Sometimes precision is more artistic.

Now that the big courseware project is pretty much done, I've shifted back into Poser mode again. Making a set of lost railroad structures based on the massive photographic works of Howard Killam.

When I do these lost places I'm always caught between precision and 'soul'. When I'm working from my own memory, with no photos available, 'soul' wins by default. In this case we have precise photos, so there's a conundrum.

Two examples, placed in the same scene for testing. In both cases I wanted to make the place look more cozy, more comfortable. In the Rock Creek box depot I succeeded. The higher ceiling would make the room more comfortable in warm weather and more secure in snowy weather. With Boicourt I failed. The original is unique because it's a TINY replica of an ordinary T-shaped depot. My 'comfortable' version, with more bungalow-like proportions, lost the CUTEness. The original was already maxed out on comfy, so I couldn't improve it.


Sometimes it's better to be precise!

 

Reference to the photos of Killam:
Kansas Memory

 

It looks fine to me. If it needs anything, I would suggest texturing it to look older and weathered.

 

Thanks. Yeah, all of these will have a new version and an abandoned version, plus winter and summer scenes.

 

Here's the improved scale, with a train for reference!

 

When I was reading other things in your history link, it mentioned Rock Island which is where I was born and raised.
I love that you're making recreations of these places with so much history. Looking forward to more.

 

Thanks for pursuing the real history!

I've been doing these 'lost places' for quite a while. They're in my ShareCG section:

ShareCG - ockham's Gallery

The most mysterious one is Cave Gas, and the one with the most important history is Arcade Hotel.

 

Thanks for providing the link! I'm a history buff, so I am always interested in reading and looking at vintage pictures. I have happy memories when I think of trains. My mom and I and sometimes my Grandma and I, traveled by train several times a year to Chicago on the 'Rock Island Rocket'. It was a nice passenger train and even had a dining car. As a kid, I was so excited to ride the train and eat in the dining car with the white tablecloths and fancy silverware. Since the kitchen was so small, you could watch the chef prepare the meals while you sat at your table.

I did download those packs, and will have to make time to look around more! Thanks.

 

Updating the WIP, with some winter and summer scenes...

 

So cute!

 

That's good progress.