Good Morning everyone. I will introduce myself. I am Sheldon, I live on the prairies here in Canada. I grew up in a CNR train station in a small town, my dad was the station agent there from 1966 till 1975. We lived in the train station, and it was a pretty different upbringing to say the least. I am 57 now, and have been into my layout since Mar 2019. I am very good friends with Wounded bear, and Sid has been responsible for getting me into the hobby and has been my mentor. Sorry buddy have to blame someone.. LOL.
I have to say i love the hobby and i have a job that affords me plenty of time to work on my layout. I work from home so any free time i have is spent in the basement.
Regards Sheldon.
This is a 12 x 8 x 4 L shape layout.
Welcome Sheldon!
Off to a great start, indeed! Great to see another layout on the rise. Appreciate the photos of your progress.
Looking forward to more shots as you build.
Regards,
Jonathan
Thank you Jonathan. i have such a long ways to go.
Hey buddy! Good to see you finally posting.
Sheldon and I have known each other for about 20 years now and talk on the phone almost daily. The other big thing him and I have in common is our sickness for horsepower.
Keep on posting man. There aren't enough people posting layout pics here.
Sid
Another "man of the motor" so to speak? I really like the layout with all the curvy stuff.
You're layout looks amazing! Can't wait to see more!
OH Boy ! More photos to peruse. Hi Sheldon, can't wait to see more.
Thanks for posting.
Ken
Picture overload for one day. I have not started any landscaping yet as i keep adding things to the layout. I moved one building and everything in my head changed. lol. I have more stuff coming, I ordered a graveyard, More fencing, going to be building my own power poles, i have transformers coming plus all the railroad crossings.
Sensory overload! ;D
Still trying to figure out your track plan. Did I detect a sneaky little reverse loop hidden between your dead end sidings?
Always fun to see the wiring underneath.
I can tell we have built some of the same structures. Though most of mine did not make the cut on the latest layout. They'll probably end up as fascia in the background. Enjoying your photos.
Regards,
Jonathan
No i do not have a reverse loop, we talked about one, then decided a different route in the end. I had so much open space after my initial design that i added more tracks and created a few new industrial areas. I need a bigger layout it seems, but i dont have enough time, life and energy to finish a bigger one?
I painted everything with a dark camo paint to get the effect i wanted,
The Walthers refinery is going on the large white pad by the oil tank.
Quote from: Ken Huck on July 07, 2020, 04:40:43 PM
OH Boy ! More photos to peruse. Hi Sheldon, can't wait to see more.
Thanks for posting.
Ken
Hey Ken thank you, Hope you are doing well enjoying your hobby as well.
This picture was taken in 1971, i have the book. The photographer was making a book of Western Canadian train stations. I was 9 yrs old in this picture, this is where i grew up. This is My sister, cousin and myself plus out family dog.
IIRC I used 2-pound test fishing line for the barbed wire on top of the chain link fence. I think it was because those little plastic fence posts seemed weak, and I didn't want to break them using actual wire. Been a while, but I know I had a good reason for doing it that way... looks great.
Regards,
Jonathan
Sheldon your structures are great. Beautifully weathered. I recognize the Walthers kits which I have some of but yours look so much better than mine. I even recognize the Revell engine house of old. I really like the electric substation, which kit is that?
Quote from: Trainman203 on July 09, 2020, 08:48:40 AM
Sheldon your structures are great. Beautifully weathered. I recognize the Walthers kits which I have some of but yours look so much better than mine. I even recognize the Revell engine house of old. I really like the electric substation, which kit is that?
Did the Revell Engine House become the Walthers Engine House? I know Sheldon, Jon and I all have the same engine house on our layouts.
There was an article in NGSLG a while back about the Revell kits and they never mentioned the molds being bought or sold .
