There are a few signs on the road warning anyone thinking of traveling down Black River Road.  Anyone from the area would know better, but a few new comers to the area have gone down the road while out touring.  Some of them have taken heed to the “No Trespassing” signs, some have not.   As the stories go, the bolder, more curious people seemingly “leave town” very quickly – without a good-bye to anyone.

If the first two signs aren’t enough to turn someone around the “third sign”, just around the bend, certainly will.  Old Charlie is a member of the Rowan Gang.  He can usually be found “hunting” just before the railway crossing.  When anyone asks why he’s always hanging around there he just says the rabbits always cross the road at that spot and he’s always ready for them.  If you ask me it’s not rabbits he’s after.  He’s one of Rowan’s guards.

I wanted to find out if the rumours were true, so I took my new camera for a walk along the highway hoping to be able to see what was going on.

It was risky, but I was able to get some photos from the highway using my best telephoto lens.  This shot was the most risky, since I was standing just above Old Charlie.  I had to be very quiet and be sure I didn’t disturb any gravel along the edge of the road.  I didn’t want him catching me taking pictures!  He’s just tell Sheriff Tom he thought I was a rabbit.  Anyway, I couldn’t get a very clear shot of what was going on so I walked along the road and away from Old Charlie.

I found another spot where I could get a bit of a better view through the trees.  There he is, Guzzlin’ Greg.  Apparently he’s one of the Rowan Gang’s “quality control technicians”.   From what I’ve been told he’s always out here, pretty much in that same spot, every day!

I thought I could see a few more people around so I walked a little farther up the highway hoping I could get a better view of what was going on.

I was a long ways from Old Charlie so I was getting a little braver.  I could see Big Barry (red shirt and coveralls). BB, as they call him, is the leader of the Rowan Gang.   A couple other guys were unloading something from an old green truck but I couldn’t tell who they were or what it was.  The trees were just too thick!  There were a couple other fellows working on something too, but I couldn’t get a good view of it.  I decided to go a little farther along the highway.

Bingo!  This was the perfect vantage point!  I guess Big Barry was also doing a little “quality control” too.  I could see the bags in the back of the truck.  They look like big sacks of sugar.

The two guys working on the gizmo in front of them are a couple locals.  One claims to be an “engineer” of some sort and the other is the local Mensa wannabe.  Derwood something or other and Chris Smeer or something.  Anyway, I’m sure between the two of them they are almost smart enough to fix any contraption – even this whatever it is.

I think the guy behind Big Barry is his second in command – Krazy Kenny.  He’s a little guy but you have to be careful around him.

I recognized the red and white car too.  It’s THE fastest car in town.  I’ve seen it zooming through town many times after pulling out of Black River Road.

Well, I hope you’ve enjoyed my story.  I was lucky I wasn’t caught.  Here are a few more pictures I took after I was a little farther away from the danger zone.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I made it home in time for supper and to catch my favorite TV show. Perhaps you’ve heard of “Dukes of Hazard”? Anyone know where I can get an HO scale General Lee? How about a Daisy Duke?

Later!

Scott

The crews finally came back to Derwin’s Drop to take the station off the blocking and put it on a real foundation.  What a bunch of yahoo’s they were!  The crane operator was not watching his boom while he was moving it and gave the roof trim at the peak a bit of a knock!  I guess I should be thankful that he didn’t put a big hole in the roof.

There is still some landscaping to do around the station as well as some new signage, but that will get done soon, I hope.  I also need to get a passenger platform built.

I’ve also been working on the station in Chappellton.  The lower level is getting close to completion and the building above ground is looking a lot better.  Brian posted a photo of the lower level on his blog.

That’s it for now!  I’ll have more updates soon, I hope.

Scott

Anyway, this was one of the sections to get treated to some scenery in the weeks prior to the MFMR Convention.  As you can see, it is just a hill and some trees to separate the two areas.  There is a road and a few distant houses tucked into the trees.

Being so close to Kenville this area has been heavily logged by Jay Forest Products.  They didn’t bother with the trees on the hill, but they may be back some day when they get desperate enough.

Wait a minute!  I think I see a couple Jay Forest Product workers starting into some of the trees on the hill!  Oh no!  Not another clear cut!

Scott

Aside from the structures you’ve seen in past posts, there are a few new additions.  The first is Ken’s Korner Auto Service.   Ken is outside working on a lady’s vehicle while she waits patiently.  One of the neighbourhood kids is keeping Ken busy with questions.  He just might  have a future employee there!  The house beside the garage is Ken’s.  He finds it very convenient to live so close to work.

