MERCHANT ROW SYSTEM

Hello Christophe, Nice to finally meet you! I have been watching videos of your layout on Youtube for a couple years now. You have done really fantastic work. I love the interior details of your structures. I hope you post here more often. I for one would love to see what you are doing.

Regards,

Jonathan

I love your weathering techniques.  The layout looks very realistic.  C'est magnifique!

Very nicely done. I love the warehouse dock doors.

Beautiful layout and detailing. Who makes the small forklift?

Hi Jonathan "enchanté" thanks for your comments  

I will post many of my modeling here I think it's important to share 

unfortunately I'm far from the States and it's a shame that we are not able to present 

the MRS in your shows around the states (price for transportation )

In France we have a group of O scalers not so much between 6 to 10 fan of US railroading

When we started the MRS 15 years ago with Jean, Gerard, Marcel, we have no possibility to bought materials models via the web so we try in England and Switzerland

Then with this kind of technology it's easy to have documentations via historical societies,  Congress Library and all railroad web sites, I mean at this time we needed to scratchbuild everything using, books and video tape for documentation, after several trip to US, I bring a lot of parts to start scenery It was in 1998 !!! I discovered

US modelrailroading in 1994 just a revelation for me when I opened first time a modelrailroader lol. It was amazing the number of companies, industrial areas, so I decided next day to sell all my french stuff, then I started with HO, I remember it's was an SD9 from Athearn my first locomotive !!! 

A few years later I switched to O scale when I met Jean Soukiassian 

Here we are now with a lot of projects in O scale with the MRS in the same time I started to build buildings, industries in 1/48 for guys around Europe.

One of examples is the Piggy packer specially scratchbuilt for the two new modules 

near the TOFC area 

It's made from brass, styrene, and some parts from steel

I used  drawings from a company which made it in N scale

Very nice layout. Great detailing.

Hi Don 

I'm not sure it came from a company in Italia 20 years ago

but it was a real disaster because some parts are in zamac (mix of alluminium and zinc)

so it starded to disintegrate, so I rebuilt it and I try to detailed a little bit

The big warehouse came from an original one in Toledo near Maumee river

Ok it's well compressed but I was really attracted about the big sign

I used transfer made by a french company in Paris

Greetings Christophe,

Very nice detail and the RSD-12 looks great!

Larry

Well done, Christophe! I especially like Dixie's, and, of course, that 1957 Chevy. 

Greetings Christophe. Like  Jonathan, I have been following your videos on YouTube and it is great to finally meet you, albeit on-line. Your layout is exquisitely detailed and has very good operational design. I especially like the street-running and use of multiple levels.

Thanks everybody 

well I'll try to present each modules and our roster also to answer correctly to any questions (My english is not so perfect)

The RSD12 is from Atlas, one of my friend change motors and put decoders a Zimo and Tsunami with sound I'm not specialist in DCC but it ran good 

I have repainted it and weathered also a little bit 

Those engines looks incredible I remembered the GBW 2407 RSD15 at Union IRM 

Here's on Module 1 with a shorty transfer caboose inspired from B&M one's

made from an old cupola atlas caboose cutted in two and rebuilt

and old view of the layout with first 7 modules 

The two new modules (upper pics come on the right side) have been built this year for the exhibition near Frankfort 

Rodgau 2013 our american model railroading show in Europe

here's the pics that Jonathan want's the interior of Texaco

Chris,

that is superb work. you capture detail very realistically. it is even more impressive that you model your U.S. protoype from afar.

Outstanding Chris! 

Been following your progress since the early 2000's. The most realistically detailed O scale layout I've ever seen. The Texaco module is new to me and like all your others is detailed to the Nth degree. Look forward to seeing more photos.

Butch

Really nice! May I ask on the scratchbuilt piggypacker what size wheels did you use[ i.e 1/24 or smaller/larger]

and are these trailers scratchbuilt as well/

For the piggypacker I used two M26 Tamiya recovery vehicle wheels 1/35 

but they are not correct actually i'm looking for wider wheels 

For the trailers the difficulties was to find some, so it's a mix of everything on the market 

for example the silver reefer (central motorlines) came from a New ray but with berkshire valley wheels, other trailers came from Corgi modified also and Heller stuff cutted because it's 1/43 scale (too big like New Ray)

We have some Revell also modified , Atlas 45'pine trailer (a bit too modern) and two Weaver

We bought some First gear like the Ford F-800 with flatbed Trailer, but each trailer received some modifications details marks and weathering 

Christophe - your backgrounds are exquisite, especially between the buildings where there is a road and rows of buildings in forced perspective.  Do you mind sharing your technique?

