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                                                             George's Layout visit (FSM) 9-18-2021

                  Hi Everyone, My visit to the great Franklin and South Manchester RR. Enjoy The Picture's. And I met Craig and I'm Glad I can finally know one of the guy's with all that talent. Dennis

Thanks for posting the photos Dennis.  :)

Sorry I didn't get to say Hi yesterday Dennis, but seeing you only had 3 hours to take it in you didn't miss anything with my foolishness.. ;D

George Has a 2nd volume book, But was never published. It's about a inch thick with ton's of pic's and info.  :'(

Thanks Guy's. Was That you Raymo talking to Craig yesterday?

Dennis


Thank you for posting the pictures.

Quote from: Dennis Bourey on September 19, 2021, 08:55:00 AM
Thanks Guy's. Was That you Raymo talking to Craig yesterday?

Yes!

Thank's John, I got something like 600 pic's and video's. But can't seem to get video's loaded.

Dennis


I read your discussion with Craig about not seeing Swankhammer's.  Some where in the archives I have a picture of it when it was on the F&SM. In the area that is now Franklin.  George told me the story of how someone came in and offered him a bunch of money for it and three other builds he had in the area. So the prototype for Swankhammer's is not on the layout and we have fisherman's row in its place.  I will try to find the picture.  I just remembered that one of the other builds in that group that was sold was G. Wiliker's. 

Dennis,

Great over all shots. The detail shots are great but getting an over all view of the layout is great. Would love to see it in person.

Thanks for the pics. Hope you can get videos loaded. Love to see those.

Bernd

Bernard, I'll do my best. Not sure how to load the videos with a 1 meg limit? I have lot's more of the overall view. Will post all is there's enough room here?  lol kidding. Dennis

John, If no ones seen this layout? I suggest going. It is much better in person and George and his wife are wonderful people.

Quote from: Dennis Bourey on September 19, 2021, 10:18:27 AM
John, If no ones seen this layout? I suggest going. It is much better in person and George and his wife are wonderful people.

Dennis


I felt the same way when I saw it for the first time many years ago (back in the last century, lol) and I still leave feeling inspired to work on my own layout every time I visit.  I try to get there every couple of years and George always has more layout and lots of changes to the old layout for me to find. George and Cathy are wonderful people.

(George and Cathy are wonderful people.)

John Yes they are.

Dennis,

Thanks for taking the time to post your photos. I was last there in 2016 and I see many changes to the scenery and structures.

I see Thom Drigger's (tct855) passenger cars and steam locos are on display also. He is the Master Painter behind most of the FS&M locos and passenger equipment if not all.

Tom  ;D

Hey Dennis:

Great pics of the F&SM. It's my favorite RR and I've been there several times. Can't wait to go again.

Karl

Karl, I would love to go back next month. :)

Great shots, Dennis! I completely failed getting any wide, overall shots. I went straight in for the close ups! Haha. I'm just settling in to process mine. I got a hair over 500 of them.

For your videos, I'd suggest uploading to YouTube and then posting the link here.

Thank you Craig, I will do that. Glad you were there enjoying yourself. I have more overall view's little everyday. Don't wanna spoil the guy's and girl's here to much. lol

Here's another set.

Set #2

Dennis,

These are great. Thanks for taking the time to share them with the rest of us peeps.

Tom  ;D

Dennis


Great pictures, thank you for sharing. The overall shots show what George achieved by taking the center mountain down and removing the large view block buildings in South Manchester.

Does anyone have any good before and after shots of the mountain?

More!!!!

Quote from: Keep it Rusty on September 20, 2021, 03:38:10 PM
Does anyone have any good before and after shots of the mountain?

Craig


I do but it will take some time to find them.  Tom posted a nice picture of the first iteration of mountain removal last week. See his old FSM photographs thread.

Quote from: S&S RR on September 20, 2021, 07:06:53 PM

Quote from: Keep it Rusty on September 20, 2021, 03:38:10 PM
Does anyone have any good before and after shots of the mountain?

Craig


I do but it will take some time to find them.  Tom posted a nice picture of the first iteration of mountain removal last week. See his old FSM photographs thread.

It wasn't as hard as I thought - here is a picture of the backside of the mountain.  Now to find one from the front.


