Hello Melgar
ABOVE are photos taken of me in April 2016 - seen in the light blue shirt and a bit of a gut back then, heh, giving a "MODEL EL CONSTRUCTION" clinic at Rutgers University (N.J.) at the April 2016 Mass Transit Modelers Meet sponsored by our NY City Model Transit Association. This is a 4 foot section of EL structure basic "steelwork" designed to be finished as a 2 platform, 3 track Express Station with a hanging Mezzanine under the tracks. However, heh, this module was never finished to date along with its adjoining 4 foot mate module.
Well, building a large "EL layout is a different kind of animal, heh. Endless "bridges" with track girders, cross spans, EL columns, etc. The straight sections are fairly easy --- but curves El sections are a major planning and custom build and custom fit process. I basically followed, replicated, the construction patterns and processes of the prototype El construction contractors. EL columns in the street, some on sidewalks on curve EL tracks close to buildings along the curve, location of stations and planning for stairways (I hand made ALL of mine from wood) --- then stringing the live operating trolley wire UNDER the EL and installing the track (hand making the trolley girder rail style used for street trackage) - and then building all types of "along the El" building, real estate, etc.
And hand making replicas of NY City old cast iron street lights (3 styles I copied) -- make the billboards, ad signs, etc. Its a LOT of tiny and large details involved.
its a lot of tedious repetition work cutting multiples of a lot of things also. And THEN all the wiring and circuits for the El, the streetcar system, house lighting, etc. and track blocks and feeders and control panels. THEN hand building many of the early subway and EL cars (IRT & BMT)with more multiple tedious work for assembly line type parts, pieces. AND the streetcars ! And on an on
I did scenery for a few friends :railroad" layout and built a number of trolley modules for myself and a few for a friend, and scenicked a number of his trolley modules. So I know about grass, sand, weeds and other weather techniques for scenery. Like the original Blues Brothers (movie) , I must have been on a "mission from God", Heh. I ALWAYS tell (write to) much younger train hobbyists -procrastinators I find on on forums I come across --- DO IT NOW -- Create your empire while you are young -- Every day, week, month and year wastes is lost forever. And thru the years I have seen many get up in age and find its just too much to undertake building a layout from scratch. I KNOW I could not have ever built to completion what you see in my layout photos of today if I started in my 60's or 70's age bracket (I started the O scale El-Trolley Layout when I was 38 / 39 years old, and later in 1996, my HO "shelf layout" !!
Regards - Joe F
