PAGE 24 – APRIL 2004

Works In Progress

A variety of recent photos showing
small layouts under construction
around the world.

A ‘WILD WEST SHOW’ FROM FRANCE

Fabrice Fayolle, from Amiens, France, is building a small On30 layout modeled on an old-time Colorado mining scene. The Josephtown Craddonium Co. is an exhibition layout, complete with lighting (see photo above), that measures just 120×40 cm (4’x1’4″).

The layout shown represents the engine terminal and shops that serve a much more complex layout. For more information on the entire concept see Fabrice’s website. Meantime, enjoy some of the mini-scenes that he has completed and photographed around this delightful Work in Progress.

Two trick shots — The two photographs above are both examples of Fabrice’s skill at “fooling the eye”. The photo at left is actually three different scales being used to give an impression of great depth in less than a foot of space. From the front, the scales shown are Gn15 (1:22.5), 1n24 (1:35), and On30 (1:48). At the right is a postcard that Fabrice “received” from a friend who visited the line in Josephtown, Colorado!

INSPIRED BY THIS SITE

Brian Greiner, who lives in Canada, is building an HO version of Jack Trollope’s design, Jaxcilli Industries, which is featured in the Micro Layout Design Gallery elsewhere on this site. This layout is Brian’s first model railroad, and this photo shows his progress to date. He’s now working on a tipper or dumper mechanism to move the ore from the upper car to the lower, after which the switcher will exchange their positions. Stay tuned!

Brian’s cmment is “One more big ‘plus’ for small layouts is that there isn’t a whole lot of money invested in the basic structure! I look on this first effort as more of a prototype and learning experience that could easily be tossed aside in order to build a better one.”

A COUPLE HIGHLY PORTABLE LAYOUTS

Brian Goodman, from Muskegan, Michigan, is building a series of portable layouts. His current effort is Fish End Yard, pictured here. It’s HOn30 scale (1:87 on 9mm gauge) and measures a whopping 24×12 inches.

There’s a sector plate concealed under the bare structure at the upper left. That corner will soon be covered with “well worn buildings.” A lighthouse and small boat are also in the works, to set off the busy cannery scene.

Brian‘s first small layout, built about three years ago, is shown below. It’s also HOn30, measuring 19×5.5 in. (48×14 cm) and built in a mechanic’s tool box. It’s also a fishing scene, with a wharf and some nets. The track plan is capable of a surprising amount of operation — it’s what Model Trains International magazine has dubbed a “tuning fork” layout. The whole layout can be lifted out of the tool box by Brian’s “super deluxe removal system” — string and thumbtacks!

A SMALL LAYOUT FOR A SMALL PERSON

Martin Hogg, from Mansfield, England, built his first ‘grown-up’ layout less than a year ago, when he rescued his childhood OO trains and track from the family storage. He and his son, Fred (aged three) built this simple layout on a 1×3 foot plank (30×90 cm).

In operation, the ancient Hornby loco comes out from its shed at front left, runs over to either of the two sheds on the right, couples to an empty wagon and hauls it under the hopper at the top left. There Fred gently fills the wagon with rice grains, and the loco hauls it back to one of the sheds at the right (Fred’s choice). Both sheds are open at the back so Martin can empty the wagon and start the process over (and over and over) again.

Scenery is just textures and pictures found on the Internet and printed out, and the plank is simply covered with gravel paper to simulate an industrial yard. A very entertaining and effective small layout! For more of Martin’s modeling adventures, see his website.

AN INGENIOUS AND UNUSUALLY SHAPED DESIGN

Canadian Brian Wilson, from Sidney, British Columbia, is building this unusually-shaped dual-gauge small layout, taking advantage of the ease of shaping foam baseboards into graceful curves. The dual-gauge (On30 and On18) track plan is apparent from the above view of the work in progress, and you can learn more about it at Brian’s website.

Brian has included an unusual feature — the plain wood space at the front left is a built-in modeling workbench. The surface will be finished to resemble a harbor, with ships that can be removed when Brian wants to work on his models. The surface also slides in and out, like a drawer, for convenience.

U.S. TRAINS FROM THE NETHERLANDS

Ronald Halma, from Aalten, the Netherlands, is building an exhibition layout set “somewhere in the U.S.” and called simply, The Shop. There’s a freight yard in front and the shop trackage at the rear, which makes for a busy scene at exhibition time! There’s lots of information about this layout and some of Ronald’s others at his website.