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.

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! 

Pappeck Reko-projekt on the Branchline - 3

And it goes on...Weathering of sidewalks, appying turf and other details, hedges. Still waiting for the station mentioned in the last post, want to detail the spaces between the houses with laundry lines, wabbit hutches, and stuff. Then will close off at towards the front with more hedges.

Put the scene onto the layout after I took these pictures and noticed that the tree blends into the background too well so will freshen up with a darker green turf.  Liking the way this is coming together.

Pappeck Reko-projekt on the Branchline - 2

Lifted the old town out (had forgotten that I can be clever) traced the outline and cut out some foam for the base... Good to start playing with placement of structures and road placement... Ordered WS-Lasercut's Wartehaus Sellin-Ost that I've decided will look and work better as a basic station.Nice compact footprint and appropriate for this kind of end of the line...

Overall view

First attempt at structure placement...
The Magdeburger Reiter statue of HRE Otto I will likely stay (somewhere) on the layout...

End of the line...

The old town next to my n-scale end module. May well keep as a momento of layouts past.

Pappeck Reko-projekt on the Branchline

Between all matter of book projects and The Bonefolder I'm glad to be getting back to the railroad. After the corner by my small harbor, it became time to set my eyes on my branchline station and neighborhood...

View down the street...

View from across the layout...

Siedlungshäuser from WS-Lasercut will replace the Schreiber houses. The difference in scale is scary. Though originally packed close together, putting three here will make things too tight, so I'll likely opt for 2 with more space between/around.

Unless something changes, all structures in this area will be card lasercut kits. It's been really interesting building these - interesting in a good way. The fit is really good, and the level of detail they can get amazing. None of the plastic shine either, though all will get some weathering and other detailing.

• Siedlung Eisenheim on Wiki (German)
• Siedlung Eisenheim (Google to English)
• Lots of pictures of the 87:1 models for  the kits 
• Animated gif showing growth...

New crushing old...

Kits assembled to date...

The stellwerk and magazin (garage/store house) are by Moebo, the kiosk by Joswood. The magazin I may convert into a small station with a waiting room and storage... Then again, may scratchbuild a small station or use one of the "Wartehaus Sellin - Ost" that I just ordered from WS-Lasercut.

Detail of kiosk.

Building the kits with removable roofs so that I can detail interiors... This is the Trinkhalle/Kiosk so ubiquitous in the Ruhr and elsewhere.