Sid
Quote from: WoundedBear on July 09, 2020, 09:58:06 AM
Quote from: Trainman203 on July 09, 2020, 08:48:40 AM
Sheldon your structures are great. Beautifully weathered. I recognize the Walthers kits which I have some of but yours look so much better than mine. I even recognize the Revell engine house of old. I really like the electric substation, which kit is that?
Did the Revell Engine House become the Walthers Engine House? I know Sheldon, Jon and I all have the same engine house on our layouts.
There was an article in NGSLG a while back about the Revell kits and they never mentioned the molds being bought or sold .
Sid
Thank you for the kind words, everything to this point has been a Walthers kit. Be cool if Revell was making Ho Scale structures.
This is the old Revell two stall engine house:
And this is the Walthers version:
While both are 'brick' and somewhat similar, I'd say the differences are significant enough to say they used different tooling.
Len
They are very similar. The longer Walthers one is more usable. Revell's biggest engine was an F-unit, all they cared about getting completely inside.
Those are very cold weather type structures. Although letting an engine out in winter was a lot worse than when your mother yelled st you to shut the door. 💨❄️🥶😂.
Nice pictures.....now we need some 'splainin' Lucy. ;D
Sid
Made my own ground coverage today. A couple local lumber yards gave me a few bags of saw dust. I went to the dollar store, bought 2 big plastic containers, Gales florist has fabric dye for $1.87 a box. Found an old bed sheet, filled it with sawdust, dipped in the dye till i was happy with the colour. The darker stuff was made first, then i got a lighter batch as the dye was running out, a happy accident if you will. I have a box of brown dye, i need to go back and get a few more colours.
You're right about trees. They have to be some of the costliest and hard to make items on a layout. Especially if you want a believable tree.
And you can never have enough of them, it seems.
Sid
True enough.
There are never enough trees. Great start, though. 3 down, 997 to go. ;D
Regards,
Jonathan
Tree types can really set your layout geographically. A lot of people have conifers that look like Christmas trees, which would be out of place on my layout.
Quote from: jonathan on July 14, 2020, 01:56:41 PM
True enough.
There are never enough trees. Great start, though. 3 down, 997 to go. ;D
Regards,
Jonathan
Oh i know my brain is working overtime now
Quote from: Trainman203 on July 14, 2020, 02:34:55 PM
Tree types can really set your layout geographically. A lot of people have conifers that look like Christmas trees, which would be out of place on my layout.
We have a mix of Elm trees, pine trees, just adding what i see here in my countryside.
well big step today, spoke to buddy Sid, and i decided i have better start from the middle and work my way out. I spent the afternoon finalizing my main street buildings etc, and will get the main street paved, and have gravel tapering off as we reach the edges of main street. Baby steps here i still have to figure out one area? at least i can get the bases nailed down and glued in place. Get the holes drilled for the lites in the building down the road. So much to think about.
Boys and their toys, man. :)
Regards,
Jonathan
Are you trying to be sneaky with hood lettering on the Duster? :)
This is why Sheldon and I are good friends. Our interests are the same.
It's amazing how the skills we learn in one hobby can transfer over and become beneficial in another hobby.
Terry.....that whole Duster is sneakier than it looks. Usually a 426 wedge motor is a tall deck, or RB block. His is built from a low deck 383.
Sid
Had a green '71 Duster once. Didn't look much like that... It was the king of gravel roads.
Regards,
Jonathan
Thank you guys. Yes the duster is a wolf in sheep's clothing. We took a 383 block from a 68 Roadrunner, and we machined in a stock steel 440 crank my engine builder had laying around. bored the motor out .030 and you have a 426 cubic inch wedge motor that fits under the stock hood. lol It makes 525 Horsepower and 552 lb feet of torque. It is a fun car to drive.
I blame Sid for my railroad addiction, lolol . He helped me become a better model car kit builder etc, and i took to model railroading like a duck to water. Winters are bloody long here, i really enjoy the train layout. This [ast winter went by very fast because of it.
