Is This Scene Possible in the 1:1 World?

My layout is 99% fantasy and maybe 1% prototypical. Been trying to build from a combination of resources, and know junkyards exist, but never "scene" one (sorry for the bad pun. I couldn't resist).

I had an idea for a miniscene, but don't know if it would really appear in the 1:1 world.

Pictures are of my first scratchbuilt shack, surrounded by basically a junkyard. Beside is a small section of track, deadended on both ends, and with 2 pieces of equipment being scavenged for parts.

 

I for one LKIE IT! Youv've fone a great job on your layout and adding little scenes like this tie it all together. And as far as if it would really happen:
The DGNO yard in Carrollton, TX. Next to the loco shed.


Accross the street from the above picture is this stuff lines the tracks next to their office and a couple of boxcars are used for storage in the parking lot:


The point is ANYTHING'S possible with a well executed scene. My only suggettion is maybe the boxcar on the ground w/o wheels as a storage shed(maybe swap it's position with the engine and put it next to the tracks). Also paint the ends of the wheels rust color if I'm nit picking. That's my 1/2 cents worth.

 

That is a cool scene. Only thing that I can add is maybe a small overhead A-Frame winch type crane, or a rail or crwaler track burro crane, they had to get that locomotive's cab off somehow. Also paint the axle ends in that first picture a rust color to tone down the shine.

Keep up the good work!

Brian

 

Thanks guys.

Ron, Your pics are exactly what I was thinking about, just never seen. You know, at first I had the boxcar sitting without wheels/trucks, and thought that was going too far. So I glued on some trucks (the bolster holes had split, thus the scrapheap).

 

I like it, It looks like that yard doesnt see much traffic. Good modeling all around.

Edit: Here's another photo of a deadline, conrail style:

http://crcyc.railfan.net/locos/alco/c636/cr6781efdead.jpg

[ March 04, 2005, 06:41 AM: Message edited by: LIRR ]

 

Cool scene. Like TxRon suggested, another item for your mini-scene may be to take an old boxcar, remove the trucks and mount it on ties or blocks for additional dry storage with steps or ramp leading up to the door for storing the acetylene torch, fuel oil, and other things that you may not want to store in the building, assuming there's a heat source in there judging by the stove pipe. An old semi trailer with steps placed along side the scrap Geep would work too. Old trailers no longer in revenue service make good on-site storage, usually patched and weathered. You might litter the scene to resemble parts and scrap from previous jobs. Depending on how far you want to go, you can even "open" a few hood doors on the Geep too.

~Tim

 

Looks like the FEC yard in New Smyrna Beach, FL.

 

Pretty good scene. If you wanted to "superdetail" it, you might model old overgrown roadbed and ballast where there was switch to some live trackage, which has been removed. Modelling what isn't there anymore can be interesting.

 

Naparo's in New Jersey were famous for scrapping locomotives. Dates back to the end of steam. If I recall they were right next to the Jersey Turnpike. I once saw a number of GG-1's there being scrapped. Frank

 

UPDATE:

Ok you guys, I think I have absorbed everyone's ideas and put them to use. Here's the updated scene as of tonight. In place of the boxcar, I put another old B&O soldier. It's fitting that these 2 locos are here as they were the first 2 I ever bought. Bought them both at a show, brought them home and ran them some. Accidentally knocked one off in the floor and busted it all apart. PS - Thanks to everyone. I think it's a better scene for all the suggestions.

Kenneth - I added to the old roadbed bringing it closer to where the switch would have been.



Tim - I opened 1 of the doors on the side.

Brian - Made an A-Frame. Still have to paint it and find something to make a pulley out of.



And finally, Ron (and Tim) - I moved the boxcar to the ground beside the shed.

 

Use one of those tiny tubes that com taped to the side of some aerosol spray cans, like WD-40, to make "N" scale pulleys. Cut the pulley frame out of paper or photo negative film. Make two, then make a hook out of the same film and glue it between the two frames and slip the WD-40 tube between the frames with a length of black thread as a chain or cable. It is still a large pulley but could work. You couldn't see one any smaller, but it would work for photos. Compare a 6" or 10" pulley to an "N" scale car tire, then make an "N" scale 6" pulley! SHEESH!

 

Thanks Watash. You ARE the answer man!!!

 

Great, for me its the little scenes like this that MAKE a model railroad. You can have your 11 car california zephyrs but they arent anything without a bit of scenery realism.

whoppit

 

N-I-C-E changes there JTC. Here are the couple of photos I promised you above, Sorry I couldn't get a good shot of the other two boxcars the DGNO uses for storage at their loco shed. Maybe another dar.


Note the yellow "safety is the future" on the boxcar door:


You don't have to limit yourself to one boxcar. They've used two side by side and attached at the doors to double their storage space:


Hope those help!

TxRon

 

Thanks Ron. At the moment I only have 1 scrapped boxcar. There will probably be others as I have yet to start weathering.

I see the benefits of weathering, but sure is hard to mess with those shiny new boxes.

 

Wow JTC...the changes really make the scene come alive.

~Tim

 

Bravo, JTC. The overgrown tracks leading to two locos in mid-salvage is a powerful image and automaticaly has the viewer imagining the story that this scene tells. Bravo!