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Here are some of the modeling activities that our members are working on during our Division activity hiatus. Click on the members name to go to their page to see what they have been working on
Bill Brown
Hey guys...hope you are safe and healthy. I saw your latest Form 19 and as always enjoy reading such a professional and interesting newsletter. Since many of your guys were signed up for our cancelled ops weekend, and have operated on my home layout before, I thought I'd send this along as an update of what has been going on here. I have spent the last 6 or 8 weeks doing a lot of basement work as I am sure many of you have. First, I put together two YouTube videos of operations here...one on the modern standard gauge lower level, and one for the narrow gauge upper level. Both are only about 10 minutes long and I thought you might enjoy them. The first 2 minutes or so of both are the same and then they branch out separately. Here are the links:
In addition I have added some items of significance. Those of you that operated here on the narrow gauge upper level know that I have used milk crates to stand on to reach some spots. No more! I have constructed sturdy step boxes in each of the areas. Much more stable and safe.
Past operators on the narrow gauge might remember that the location of the Yankee Girl mine only had an empty siding with a photo of the future structure. Well the future is finally here!. Attached are two ../Photos...one of the real structure from 2010 when Bob Hamm and I hiked to it. The other photo is of my model.
Another major addition is the remake of Ridgeway. I have scratch-built the roundhouse, and added some new structures to the main street. See the attached photo. One other addition there is the scratch-built water tank. Research tells one that in 1941 the roof caught fire and burned. It was removed and was never replaced. Since my layout is set in 1949 I built the tank without the roof. Two Photos are attached...one of the pre-fire actual tank, and one of my post-fire/roof model.
Another area of significant improvement that Ops til You Drop folks would have noticed is the finishing of Durango with a full engine facility including an operating turntable and roundhouse. A photo is attached.
Lastly is a structure that I added in my Durango that has an interesting story. Right next to the Durango depot there is a pub called the Palace Quiet lady Tavern. Back in 2013 Bob Hamm, Carl Smeigh, Russ Grills and I spent an entire afternoon on the deck watching the procession of Durango and Silverton trains while consuming some burgers and several adult beverages. Even though my layout is set in 1949...well before the Palace existed...I could not resist building it next to the Durango Station. Hey, this is MY PLANET! I have attached two ../Photos...one of the actual scene of us boys...and one of my model...also with the boys!
Hope you guys enjoy this update.
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