Railroad Workers in 1/35th scale

One of the many brilliant things about LZ Models is that Libor started with, and continues to fuse the two largest areas of scale modelling----namely Model RailRoading & 1/35th scale Military Modelling. The start for LZ was in upgrade kits for popular Loco models, and though they are now branching into Armour & Weapons & Softskins, there is still a great demand in the R&R world--and more crossover than ever with lots of Military Model Manufacturers offering so many great Military-Rail subjects.
One area still lacking is finding railway workers of suitable subjects, so the first few figures are aimed at filling a long-time gap many modellers have been looking to find personel for. I recently posted my quick work for a boxart of the 1st release, The German Locomotive Conductor, and now I'm tasked with getting some paint on the next two guys, both of these from sculpter Pavel Svejda

The heads are particularlly nicely done.

Both figures have a basic breakdown with seperate arms & tools

The standing figure actually comes with extra arms and lots of tool choices so is really a sort-of multi-pose type.

I mounted everything up for painting after a brief clean-up--as usual with LZ resin, the pour blocks are very easy to remove, as is the thin flash here & there---basically only a blade is needed. [One thing is I did drill out the hands with a .035" bit and used a length of piano wire to ensure I attached the digging man's arms correctly for digging. [I used medium C/A to attach and slipped the wire out when dry--later I'll use it to make the shovel handle---which is left up to the modeller]The standing man's arms will remain loose, so I can both paint easier & later show different positions possible

I degreased with a plastic-prep and primed with Tamiya Fine White primer &

were ready to go---more to come!

Adam

Edited By Adam Kuller on 05/08/2012 20:28:37

Here everything is basecoated with various Vallejo acrylics thinned with water with a bit of W&N Acrylic Flow Enhancer added

Here the heads have recieved just some basic highlights over a Brown Sand base

At this time I have the faces generally in place---the not detailed yet with final shadows, final highs,eyes and lips---all that to come---

also the caps are needing a bit more attention, but I think you can tell that while the above head is a bit older guy, the below one has a bit younger appearance sculpted-in.

I think they're great characters, making this one a fun job

That's all I have so far, But I will update quite soon. Once again,

Thanks for reading along and please share any comments for Libor, Pavel or myself as we value your feedback highly.
...Best,

..................Adam

Edited By Adam Kuller on 05/08/2012 20:40:59

Hi Adam

Those faces look excellent. Good sculpts and quality painting I like the old guy with the big whiskers.

Jim

Hi Adam. These figures look good and You have done some fine work so far.

Johnny

100% Adam

I have always been bemoaning the 'split' in the general hobby with Aircraft/AFVs/Railways/Figurines all ploughing their different furrows that leaves little room for mixing subjects - genres.

These railway workers and conductor have the potential to be used in a variety of situations and I would guess anything almost from 1900 - 1950 without too much difficulty. This is without recognising the vital role the railway played in war from 1870 onwards to WWII.

Excellent stuff!

Harvey

Thanx for dropp',n a post guys

Jim~You agree the faces are good---I agree especially the whiskery gent

J.G.Thanks!

Harv~Sounds like you've given this some thought. I've always lemented that so few aircraft are offered in 1/35th and until recent years, very few rail subjects---

(-though there are many reasons for this it takes a few pages to explain how this happened [over time] )

Update coming shortly

Adam

Edited By Adam Kuller on 06/08/2012 06:32:48

Adam,

I know and appreciate the historical reasons why each sector evolved its own 'standard'. Neither am I a 'one-size MUST fit all' kind of guy. While I have had a historical leaning towards figurines and like aircraft, rail - historical rail has always somehow fascinated and through Mil Mod I have a much bigger passion for AFVs etc.

I would never dream of stopping anyone modelling in whatever scale they like and if someone insists on scratch building XXXXXXX in 1/23.5 that's fine by me.

It just seems wasteful that there are a whole bundle of scales between 3mm and 4.5mm and then the 1:48 to 1:32. I'm guessing the car and bike guys 1:20 to 1:6 are not doing dioramas and on the other end the micro armour guys are wargaming rather than modelling.

Actually, the figurine guys are just as bad on their own! When I started wargaming and collecting metal figures in 25mm, Suren was doing nice stuff in 30mm - though more collectors figures, then 15mm came out as more practical for large armies and now I see 28mm as being a popular size...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dohhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Harvey

Harvs~ "A-huh" well I mostly stick to 1/35th--so not getting too creative there

AK

Unusual that I get to choose colours with no uniforms involved! Still, not much need to get very colourful with these railroad men! In fact I usually try not to paint too dark----but this time it seems fitting!

Adam

Here's some progress, mostly to the 'Shoveling Man'

THe head is just set in place---you can see a very different impression offered with a slight rotation of the head---the reason I usually leave heads un-glued until basically the very last stage of constructing a Dio

I jammed-up the paint on the hands a bi and hae to fix that---I test-fit the wire after basecoating it and the hands and the test sort of failed---definately have to touch up the hands after fitting the shovel!

I did paint in eyes to both guys, although Standing Man is quite squinty--it's not a big difference. I haven't got so far with his garmets as with the 'Shoveler' I did elect to paint him as having on a vest, as opposed to a jacket, though both gents have very pronounced seams---[let me know how you see them]

Thanks again for reading along---Please do let us know what ya think

Adam