My first car was a '68 Roadrunner with a 383 that I got in Nov. '67. Back then, everyone said I had a factory freak because it was so quick. We had a stretch of highway (that dead ended just under the overpass). There was sign for the turn off to Hwy 55 that was a quarter mile from that. That was our drag strip. I used to beat just about everything I raced except the hemi's.
Just wanting to make a statement.
I am not posting all these pictures for any reason other than to show what i am working on thats it. Everyone has their own type of style, and way of doing things. I love this hobby, and i will put all the skill and effort into it that i have.
I have a couple train orders coming in the next couple of weeks, buildings, accessories and landscape materials. I need to sit down, look at the layout and come up with a bit of a plan. At the same time, move one building on the layout and all my ducks are not in a row anymore and the damn thing takes on a new look. lolol
Happy Modelling everyone.
Sheldon.
One of my biggest obstacles in building my layout is indecision.
It takes a long time for me to finalize a scene and commit to building it. This corner I have been working on has been years in the making.
I put different structures in place and try them out. Then I move chit all around and find something that had never even crossed my mind the first time around.
Then I have builder's remorse for a while after, thinking if I did it "right" or not.
Sid
I do so know that feeling. I'll imagineer something in my head for months before actually starting on it. Then every step of the way, where there's a decision to be made, I'll analyze it and analyze it and then hope I like which route I decide to go.
There are many ways to do this, some guys use a track planning software, I looked at layouts i liked and then copied one with a few changes to it. I knew i was building a 1965-1975 Saskatchewan prairie layout, so it was going to be flat. lol Model what you know i was told. So once the track was down, i ended up adding a bunch more track to an open area, it turned out correct, lol sometimes you get lucky.
Then i went a bit gung ho on building structures. I had an idea of what businesses i wanted in my town, and same for the industrial areas. Adding buildings to the layout started to give it life, then all the accessories come into play, telephone and poler poles, street lites etc. I spent a lot of time online looking at other layouts and catalogues to see what would fit? Next thing you know i am adding large sections of plywood to 3 corners to allow for more buildings, lolol.
Then i wanted to add another 8 feet to one end, but that would have removed the couch and entire sitting area of the basement, and may have added 5-10 years onto the layout? I have to put on the brakes, lol
I will just build what i have, detail the crap out of it and make it look as good as i can, then i can spend the rest of my time playing trains.
Not to change the subject or anything but, was one of those 'tanks'
scratch built from an old broom handle and painted red ?
Ken
No it wasnt, i didnt notice the groves in it till after it was panted. I guess it was just a poor mold they were using.
A little ******* off the Tamiya tape pulled off the grey wash along the yellow line, so i have been trying to touch it up. It does give the road a beat up look that i was hoping for. I didnt want a perfect street.
Looks like that will be a great scene when it's done. Great work.
Regards,
Jonathan
Thank you ,it's a lot of work, i am waiting for my fusion fibre to show up so i can start on the back lanes and ditches.
I am happy with the end result. It looks like a weathered road,
I ordered a couple of Walthers kits, i need some tanks on my layout for various things. I drove around here to local propane companies and oil companies to get a look at the tanks. So now i need to decide how to proceed with weathering? A wash or dry brushing, or a combination of both.
The yellow one has got to be a Superior Propane facility.
Sid
Yes. lol I gave them all a wash so far of a slightly different shade of what they are, looks good . I am now watching you tube videos to figure out the rest. lol
I hope those are supposed to represent abandoned tanks. They'd never pass a pressure test of safety inspection if allowed to get that corroded.
Len
Yeah this is model trains, no inspection's required.
There's a lot of those bottle gas tanks out in the country down here. I've never seen one with any weathering on it. Makes minute flaws in these pressure vessels harder to see. They are scrupulously maintained by the gas company. Things may be different up north, please tell me if so.
Nice outbuildings!
I'm obsessed with brick structures. I can't do anything else, until I've put mortar between the bricks. Can't help myself.
