Day of the Trinkhallen

Tomorrow is #tagdertrinkhallen in the Ruhr of Germany. The small bodega-like kiosks, also known as Bude are omnipresent fixtures in the region and serve as places to pick up beer, sweets, newspapers, and other essentials. They are also THE place to catch up on local comings and goings. You know, gossip.

Seen here are two that have been immortalized on my train layout. As one will do, I have taken liberties in fitting them into the layout.

The first is the Bergbau-Grill in #Bochum, opposite the #bergbaumuseumbochum. There we were able to grab some snacks after our visit at the museum. It is now closed ... Those who wish can download a "kit" I made based around the facade and some details. For more see it on the main website here. An article about scratchbuilding with card can be found here.

The second was on the Kölnerstr in #Duisburg, just down the block from my grandparents. My Opa would regularly send us there to return the empties and pick up his new crate of König Pilsner beer. We grabbed some Haribo or other sweet. No cash was exchanged as everyone knew everyone and ran tabs. It too is now closed. LOTS of memories there.

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UFO over Finse (or an Imperial scout ship)

 Spotted in Finse today...

Along the Bahnhofsstraße

A pinhole camera tour along Papphausen's Bahnhofsstraße... 

Entrance into the Hauptbahnhof Papphausen.

View down the Bahnhofsstraße with the Hauptbahnhof, one of my first scratchbuilt models.
It's based on the one in Duisburg.

Looking from the Hauptbahnhof towards the Feuerwache.
The post office was often attached to the station.

The Stellwerk.

Finally, reached the Feuerwache.

Back again towards the Hauptbahnhof.
The facade of the C&A was removed from the Palast der Republik.

The interior of the Hauptbahnhof is detailed, with a view through to Gleis 1.

A quick look back as we ride past the C&A and the Hauptbahnhof

An apartment block with retail/office space on the ground floor.
There is space available at the far end...

Heading down towards the more residential area with industry omnipresent...

The baker was swept away with a basket of Brötchen.

The Bergbau-Grill, a typical Imbiß/Bude which are everywhere. This layout has 4.
Zappelphillip knocked over his stroller with him in it... What to do? Well, at least he didn't die...

Pappeck and Different Ways of Seeing

I'm really enjoying running the trains and working/puttering about on the layout, but also finding it makes a great stage, especially when I turn off the full-spectrum/daylight fluorescent lights. Those bare bulbs in the corners of the basement can bring out other details and moods. 

I'm particularly loving the "artifacts" connected with using film, such as grain and other limitations like fixed focal length. The pinhole camera just added another dimension, in which the boundaries between reality and the stage fade away. A phone snap in color is different from one converted to black and white, which is different from one taken on [black and white] film.

I shared a few more views of the harbor side Kiez of Papphausen in my previous post. Here I head back to Pappeck to juxtapose snaps from my phone with those from the pinhole and the SLR, all scanned from negatives.

So anything to keep it interesting and find new details, or inspiration for more. All black and white images taken with the Chroma Camera Cube pinhole camera, the others with the Pentax, all on Ilford HP5 film.

Looking into Pappeck

Closer in view, looking past the Stellwerk and towards the Wartestelle.

Looking down the road with the some of the Arbeitersiedlung houses at left.

A vegetable patch between Stellwerk and Wartestelle.
Cleaning windows, working the beds, and having a chat.

The same view with the pinhole and ...

And here with the Pentax.

At least one Trinkhalle / Bude is a must.

Here with the pinhole, my first locomotive, the 3029 heading out of the station.

And, with the Pentax.

The Wartestelle while I was still working on that part of the layout.

With the pinhole. In the distance, the Burg...

With the Pentax. The Märklin 3029 was my first engine back in 1968ish. I still run it regularly.

The Blockstelle below Pappeck...

And just because it's fun...

Whimsy has always been a part of the layout. Here members of the Heaven's Gate cult are
offering themselves as take-out to the aliens who hid behind Hale-Bopp on their approach to earth.

Off they go...

Here more in the background as I was more interested in the bikers...
The UFO was tracked despite hiding...

Each camera presents very different moods, views, and details.
It's been fun to explore them all.