(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/18-200921191559.jpeg)

Here is an overview from the last century. The dozers have taken down a lot of mountains.


(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/18-200921192408.jpeg)

This is the way the layout looked the first time I visited the layout.  I have a picture of me standing in front of the floor to ceiling mountain with George.

It's amazing. What a sight! Can see John Allen there all day.

Thanks for digging it out for me!

Hey Dennis & John:

Great F&SM pics. Keep em coming.

Karl

I always liked that huge mountain and trestle.....wish I'd gotten to see it in person before George took it down. Thanks for all the pictures y'll.  8)

Quote from: Keep it Rusty on September 20, 2021, 09:12:21 PM
It's amazing. What a sight! Can see John Allen there all day.

Thanks for digging it out for me!

Craig,
        Speaking of John Allen, did you know a highly detailed copy of his layout is being built by Randy Decker from all the great remaining pictures and drawings.  It's really something to see.  Some modern day technology like Dcc will be interjected.
                                                                                                                              Thanx Thom...
https://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/37593

Thanks for sharing, Thom. This is the first I'm learning of this and I'll be following along for sure!

Dennis,
Thanks for sharing your photos that you took at the FSM open house on 9/18/21.
Tommy

Thanks Tommy. And so many more between myself my wife and Craig. over a 1,000

Set#3

Continue!!!

Continue !!!

Set #3 continue

Set #4

Set#4 Continue

Great shots. Love some of the more panoramic shots of the layout.

Thanks for posting.

Bernd

Set#4 Continue.

Set#5

Set#5 Continue.

Set#5 Continue.

Set#5 Last!!! Set#6 Tomorrow

Hey Dennis:

Thanks for more great pics.

Karl

You are very welcomed Karl.

Thanks for posting all of these great shots, Dennis!


After decades of study, I've come to the conclusion that what makes George's work so immediately recognizable (other than the immense level of detail) is the consistency of the coloring throughout. Nothing "pops", in terms of color (in a good- no, amazing- way). A building or sign or vehicle or car might be "red" but there is such a consistency of "hazy white" that his red sure doesn't look like my red  :D . Maybe it's just the drybrushing and the lighting but there just aren't photos out there that don't capture this (to my knowledge). I've been there with guys setting up tripods and I've snapped quick shots with my phone - and they're all good with regard to the coloring...it's uncanny and, to my eyes, unique, even among so many great great modelers...I think many of us can immediately pick out any F&SM photo among a pile of other great layouts, without even thinking about it.


My theory is that George has a space-age sprinkler system that rains HO-sized droplets of Driftwood stain at night, when he puts up those protective covers.  ;D  Or, perhaps, the maestro has "tamed" a cloud of fog to sit on the layout.

Great pictures Dennis. Love the close ups of the roundhouse area.

Bernd

Thank you Cuse and Bernd. George has some serious light's there I was fighting the glare everywhere with my camera. The phone did much better.(weird) Lot's more to come. Dennis

Thanks for the great pictures Dennis!  They sure do bring back memories of my own visit to the FSM.  What a treat that was.   ;D

Thank you very much Bob. Many more to come. I hope you guy's don't get bored? Dennis

Dennis


Thanks again, for posting all the pictures from your F&SM visit - I enjoy spotting something for the first time or that George has changed since my last visit,  in almost every picture. It is so great having the history of these changes in one place here on the forum.

John, Thank you. Then you won't get bored. Dennis

Dennis, thanks so much for the pictures.  I agree with the coloring comment--this is particularly evident from the panoramic shots. George definitely understands the concept of establishing and sticking to a color palette.  That is something I've been (not always successfully) striving toward.

--Opa George

The LED lighting is relatively new on the F&SM.  I have definitely noticed a big difference in the quality of the pictures since George installed them.  Lighting was a real challenge a few years back.

Another one for you George.

John, When I was shooting with my cheaper sure shot camera the video and some pic's were effected. Video's was like fading in and out. I use my phone it was better. My wife has a canon DSLR? But I never used it before. Next visit I will learn how to use it. Dennis

WOW Dennis. Excellent pictures.

Bernd

Thank You Bernd

More ;)

Hey Dennis:

thanks for all the great pics. I very much enjoy pictures of George's layout. Thanks for posting.

Karl

My Pleasure. Many more to come!!!