Playing with AI to Create a Backdrop (first tries)

My back still isn't, um, "back" to 100% so I can't get to the layout. But I can play around with Google Gemini (an AI program) to try and create some more backdrop images to fill in behind the foreground buildings at the north end of Middletown . . .

I started by asking Gemini for "fronts of factory and mill buildings, viewed straight on" and got this image that included 4 images.

I then used the MS snipping tool to crop & save each of these images as a separate image. The one at the top left ("Riverfront Textiles") is fine to use as-is, but the others need to be rotated. So, I started with the image in the lower right ("Pinewood Paper"). Here are the screenshots of exactly what I did . . .

Not fantastic (when I rotated it, I lost a bit of the character of the varied roofline), but pretty darn good for less than 5 minutes' work.

I'll do the same thing with the other images and then see how they look. But HOLY COW! For someone like me that enjoys creating photo backdrops, Google Gemini is an amazing tool!

Just check out this before-and-after . . .

Here's the image I started with:

Point A

And here's what I ended up with:

Point B

Still a bit too "peak autumn" looking for my layout (which is set more in early Autumn), so I'll be doing some PhotoShop work to get it into final form, but from the B&W image to the image above took me no more than 7-10 minutes, if that.

Truly amazing!

I can't even imagine how long it would have taken me to get this result by regular PhotoShopping - even if I had all the skills needed. And this is certainly a long way from "just" colorizing a B&W photo (which I've been doing for over 5 years now - here's my original post on that, and the RMC article).

I actually screenshotted the nine separate instructions I used to get from Point A to Point B. So if anyone's interested in seeing those, let me know in the comments or contact me directly. It really is shockingly easy.

I'm not a huge fan of AI in most other contexts, but for making backdrops for your model railroad? I'm finding it pretty hard to beat. It's definitely a remarkable time to be in the hobby.

So give it a try - and if you do, I hope you'll let us know!

Master Modeler Marty McGuirk - "Modeling Autumn Scenery"

 

Arriving just in time for the weekend - and at a perfect time for allowing my back to recover (and missing time on the layout) - is Marty McGuirk's much-anticipated master work on modeling my favorite season - Fall!

I may be a little biased, since I'm honored to be a (minor) contributor, but I think this book is destined to become a classic, right up there with Dave Frary's scenery bible. As you can see from the Table of Contents above, Marty covers everything you'll need to know to get that authentic looking autumn look on your layout.

But even if you model a different season, the book is just a joy to flip through. Self-publishing has come a LONG way in recent years and this book looks as professional - and in some cases even more so - than the best offerings from the more well-known publishing houses. Not only is the text clear and well written, striking that critical balance of conveying lots of information while being easy to read, but the photos printed beautifully as well. I especially appreciate the many tables and charts that echo the best of Frary's "recipe cards" - creating a handy reference source. I don't think I'll be the only one adding lots of Post-Its to flag these bits.

This book really deserves to be in every model railroader's library, if only for the wealth of inspiring photos from a wide variety of modelers and layouts. I'm looking forward to diving into "Modeling Autumn Scenery" and trying out all the cool techniques!

Huge Thanks to Marty for taking the time to distill his many years of experience and share all of his formidable skill with us in this book. Be sure to visit Marty's website at Artisan Rail Media to get your copy - and check out the other cool items he's posting for sale there while you're there!

Throwback Thursday - Miller Street Grade Crossing

I posted the following as a Wordless Wednesday (WW494) exactly one year ago today . . .

 

(the story)

I'm ashamed to confess that - yes - I started on the Miller Street grade crossing scene over a year ago.  Well, in my on-going effort to catch the Valley Local Blog up to the current state of affairs, here's the latest progress that's occurred over the past few weeks . . .

Foamcore street base added, along with foamcore structure bases, and scenery supports.

"KEY" houses & garage, scratchbuilt by Bill Schneider and mocked up in place.

Scenery base filled in (plaster cloth over cardboard lattice & foam).

"Lister Goop" added to cover add "ground"

Couldn't help but mock up the scene following the prototype photo.

With Bill's indispensable help with the structures, this scene is really coming together nicely! I'm not too happy with Miller Street itself though. I used my "easy tar & dirt road" technique, but it looks far too dark compared to the photo. I'm going to try and lighten it - but still noodling exactly how . . .

I don't mind taking my time (even if it is over a year!) to get it right. Such an iconic scene certainly deserves the attention to detail . . .

Wordless Wednesday #518 - Southbound Entering Wethersfield

 

Friday Fun - Recent Content

Making it a fourth day of blog posts in a row . . . Here are a few random fun things for this edition of "Friday Fun"...

