My winter project - Oakley Street Chicago

[PRR Modeler]

Gorgeous modeling Bob. Was the road still dirt at that time?

[Jerry]

Beautiful work & scene Bob.

Jerry

[bparrish]

Curt...

I don't have a definitive answer to that.  In the photo it is dirt....... both Lake ( east - west across the photo) and Oakley looking north from the camera.

The the next two east - west streets to the south, Randolph and Madison were paved and a larger commercial area than Lake Street.

If you look at the side walk at the right under the seated kids it appears that the side walk was newly poured concrete that was cast over existing brick sidewalk.  On the left side the wood form is still there and the iron stake holding the form is also still there.  Further, at the very edge of the left side curb, cut sand stone blocks are visible on Oakley street.  My guess is that all of the area was in cut sand stone curb before Lake was torn up for this construction.  I am not aware of Chicago having "Local Improvement Districts" as we do today; but I do know that they followed major construction projects with street and grade improvements.

Chicago had huge sand stone quarries on the south side near the current location of Interstate 80.

The Sanborn maps show an eight inch water line down the north side of Lake Street and a fire hydrant is visible in the photo on the north west corner of the intersection.

I do know that the street was paved in brick following the construction of the scaffolding.

Sooooooooooooo  I'm pretty convinced that there was no previous paving as there is no sight of previous brick or Nicholson blocks sitting around.

Chicago was also famous for putting pipes down the street in shallow trenches and raising the grade elevation with new improvements.  They didn't have good machinery at the time for major excavation as we do today.

Thanx for looking in.
Bob

[donatode]

Bob, wonderfully realistic and authentic modeling. Thank you for sharing.

[bparrish]

So I need to go in another direction for a while.

The Prototype Modeling certificate has certain rubric requirements: structures, locomotive, passenger car and freight.  Then after that there is stipulations for how much is scratch built.

So I needed a freight car for this.  Not a problem as there is a ton of information out there on this line.

Although there is no freight car in the source photo, our region allows for equipment that can be proven to have been on the line.  Again not a problem.  In addition to how much must be scratch built there is no rule on any of them needing to score individually at 87.5 or higher.  You can however have them judged under structures if you need that certificate.  I do not need them to be judged individually.

Below are the starting photos for a work flat that lived into the 1940's.  The base is a four wheeled frame from either a horse drawn street car or an early cable or electric car that was taken out of service.  Four wheeled cars were not used extensively as they were rather rough riding.   

The wooden box is under construction and the brass strapping for hinges and corners are left over brass stampings from Labelle.

see ya
Bob

[bparrish]

Got some bench time today and went after the passenger car.

Windows, seats and glass. 

Then I glued on the roof and put the end railings and gates on.

Still needs a lot of finish work on the roof and detail stuff but................  It's coming together.

see ya
Bob

[tct855]

Bob.

     Nice Job So Far!!!

                  Thanx Thom...

[S&S RR]

Bob


Very fine modeling! I'm enjoying following along on your adventure.

[PRR Modeler]

Excellent.  Are you keeping this or is it going someplace like a local museum for a diorama display?

[Jerry]

Nice indeed.  Whose passenger car is that?

Jerry

[bparrish]

Curt....

No it's not going anywhere.  I think after I take it to a local meet late this month and the PNR regional in Portland, in early June, I'm going to disassemble it.  The structures will go on my railroad and the scaffolding and rolling stock will go on the top of my roll top desk in the office. 

Jerry.... you asked whose passenger car it is...............  Mine   ! ! ! !

I couldn't resist the cheap response ! !

It is a narrow gauge Labelle coach that has been grunted around in almost every direction.  Shortened, new end platforms, end railings, open windows, seats, couplers and trucks.  I think Rick (owner of Labelle) might recognize it but not much after the basic kit.

You all might think it is some sort of heresy to take it apart but.........  like most stuff I build, it's about "can I do this?"

This will be certificate 9 on my MMR.  I have no chance of going beyond to Super MMR as I will never accomplish the "official" category.  I would never be a division boss.  I would never be what I have called those guys ! !   A good friend just finished his time in purgatory ( three years) and another very good friend has just begun. Not for me.  I take the side side positions that don't paint a target on me.  I ran the division newsletter for twelve years (life sentence) and am now the nominations guy for the other victims.

The only other certificate that is out there is dispatcher and I cannot do it on my own railroad.  I am working with another modeler on his really large RR that might be appropriate.  I have no delusions of grandeur ! ! !

Thank you all for looking in.
Bob

[bparrish]

Going after detail stuff now.............

Next week is the trees in the back ground..

For now is the street names on the tops of the street lights.  These were at the corners of the main streets.  They used carbon arc lights that took nearly daily attention.

I printed the names in photo shop and did a negative reverse.  Also, Photo shop as also MS Word, you can put in any font size, not just what they hand you in a pull down menu choice.

I used a 3 font to get it small enough.

Below is also a blow up of the source photo to see what it said.  W. Lake and on the side is Oakley.

see ya
Bob

[Jerry]

Nice detail.

I thought you owned it!!

Jerry

[postalkarl]

Hi Bob:

Looks just beautiful. Wonderful job with the street light.

Karl

[ACL1504]

Bob,

This is the best diorama of a particular area I've seen, period. I love every aspect of your build.

Tom