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.

Visiting Pappeck

Pappeck is a small Zechenkolonie (Coal miners' company town) with Haltestelle ([Train] stop), something less than a station. It connects to the Hbf in Papphausen via the rail line, the road connecting from elsewhere... The miners commute by rail...

All structures are lasercut card kits ordered from Germany. All images shot on Ilford HP5 400 speed black and white film using a tripod and cable release for these 2 second average exposures. And no, I did not forget the Farbfilm. Lighting for most of these was the bare 75 watt cool-white bulb on the basement ceiling. The layout lights were not on.

Entering Pappeck, crossing the [unsecured] railroad tracks by the Stellwerk. An oversized statue honors some medieval Holy Roman Emperor who passed through, lost apparently... The Trinkhalle (Kiosk) sees to the locals needs for beer, sweets, a currywurst, and gossip...

Stellwerk and looking down the road...

The Haltestelle comes into view. Looks like trouble (or salvation) in the distance...

Some shadows on the house in the background...

Two locals having a Schwätzchen (chat) across the fence. The one on the right was working in the vegetable garden. The Haltestelle at right.

Pappeck's Haltestelle. It's basic with a covering and ticket counter. The local (Märklin 3029 with coaches) was my first train. There are two tracks with switches at both ends so the engines can switch to the front, or park for the night. Not sure what those aliens are doing in the background. The heavy coal train heading towards Papphausen is being pulled by an E50/BR 150.

We'll come back for another visit in the not too distant future.

Pigeon Shed by Joswood

First kit in a while. A racing pigeon shed like those that dotted the Ruhr. The working man's race horses and far from rats with wings. There's a nice video (in German) from the WDR about raising pigeons here. See also some photos here.

The laser-cut card kit is by Joswood. Instructions are clear and materials are first rate. If you want to model northern, industrial, gritty, honest Germany, this is where you want to get your structures. Not an alpine hut in sight.

Will weather a bit before permanently placing on the layout, but I like where it is now.

Let's get started...

Roughly framed in and ready to start adding the exterior trim

Exterior mostly on, now lots of details and more layers

Done except for some weather. Joswood made that easy because the laser cutting left artifacts, and the materials look very natural. Instructions also say to avoid perfect and right angles – make it look ramshackle...

Provisionally placed on the layout

Now to assemble the 1:87 pigeons - separate wings, legs, and beaks! Better have a Pils und n' Korn first to steady the hands.

You didn't seriously think I'd assemble pigeons from kits/scratch, did you?!?!

Weathered and populated. One of the pigeons is not like the others - inspiration from a colleague whose uncle would use a slingshot to get rid of birds not his...

Now, play the video below while looking at images for the full effect... ;-)

Posten 210 - Final Corner 2

First placement tests...Obviously, the corner still needs to be glued down, pink painted black, structures and yards detailed and fixed... Still, great progress considering how long it took to get to this point. Time to do some bookbinding for a few days. Exhibits to work toward this year.

Enjoy!

Posten 210 - Final Corner

This is the only part of the layout that saw no scenery, ever! Posten 210 was described further down here, and will be paired with the little schrebergarten shacks from Joswood below. Scenery will be easy, but I've been saying that for at least the 8 years that I began the layout ago and the 1.5 years since getting the posten... Here goes nothing, or something...

Pappeck Reko-projekt on the Branchline - 6 (Schluß)

Two full days of detailing behind me with some more to do, including trying to clean some stray glue out of the signal, making station signage, and some structure weathering....

When I started it was to replace the very basic card model houses and station that I first had as a child and to make the overall scale of things more realistic, nevermind the buildings... As mentioned in earlier posts, kits are all lasercut card from Germany, Joswood, Moebo, and WS-Lasercut based on structures in Germany's mid-50s to mid-80s Ruhr Valley/industrial heart-/wasteland... For inspiration and rea examples I have numerous books depicting life, people, and industry in addition to my own recollections of having lived there in the mid-80s. That said, it's all a bit romanticized, but I'm ok with that.

Welcome to Pappeck.

Trinkhallen plausch (chat) and laundry day...

Chat across the fence...

Chat across the fence with a nice view behind. Where are the "Bullen" heading?

More kitchen gardens... Remember the veggies I assembled? Bunnies, too...

Punks and rockers... Wonder how it will end?

Pappeck Reko-projekt on the Branchline - 5

Gardening in winter? Yes, and about time to be back working on things...

Post Christmas checklist:

1. Dusting? Check!
2. Track cleaning? Check, mostly...
3. Düwag GT6 runs Check, after fixing due to drop...
4. Backdrop fixed after getting bumped during various house construction projects? Check.
5. Pappeck? Long neglected and in need of progress, or even better "completion?"

So, time to work in the gardens and create some scenes... Avoided these  #%$@ Busch kits long enough. On the menu cabbages, broccoli, lettuce, sunflowers and window boxes.

What have I gotten myself into...

Almost there...

The harvest...

Next, lift Pappeck out and bring to workbench and start detailing.
More anon...

Pappeck Reko-projekt on the Branchline - 4

Been ages since I worked on the layout (last update on 1/21), but decided it was time to dust some of the cobwebs that covered things and play around with placement of the station that I built up during the spring. Rocking to Ballast der Republik bei the Toten Hosen with its relentless beat and songs like the title track and Schade, Scheiße, Wie Kann Das Passieren. HIGHLY recommend the album for those who understand German.

Have everything I need to finish (this corner) and just need to to get moving. Hard to juggle between this, binding projects, and general malaise brought on by work... Manchmal kann ich das Schwartze vor den Augen nimmer sehen. Aufwärts gehts!