@Bill Webb posted:Lee, can’t wait to hear how the event went. Your layout looks great.
Passenger Station renovation part 1 is hereby declared completed. That really doesn’t mean a lot. Paula is looking at the Scenic Express catalog for landscaping materials for the front as I type this. I say wait; oh well.That’s a good thing. I can’t believe my good fortune to have a wife who is excited about the train room, has decided what she wants to do, and can do it well. Add a friend like Rich to handle the structural work and I can go fishing Saturday.
The station is modeled after the N and W Roanoke station. It is on two levels, the top containing the concourse and waiting areas, the bottom has three tracks and two platforms.
No, this is not Grand Central. After all, the N and W was a coal hauling railroad BUT that did not mean that passengers were forgotten or pulled by stinking diesels. The Roanoke built J was one of the premier engines ever made.
It isn’t’ practical to model Roanoke so selective re-creation is being used which places obstacles/opportunities in the paths of progress. We spend hours deciding what goes where, how, and when to do it.
Harry Heike built the station about five years ago. Until early 2022, it sat there alone with nothing close to the second level. Now there is a great deal within two feet and we are almost ready to add more Benchwork and lay track which will extend to the center and left away from the right side Engine Service area.
So, to celebrate progress, Rich and Paula decided to renovate the station.
The front brick building interior was gutted and both side business offices/dispatch area/freight service were redone. The main concourse features a Colonial Red rear wall, a custom hand-crafted mahogany ticket/service area, and a green marble floor, all of which perfectly compliment not only each other but also the famous French chandeliers which light the area.
Several Architectural awards have been received including one which recognizes the assistance of the VPI (Virginia Tech today) Department of Architecture.
The rear waiting area offers a comfortable place for travelers to pass the time watching East/west bound traffic while awaiting the arrival of epic passenger trains such as the N and W Powhatan Arrow, Pocahontas, and Cavalier, and also such famous trains as the Southern Tennessean.
On ground level, passengers board in comfort while enjoying the delightful Roanoke weather. Often they can be seen studying renderings about the Historical Heritage of the Roanoke area.
The station is a constant bee-hive of activity. Paula outdid herself in creating dioramas that offer sights ranging from a bevy of beautiful women and nattily dressed gentlemen to a purse snatcher being chased by the authorities and even a lady of the evening meeting her escort.
The last stage of the remodeling will likely begin in 2023 and will include parking areas, a park, plenty of landscaping, and additional cultural attractions, including a section devoted to the famous N and W photographer O. Winston Link.
As a note to Mark Boyce who has a station awaiting populace, Paula has placed 200 people, an estimated 20 baggage carts, and a ton of other stuff. She will be glad to assist you when ready.
This is almost turning into one of Alan’s OGR articles so let’s see the photos.
Magnificent!
Peter