The old fire station is on the other side of Ken’s Korner.  It’s been abandoned for a few years since the town council partnered with a community to the south to provide regional fire services.  It was either buy a new truck and build a bigger fire station or save some money and partner with the other town.  The deal made sense until the local coffee shop burned to the ground.  Since they can’t get a decent cup of coffee anymore the Kenville town council is reconsidering the decision.  (side note:  Ken is considering buying a coffee pot)

Details and scenery have been added around Jay Forest Products.  It’s finally looking like they do something there!  I’m not sure how since there appears to be a lack of sawmill equipment (anyone know where I can get HO scale edger, planer, and trimming gear?).  It’s just a big empty space at the moment.

They must cut something judging from the pile of sawdust out back.  It’s a never-ending task to keep the pile low.   Local inventor Malcolm D. Faber is getting a truckload to take home for an experiment.  He thinks he can combine the sawdust with glue to create panels similar to plywood.  He figures they’ll be cheaper and than boards or plywood and may be very valuable when wood becomes scarce.  I think he’s dreaming pie in the sky.  We will never run short of lumber!  But if he wants to waste his time with wood waste, then let him go to it!  If it gets rid of some sawdust at Jay Forest Products we’re all for it!  There’s a reason we call him Crazy Malcolm!

Scott

Have you ever seen the show “Mega Moves” or “Monster Moves” where they move large structures, some huge structures too?  Well, we had our own version of the show on the Island recently.  We wanted to move a replica of the Kensington Train Station (ver. 1) from Canadisle rail to the Bayside and Tidewater.  The crew was very professional and had one of those computerized hydraulic jacking systems (well, a bunch of guys with car jacks and one guy with a bull horn yelling “pump”, or “STOP!”).  Surprisingly, they managed to lift the station from its foundation enough to install huge I-beams underneath (Are you kidding!  Huge I-beams are expensive!  They stole some wooden beams from an old barn down the road!) and attached hydraulically operated wheel systems (Yeah, right.  An old flatbed was more like it. You should have heard the creaking and groaning.  Oh wait, that was me as I walked around and watched.).  This thing was a self-propelled monster!  My GOD it was scary!

Anyway, the station made the trip to Derwin’s Drop without a hitch.  Well, there was one hitch.  The crew on this end wasn’t ready.  So the Station is just sitting on blocking waiting for a foundation.  Who knows when the crew will be back.  We paid them 50% on delivery and they’re probably still at the Kensington Club drinking it away!

The signs will get changed, eventually.

More on this as the situation develops.

Scott

Here’s a photo of the coal mine that I’ve pretty much got done.  There are a few details that could be added, but perhaps not before the Convention.

There should be something hanging from the I-beam being hoisted to the main door of the building on the right and some more vehicles parked around the scene.  Some more hustle and bustle would bring it alive, I’m sure.

The photo at the right is a closer view of the scene.  There is coal in the conveyer and the boys have to keep an eye on things to make sure the line doesn’t get plugged up.

Later!

Scott

Anyway, I’ve been working all over the layout from Derwin’s Drop to Chappellton lately.  I’ll concentrate on the mine area in Derwin’s Drop in this post.  As you can see in the photo I have created a bit of a hill with one of the mine structures (I’ll call it the “Head Building”) built into it.  I had a few stone retaining wall castings on hand that I decided to use around the building.

There will be an access road in front of the head building to the tipple. I’ll need to build a platform and add some steps to get to the door in the side of that building. I hope to be able to put a couple company houses in the area to the right of the head building.  I also hope that I can add a realistic conveyor from the head building to the tipple (it’ll be curved so can that be realistic?).  It will require lots of wood supports and should make an interesting addition to the mine complex.

There’s still some plaster work left to do around the smaller structure before I can get on with painting and scenery.  I’ll have an update on this area in a week or so.

Scott

For this first experiment I rested it, flash pointing down on a ledge behind the valance.  The results were interesting so I took a few shots around the layout just to see what the effect would be.  I was able to create some fairly realistic mid-day brightness and shadows. 

The first test was in Derwin’s Drop at Standard Electric. The remote flash is almost directly overhead.  The angle brings out some details you can’t see in the other pictures of this building, like the two signs bulging out (ugh!).  I’ll have to get those attached more securely.

I’d say it’s about noon as Fred and Bill are winding up their conversation.  Small town gossip has a way of getting around, especially when Albert, the mail man, overhears something good.  I’ll bet he can’t wait to get to Bessie’s place to fill her in on what he’s heard!

