Holland Odessa R.R.

[Jim Donovan]

Thanks Karl;

I have been unable to post for some time due to the sites server issues. Hopefully it is working and this gets uploaded.

I finished my latest kit effort, Downtown Deco's Metal Bank. The lower floor is Scott Bank and the second floor Jefferies Poker Palace. Jefferies has a rather dubious reputation with attractive young ladies often arriving in the evening on the arms of, shall we say, 'seasoned' gentlemen. In order to avoid misunderstandings with either wives or the some of the local police a ladder leads to a roof exit with a back wall ladder that can be  lowered to the ground when needed.

[Jim Donovan]

This is the first Hydrocal kit I have attempted. I spent a bunch of time studying how to put these kits together as well as how it would fit onto the layout. I made  this building with all glass windows were the glass is on the panes, even the open tilt windows. I ended up practice cutting Clover Glass and microscope slide covers to the point I can cut them out faster than plastic now. I also spent a good amount of time working on my wall sign technique. Brett Wiley put out a great video on how to make realistic wall signs which I followed. The front part of the building is lite and I may put a gooseneck light on the staircase door. Finally, I scratch built the water tank and the staircase. The men exiting the roof hatch will be part of a story I will write about the goings on for the building. I am not sure if it will be wives or the police they are running from, I'm thinking wives, they are more frightening.

I found hydrocal has its advantages but also its frustrations, perhaps it was just this kit, or me or both. It had a lot of bubbles on the plaster I needed to remove. The walls were warped and uneven.  Finally, it was very hard for me to get everything square. All that said I was able to correct most everything and my next kit up is also made of hydrocal so hopefully experience will help.

I named the bank after my youngest son Scott who is the finance guy of the family. The top is named after a nephew, who had an exciting bachelorhood but was finally corralled by a great gal. That said he still likes Las Vegas.

Next up is a hotel and then I plan to finish main street with the three buildings I will have completed. I am going pretty slow and enjoying the time. Hope you see some progress as I go.

[jimmillho]

Love the Building, Love the Story.

Great Job.

Jim

[GPdemayo]

Well done Jim.....you're right about cops vs. wives. 

[Jim Donovan]

Thanks Jim and Greg. There will be a fun story to go with it of course, all my family and neighbors will eventually end up having their turn, it is part of the fun.

Jim D

[S&S RR]

Jim


Great work! I'm glad you are able to post again. 

[postalkarl]

Hey Jim:

Just beautiful work. I just love the boat scene.

Karl

[PRR Modeler]

Beautiful scene. I especially like the canal and boat.

[ACL1504]

Jim,

Great job, it all looks wonderful.,

Tom

[Zephyrus52246]

Nice job on the Downtown Deco kit. 


Jeff

[deemery]

I always wanted to do a canal scene, but could never fit it into available space (and get it to look right...) 


It's good to see yours!



dave

[jerryrbeach]

Jim,


I like the bank with the upstairs card room and its backstory.  The cards on the side of the outside stairway are a nice touch, something I haven't seen previously.  As nice as the structure is, my favorite is the way the road, trees, and canal provide both a scene divider as well as lead the viewer's eye into the scenes.  IMO these things really make your layout seem larger than it is. Really looking forward to seeing the town grow. 

[Jim Donovan]

Thank you to everyone for the positive comments. You made my day.

The canal scene pretty much dictated the time period I was going to model. I had already decided to model the local area and thought the canal would add something. The canal existed from 1845 to about 1913 but uniquely was never enlarged from its original dimensions, making modeling it doable. The rest I am winging it.

Thanks Again

Jim D

[Jim Donovan]

So a quick story. I listen to a Podcast called HO Scale Customs. One of the members of this forum, Todd Wiley, and his son Brett put out a weekly podcast as well as a tool idea podcast and even live YouTube videos. They are very busy with a growing following. Todd was one of the people I met when I went to the EXPO in 2018. He saw I was going to be eating alone and invited me to join him and his wife for dinner. It was a great night and the beginning of a growing friendship.

Anyhow, they decided to begin having a weekly photo contest a while back as part of the show. The very first contest was to send your most unique layout photo, and I won sending the canal boat picture as seen from behind. Of course they were just getting going, people did not know where or how to submit photos and so there was me and one other individual who sent in a photo of a boxcar seen on raw track nailed to plywood and a blue background. You would have thought I won the Nobel Peace Prize. I told one and all of my winning the contest. Todd has never mentioned that there were only two entries nor have I told him I knew from the start. Here is the winning photo.

So this week the contest is to show a structure you have made using only left over scrap. I am submitting photos of the tool shed I made out of scrap when I was at the 2018 EXPO and met him and his lovely wife Lisa. I posted previously pictures of the building on a small diorama I had made, here it is in its final spot, hard working at the oil rig site. I took it as an opportunity to work on my photography so some pictures are touched up and a background placed behind shed.

[PRR Modeler]

Neat scenes Jim.