ideas wanted

ap0317ah · May 27, 2007, 10:10:58 PM

Hey everyone last night around 10:00pm I tore up a section of my B&O 1920's era layout.

The space measures 4'x4' which leaves alot of possablity for a 20's era town.

any ideas would be greatly appraccated.

Tom

Conrail Quality · May 27, 2007, 10:30:47 PM

You could put in a giant factory, which would by the employer for the town. I think Walthers is re-releasing one of their giant factories(A power plant, I think it was). Or, you could make it into a quiet, serene park. Or, you could put in a scrapper's yard, where your excess cars and locos could go when you're finished canabalizing them. Or, if you are thinking about the future, you could make it into a huge parking lot, in preparation for the big-box chain that is fated to move into town 70 years later...

ap0317ah · May 27, 2007, 10:44:25 PM

yes the factory could be a possabality but yet so could a rural seting with a simple feight platform

Tom

wade · May 28, 2007, 09:22:20 AM

How about a short line interchange? The Preston RR comes to mind but there were many in that era. Better yet Ma & Pa. Bachmann has power ready for you. Or how about a coal mine or creamery or stockyards and .....
I model transition era but the 20s are tempting .
Good Luck;
Wade

ap0317ah · May 28, 2007, 10:19:47 AM

wade
ok those are all good ideas but i have a fairly large saw and milling company that is on that part of the layout i plan to keep
keep thinkin and help me out

Tom

SteamGene · May 28, 2007, 10:59:37 AM

What is around the area you tore up? You said a '20s era town, right? Is it the outskirts of a city?
Why doen't you think several scenes? How about a speak easy and some flappers going in while down the street Buggs Moran shoots up Al Capone's hotel? (I know, wrong city, but I don't know the names of Baltimore gangsters.

How close is it to track? If close, a few industries.
Gene

ap0317ah · May 28, 2007, 11:06:24 AM

thanks Gene you have been most helpful like always. These coments are helping

Tom

Paul M. · May 28, 2007, 09:15:30 PM

Why not a 'bad neighborhood' ? You could have junked cars, run-down/vacant houses, even a "chalk" outline of a dead HO- scale figure.

SteamGene · May 28, 2007, 09:42:38 PM

I'm not sure they did chalk outlines of bodies in the 1920s. Before I did that, I'd have to verify the practice.
Gene

ap0317ah · May 29, 2007, 08:08:52 AM

Thanks, keep thinking, i have come up with a few of my own ideas....

a contractors yard (a place for me to keep all my detailed parts i have not found better uses for yet.)

a cement foundery

a speak easy (of corse these where part baltimore)

a few other buildings

roads(thats a given)

thanks
Tom

Ps how do i up load pictures

bevernie · May 29, 2007, 11:14:00 PM

How about a burning building? I've not yet had time to get it together, but I'm planning one that has a smoking building with fire trucks and police cars, and everything else that goes with a fire! It will have sirens (that I got out of toy fire trucks and police cars) and lights (some of which are activated with the siren electronics).The (three) different siren sounds will be controlled by switches., so that you can have one, two, or all three working at one time! I wired the fire truck and police car lights to a "flame-maker" (that I got a good deal on at a train show), which is also wired to lights in the burning building for the "flashing effect. I'm thinking about making it such that I can separate it from my layout to take it to train shows and contests. Of course, right now, it's still on the planning table, as is the rest of my layout!! Oh, the life of a truck driver!!

THANX!!
Ernie
Hendersonville, NC

BIG BEAR · May 30, 2007, 02:03:45 AM

Tom,
You could have a couple farms, to serve the stock yard. Maybe a river running through it w/ a trestled bridge crossing it.

Good luck,
Barry

ap0317ah · May 30, 2007, 09:25:09 AM

yes Barry a farm and a small rulal town are becoming the first plan.

Tom

r.cprmier · May 31, 2007, 01:23:21 PM

If you'd like some ideas based upon some very nice work, check out "Valley Track" club here in Connecticut. Their members' work has graced the covers of many Model Railroader" mags. the last was April. His lumber yard intrigues me.

Rich

ap0317ah · May 31, 2007, 05:22:36 PM

thank you all your ideas have helped me greatly. i think ill go with a little more rural setting with a small town with a few shops and homes. Along with a station siding and water tower. on the other side i will have a platform, coal tower, water tower, single bay loco shed and two sidings. i will also have a small paesture. if i could find out how to post pics i would

Thanks again
Tom

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ideas wanted