Things which are impossible to model

[corneliuslundie]

I was sitting on the balcony this morning and realised that a lot of the things I was enjoying seeing are completely impossible to model:

Aspens on the horizon quivering in the breeze, while the drooping branches and leaves of the adjacent willow swayed gently;

Birds of various hues (including a couple of golden orioles) flitting from tree to tree;

Butterflies and moths exploring the many flowers at ground level;

At least six species of long grass waving gently.

In another place (mid Wales) there would have been hawks circling above as clouds pass overhead and shadows pass across the fields, while in the Severn Valley nearer England in the late afternoon there would be herds of cows meandering slowly towards the gate of the field as milking time approached.

In fact apart from man-made objects and the earth itself almost everything would be on the move.

Yet I do not see how we can model any of these things, although my wife wondered if some could be projected, and backscenes could be back projected.

Any thoughts from the erudite and inventive readers of RMWeb?

Jonathan

 

[Edwin_m]

In principle it would be possible today to build a big flatscreen TV into the back of a layout and create an animated backscene with a suitable video on a loop.  The problem would be getting the lighting right, considering that the TV emits light and a normal backscene reflects the ambient light.  It could also be rather overpowering, although perhaps the brightness and contract could be set to tone it down.  Has anyone tried it? 

Edited June 28, 2017 by Edwin_m

[The Johnster]

Things which are impossible to model, well, on a model railway, the biggest omission and probably the least possible to achieve, is steam.  Proper looking steam, not Suethe blue haze or drifting cigarette smoke, thick clouds of it when an engine's working hard (or meant to be working hard), less when coasting or slowing down, leaking from joints and carriage heating hoses, occasionally firing off from safety valves, mixed in the right proportions with smoke and coal dust, and, for domestic use, odourless, safe to be around, and leaving no residue.  I have to imagine it, but that doesn't really cut it.

[PaulRhB]

People and animals moving around smoothly

 

Animated backscenes that flow with the layout curves may well be possible soon with these thin flexible sheet TVs, affording them however is likely to be the issue for a while yet

[cal.n]

Things which are impossible to model, well, on a model railway, the biggest omission and probably the least possible to achieve, is steam.  Proper looking steam, not Suethe blue haze or drifting cigarette smoke, thick clouds of it when an engine's working hard (or meant to be working hard), less when coasting or slowing down, leaking from joints and carriage heating hoses, occasionally firing off from safety valves, mixed in the right proportions with smoke and coal dust, and, for domestic use, odourless, safe to be around, and leaving no residue.  I have to imagine it, but that doesn't really cut it.

 

This is the closest thing I've seen to realistic steam, shame its gauge 1 and costs over £2000.

 

Although there have been many good attempts to model human animation, proper human movement can never really be modelled.

 

I am interested in the idea of projecting moving objects onto a backscene, if you had an ordinary backscene with a plain sky, could you project an animated sky onto it that could feature birds, moving clouds and maybe a full day/night cycle?

[28XX]

Also factory chimneys gently smoking

[ian]

I've often wondered if the Pepper's Ghost illusion could be used to animate scale figures.

 

It would need to be on a cameo/boxed diorama style layout with controlled sightlines and lighting but if it worked would be truly impressive.

[luckymucklebackit]

Hi all - Anyone tried actual flying wild birds on the layout?  I never did get the scale right!!!

 

 

This little Blue Tit found its way into the loft a while back and flew about causing mayhem in its path, wagons knocked over, droppings in odd places.  Finally managed to shoo it out of the loft and back to freedom.

 

Jim

[Reorte]

Anything non-rigid and moving. Smoke and steam have already been mentioned, running water is another (at least to do it convincingly), particularly if it's fast moving. Fairly convincing still versions are possible of course. Moving people, swaying trees - they're at least theoretically possible even if practically completely impossible without science fiction style nanomotors, so I don't expect to see model passengers boarding and leaving trains any time soon.

 

All a pity really, nothing moving but the trains and an occasional road vehicle if you're lucky does mean it's hard to give an impression of liveliness.

Edited June 29, 2017 by Reorte

[Nearholmer]

It might be best to model the dead of night, in deepest winter, one of those very clear, utterly still nights, when the frost is rock hard, and the moon casts a sharp, blue light.

