Hello. I have recently been introduced to this forum by Frank Baker. I would like to share photos of my 12' x 15' 2 level HO scale layout.
The first photo is an overall shot taken from the access hatch beside the 3 turn helix.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/594-031016230804.jpeg)
A few more overall layout photos. This is the view when you enter the layout room which is underneath our sunken living room:
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/594-031016232520-166692395.jpeg)
This view shows the small yard at Nitro Junction which is just before the helix:
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/594-031016232301-16665337.jpeg)
The village of Routledge can be seen at the end of this aisle view:
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/594-031016230855.jpeg)
I like what I have seen so far, and welcome to the forum.
Welcome Don, from what I have seen so far that is one great layout, please show us more , because we love photo's ;)
Don,
Welcome to the forum. Your layout looks great and we do love pictures.
Again welcome.
Tom ;D
Beautiful presentation. I love the curved fascia and neat panels. Great layout!
John
Great looking layout Don.....welcome to the forum. 8)
Welcome Don;
I am glad that decided to join us. I think that you will find a great group of friendly and talented modelers from all over here on this forum. As many have already said, we really do appreciate photos, stories on trsins and other related hobby interests.
To let everyone know, Now we have known each other for many years, thru a mutual friend - Doug Hole, another great Canadian modeler. We need to try to get Doug to join us as well. For those of us that have been around a while, you might remember the work of Doug Hole in Mainline Modeler. Don was the photographer for much, if not all of Doug's work. Years ago, when I was switching to DCC, I gave Don all my Onboard analog decoders, etc. And that was a while ago. Don does beautiful work and works in several other transportation modeling as well. We need to convince him to show us some of those other models as well. While this is a train forum, we always like to see the different areas of modeling that are being done by our friends.
I especially enjoy the concrete snow/ rock slide sheds that Don has built on his layout. For any of you that have may taken the Rocky Moiuntaineer train thru western Canada, these structures are near the Fraser River Bridge, I believe. Don has captured the real feeling that they portray. Somewhere in this box we call a computer, I have pictures of them. Now I am going to have to find them!!!
Don, as always good to see your wonderful work. Please try to convince Doug to join us. You guys do magnificent work and I am sure that everyone on this forum would really like to see more.
All the best,
Frank Baker / Erieman
Thank you everybody for the warm welcome and encouraging words. As a professional photographer by trade, I have no shortage of photos. You will probably be wanting me to stop posting photos at some point!
The rock shed tunnels Frank refers to are called the Skoonka tunnels and they are on the CN mainline west of Spences Bridge British Columbia. I cast the various pieces in hydrocal using wood molds made from stripwood glued to plywood. I had an article published in the January 1997 RMC on this technique which I borrowed from CC Crow.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/594-041016110623-16672196.jpeg)
I'm glad Frank mentioned those snow sheds/ tunnels , they look awesome. Love how the wood molds gave it that concrete like texture.
Here are a couple close up photos.
The first is the engine house at the yard at Janesville. The engine house is a Walther's kit. The snowplow is a wood craftsman kit that I inherited partially built. I do not know the manufacturer. The RS-1 is by Atlas. I added the grab irons etc..
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/594-051016140001-16686266.jpeg)
A Canadian Pacific C Liner ( Proto 1000) idles beside the oil tank at the Janesville yard:
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/594-051016135959-1668365.jpeg)
Welcome to the forum Don. :) Your layout looks fantastic.
Stay cool and run steam..... 8) 8)
At first glance I thought the photo with the snowplow was the real thing , well done.
Don
Welcome to the forum! Your layout, your structures, and your photographs are great! I'm really looking forward to your future posts.
Quote from: S&S RR on October 05, 2016, 07:29:48 PM
Don
Welcome to the forum! Your layout, your structures, and your photographs are great! I'm really looking forward to your future posts.
Ditto
Nice looking layout.
Jeff
Beautiful work, Don! I love your rock shed tunnels!
Cheers, Mark.
Nice layout and your rock sheds are stunning.
Rodney
Thank you to everyone who has commented on my posts so far. To give some perspective, I am posting my track plan. My room size is approximately 12 x 15 feet.
Here is the lower level:
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/594-271016095629-174581661.jpeg)
This is the upper level:
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/594-271016095629-17498875.jpeg)
Don,
The room size fooled me, the layout looks much bigger. Beautiful job on the layout and the use of available space.
Fantastic picture vistas.
Tom ;D
Thanks Tom. The ceiling height is only 6'6" as the layout is located under our "sunken" living room. I am 5'9" so that is not an issue but taller visitors have hit their heads on the valances...The lower ceiling also makes hiding the room lighting a bit more difficult than rooms with a higher ceiling.
Here are a few construction photos from 1991:
The room before construction started in August of 1991:
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/594-271016111122-174991482.jpeg)
The view from the entrance in November 1991:
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/594-271016111123-17501360.jpeg)
The helix in November 1991:
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/594-271016111123-17503983.jpeg)
Misc. construction photos:
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/594-271016111123-175021607.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/594-271016111123-1750069.jpeg)
Great looking track plan. I hope you're not 6foot 3 like I am , would make me pretty uneasy with the ceiling only 3 inches above me.
Don, Great use of space in the room, I also like the floor to ceiling shot in the mountains.
Beautiful bench work Don. :)
Stay cool and run steam....... 8) 8)
Hi Don,
I hope my layout looks as good as yours when I get the scenery done. I am working on bench work and track work now. Your bench work looks vey nice. Your mountains look great and I like your concrete snow sheds. In other words, I like your whole layout.
Making the benchwork was one of my favourite parts of the building process. It helped that I had splurged for a new chop saw and table saw, my first ever tools of that type. The fun part about building benchwork is how quickly you can make progress. The not so fun part is all the sawdust and noise that you create. Luckily we didn't have any young kids at this point so the noise wasn't a huge issue.
One thing I remember is that using a jig saw to cut out the hole for the ash pit after track was laid was pretty destructive....all the vibration could not be avoided.
Don
I really enjoyed seeing the pictures of the benchwork and track plan - you have really done a nice job with your layout.
What John said. I'll be keeping an eye on this thread.