The next stop on my photo experiment was the freight shed.  Again the flash is almost directly overhead.  Notice how close the shadows are to vertical.  It’s a very bright day!

Chet is just returning from lunch as Tom and George are enjoying the rest of their break.  They’ve emptied 5 box cars so far and they have a mess of creates to put away.  The afternoon’s going to be tough, but thankfully there are no more arrivals expected.  You never know though, the West Bound is due through at any time and you never know what Derwin’s going to drop off for them (neither does Derwin, usually)!

The last photo in Derwin’s Drop is at the cabin.  I like how the flash highlights the leaves on the trees.  I had the flash pointed straight down on the scene judging from the shadows.

It’s hard to tell from this photo, but Bentnose Willy always wears a hoody with the hood up to cover his face.  He has to protect innocent bystanders from seeing his face.  It is not a pretty sight.  It’s not his fault, of course.  He’s lived so close to Chemical Hazards for so long God only knows what he’s ingested to cause his deformities.

The back lots of Stevenville was the subject of the next couple pictures.  This photo reminded me that I have to finish weathering some of my buildings.  Either that or I have to put up a cleaning crew scrubbing the bricks.  The trees in this picture cast some interesting shadows.

Edwin arrives home for lunch.  He lives in the upstairs apartment of this old building.  The basement used to be the warehouse for a long abandoned business.  Now its loading door is bricked up and it’s just used to store junk.

This photo was taken looking across the Stevenville Station platform.  Because the flash was overhead it lit up the scene across the tracks but left the platform in shadows.

Big John yells over to Jake to come help unload his new bathtub.  Even though it’s hot Jake doesn’t mind helping.  John’s tub has been broken for almost a month and Jake can’t stand working beside him any longer!

The last test was taken at the parking lot beside the department store.  The whole area is quite evenly lit but I see I have to clean up some loose grass.

Even though it’s a hot day the boys can’t resist a smoke and a bit of conversation.  I’m sure there’s more than one lie being told!

Well, that’s it for my photo experiments.  I hope you enjoyed the post!

Later!

Scott

So, I’m trying some things to see how I can go about doing that, but they all lead to one fact.  I have to move the tracks, yet again!  There is not enough room between the main line and the station siding for the walls and other structures required to support a raised section of town.  So, one of these evenings when I go into the room to do some work I know I’ll be tackling that project.

If you’ve been a very observant regular reader of this blog you might notice there are several “new” structures in Chappellton (the row of buildings just left of center in the first photo).  I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time when we were at the Truro train show a few weeks ago and bought several structures from Dara at a great price.  These will certainly help to make the town look a little less barren.

The second photo shows two other structures (the large brick and the sand colored building near the center of the photo) that were built for the 5th Street Industrial District UMG modules.  They may as well be on my layout between shows rather than collecting dust somewhere.  Plus there’s a greater chance they’ll get finished than if there were packed away.

Next time I’ll have an update on a recent operating session on the BS&T.  Until then…

Scott

One of the last areas of Derwin’s Drop to be finished is the mine.  I’ve started by layering foam to create the base of a mountain.  The rest of the mountain will be painted on the backdrop.  I’m not sure who will paint it, or when.

The next step will be to carve the foam mountain to create rock details and then cover it with plaster and maybe a few rock castings.  The final bits will be coloring, grass, trees (of course) and other various details that would be found around a mine.

I know once I get into working on this area in earnest it won’t take long to finish.  So stay tuned!

This engine shed is a structure I made for our 5th Street Industrial District modules for the UMG.  Rather than put the structure in a box between shows I decided I could put it to good use as the engine shed for the service track in Derwin’s Drop.

I decided I wanted the back of the shed to look unkempt and wild so I added several different types of shrubs and bushes.  I used lichen, foliage clumps, and polyfiber coated with ground foam to make this area look “wild”.  A scattering of junk later will further add to the untidy look.

You get a different perspective of the back of the shed in this photo. The area in the foreground is not intended to look like cut rock.  It is where the lift out is placed to cross the great divide of the doorway.

With Chemical Hazards in front of the shed it is difficult to get a natural angle when photographing it.  There are too many things in the way.  My little photographer will have to climb a tree later to get a bird’s eye view of the scene.

Well, that’s it for this update.  I’ve been working in other areas of the layout as well and I’ll have an update on that soon.  I never really know what I am going to work on when I first enter the layout room.  I intend to do one thing but usually end up working on something else.

’til next time!

Scott