Andy Rubbo who lives a few towns away here in central New Jersey is doing a brilliant job on his multi-deck depiction of the Pennsylvania Railroad's New York Division, circa 1967. Known to us now as the Northeast Corridor, Andy is faithfully modeling this line that includes some real urban centers including Newark, Elizabeth and Rahway.
A couple of photos below show Andy's skills in taking standard DPM kits and turning them into recognizable shops just off of the right-of-way.
 |
Signage and a wonderful color palate transform these well-known kits into something special, representative of that which is found in downtown Elizabeth. Note the distinctive worn, white painted brick and the oxidized copper-clad turret!
|
 |
The center structure has been skillfully reduced in width while all three storefronts are enhanced by the sloping roadway. Lintels have been altered and new parapets and roof details have been added to slightly change the appearance of these popular kits.
|
Although Andy is best known for his handiwork in depicting the catenary which dominates the rail line, his talent is evident with all of his structures. He has a keen eye for the little details that help in representing the time and place he is modeling, and he can do so with a combination of scratch-built and kit-bashed structures.
As he says, "My aim is for the end result to be recognizable and unmistakable... one that captures the essence of each scene." Hmmmm, sounds just like selective representation. For more on the PRR, check out Great Model Railroads 2013.
-30-
BONUS: RHETORICAL QUESTION OF THE DAY...
Did you know? Andy maintains his fine eye-hand coordination for modeling by flying commercial jet liners for a living.
I think I took more photos of Andy's structure work vs. his catenary. That says a lot since, as you mentioned, he is known for his catenary. Just a lot of great modeling. And, it looks like you have a nice start with your structures, too, Jim. I like the modifications to the RDA structures.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Chuck... the RDA kits have a certain charm... good details with some fine tuning required to make everything fit!... and I didn't even get to the Main Street Heritage stuff that could fit here also, although will probably end up as part of Sykesville... I know how highly you feel about those kits... hopefully I can approach your level of finishing... see ya
Delete