Hi fellow modellers When my old layout was lying on the floor and the scenery all in pieces, it's hard to imagine starting all over again. Oh yes, I've had those feelings, (but not for too long.) Then I start to think of all the good parts of the last railroad, and those of the ones which came under the hammer before that. So, after much deliberation and head scratching, could I build a layout which combined all aspects of my previous layouts. In other words all the best parts I liked. I must explain at this point that every layout I have ever made had at least one aspect of it that stood out from everything else. This time, I would try and incorporate all the best features, so the whole railroad would not have anything in it I didn't like, or was not keen on. So I thought about an HO "Logging" layout This would include a small shanty town, a lumber company, a sawmill, a woodyard, freight depot's, a small passenger depot and a logging camp for the loggers to eat, sleep and rest after a long day's hard work. Plus numerous logging lines. Not to mention dramatic scenery with trestle bridges, plus numerous trees, and of course some water. Many track plans were drawn, and the final plan was eventually arrived at, in the form of Badger Creek Lumber Company. Many scratch built structures would have to be built, such buildings as a Sawmill & Lumberyard, in fact, all items appertaining to logging, which would also include a vertical boiler steam donkey engine mounted on log skids for yarding (At least four of them). A large duplex machine combining two steam engines to handle yarding and loading simultaneously. Spar trees with high leads and heel boom for car loading facilities. Also needed would be a speeder, this being a self propelled railroad vehicle for taking personnel and supplies to various camps. With the advent of having to make hundreds of 13" to 18" tall timber trees scratchbuilding various buildings, to suit the locations, I would be very busy for a number of years. Scenery & Bridges I required dramatic scenery, only because I like to see trains running over trestle bridges and deep gorges. So I set about building the curved trestle which stands 18" tall at one point. And nearly 9 feet from end to end. This trestle is on a rather steep grade. When this was completed, I turned my attention to the smaller trestle also on a curve and incline. This one is only 14" long by 8" tall. I actually had the trestles built before the baseboards were put down, this way I could picture the best way to install the bridges and give me the desired effect that I was looking for. I have always studied my track plans and made provisions for all bridges. Making quite sure that there was ample room, (length and height) for any bridges to be installed. It's amazing the amount of knowledge you acquire over many years of railroad building. You have to be an architect, a carpenter, a painter, electrician, model maker, and an electronics wizard. When the layout is nearly finished, (Never finished really) you could do with being a photographer and a computer buff. My rolling stock to date comprises of many skeleton cars, box cars, flat cars, and gondolas. As for the motive, I run 3 Shay's 1 Heisler and 3 climaxes. Plus a 2-8-0 consolidation. I am in the process of making a climax from another diesel chassis, this at the moment is not finished yet but should be very shortly. Also on the roster is a galloping Goose, (Sort of). So my little people can now go to work at the lumber camps in comfort. I've had more fun building this railroad then any of the previous layouts that I have built in the past. At the present moment I have to add more foliage and ground cover, and make a couple more scratchbuilt structures. All of the buildings are lit up, and all the rolling stock has been weathered, I suppose an alteration to the tracks if needed wouldn't be too aggressive, and wouldn't ruin the scenery, but I'll leave that part of it to my imagination for later on. Meanwhile, I shall carry on adding to my little Pine forest empire. That reminds me, I must pick up some dead leaves out of the garden this year. When ground up in the mixer, they make a marvellous ground cover, and it's free. Happy Modelling http://www.badger-creek.co.uk NARA member NO#24 [ 10 February 2001: Message edited by: Paul Templar ]
Funny you should post that because I to am starting over, Still keeping the M&CRS/Chessie theme just need to sqeeze it into my new room. Since I dont have enough room for a table I plan to squeeze in around the room, Also it will be in N instead of HO
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Chessie_SD50_8563: Also it will be in N instead of HO<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Good deal! you won't be dissapointed
Hi, all. Starting over is the good deal. The hard part, to me, is taking it apart. But I like the chance to fix things that I didn't like in the previous version. I've thought of changing scales a few times, I wonder what that's like?
Cool Paul! With your talent I wish that you would choose N scale again so that we could see what would come of it Keep us posted as I , for one, can't wait Russ/NYC - The Hoffman Valley RR
No chance of going back into N-scale Russ, I have been with HO now for far too long, I would possibly change to 0n3 or 0n30 Hmmm.