Nice photos, too.
Regards,
Jonathan
Thank you Jonathan. I try to do mortar on most of my brick work. These ones i just left natural.
Your another one around here I'd like to emulate. Nice work, Sheldon, Paul
Thank you for the compliments Paul. I have been getting mentored by Wounded bear, "Sid" he has been a long distance tutor.
Been busy with work and fabrication landscaping stuff. My first attempt at standing wild grass.
Worked on my downtown back alley stuff. First the fusion fibre gets laid down and levelled as best i can then add the materials slowly building up.
There was a big rock sitting in the middle, decided to surround it with trees shrubs etc.
Then i added a single tree behind the Hotel, changed the whole look of things.
My matte medium showed up, so now i am going got make 12 super trees that i got, once those are done, i will go back and look at the areas i finished the basics on and add the wild grass and new trees if needed? Every time i add something, the layout takes on an entire new look, then the brain kicks in and things change, lolol. This is why i love this hobby, my layout will never be finished?
Looks like the hotel may have some foundation problems as that tree in back grows bigger. Might want to see about having an arborist move it a bit further away.
Len
Yeah it's perfect where it is, where i live the tree roots are in the sewer lines and bouncing off the basement walls. Just a fact of life.
one thing that stands out when I look at your layout. That is why the space on the outside of the rails on road crossings?
I have no idea what you're talking about.
Are you going to continue the roads on the other side of the crossings? In some, you have the road leading to the crossing, then the crossing and nothing on the other side.
The next time get to a railroad crossing, take a good look at it. then look at the way you make yours. You will see that there is not a gap on the outside of the rails.
Nice progress. I have that engine house on my layout.
Regards,
Jonathan
Hi Grumpy that is a nice looking engine shed ---can you tell me who makes it?
Graywolf, that is a Walthers kit.
Thank you Jonathan, i have been doing more landscaping and things are starting to take shape.
Those sure are some nice looking crossings.
Thanks for the pics.
Ken
I added an extra board to fill in the gaps, Wounded bear and myself split a whole bunch of scale lumber, it has come in handy.
Sheldon,
You do a really nice job modeling those structures. Congrats!
Last year, I went to one of those tourist attractions where they offer train rides with old steam, mostly Shays.
They have preserved the small railroad town and people actually live in the old company houses. One thing that struck me was how close together they were built. Of course, I only have one example to go by. But that's one thing I would consider when planning the scenery for that area.
There was also a short, white picket fence running in front of all the houses, but I have no idea if that was preservation or a modern dalliance. And... that was West Virginia. Perhaps it looked a little different in Canada. :)
Regards,
Jonathan
Addendum: I also remember the walkways were wood planks in front of the homes, not cement. Weird.
I think picket fences and wood plank walkways, except maybe near the bosses houses, are dressing things up a bit for a 'company town'. This was more the reality in West Va.
Len
Good Morning guys. Thank you for the positive replies. Yes i am going to be taking a lot of time to consider lot sizes, parking and fences. As well as wooden walkways. I bought Some different fencing kits, as well as 300 wooden match sticks and a roll of florist wire for making fences. At this time i am just trying to get a feel for the space i have. Thank you for the picture of the company row houses Len.
Just incredible! Wow your layout and attention to detail are awesome!
Thank you for the kind words. My good friend and mentor WoundedBear from this site, has been guiding me along. I guess i am a good student. I drove 8 hours last summer to spend a few days with him at his place. We have been car buddies, drag race buddies for 20 years. Then he got me into model railroading, and i really enjoy it. Sid has a beautiful layout which he has been working on for the past 10 years. His attention to detail is incredible.
I love doing it, it makes me feel good, and i forget about life for awhile when i am in the basement. :)
First section in place.
Do you have a track plan you could post?
