Frei nach Reinhard Mey, "genug getan für heute, blinder Eifer schadet nur..."
Reconstructed the back of the puzzle, still need to get the new background printed and mounted, as well as re-adhering people, station platform stuff, cleaning the yard and deciding what to do with the power line towers...
On to other things for a brief while, things like packing prezies...
This switching puzzle was the first "layout" I created specifically to take to train shows... You can read more about building and showing it here. I was an ETE member back then and the trackplan is the same as created by Peter Barnes. We even wrote an article about taking these kinds of things to shows.
After ages of neglect and procrastination work is underway to replace the background flats, backdrop panels, and in general clean out the cobwebs, refresh scenery, ... Here's what the street scene with flats looked like when first built.
Note street curving to right.
After this switching puzzle, I dove headfirst into building n-scale modules with the ETE Chapter, continuing to show them independently as well. After a lot of reflection, the whole lot of our foray into N found a new hope with friend Tom Lynch and his Bundesbahndirektion Kaiserslautern. Two summers ago we had a flood above that leaked onto our main H0 layout and the puzzle. Damage to the puzzle was compounded by a leaky front step with flakes of rust from the steel I-beam above dropping down... All those have been fixed, but the puzzle is looking the worse for wear.
Still want to go and show, loved interacting with the kiddies, so time for a reboot.
Puzzle backside showing damage from water/rust. I removed the buildings, but those were discolored/distorted by water. The background flates, water tower, and chapel are all paper.
Old panel with proposed new flats taped over...
New backdrop with the flats at right. The yellow line is to the intersection, the green to the end of the street... The gap between the flats on the backdrop will be filled in...
So, off to work to start building flats. I will be layering the facade to recess windows and bring trim forward to increase depth.
The layouts have lain dormant for a while (2+ years? Yikes!) as I have pursued other projects, we had some water leak down from above, and I realized that I had too many scales. So... Where was I when last actively engaged with everything... Oh, here!
I've started making a new backdrop and background scene for the switching puzzle that I will take to shows again – Really love showing and interacting with visitors. Overall layout, scenery, presentation important, so something for serious modelers, kids, and all in-between.
On the H0 layout I moved the on/off switch and power controls to the front of the layout, dusted, cleaned, and repaired most of the water related damage. Unfortunately my mountain-top abbey will need to be razed due to too much damage, but I'll replace it with a nice little castle I have handy. Will try to reconstruct the small z-scale loop on that level as well.
Abbey in back to be razed...
Finally, it's nice when the project that has kept me from the trains intersects with them. Below a bookplate in a book recently received that was bound by the bindery of W. Collin in Berlin during the mid-late 19th century.
It was once in the collection of the Henschel family library in Kassel, Germany. Henschel made locomotives small,
and anything in between. Also buses, trucks, aircraft, tanks, the latter two especially during WW II. In 1996, Henschel became ABB Daimler Benz Transportation Adtranz. The company was subsequently acquired by Bombardier (Canada) around 2002.
So, hopefully I can build some sustained momentum and get back to enjoying the trains on all levels, not just pondering and dusting.
Making good use of time at home over Christmas, I decided to start my own reko program by beginning to reconstruct and update parts of the main layout and the switching puzzle. First area of focus was the harbor area where the Schreiber card models I built almost 10 years ago were slated for demolition to be replaced with more milieu appropriate and to scale scale structures. Below a view of the area as it existed until 1 hour ago...
And here the test placement of the new structures, also build of card. The one on the right is a heavily modified Stipp/Auhagen background model, the one on the left is entirely scratchbuilt using various sources for the facade, windows, kiosk... The kiosk (Bude) exists on the Kölner Strasse in Duisburg and is where we used to go for sweets and my Opa's Bier - König Pilsner of course, never-mind the Diebels sign above.
Here a view of the backside... The structure on the right will receive basic balconies, the one on the left still needs the windows... After that detailing the back yard (Hinterhof) with vegetable garden, rabbit stalls, and detritus... All will be walled/fenced in. After that, everything gets a good coat of grime...
Also built an air raid shelter that has been de-militarized with windows blasted through the walls. This will become a disco or some such thing, one of the current uses for the structures - VERY soundproof. Lots of grime still to be added, as well as roof details...
Concurrently, I am replacing the background models on the switching puzzle. These were damaged over the years as a result of taking to shows and loading in and out of the car. The background will also be replaced. Below a before and in progress shot...
Over the past 18 or so months, the N-scale module project based on a variation of Bend Track has utterly dominated my/our modeling time at the expense of the H0 layout. Cleaning the dirt from a recent HVAC duct-cleaning off the layout revealed just how much it has been languishing despite being fired up once a week or so... The N-scale project was something we got into as a ETE CNY Chapter project. I had initially thought "one module, and that's it." Well, then my wife (and end module at that) and daughter both decided that they wanted to build one, too. Well, guess that meant I needed to build another end module so that we could run the trains we had mysteriously acquired in the interim. Amazing how that happens... You can read all about our module project here. Anyway, the modules will likely be the dominant feature at shows for the foreseeable future, but my efforts will go back to the H0 layout. Still lots to (re)do there. Otherwise it'd be boring. Below is a Google Earth (TM) view of our family modules.
View of my end module with Sofia's ghost (rather long exposure with no flash)
Links to images of my/our main layouts and information about the Central New York Chapter of European Train Enthusiasts can be found at left. Participating at train shows in the Central New York region is a big part of what we do as a family, as well as being something we enjoy. In the recent past that has been with our n-scale modules, the last show having been the Finger Lakes Railfair in Ithaca, a show we fear will close for good. We've also brought an H0 scale switching puzzle and small z-scale layout to past shows, both being very popular with the younger set. Below some pictures of those.
at the Boothbay Railway Village Steam Course. See the main website by clicking on the image above.
About This Blog
This is where I share my projects such as (card)modeling, weathering, railfanning activities, show reports, and other thoughts. Having a German focus to my model railroading interests and living in the US, I'll also translate occasional threads I think could be of interest here or in Germany.
Here a view of the backside... The structure on the right will receive basic balconies, the one on the left still needs the windows... After that detailing the back yard (Hinterhof) with vegetable garden, rabbit stalls, and detritus... All will be walled/fenced in. After that, everything gets a good coat of grime...
Back to work...
View of my end module with Sofia's ghost (rather long exposure with no flash)