 

Nothing moving, everybody indoors, electric motive power to avoid steam and exhaust troubles.

 

A bit limited, though.

 

K

[Edwardian]

I don't know, maybe we just need toad a line or two to the song "Dream the impossible dream" and leave it at that!

[APOLLO]

It might be best to model the dead of night, in deepest winter, one of those very clear, utterly still nights, when the frost is rock hard, and the moon casts a sharp, blue light.

 

Nothing moving, everybody indoors, electric motive power to avoid steam and exhaust troubles.

 

A bit limited, though.

 

K

 

 

Like this ?

 

 

Brit15

[russ p]

The thoughts of the plastic figure in a class 66 knowing it still has ten hours to do on his shift sweating his nuts off in summer of freezing himnhalf to death in winter!

[Reorte]

Birds have been mentioned but some can work with a bit of care. Flying around on wires doesn't look convincing but swans gliding around still water are doable, and indeed have been done.

[jcm@gwr]

Whether or not you think sound is realistic or not (DCC of course)

the main area it fails (IMHO) is the Doppler effect, which, like colour,

mass (weight) & time is probably impossible to scale (model).

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

I have twice been in superb projected 'virtual reality' displays - the most recent in a Speyside distillery in the 'Famous Grouse' group - and the thought did cross my mind that for modellers in the Pete Waterman, Rod Stewart et al class, this might be a proposition...

[BG John]

I've been thinking of trying small screens, the sort of size you get in a mobile phone or mini video players, on the backscene in gaps between buildings, running a video of real life movement, or something like animated GIFs. For movement on the layout itself, where realistic movement isn't possible, I'd like to try movement that takes place when the view is blocked. So people on a platform may appear, disappear or move around, when a train blocks the view of them. The movement can then be totally unrealistic, and done by servos. Other ideas include people and horses walking along roads behind a wall or hedge, where only their upper body is visible, as this may be easier (or less difficult!) to animate, than their legs. The layout would need to be designed for it.

 

I'd rather not have visible movement if it can't be made totally convincing, and not gimmicky. I need to improve my modelling (and electronics) skills a lot before I try it.

[Co-tr-Paul]

Rain !

[Edwardian]

Thunderbolts and lightening (very, very frightening)

 

Me?

[F-UnitMad]

It might be best to model the dead of night, in deepest winter, one of those very clear, utterly still nights, when the frost is rock hard, and the moon casts a sharp, blue light.

Nothing moving, everybody indoors, .....

K

You've never worked a night shift, then, have you? especially in transport, in winter.

 

One of the most basic things on a model railway that can't be modelled with 100% accuracy is the coupling/uncoupling procedure of railway stock.

Edited June 29, 2017 by F-UnitMad

[Nearholmer]

FUM

 

Many, many, in fact.

 

I have to say that I got away from that part of the job as soon as I could manage, but the memories, some good, some bad, linger on.

 

Kevin

Edited June 29, 2017 by Nearholmer

[tamperman36]

I've often thought about how much extra atmosphere you would be able to put into a layout if you could model weather, like rain or fog. Just think of a misty autumn morning and the sound of a loco moving around on a depot or yard then a set of lights then a loco appear out of the mist. Best you could do on a layout would be a smoke machine but they don't give the right effect and if you stand around in the smoke to long you end up choking. Rain you can get the sound, some puddles, people with umberellas but you don't get the ripples in the puddles water running off roofs.

[298]

Thunderbolts and lightening (very, very frightening)

 

Me?

But a Tornado (FF to 3:30....):

 

https://youtu.be/Ge-oNgrfE98

[Edwardian]

I've often thought about how much extra atmosphere you would be able to put into a layout if you could model weather, like rain or fog. Just think of a misty autumn morning and the sound of a loco moving around on a depot or yard then a set of lights then a loco appear out of the mist. Best you could do on a layout would be a smoke machine but they don't give the right effect and if you stand around in the smoke to long you end up choking. Rain you can get the sound, some puddles, people with umberellas but you don't get the ripples in the puddles water running off roofs.

 

I'd love to do London smog.

[eastglosmog]

I'm thinking the only way I am going to get an accurate model is to cover everything with 12mm of polyfilla powder and set my layout date to 6th March 1947 - 3ft snow, everything frozen solid, coal shortages and Buscot halt cut off from everywhere!