I found a basic track plan online that would work for my table size, then just added to it out of my head to fit the table without too much crowding. I had my mainline done, then had to decided what i was going to do for commercial and industrial services. As my old Friend Wounded bear would say, "You need to justify everything that goes on the layout, it has to be real and have a purpose."
I will see if i can find the link for the basic track plan.
Sheldon.
Careful... we almost got a shot of your face on the mirror. ;D
Enjoying your progress. Was looking for easy fence ideas.
Regards,
Jonathan
Be lucky i had pants on. hahahahaha
Thanks. Those photos help me see how it all fits together.
Quote from: jward on January 22, 2021, 03:24:49 PM
Thanks. Those photos help me see how it all fits together.
You're welcome. Glad you like what i have done.
Noice!
Regards,
Jonathan
Thanks Jonathan. I still need to detail the gravel road once everything dries. I am going to try pastel chalk i bought. Will turn it into a powder then brush it on?
Looking at your work I am amazed that it's mostly Atlas snap track. You've done a really great job ballasting the track and blending it into its surroundings. Sid taught you well.
Thank you. I really Miss Sid. :'( :'( He was a fountain of knowledge.
You've got them looking pretty good. The only thing I see missing are the potholes. SO many people seem to use ballast for gravel roads but it's really way too big. What ever you used was fine enough to get the packed dirt look where the wheels travel, and the loose gravel off to the sides and in the center.
Your gravel roads look better than anything I've attempted. Gravel roads are surprisingly hard to model.
Regards,
Jonathan
Well i need to sit at the bench and get the last of the big kits started, will take a bit of a break from landscaping . I have the Walthers, United Petroleum refinery kit for my layout. I was going over the instructions and looking at the kit. There is going to be at least a 3 month build time here. Should take me right to the May long weekend, when i plant all my flowers and get the yard going. :D :D :D
It's all coming together nicely Sheldon, Now I guess I get to play "catch up".
Thanks for all the pics.
Ken
You've discovered one way to keep things fresh. If you have numerous projects to work on, you can vary what you work on so you don't burn out on any one thing.
Quote from: Ken Huck on February 17, 2021, 04:04:39 PM
It's all coming together nicely Sheldon, Now I guess I get to play "catch up".
Thanks for all the pics.
Ken
Thanks Ken. Sid would send me pics all the time, That is where i got a lot of ideas from. I think it is important to share ideas and pictures in this hobby. That is one good thing about the internet.
Quote from: jward on February 17, 2021, 08:09:44 PM
You've discovered one way to keep things fresh. If you have numerous projects to work on, you can vary what you work on so you don't burn out on any one thing.
Well i build model cars as well, and i did 6 of those in a row, and got burnt out on that. So i am taking a break from that room and model bench. lol I find the Trains more open and free, the rules are less restrictive.
I am into home audio as well as reptiles. i have 7 snakes so they keep me entertained as well. This is Jonesy my texas rat snake, he is a sweetheart.
Looks like fun!
Stupid question time. When I paint brass, I etch it first... so it will hold paint. Of course, that's with a loco. Do you have to treat the brass parts to hold paint on a stationary model?
Regards,
Jonathan
I am not sure? I need to read the instructions some more.
there is nothing about paint prep in the instructions, i will just spray it with etching primer then paint.
Gonna be sharp. Those little details are tough but really make the model. Great stuff.
Regards,
Jonathan
OMG i am beat, lol i got all 15 sections built this week, now to primer and start the paint process.
Lucky to have them as a customer, i get a birds eye view of a real refinery.
Hey guys i am glad this site is back. I have been busy detailing track. I took everything off the layout that i could and started to detail all the rail ties.
It's nice to see all the layout pics again.
WOWZA ! Looks like you've been more than busy ! Weathering individual ties is tedious. I tried once
on a section (3 Feet) of track. Now, I can say I tried it. That's the one thing that 'ties' an entire layout together (no pun intended). With the new vegetation, it's really looking good.
