Monthly Archives: January 2019

Building the Mendo Trolley O Scale Bump and Go

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Waste not, want not. After we had rebuilt the Holiday Season diorama we were left with a very usable base. Frank Davis said it would be ideal for a Lionel O Scale “Bump and Go” trolley. Brilliant what?

Frank Davis laying and testing the track

Frank Davis laying and testing the track

Scenery? No prob. Dame Stella Martin had let us have a whole bunch of houses. They are not quite O Scale but ……. from three feet who can tell?

Mendo Trolley scenicked

Mendo Trolley scenicked

Different view …..

View from the north end

View from the north end

Still a bit bare – add lots of trees.

Johnny Appleseed at work

Johnny Appleseed at work

Lots of work to get it finished – take out the snow as much as poss, add more trees, add an enginehouse and improve the wiring circuitry to name a few. Watch this space!

 

Hiding the pillar that supports the building at the inside north end of the layout with trees

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After we had installed a 200 scale foot (seven foot in real life) on the inside north wall of the layout we stood back and admired our genius.

After the installation of the 200 (scale) foot tree

After the installation of the 200 (scale) foot tree

We were trying to TOTALLY obscure the pillar which supports the roof. 100% failure. You can still see the pillar behind the lolie and the small tree.

The new 200 (scale) footer to the left and the gap at the bottom of the pillar

The new 200 (scale) footer to the left and the gap at the bottom of the pillar

Back to the tree factory. President Chuck Whitlock scrambled up and “planted” four new trees.

New trees installed and the pillar hidden

New trees installed and the pillar hidden

Look at that. Pillar obscured and room for the new logging trucks Chuck is working on.

Building the Homestead Diorama

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The Homestead Diorama sits at the bottom of Three Chop Ridge in the north-west corner of our layout. The original diorama was deemed inferior and Chuck Whitlock set to and rebuilt it. These photos were all taken either in the workshop or just outside it.

The Barn

The Barn

The Homestead

The Homestead

The outdoor biffy

The outdoor biffy

The Skunk Train whistle stop

The Skunk Train whistle stop

The Water Tower

The Swing and Veggie Garden

Great detail work Chuck.

 

MOW (Maintenance of Way) Load for a Flat Car

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Our pres(ident) is a stone bonkers genius at taking “mundane” railroad items and arranging them into abfab pieces. Here’s an example – a common or garden flat car with a MOW on top.

Here’s the flat car:

G Scale flat car gussied up to make it look used

G Scale flat car gussied up to make it look used

All the action is taking place on Chuck Whitlock’s workbench in our Workshop (a converted 20 foot container).

MOW placed on top of the flat car

MOW placed on top of the flat car

Here you can see the details that Chuck has added to the wee truck attched by a link and pin to the workers car:

Detail on tool car

Detail on tool car

Chains have been added to keep the MOW on the flat car

Chains have been added to keep the MOW on the flat car

Ready to go out on the layout:

Mini diorama ready to rock and roll

Mini diorama ready to rock and roll

Great work Chuck!

 

 

 

Converting a Federal Truck into a Giant Log Carrier

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From the pictures we have Federal Trucks were widely used in logging operations “back then.” They were built tough and simple. Chain driven with solid tyres.

Our club bought a whole bunch of them to “decorate” the layout. Just like our rolling stock what it looks like when it “hits” the layout is a far cry from what it looks like when it arrives. In these three  pictures you can see how Chuck Whitlock has converted the truck to carry a VERY large log.

Kitbashing under way

Kitbashing under way

Out of the box on the right and kitbashed on the left

Out of the box on the right and kitbashed on the left

Here you can see how the truck has been extended so that it can handle giant logs

Here you can see how the truck has been extended so that it can handle giant logs