Some of you have asked for a trackplan of the layout to help orient you - especially after seeing some of the videos. This (and a lot of other great content, IMO) is also available on the Valley Local Website (ICYMI :^) The plan is included in MRP'26 (see below).

I don't mind mentioning (perhaps again) that the Valley Local got pride of place on the cover of Tony Koester's latest book! That's the 'local northbound at Rocky Hill, photo by Dan Munson. I just got my copy earlier this week, which prompted the pic :^)

Just as cool though is the fact that the layout also got a few pages' coverage right at the start of Chapter Three. SO neat to see it in print!

I also recently got my first-ever feature article on the layout published in this year's edition of Model Railroad Railroad Planning. In it, I provide a comprehensive overview of the project from conception to current status.

Lastly, the 'local - or, more specifically, my latest weathering job on a Rapido 44-tonner, was featured in a recent edition of Rapido News.

I can't tell you how cool - and how humbling - it is for The Valley Local to get all this exposure. The layout certainly has a LONG way to go before it's even at a "level of completeness" - but seeing it in print has really lit a fire in me to keep making progress! So glad you're willing to join me on this journey :^)

Throwback Thursday - The Valley Local YouTube Channel(?!)

After posting yesterday's video from the Iron City N Scale group, I thought it'd be cool to let y'all know where there's some more Valley Local content . . .

Yes, believe it or not, The Valley Local has a YouTube channel! Heh - I'd forgotten too(!), but here it is at https://www.youtube.com/@TheValleyLocal. Technically, it's my personal YT, but as you'll see it's almost exclusively Valley Local (or at least Valley Local/model RR related) content. Don't mind the Mike Confalone/Allagash/Androscoggin layout visits . . .

And it's a legit topic of a "Throwback Thursday" post since the most recent video is from 5(?!) months ago.

Ugh.

But check it out and see if there's anything you find that fits your fancy. In the meantime, and by way of a little teaser, here's one of my favorites . . . Enjoy! (and - as they say - "be sure to 'Like' and 'Subscribe!")

(Not So Wordless) Wednesday - Layout Update Video

Here's a HUGE THANK YOU to all of you that took the time to leave a comment on my last post. I honestly wasn't fishing for comments/compliments per se, but sincerely wanted to get a sense of how many folks might not be on Facebook and look to this blog as their only source of updates on The Valley Local.

Suffice it to say, you all really encouraged me - so thank you!

Although I'm going into (literally) the busiest 4 months of my work year (legislative session adjourns as of midnight May 6), I'm going to try and get this blog updated to bring y'all up to the current state of affairs. Of course, I won't do it all at once - neither you nor I have the time for that! - but over the coming days/weeks I'll post the highlights of the progress that's occurred over the past months. Suffice it to say, I'm frankly a little embarrassed at how little I posted in 2025. . . Yikes!

But for those of you that wanna jump right to the bottom line and see the layout as it is now (well, as of Feb. 12), thanks to the Iron City Roundhouse Report Podcast you can(!) since they recently hosted The Valley Local as an Iron City Showcase.

So if you can stand hearing me narrate a tour of the layout while barely taking a breath (and just mute me if you'd rather just see the pretty scenes), here's a video that's about as close to you coming to visit as I can muster.

Enjoy!

Tuesday Tip - Decanting Paint

I'm sorry. This blog has been neglected for FAR too long and I hope to start remedying that with this post. I'll admit, the ease and instant feedback of Facebook has succeeded in grabbing all my attention for The Valley Local, and that's been to the detriment of those of you that don't follow the 'local on FB (click here if you're curious). But how many of you are still here?  God bless you if you are, and I'd really like to know. . . 

So - if you don't follow on FB, but would like to continue seeing content here, please take a moment and drop an encouraging line in the comments. It'd be really good to know there are folks still tuning in here.

That all said, I do plan to post more content here - if only because I own it and it's not subject to the vagaries of FB. So, here we go!

I'll start off with something easy, and save a more in-depth layout update for after I know there's anybody here :^)

Decanting Paint 

Heh - not really starting off with a huge bang, but I recently discovered that this is very helpful. My ground goop is a mixture of equal parts of floor sanding dust, white glue, and "dirt" brown paint. It's easy enough to scoop dust and pour glue from the bottle, but scooping or pouring the paint out of a gallon can is always messy.

So I finally decided to save an old juice carton to store it. As you can (hopefully) see in the photo above, I've attached a "lip" to the edge of the can and used a homemade funnel (cut the top off of a water bottle) to pour it into to the carton. Before doing so - and just for good measure - I used a mixer in my drill to make sure the paint was well mixed before pouring.

Now, all I have to do is pour the paint from the carton - easy peasy! Just be sure to save the can - or at least the label that shows your custom mix. Once you find a color you like, you'll want to be sure you can get it again!