Peter’s been back in touch with his HO scale farm buildings.
You can see all his posts here. It’s fantastic to see a layout come to life like this.
“Hi Al,
Working on the On3 portion of my layout.
Still track work to be done running behind the buildings. More trees to add & grass tufts.
Peter”
HO scale farm buildings:
Now on to Tim:
“A nice teenager was a bit too young for a summer job. He kept his agile brain and hands busy and built a diorama from the Jennings Lumber Company kit.
The kit is still available online for $150-$200 un-assembled from Scale Structures Limited. And what a job Tim did! Look at the detail, you can even see tire tracks in the dirt. Tim added a lot more detail to the basic kit and then built a stand and surrounding glass and frame for protection.
The diorama went on a journey, residing for a time at the local historical society and then the railroad park in Scottsdale Arizona. Eventually it became a fixture at the train store that Tim’s father ran in Mesa, Arizona. I enjoyed visiting the store for years, and although I never met Tim’s father, who became ill, I was charmed by Tim, his wife, employees and a couple of friendly cats.
It was a gathering place for us train geezers! Finally, it was time for Tim to move on and he closed the store, selling all the fixtures. I approached Tim and said, “You don’t want this winding up in someone’s basement or garage, sell it to me and my patients will enjoy it every day.”
We agreed on a price, separated the display from the base, loaded the two parts into my SUV and I carefully drove it a few miles to Scottsdale. I put a fresh coat of paint on the base before reassembling the parts, and, yes, I’m proud to display Tim’s work at my Ophthalmology office.
The only change to his work is I added an old locomotive and a few HO train cars, but otherwise it is just as he created it more than forty years ago!
My prediction was true, it is a guy magnet and patients passing by my office window often come in to ooh and aah.
Thanks, Tim!
Dennis Cooper, M.D.,
Scottsdale Arizona”
A big thanks to Peter for sharing his HO scale farm buildings, and to Dennis too.
Peter’s layout is quite something. I went back though his old posts when I added the link above. What a journey! Can’t wait for the next update.
That’s all for today folks.
Please do keep ’em coming.
And if today is the day you get started on your layout, the Beginner’s Guide is here.
Best
Al
PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.
PPS More HO scale train layouts here if that’s your thing.
Hi Al, I have been following your posts for ages. All brilliant. Since Apple upgraded their Mac OS to Catalina a few months ago there have been several issues. One is that your “It’s here” links do not work (Safari cannot find the page) so am now one of those poor souls who have to use the weblink! Keep up the good work. There are some fantastic layouts out there. One day I hope mine will be among them. From a model railway and steam railway aficionado at the other end of Somerset!
Peter’s farmstead looks absolutely amazing. I do recommend the addition of a fence around the vegetable garden. Otherwise the cattle and sheep will ravage it.
Alan – I dropped back to Mojave for many problems with Catalina.
A great thanks to Dr. Cooper. Preservation and observation of a unique work of art. Thanks for sharing.
Jim AZ
The “Its here” link works just fine on mu Mac OS Catalina.
Love your web site Al.
Simply outstanding, need to see more..
Green acres is the place for me.
Farm livin’ is the life for me.
Land spreadin’ out so far and wide
Keep Manhattan, just give me that countryside.
New York is where I’d rather stay.
I get allergic smelling hay.
I just adore a penthouse view.
Dah-ling I love you but give me Park Avenue
The back drops are amazing. They flow straight from the front yard to the back yard and beyond. Phanlon from MD,USA
Wow!!!! That’s an awesome job on your layout !!!!! Did a job on how you blended the background with the layout really really like it! Thanks for sharing Chris
Dr. Cooper,
Thanks for sharing the photos and story of your Jennings Lumber Company diorama. Was the train store in Mesa perhaps Roy’s Train World? In the late 70’s I used to live at Country Club and Southern Ave. and visited Roy’s fairly often back then.
Peter,
Beautiful work on your On3 layout. It’s nice to see someone takiing full advantage of the detailing possibilities available in the larger scale. As I get older, I find it harder to work on my HO and N scale equipment. Keep up the great work!
TY, Will, Patrick, Chuck, Dean I sent new pic with a fence, as mentioned I wasn’t done yet, but instead of a fence around the garden, I put one around the critters. Robert, I have a city scene in standard gauge, so dahling you’ll see in the next batch of pics if Al posts.
Reply to Will in NM— you’re correct, Roy’s Train World in Mesa, AZ was the diorama’s prior home. I sure miss the store as well as Tim and his family.//Denny Cooper
Ho Al,
Just wanted to say – Peter – great job on the Rio Grande scenes. I’d like to know some info on the Rio Grande Depot/station. Is it scratch built or kit. If kit —by what company/
Again great job.
and Thanks for your posts
Hi Roy, it’s a craftmans kit from ‘Rag’s to Riches’ the Delores Depot on the old Rio Grande Southern in south western Colorado.