Your Layout Vignettes

Places like these, things we have felt important enough to craft onto our layouts, are shrines, I feel, to times and people and places that have become sacred to us because they mattered, mattered because they were part of how we got where we are and part of whom we have become.

We run trains and sometimes just pass-by or visit our layouts and quietly take a private moment of satisfaction in seeing those special spots we have memorialized. Good for us!

FrankM

Wow! Two more pages of spectacular fun!

Moonson, I can smell the air.

Walt, I know why you don't post total layout pictures often. Too big, and your likely too busy running them.  Too much fun for one man, shame on you.

Joey, Love the style,and lighting.  

Great work, gentlemen!

Moonson - It's no wonder you've been able to build a successful business. Your scenery skills are beyond excellent. 

Another one from around the station (I gotta get moving on this layout so I have backgrounds other than the station. It's getting old.):

Thank you for saying so, Zeke. I feel very, very honored to have been successful at Layout Refinements and value every customer and client I have ever had. I remember them all and have been enjoying friendships with many of them.

And since you are focusing on stations, may I share this perspective on one of them on my layout with you. That photo of your station shows a handsome place, to be sure.

FrankM.

Nice Moonson.  That businessman's raincoat is certainly not going to remain pristine for long with those two steamers coming by that close!

I'll add this.  A scene from Veranda Turbine's Night Express (1950).  The stolen plans for the radar bombsight are in the briefcase.  

Totally agree Frank.  Great observation and perfectly stated.

My 2014 Christmas layout had all 6 of the model houses that I built on display for the first time (pictures later).  Placed it front and center for good viewing.  Can't tell you how many times when walking by I would stop and think about family.

- walt

Very cool Lee

Ken M

Thank you for the kind words, Frank! They mean a lot coming from someone with your skills. I love the picture of your station. The detailing and scenery is superb. A "tip of the cap" to you, sir.

Gracious of you, sir. Thank you, most sincerely.

FrankM

Sometimes a vignette can take a bit of explaining: This is a scene from early in the British detective series Foyle's War.  Foyle has told his driver, Samantha Stewart, to not get involved with an arrest and wait by the car.  She does as told, but as the villain gets away and runs past her, she holds out a trash can lid and he runs right into it.  One of my favorite scenes from the series.

And some vignettes take no explaining at all:

A variety of angles and close-ups of a part of Moon Township that has experienced a few subtle changes... (They've been working at off-loading that jukebox for years, now)...

I was cleaning out pictures, and was about to send this to the recycle bin. But it reminded me of the "Detroit earthquakes" that used to happen directly below our house as a kid.

That jukebox is a very cool scene, Moonson.

Thanks a lot for saying so, Lee Willis.

I don't know where scenes like that come from in my noggin because I don't recall ever seeing such a scene in real=life. However, I figure, it may have happened somewhere, even if that somewhere is my miniature Land-of-imagination-whimsy-and-play, just down the road and to the left from Oz.

I agree the jukebox scene is a perfect example of a vignette that needs no explanation or setup.  Love that scene, Frank.

Art

engineer break.

This photo and Frank's recent photos say a lot about commitment to ground cover detail. Maybe it's just me, but really good ground cover detail is what makes a good scene a great one. Over the years I've seen many ground cover "how to's" in different publications but nothing that created a visual effect that impressed me. Don't think it's one of things you can just show others how to do. You have to have an eye for it and be willing to experiment.

Thank you, Art, I much appreciate your perspective and your saying so here.

FrankM

Thank you Scott!

AG.

See link below to full size layout vignette, self-explanatory, also biting comment on trucking inroads into railroad business?...............from Fairbanks AK, 2013. Anybody got a spare TTX flatcar?

http://www.adn.com/article/201...am-trailer-fairbanks

Freight house dock

Excellent, AG.  (I'm just trusting you that it is a scale model, and not the real thing).

Now that the frat's beer party has been busted up, the participants went on across town to get some pizza.

Great pictures throughout this post.  Kinda gets me motivated to get going on my layout and share some pictures.

The Skeet and Poogan Freight Company.  I kinda "kit-bashed" this from the MTH warehouse.  Matt

Great scene  ..but I don't remember the 'frat' boys driving hot rods! 

VW maybe...

Proudly to say is a model!!

thank you for your kinds words.

Andre.

A few conversations around town...

FrankM.

Some more pics of the Skeet & Poogan Freight Company.

As a kid in the 70s, I remember there were still houses just like this up where my Mom and Dad were from (in the tri-cities are of Northeast Tennessee), some of them were still being lived in. Great work!

Boin106, that is a great looking S&P warehouse.  It looks very well done, and realistic.

It is a good warehouse.  Great sign on it, too.

Spence sent me another of his "Likes" for my vignettes, which is something I much appreciate from him, so here is another little scene, a local, rural coal merchant..

I hope you liked the views.

FrankM.

Newly assigned to the Winterton yards GN GP30#3010 departs for the North Pole

Trailers loaded with Easter goods bound for the Chicago sitting on track 2 at Winterton Yards. 

 In other news the Council of Legendary Figures consisting of Santa Claus, Mother Nature (Wife), Father Time, Cupid, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and the Sandman authorizes the expansion of Intermodal facilities at the North Pole and the construction of a new rail line and yard facilities on the other side of Winterton( My Garage).

 My cousin gave me his 1930's-50's Lionel train set and that got me restoring it and setting it up in the garage. I realized these were collector items and not toys, so I went modern and I started to build my train room about two years ago. Not knowing anything about the hobby sent me to the internet, luckily I came across  Eric Siegel and his 3-Rail O-Gauge/O-Scale train website, which I used to model my bench-work, rock and tunnel builds. I also found Lex Parker, who got me interested in scratch building. I built my telephone poles from his directions and that got me started. I am now following Joey Ricard and his amazing Spruce Coal & Timber railroad.

Nicely done scenery and buildings.  Love the Bud place.

Lee,

What brand and Where do you get your cars? I have not been satisfied with the ones I have bought. I am also a big fan of Arttista Accessories and people. Who do you use?

Cheers,

Richard

Here are a few scenes from Patsburg and the Free State Junction Railway!