Hi Greg well when we start MRS I have decided to paint some backdrops

at a time I used Rough drawing techniques (for advertising and modeling)

it's alcohol pencils from Pantone or Copic on a special paper which is very fine !

My inspiration came from Morning sun books especially the trackside (Toledo Cleveland Chicago Detroit etc) just excellent books, I chose some pictures that I try to redraw with some modifications to fit with our layout , when the drawing is finish I just cut it following the top of buildings and all the scenery.

On the backdrop that have been painted with light sky blue I just add a fine white coat with an airbrush at the base for the "hazy" also on the top of my drawing then I glue it using spray glue from 3M (you can use repositioning one, it's better if you make an error)

On the last pic it's interesting because some Pylone are real and the second on the background just a drawing, wires come by little holes on the background and have been redrawn on the background for continuation, this have been done before fixing industries /buildings, Grass trees have been drawn too and real one (I mean from woodland and others) glued to make transition, so you have this effect of "profondeur"

it's a french term that mean something like deepness, sorry I'm not sure if it's correct in english !

Well I know that some people think and will tell me "I don"t know how to draw"

nevermind and here's come technology with Internet and some software like Photoshop

Finally now I make some research and I found around the web beautiful pictures for examples from UIC on Flirck, I found one for my two new modules to fit in the back of the street, loading on photoshop I just put some filter on to transform it, like a drawing

This step is important because a photography is too much detailed, in reality backdrop must be a bit blurred like paintings, so this kind of filter in photoshop are really good!

after I use the same technics to put in place

Hope I'm clear in my explanations  

Hi Chris,

What a wonderful effort your making to replicate US shortline railroading. I will pay two compliments.

First, It's refreshing to see a model railroad that looks so different with your use of many items uncommon to the usual content of what we typically see over here. 

Second, Your english is very readable and adds a refreshing element to your submittal.

I will look forward to more. Merci beaucoup!

Bob

Hi Christophe,

Great work on your layout.  I like the picture of the entire layout on display.  It shows a nicely finished, cohesive presentation.  It is also similar to how I envision building a layout of my own.  I don't have space for a layout now, so a modular setup similar to your's is my most likely option.

I grew up in Toledo, and spent many evenings and weekend afternoons with my Dad down by the cold storage warehouse.  I always liked the grand scale of that building.  It really was huge.  It was across the intermodal yard from Toledo's passenger station.  My dad and I would often stop by the station in the evenings to watch the eastbound Lakeshore Limited passing through.

Toledo was and is still a great railroading town, but has lost a lot of its industrial feel from the old days.  The railroading combined with Great Lakes shipping made for a great mix.  Many a routine errand with my Dad would turn into a trip to the east side coal docks with Hulett unloaders and rotary car dumpers, or the Anderson's grain docks further west on the Maumee River.  Or a million other places around town.  Those were the days when I got invited into the cab, and engine room, of the old E8's leading the Lakeshore Limited, or called up on board a lake boat loading grain at the Anderson's.  Fantastic stuff for a seven or eight or ten year old boy.  And probably pretty cool for my Dad as well.

Your post and seeing that cold storage building brought back some memories for me.  Thanks for the post!

Jim

Just looked quickly.  That looks like world-class modeling.

Jim bob thanks so much

what a great story Jim i'm a bit jealous but in the good way 

You have seen so much things that interest me

I love the great lakes  I'm planning now new modules with a bridge like on the Maumee river also a coal dumper fully operational I have the plans but it take me 3 years minimum to make it with a self unloader laker but it's only a project at the moment on paper and in my head 

I have several pictures of the Anderson 's elevator and with the Continetal grain co in Milwaukee this is one of my favorite , here's one of the two covered hopper cars that I modified from atlas pannel side hopper 

With the Purina feed mill elevator

Hello from Detroit! Christophe, that pretty much looks like the Great Lakes region to me! Nothing standing out as absolutely not belonging, great scenes, incredible detail, and the right vibe. Your scratch loader builds are fantastic.  

Amazing work.  When I first saw it I thought that some company had  finally came out with an O scale Piggypacker.  I love the Texaco station.  I The whole layout is absolutely amazing.