Thanks for the pics Sheldon.
Ken
Thanks Ken, I have decided to get at this bigger area first, and work my way out.
Lookin' good Sheldon, I like the way you weather 'wood'. Is that wood or plastic, the grain
looks HO scale.
I'm just about finished with my 'trackside' liquid industry. Still have to work a bit more elevation
for the 'loading dock'.
Ken
Thank you ken, Yes these are wood, laser cut kits. I tried an India ink wash first, then grey dry brushing. after that a black wash, and then powder.
That looks great! I too am a small town prairie boy.
Right on. I was on the road a lot for work, my layout is a representation of a combination of small rural towns here.
Those little buildings look like some of the builddings I've been in before.
Your 'weathering' is excellent !
Thanks for posting.
Ken
The street lites add a nice touch.
I put a couple of my main street buildings on to see what else i need to add for landscaping. a bunch of ideas came out.
That is one nicely weathered 'yard office.
Well done !
Ken
Thank you Ken. Hope you are doing well.
The signs look great. Now take some 220 grit sandpaper, or finer, and lightly sand over the
signs. That'll give them a nice weatgered look.
Also: The previous "yard office" you put up, is that an AMB product ?
Ken
The 'Rigid' drill advertising structure looks too modern for the rest of the layout.
Len
Quote from: Len on August 11, 2023, 09:25:18 AMThe 'Rigid' drill advertising structure looks too modern for the rest of the layout.
Len
HAHAHAHAHAHA.
You've really got a nice looking 'crossing' scene going there.
Are the signs decals, or what ? They look hand-painted in 1/87scale
Ken
yes the are a decal sheet I cut out and glued on, came with the kit.
Awesome layout!
Could you tell me your process for posting photos on this forum? I'm still trying to figure it out.
Thanks.
Quote from: 4311wade on August 21, 2023, 06:46:15 AMAwesome layout!
Could you tell me your process for posting photos on this forum? I'm still trying to figure it out.
Thanks.
Hi 4311wade,
You will need to first upload your photos to an external file/photo uploading service such as Google Drive or Flickr. Then, when writing your post, to add the image you need to click the "Insert an image" icon in the toolbar (next to the YouTube icon) and paste the direct URL for the image in the field. Click "insert" and your image should then appear.
That's some nice 'eye candy' you got going Sheldon. Love them poles ! ! !
Ken
Added 2 more trees behind the main office. that helped fill things in. I am going to slowly add flowers etc see how it looks.
Really looking good with all the little fill ins.
You need a 'burn barrel' or two...
Ken
Yes I have lots to add, but doing it slowly.
I like the 3 transformers on the platform between the two poles on the first photo. Was that a kit?
No that was my own build. I see them a lot out in the country, so i took some pictures and made it. I will tell you this hobby has turned me into a civil engineer. lol I am now pre planning all my power poles on the layout, and getting them lined up and sorted out. I may be taking this a bit too far. lolol
Loving the look of the weathering on your layout. Except for that soda machine. It looks like something found under a pile of junk in the back of a barn on the "American Pickers" TV show. Not something actually in use in the era represented.
That style, with the vertical window stack on the right, was manufactured by Vendco. It came out in 1951, when Coke-Cola finally lifted the 'nickle a bottle' price cap. Prior to that the window stack was on the left. Both styles, with minor differences, were also offered to other drink makers.
The problem is, by contract, the location where the machine was placed had responsibility for maintaining the outside of the machine in good condition. Or at least wiped down of extranious dirt, etc. Some places went so far as to actually wax the outside, as if it were a car. At any rate, if the outside paint was damaged in any way, a replacement machine was supposed to be requested. Unless the distributor had gone out of business, in which case there would be no product available for it, the machine would never be allowed to get into that condition for use by customers.
I don't count rivets, but I did work in a vintage vending machine restoration shop a few years ago. And your "machine' just struck me as wrong. But then, it's your layout. So whatever.
