DESIGNING and PLANNING a Model Railroad and Other Activities
DESIGNING and PLANNING various phases of a model railroad can be both a challenge and great fun. I've been working and re-working ideas and plans for over 30 years with a little of this and a little of that. I've built, torn down, re-built, and torn down again with no "completed" pike (except for the friend's railroad on which I've worked for over 20 years). I now have completed benchwork, and I can begin laying track so I may actually have the Hinton Division on which this site is based.
One buddy always says, "A board a day." In general, his meaning is to make sure you "nail down" at least one board everyday in order to see progress. Specifically, he is really telling us to do something. The Nike commercial which advises us to "Just Do It!" is in the same vein or theme. By doing, we see results. This section of the site will present some ideas, designs, and plans for my C&O. |
THURMOND MODULE - The First Stage in Building My C&O Railway.
Back in the early-80s, Dave Smith, Lin Young, and I began a project to add a new section to the Kanawha Valley Railroad Club's traveling, modular layout. Much of the pike remained erected in a corner of a warehouse out on Greenbrier Street, while a few modules were kept at home by their owners to be brought in to the Bream Presbyterian Church in Charleston, West Virginia for the annual KVRC Fall Show. Our (my) Thurmond scene was one of the latter that saw service here in my basement but was easily removed and transported to the event and connected to the others (Lin had an M&K Jct., B&O module, as well). This Thurmond model, which won third place at the 1983 show, and the first place Governor's Trophy in 1986, was the birth of my railroad and my "love affair" with the C&O.
I will show the several stages of development on this page from the original 2 1/2 foot by 5 foot and 2 1/2 foot by 7 foot modules to the permanent version that has evolved into the "final form" that exists today. I used Lin Wescott's "selective compression" technique when trying to fit things into the scene, and I shortened a few of the buildings, as well. I used a term I coined at the time called "selective expression" in which I determined what items (hills, rivers, buildings, etc.) should be included in the model to make it a believable scene. Of course, the depot, shops, water tanks, and block of stores are the most notable features of the town. On closer observation one may see dozens of other details that complete the arrangement and would be fun to model.
As I complete this section of the railroad and fill out the proper paperwork, I hope to use Thurmond as the example with which to obtain the Prototype Modeler Certificate as part of the NMRA Achievement Program.
I will show the several stages of development on this page from the original 2 1/2 foot by 5 foot and 2 1/2 foot by 7 foot modules to the permanent version that has evolved into the "final form" that exists today. I used Lin Wescott's "selective compression" technique when trying to fit things into the scene, and I shortened a few of the buildings, as well. I used a term I coined at the time called "selective expression" in which I determined what items (hills, rivers, buildings, etc.) should be included in the model to make it a believable scene. Of course, the depot, shops, water tanks, and block of stores are the most notable features of the town. On closer observation one may see dozens of other details that complete the arrangement and would be fun to model.
As I complete this section of the railroad and fill out the proper paperwork, I hope to use Thurmond as the example with which to obtain the Prototype Modeler Certificate as part of the NMRA Achievement Program.