersiedlung houses at left.

A vegetable patch between Stellwerk and Wartestelle.
Cleaning windows, working the beds, and having a chat.

The same view with the pinhole and ...

And here with the Pentax.


At least one Trinkhalle / Bude is a must.

Here with the pinhole, my first locomotive, the 3029 heading out of the station.

And, with the Pentax.

The Wartestelle while I was still working on that part of the layout.

With the pinhole. In the distance, the Burg...

With the Pentax. The Märklin 3029 was my first engine back in 1968ish. I still run it regularly.

The Blockstelle below Pappeck...



And just because it's fun...

Whimsy has always been a part of the layout. Here members of the Heaven's Gate cult are
offering themselves as take-out to the aliens who hid behind Hale-Bopp on their approach to earth.

Off they go...

Here more in the background as I was more interested in the bikers...
The UFO was tracked despite hiding...


Each camera presents very different moods, views, and details.
It's been fun to explore them all.

Sunday, March 13, 2022

A Walk to the Shadows of Papphausen

Let's take a walk to the shadowy side of Papphausen. We were here before, but things can change...

First four images taken with the Chroma Camera Cube pinhole camera, the others with the Pentax, all on Ilford HP5 film.

A look down the main street and the Hauptbahnhof.

And along another road as we head to the Hafenkiez...

At the Bude...

What's happening here...?

Someone is keeping an eye on the Bordsteinschwalben, if that's what they are.




A couple strolling down towards Buchbinderei.

The window washer has moved to the side...

The guy with his Auspuffengel and the side-car better be careful...
And, the window washer missed a spot.