New Layout for LASM


If it was me, i would opt for around the walls as your benchwork red-lines indicate. Do you need all this empty space in the center of the room?
Hi Yannis,

Thanks for taking the time to reply to the thread. Adding the two spurs did a little in the center of the room. I have a feeling that once I start erecting the benchwork I may decide on tweaking it further, however I do know I don't want a duck under. I also like the idea of some "roominess" and very much do not like a cluttered feeling.

I agree with going around the perimeter, as the walls along the sides are only about 4'2" at the outer edge and slope up at the 10:12 pitch so eventually by 2 feet out will be able to stand up comfortable. Where as the other option I considered one would be bumping their head or there would be a lot of wasted space in the perimeter.

One simplyfing factor, I believe, is going with track that was actually in place during the era; which makes planning in the towns much simplier.
 
Dave - I like everything your doing. I always liked wyes. The logging camp and quarry are nice as I have been in many over the years. Looking forward to seeing your progress!
Hi Max,

I was surprised, when looking at these old aerial photographs, how common these wyes were. I suspect they do not show up in models a lot because they take up a lot of space.

Dave
 
Hi Yannis,

Thanks for taking the time to reply to the thread. Adding the two spurs did a little in the center of the room. I have a feeling that once I start erecting the benchwork I may decide on tweaking it further, however I do know I don't want a duck under. I also like the idea of some "roominess" and very much do not like a cluttered feeling.

I agree with going around the perimeter, as the walls along the sides are only about 4'2" at the outer edge and slope up at the 10:12 pitch so eventually by 2 feet out will be able to stand up comfortable. Where as the other option I considered one would be bumping their head or there would be a lot of wasted space in the perimeter.

One simplyfing factor, I believe, is going with track that was actually in place during the era; which makes planning in the towns much simplier.

You are more than welcome! Well i did not notice the mention of the sloped roof. If that is the case, then that is more reason to opt for along the walls. You could even add a secondary wall that has/is the backdrop (ie 1' from the wall) and then have the 2' of benchwork. As for the trackplan, you could consider maybe a peninsula if you want to expand the mainline run. If that is not needed, then spurs and wyes would be great such as the ones you added.

I am with you on going with track that was there, this is what i have been doing with my trackplan for the most part and this is what i will follow through with in my future layout.

Looking forward to see this pan out as a layout.
Yannis
 
You are more than welcome! Well i did not notice the mention of the sloped roof. If that is the case, then that is more reason to opt for along the walls. You could even add a secondary wall that has/is the backdrop (ie 1' from the wall) and then have the 2' of benchwork. As for the trackplan, you could consider maybe a peninsula if you want to expand the mainline run. If that is not needed, then spurs and wyes would be great such as the ones you added.

I am with you on going with track that was there, this is what i have been doing with my trackplan for the most part and this is what i will follow through with in my future layout.

Looking forward to see this pan out as a layout.
Yannis
Hi again,

I am going to try to hug the wall with the back of the layout, which will be mostly scenery as the track will be from the center of the benchwork to the inside. On this layout I have decided to have the wall painted blue with clouds and in some places paint some hill and tree scenery. I am opting out of the photo type backdrop this time.

My plan for backdrop scenery is to use some of the same paint on the foliage of the super trees as will be used in the trees painted into the backdrop. For trees it is going to be the 1) central gems for spruces, 2) white pines using the technique in my video, and 3)super trees for birch, basswood, aspen, etc.



These trees were time consuming to make but I never tired of them!
 
Hi all, I completed some more research on the era of my model and was able to complete some more plan, was surprised to find that there was a small yard located in Hinckley MN at 1939, the date of my earliest photo, which I would like to incorporate into the layout as there was no plan for one previously.

Also, the GN and NP cross there, which I wanted to depict in some way; however have the challenge of making the cross in a relatively narrow space; and they will have to come back together in a fictitious manner later on as there is a limit to the width of the space here.

Here is the aerial photo of Hinckley, I drew the tracks in approximately in yellow; also the main road also the GN and NP:

Hinclkey.PNG


Here you can see I am working toward the right side of the layout, thinking about making an access space in the one corner so I can go wider with the tracks


Layout 1.png


Another potential problem here is having the small yard in the back of the layout, however this crossover of the roads is important and somehow needs to be included.

Would appreciate any comments. Thank you

Dave
 
Here is some more work on the new layout, will be creating the siding and spurs at Groningen which will fit into the larger plan:

This shows the entire room, about 16 x 38. The Wyoming module has been completed to historic records and this is how things will fit together, (Wyoming design) based on the 1905 plat diagram and 1915 photographs. You can back up in the thread to see the Wyoming progress and finished product, or ask and I will attach the video.

Layout 1.png


The Groningen module will fit into the lower area. A 1939 aerial photo is used as a base, and a photograph of unknown year ( circa 1910) is also to be used in the historical recreation:

groningen.jpg


Above is the track view looking North

Here is the plan for the module, measuring 18" x 36", will contain small building, depot, water tank, and section house:

IMG_0551.jpg



Here is the 1939 aerial photo with details highlighted:

Groningen 1939  3.png



I will begin by cutting out the wood base, attaching the track and ballast, and building the small building. Details will be reproduced to the best of my ability, check out the telephone poles!

