These are old pictures of the HO scale CMSF as it was several years ago. I would say about 7-10 years ago. David Barrow built the layout in the upstairs of his garage. He had extensive operating sessions and a complete dispatcher set up. (The dispatcher was downstairs.) I know that George Hollowedell operated there frequently; I operated there once. Perhaps others have stories, too. I have shown my one CMSF boxcar on the current WNFF thread. I want to make some covered hoppers, but I need white decals for that. BTW, the font is the same as Santa Fe: Cooper Black. Here are the pictures.
Still More CMSF Un-fastened ballast: David barrow in the center with folded arms. He is standing in front of the dispatcher's desk.
I remember seeing this layout in MR years ago, I always liked the layout as it had lots of open space and not filled with track.
David's layout and discussions "inspired" me on my HO switching layout and my N scale diorama. Bottom line, have fun, make it real, but not too "detailed". Let's operate:thumbs_up:
And here he's built a new model RR with NO ballast on the track, and NO scenery. Looks like a lot of operating opportunities for switching, but overall very minimalist. Could be on his last versions of the Cat Mountain he liked the loose ballast better- after all, it ain't cemented down to the ground in real life, so he was prototypical there. Inasmuch as I like his new version, I do miss the old versions of the Cat Mountain & Santa Fe, including the "domino" version.
Dave Barrow was an insperation to me when I was younger. His domino's bench work has inspired me to do similar in N scale as the future C&I district of the BNSF will borrow from his concept. He is also the one who inspired me to model late 1960's and early 1970's Santa Fe, when living in NH in the early 1980's B&M stuff was hard to find in any scale! Thanks for sharing Flash!
Flash, can you tell us anything about that lighting in the 5th, 6th, 7th photo? It looks like he darkened the space over the aisle? Does that affect the lighting on the layout? Maybe it is designed to kill shadows?
Lighting Unknown I really can't tell you anything about the lighting. It is an overhead valence type of thing. I don't know what type of bulbs either. Each "section" of the layout had an overpass, bridge or mountain type of thing to isolate it from the adjoining section.
I'm with you. Aside from being an ATSF fan, I really thought the CM&SF was a great looking layout and it was DB's article that got me hooked on linear modules. I also enjoyed the CM&SF switching version in an issue of "Model Railroad Planning" from a few years back. And as far as minimalist goes, the last article I saw on the new layout had blank paperboard or similar shapes for buildings. But it is a great trackplan.
Hopefully Mr. Barrow's new CM&SF will be on the layout tour route this year at the Austin Model Railroad Jamboree as it was last year!
The first MR artical I saw on his layout is from the early eighties and it's the most dogeared issue I have. It also featured hios home made command control system which facinated me at the time. I'm an electrical engineer, but darnit, I HATE wiring model railroads. Command control. He was ahead of his time.
Dave's Cat Mountain "domino" concept has deffinately been an inspiration to me. It is the basis of my 18" hollow core door modular concept. Had I not read of his work in MR I doubt the idea would have occurred to me. Without a doubt he is one of the biggest influences in modern model railroading.:thumbs_up:
Hi, could someone please tell me which version these photos are as I understand there have been a few incarnations of this layout? plus could someone please tell me which issue(s) of MR this version was in as I think it's time to go hunting for back issues. A truely great layout. Shaun
Barrow is at the opposite end of the spectrum from layout builders who slavishly recreate every little detail from photographs and history books. His focus on "dominoes" and operations -- even to the point of creating cardboard mockups of prototype buildings instead of highly detailed exact replicas -- has helped me be OK with the "developmental" approach to layout building. My current project is at what I call Stage 2: domino benchwork built; foam attached & painted earth brown; track laid; trains running. Now I can go back and develop each "LDE" on a more leisurely basis and still have an "operational" railroad model.
