I guess I am pretty much finished with my Lester Depot. I made a cowboy hat to turn a We-Honest person into a mean hombre, lerking on the side of the depot. I got my 3mm square plastic tube and made the chimneys: Made some signs , and added We-Honest travelers, and toned down their bright glossy clothing: Made some Railway Express Agency carts, signs, and added luggage: Added the depot name sign, and the 1950's monad:
Hey that’s great! Is this going to be out as a kit soon? Your kits have always been the best fitting of any I’ve built.
If I made this one a kit, I would have to do a video on assembly, because the roof lines are too hard to convert into exploded diagrams for instruction. It took me a week of trying to find a way to actually assemble the roof reliably. I guess I lost some of my old Corel mojo over the past several years. I ended up making a cardboard jig, applying glue to 2 sides of each piece, and dropping the roof parts into the jig then wiggle fit the interlock tabs. The very last part could only have interlock tabs on one side in order for it to assemble, so you have to leave the roof in the jig till the glue fully sets or that butt joint would fall apart. That's my only dilemma, is spending countless hours writing instructions. What do poeple think about having to go to youtube for assembly instructions?
You tube is an interesting concept. I mean that’s I learn to do all my auto repairs. Perhaps on that note a few key pictures from real life assembly thrown in might be just as effective. In a sense real life exploded diagram if you will
Dang Robert, this is awesome, turned out great!! Looks like the passengers are waiting for the eastbound Mainstreeter or the NCL! Must be the operator's wife peeking out the upstairs window? Great work and details!!
I found a prototype photo from 1960 to compare against, and I found a couple flaws I need to fix already. One thing I want to add is the sign left of the freight door. I think it says "Bicycle Riding Not Allowed On Platform", what do you think?
Looks like bicycles. Seems to be a Schedule board behind the bench. Need: bench, crates and lights Looks like a 'Farmers Market' or MR Open House going on at the end Or, Lost & Found
I got the waiting room door wrong, and am missing the roofwalk above the freight room too! I got the roof support corbels right though! So, I'm going to have to build a new one. Maybe I should throw this one on ebay and see what it fetches?
You're spot on. It does say that. You are also spot on in your interpretation of the real thing. Looks like there's a flea market or something going. Excellent work. I hope to see some more waterfront buildings? I noted you had some that were not issued by MTL. Glad to have you back. The hobby needs more wood kits. I can't wait to see what you come up with. Jim
That whole town is completely gone now. There were people numbering in the hundreds living there at one time. They had a huge railroad hotel, a good sized store, close to a hundred houses, a massive coaling dock, a diesel tank, a water tower, a turntable and 6 stall roundhouse, and numerous small NP railroad structures about. There were several helper locomotives and crews stationed there, A big brick schoolhouse, and at least 30 kids in one photo I found. I want to model the whole town because of it's mountian pass pine location.
Great Concept! I'm more and more interested in modeling things from the recent past that are no longer with us ...factories, steel mills, etc. If anyone can pull this off, It's Robert Ray!
Yes, the semaphore does have the shortest blades I have seen for NP. Very interesting and I am exploring ways to model this one. I don't have brass skills, but it cries out for brass. Meanwhile I have been working on the single level version of this depot, and found a prototype from Harrison MT that was relocated to Virginia City MT.