G503 Military Vehicle Message Forums

Here are some shots of my ongoing build of a model train layout depicting a fictional branch line of a narrow gauge RR that actually ran in East Tennessee, taking place in the summer of 1943...
Some of the photos are out of date as backdrops are now in place and several details and figures have been added since these were taken. Two structures are kit builds, one is a highly-modified ready-built, and the rest are scratch built (yes, including the two water towers). I have three WW2 Jeeps and a Command car with the correct stateside markings.

More info here if you're interested: http://www.freewebs.com/willysmb44/modeltrains.htm

Great layout Lee. I love the dilapidated trackside warehouse, log cabin, country store and the watchman shack. Nice job on the water towers….how about a few close up shots of them?

Nice touches with the cornfield and you nailed it with the unmanicured tracks with the weeds taking over, etc. Well done!

-Tom

More photos, this first one is of a civil war memorial I jointly made with my Father. Dad made the barrel for me, a bronze 12-pounder barrel, even with a scale bore. I made the rest:

I got the backdrops up (cutouts in the shape of mountain profiles), and now working to get a tree assembly line going, and the entire backdrop will be covered at the bottom edge by trees numbering well into three-figures...

And some fencing is in, too:

Some rolling stock...

I had an op session on my layout yesterday evening, two normal-sized people, a large guy, and myself all fit into the same room with minimal issues (which proved I provided enough aisle space, for the most part).

The first photo shows three trains running at the same time for the first time ever. The foreground is obvious, but a passenger turn is to the far left and a freight switching is going on past the cornfield in the upper left background, directly above the coach.

Note the Jeep on the flatcar in the first, second and forth photos below, as well as the photographer in the grey suit standing to the right of the grade crossing, next to the ancient loading dock:








Normally, I run one train and let whoever is handing the center section of the layout do the switching for outbound cars, which keeps that person busy. But with a third guy, I pulled out a third ten-wheeler (ET&WNC # 9, the first time it's ran with the new road number) and ran a passenger train from the opposite end than normal. I think everyone had a good time.

Two photos taken exactly 2 years apart, the first from the day the bench work was installed into the room.
August 9, 2014:

August 9, 2016:

Another two-year milestone; the very first time a train ran. The track was only about 5-6 feet at this point and the digital command system was wired in only with alligator clips to the end of the track that day:

Couldn't get the same exact angle for the photo, but I got the same locomotive in the same spot!

Excellent work Lee!

I decided the farm house needed a clothesline. Normally, that'd be in the back yard but the tracks run right behind the house, so nobody would have put a clothes line right next to where coal-burning locomotive passed right by.

I put a figure of a woman with clothes basket and put some quilts on the clothes line (1930s ones, got online and printed onto paper which was folded over).

Also note the blue star flag in the window to the right of the front door.





Small details, to me, really make the overall effect. My goal is for someone who lived in the region during WW2 to see the layout or photos of it and be reminded correctly of the things they remember form that time and place...

Two words.......... Bloody Brilliant!........

I did an N gauge layout for my lads when they were into these things, sold it off when it was no longer being used. It recently sold again locally for $500 ..

Wish I had some photos to share.......

JR

Jon wrote:Two words.......... Bloody Brilliant!........

Thanks!

Another 2-year milestone from yesterday, the 18th, when I ran the first train over the entire route (though the turntables weren't wired up yet):

Last night I started a reverse-Agent-Orange concept by Foliating the area. Trees started, in the form of poly fiber covered in ground foam to represent further away trees for the backdrop. Foreground pines are going in right now, with deciduous trees this weekend.
The first shot shows part of the 'motor pool' area for the RR operating battalion. The structure there has moved around and I think might be re-painted as the unit's day room. Maybe, maybe not, I'm still not sure where this structure will permanently reside...
Getting some polypuff trees in the hills and pines and deciduous trees on the ground in place, slowly...

I'm also putting in bushes under things and along places where nobody would be going, like under this dock next to the small depot.

Your motorpool needs a Harley Davidson WLA!

yez216 wrote:Your motorpool needs a Harley Davidson WLA!

if you're aware of one in 1:43 scale, let me know. 1:48 scale just looks too small to be correct looking.
If I could find obe in the right scale, sure, I'd add one.
I have a Dodge WC I still need to give the correct stateside look to...

I did some more tree work over the weekend...