I am looking forward to this project---- Dave
 
I tweaked the design for the module to line up more with the photo, notice the pile of fresh ties or peeled pulpwood on the far left side, these tracks must be far enough apart to accommodate 8' material stacked between.

Also, a couple additional buildings were added. I noticed the photo did not line up perfectly with the later aerial shot, one of the buildings must have been torn down or rebuilt, the one titled "section house" is orientated east west in the earlier shot and north south in the later (1938) aerial view.

Not sure if that was really a section house, but based on its location will be made to be a railroad building.

IMG_0568 2.jpg


The plywood base is ready for paint/sand then will get the track down prior to beginning the building construction.
 
Hi guys, I completed the base for the diorama which is designed to drop into the new layout. I used 3/4 inch plywood which was scrap lumber at work, and used a framework of 1 x 4 lumber to hold it together.

Here I laid out the above design:

unnamed.jpg


There are pencil marks where the buildings and track will go. I plan on putting down real ground cover (fine clay, sand) over the glue water mixture. A coat of oil paint was applied last night to help seal the wood.

Here are the materials I will be using, they are soil products from our lab at work, mixed sand, clay/fine sand, coarse sand, and ballast (white)

IMG-0418.JPG


Here is the laid out track with the soil mixture applied, Note, I did not use glue where the building pads are:

ground sand layout.jpg



Another view of how it sits now. The track is ready to be painted and ballast applied:

finished to date sunday.jpg



The buildings are picked out, I will post those later, This is a NP track and I was able to find most everything from the Northern Pacific Historical Society company store!

more later, Dave
 
I was up at the location for the project, checking out if there are any remnants of the old station or anything.

I found some old piles of cement and footings, some holes, also some square holes with cement walls about 5 x 5. They are so overgrown that they are tough to make out in the photo.

I was a little surprised by the terrain, it looks relatively flat in the picture, however behind the station there is some low ground, must be why the entire thing is on the platform

Here is the same view today as in post # 1027, which was taken about 1910

unnamed.jpg



Here are some old cement pads or footings which are laying where the depot and buildings, tank would have been, also the square hole:

IMG-0425.JPG


IMG-0427.JPG


Here is an expensive fence post just behind the old depot:


IMG-0432.JPG


A FIRE burned the entire area over in 1894, part of why the early photo just about everything was gone.

Let me know if anyone can figure out any of the old artifacts
 
Here is my progress on the module-- touched up the switches by painting more of the track sides, added ties where the rail joiners are, and got the ballast glued in.

Used a mixture of water, glue, and alcohol to adhere the ballast:

IMG_0577.jpg


IMG_0578.jpg



It is funny how you cant see some of the details when they are completed, but if they are not done they stick out like a sore thumb!


Looking at the photo in post 1031, those cement pads in the second shot down could well be the footings of the water tank shown in the 1910 photo! I was looking at that the other night and came to this conclusion.

Next project will be the small shack in the foreground and the coal bunk. I ordered the windows from Tichy last night.

Wonder if anyone can tell what material the walls may be sided with?



THANKS


Dave
 
Dave -- Fantastic research work. Amazing how things change over time. I grew up in the woods of Arkansas maybe 200 yards from an oil refinery. Oil was pumped into open pits and spilled all over the ground. Entire creek bottoms were turned into "dead zones". Today - it looks as if nothing ever happened - the woods and trees have claimed back everything. When my present wife toured the area with me almost 30 years ago - and saw the church and cemetery where I spent some of my childhood - she remarked that it looked as if the woods would consume everything!
 
Sherrel, it really makes history come alive when one can discover lost evidence of something that was taken for granted once but now all but forgotten.

We have some old building ruins on our property I would love to find in an old photo!

These old water tanks have an ability to leave something behind. I also found the footings of the Wyoming, MN water tank, also overgrown by the forest. However, those pads still lay in their original location, all the wood has rotted away or been hauled off.

Willie-- astute observation (about the cemetery)

Thanks for commenting!
 
Hi guys, I got a lot of progress done on the first little building for the module, it is looking pretty cool.

I do wonder how they used the building, as they had a heating stove in it also were prepared to have coal available year round since they went to the trouble of building a covered coal bin


First I laid out the footprint with the reinforced cardboard that I use for lots of stuff.

IMG_0579.jpg

I included part of the prototype, above there is a better full photo several posts back

IMG_0582.jpg


Here I am laying out the walls with the windows. First I tried a 8' tall wall but realized they had to be 9' to look more like the photo

IMG_0583.jpg


here I got both the sides done. For the ends, I cut out paper the correct size and then glued the wood strips to the paper. Also made it easier to get both ends the same

IMG_0584.jpg


IMG_0585.jpg


THIS is the rough in final, roof made of reinforced cardboard with wood trim.

Have yet to insert windows, make door, add stovepipe, and paint.
 
We still have a Frisco water tower in Beaumont, KS that was restored. It sits on concrete slabs much like the ones you show in your pictures.
As it turns out, this town of about 100 or so was once a maintenance yard for the Frisco line.

Historically, you can often find remnants of buildings of the past when you look. There are many old oil boom towns within 50 miles of my house, that you can still find not only foundations, but sidewalks as well. Many were built in the early 1900's, but were gone by the mid-teens to early 20's as drilling started to wind down.
 



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