Also, if it's a Coke machine the top should be white:
A Royal Crown (RC) machine of that era would be overall yellow and a Dr. Pepper machine would be a light lime green.
Len
Quote from: Len on November 24, 2023, 10:13:23 AMLoving the look of the weathering on your layout. Except for that soda machine. It looks like something found under a pile of junk in the back of a barn on the "American Pickers" TV show. Not something actually in use in the era represented.
That style, with the vertical window stack on the right, was manufactured by Vendco. It came out in 1951, when Coke-Cola finally lifted the 'nickle a bottle' price cap. Prior to that the window stack was on the left. Both styles, with minor differences, were also offered to other drink makers.
The problem is, by contract, the location where the machine was placed had responsibility for maintaining the outside of the machine in good condition. Or at least wiped down of extranious dirt, etc. Some places went so far as to actually wax the outside, as if it were a car. At any rate, if the outside paint was damaged in any way, a replacement machine was supposed to be requested. Unless the distributor had gone out of business, in which case there would be no product available for it, the machine would never be allowed to get into that condition for use by customers.
I don't count rivets, but I did work in a vintage vending machine restoration shop a few years ago. And your "machine' just struck me as wrong. But then, it's your layout. So whatever.
Also, if it's a Coke machine the top should be white:
A Royal Crown (RC) machine of that era would be overall yellow and a Dr. Pepper machine would be a light lime green.
Len
Well it is my layout, and it only has to meet my approval not yours? I could care less what you have to say. Happy Modelling.
Those kind of coke machines, juvenile delinquents used to pop the cap off of a bottle while in the machine, let it pour into a cup, and finish off was left in the bottle with a straw.
🫨😱😂😂😂
I believe that a cold bottle of Coca-Cola out of a machine was either six cents or $.10 at the time.
Quote from: trainman203 on November 24, 2023, 07:27:56 PMI believe that a cold bottle of Coca-Cola out of a machine was either six cents or $.10 at the time.
Through 1950 Coca-Cola was capped at 5 cents a bottle. The cap was lifted in 1951, after several lawsuits, and almost immediately the price jumped to 10 cents.
Len
Quote from: trainman203 on November 24, 2023, 07:27:56 PMI believe that a cold bottle of Coca-Cola out of a machine was either six cents or $.10 at the time.
I remember getting a drink and a chocolate bar for $.25 the drink was 15 and the bar was 10 It was A Canadian thing, back in the late 70's an independent company started Pic a Pop. was not bad, but didnt last.
This picture was taken in 1971, by a fellow writing a book about depots in Western Canada. The 3 kids in the picture are Me my sister and cousin, and or family dog. We lived in that station from 1967 till 1976.
That must have been a wonderful childhood. My dad never wored for the railroad, but we often visited the towers and stations on the various railroads we came across in our travels. Railroads were incredibly friendly back then, and you could often find an otherwise bored operator in an out of the way location who would tell you tales of the railroad. I think most of them were glad for the company on an otherwise lonely job.
Like them signs, Sheldon. All those 'little' details really bring the entire scene together.
Ken
Thank Ken. I am going to make a few more. It is such a long area, I don't want to over do it. Same with vehicles on the road. Less is more can always add more scenery.
WOW ! Those 'lighted' scenes really shine through ! (pun intended)
On your landscapint: What are you using for dirt ? It looks like sand
in one of your photos.
Ken
I have actual gravel from gravel roads that I have sifted , and I have some bought gravel etc, I try mixing see what I get.
Do you have any plans to connect simulated or actual wires from the substation to the transmission towers?
Yes I am going to install wire from each power pole to pole to each building etc. The kits come with scale flexible wire.
Be careful not to let the poles and wires get in the way of getting at areas where maint, or deal with derailments, might be required. Had to deal with that on a display layout where the person doing the scenary put poles, wires and rather large trees exactly where he was told not to put them.
Len