President Chuck and I have been busy assembling redwood trees from the parts we have been working on separately. Each tree consists of a painted plywood base used to secure the tree both into the “earth” and hold the tree upright. The trunks are carefully selected pieces of log from myriad places. The branches/leaves/top are from bought, swiped and donated christmas trees. Each top has to be “manicured” to make it as much as possible look like a redwood.

Remember that our objective is to have it look as if a consist is passing through the Phil Miller Lumber Co. forest. How well are we doing? Well we have installed two “full size” redwoods between the tracks so far. The lowest branches are high enough for the lokie to pass safely underneath.

Here’s the first two pics of our efforts:

Installing 200 foot redwoods as consist passes

Train passing under the newly installed 200 foot tween tracks redwoods

As we install more trees more of the portal at the end will “disappear.”  Note the remains of a tree struck by lightening sticking up.

We are trying to “force perspective” by having the trees we are creating/planting get larger the nearer they are to the visitor standing at the north east corner of the layout. The second thing we are trying to do is to make our forest “dense”. Here’s how we have started out ……..

This pic shows where the visitor stands – they are not allowed on the north side for safety reasons (Click on a photo to see it full size):

Visitor station on the north east corner

Close up of the planted trees…..

This is what the visitor will see ….

View from half way down the north side

View from beside the portal

As I write this there are big trees drying to be installed in the near future …….. watch this space ………….

I wanted a crooked tree on the section of outside north wall that is at an angle. I located a trunk and the foliage bit and gave it to Frank. He created a base and stuck the top in the trunk. Last but not least he “planted” it.

Frank’s leaning tree

Pretty cool eh!!!!!!

6 foot is 72 inches. one foot on the layout is half an inch – so, 150 feet give or take!!!!

First 150 foot tree on the layout

Now ain’t she cute!!!

And she was soon joined by ……… miss shorty bendy pants!!!!!

KODAK Digital Still Camera

And stepping back and looking down the North Wall from the morth-east corner:

KODAK Digital Still Camera

Using material salvaged from Club Member Dan Fesslers defunct  garden railroad, mistints acquired at modest cost from Norvells – our local paint store and the artistic skills of Club Member Ginny Cooper the first of three layers of the backdrop for the scene to be on the north wall of the building that houses our layout has been put in place.

The panels awaiting installation

Frank Davis and Roger Thornburn installing the second panel

Frank and Roger installing panel number 5. Jim Williams, on the right, is the foreman of the ground crew.

Frank working on panel 5.

What the visitor will see.

The finished backdrop will be 22 foot six long and 5 foot  high.