Can you or someone else post links to some of the videos? 

It looks great in still pics I'm sure it is even more impressive to see it operate.

Don't worry  about your English, it is quite good

Chris, fantastic talent. Many ideas how one can use the few inches many have between the outside track and the wall as many of us go around a room. I have tight space of about 5 or 7 inches to make something enjoyable to the eyes as my mainline can't be used for unloading/loading cars. So all my buildings will have no dock doors railside so the businesses have to be ones that don't use the railroad. Something like a storage business using dead space bought along and backs to the railroad. In reality that business could be some 50 inches = 200 ft. which would almost be a small business in todays standards which I am modeling 80'/ present.  

Phill

Videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xOu1a_xnbU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...ture=player_embedded

Here's two videos during shows, it's difficult to  operate it because people are filming taking pictures some times we have 30 people in front some of them asking us details about it, or just to stop a loco for a photo, or magazine like Einsenbahn kurier who came to take photos for an article during the Rodgau show near franckfort 

Normally for operations we use way bill for each cars 

I think Phill "no space is not an excuse" I have seen an article like this even in O 

the Pioneer valley is an example of what it's possible to do 

It gives many inspirations to build the MRS

Chris, A great layout! I love the open warehouse on the front and the Purina feed mill. The videos were very good too.

Malcolm

Chris

ll your work is quite spectacular, but I particularly like the way you did your trucks and trailers.  Very creative modifications!

C'est magnifique. An inspiration to all industria lcityscape builders. Merci, Al

Nice detailing!  Thinking I had seen some of this before too, might have been on youTube.  Post more photos if you have them, please! 

Ah yes, here's one video

Very nice work! I had to do a double take on the Great Lakes Terminal Warehouse! I built a background version for my old layout but it was retired when I rebuilt it a few years ago. I wanted to reuse it on my current layout under construction and was planning on making it into a ground level building served by a siding, much like how yours is portrayed.

For what its worth, the whole building is now fully street viewable via Google maps. Like most of the larger industrial buildings in Toledo and Detroit, each side has sort of its own personality. This thing could be modeled for years and look different every time depending on which side you wanted to do...

I had the opportunity to visit the MRS two or three times during the 2000s at the American Railroadfans conventions in CH: for sure, one of the best Oscale layout this side of the pond

And I do not just talk only about American theme layouts...

Thanks Norm

Charbonneau seems to be french this name many came from west of france (vendée 85)

and derived from people who produce/works "charbon/charbon de bois" coal or charcoal

some move after french revolution to the States because "vendéens/chouans" were royalist until 1789 and even after 

Nevermind I like history 

So here's some new pictures

Chris....you are an artist and expert modeler!!  Absolutely beautiful!  Welcome to our forum and PLEASE keep posting those wonderful pictures....

Alan

Really nice work Chris - Thanks from all of us!

Please do post here as often as you'd like. Your work is very interesting..

The office interiors are quite a fantastic idea. I really like them ... and magnificent in execution.

I'm honored about your comments 

here's something different

Leaving the Michigan and the east border, flying over the thousand miles

and the hills, going to the west... Like Henry Ford said :" If you only do what you always do, you only get where you always get" 

Decided to make some research on new horizons I found beautifuls B/W pictures about oilfields near LA (Signal Hill Huntington beach)in California digital library or something like that; I was amazed by the number of oil derricks during the twenties, and the contrast with palm trees and all the rest, I mean the image of California that we have here in France lol

Convinced that could be a great theme with all this documentation 

I decided to build a diorama about 4 feet long 2 feet wide on this theme in O scale

I started with two wood derrick and the last one in steel made with styrene...

For this diorama I would like a backdrop with something dramatic but colorful opposite of blue sky

The image of a californian sky with a sundown, also this backdrop should be the prolongation of my three derricks that look ridiculous comparing to the forest of this kind of structure in reality that's the challenge... 

Very impressive work!  I'm blown away.

George

FANTASTIC WORK.....no matter the scale or numbers of rails!!! This needs to be seen over on the 3 rail side too!!!! The oil field reminds me of my days in So Cal growing up....Dad worked for Ashland/Valvoline oil.

And my wife was born in Paris France and came from a family of model builders....must be the Perrier!!!

Well that is quite talented modeling Chris. Wonderful in fact. Thanks for sharing it.

Bob