While my layout featured a location representing my favorite town in central British Columbia, the site is little more than a hidden staging area that's only visible to visitors through a closed circuit video feed to a TV in another room. That's no way to treat a great Canadian RR town (kinda hard to beat Field, BC)!
Kamloops features mountains, rivers, and no less than two Canadian Class 1 railroads! Plus, there are other industries and terrain features that call me to model this site to a greater extent. Check out the map to see for yourself!
Contemporary Toy Trains Blog
I'm building a large O gauge layout with a modern motif. You won't find your father's Classic Toy Trains here. Instead, you'll find a running conversation about the marvels (and miscues) of modern O gauge trains, operating accessories, realistic scenery, structures, and details on my model railroad -- all inspired by current Canadian railway operations in Vancouver and locations throughout British Columbia, Canada.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Desert do-over?
Semi-arid CPR Thompson Sub at sunrise, east of Ashcroft, BC |
After years of
modeling the Canadian Pacific Rwy. main line from a major coastal city
(Vancouver) to massive mountain ranges (The Rockies), I’m now looking to take
on desert scenery. What’s that you say? Desert terrain in Canada? Cactus in the
land of wheat, coal, moose, Molson, and sub-zero cold? You betcha!
If you can recall your
high school geography studies, desert regions are determined by how dry they are, not by temperature. A part
of the B.C. Interior receives less than 10 inches of annual precipitation (rain,
snow, etc.), so it technically rates as a pocket desert. And yes, Canada’s
Okanagan Desert hosts cacti, sagebrush, and even tarantulas!
While CPR tracks don’t
route through this part of B.C., the mainline does traverse nearby semi-arid
parts, namely through the Thompson River Canyon,
and also between Ashcroft, B.C. and Kamloops, B.C. Modeling the upper canyon
country was my initial target, but I have to admit I’m starting to see the
merit of building up an extensive span of terrain like this – the “other”
half of CPR’s Thompson Subdivision is already on my short list!
Saturday, September 14, 2013
My View of Vancouver
Here's a quick (and perhaps final) look at the city scene I built to resemble downtown Vancouver, B.C. The details of this completed scene are revealed in the September 2013 issue of Classic Toy Trains magazine.
While I have enjoyed modeling a contemporary urban scene, it's hard work to keep up with an ever-changing city skyline! New skyscrapers abound since I last photographed (inset) the CPR Waterfront Yard in 2004, so I have to decide if I'm up to the task of revamping this scene again.
Perhaps the best solution is to abandon my quest to keep all things contemporary? Or maybe I'll need to rethink how much of my pike is dedicated to big-city scenery?
Fall is here, so my plans will have to solidify quickly if I want to take full advantage of the prime modeling months this winter. Stay tuned!
While I have enjoyed modeling a contemporary urban scene, it's hard work to keep up with an ever-changing city skyline! New skyscrapers abound since I last photographed (inset) the CPR Waterfront Yard in 2004, so I have to decide if I'm up to the task of revamping this scene again.
Perhaps the best solution is to abandon my quest to keep all things contemporary? Or maybe I'll need to rethink how much of my pike is dedicated to big-city scenery?
Fall is here, so my plans will have to solidify quickly if I want to take full advantage of the prime modeling months this winter. Stay tuned!
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
MRVP tours Kent's CPR layout |
While great summer weather has brought construction to an absolute standstill, that doesn’t mean I’m not thinking about my next big effort this fall – Stay tuned!
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Candid Camera
At a recent train show in York, PA, a fellow hi-rail modeler
asked me what I thought was the most essential tool in my toolbox. Without
hesitation I responded, “A point-and-shoot camera.”
When I’m out and about, regardless if I’m actually railfanning,
I rely on my p&S (or iPad camera) to capture quick images of real (1:1 scale)
trains and interesting places/people I want to model on my layout. These
resulting images are rarely publication-quality, but they’re regularly the most
valuable photos I shoot. Valuable? Yep, valuable!
Take for instance the simple image of a Canadian Pacific
target signal I shot from a back alley in downtown (Gastown) Vancouver,
B.C. Won’t find a single choo-choo in the frame, but the wealth of detail in
this one image has fueled my recent efforts to revamp and enhance portions of
my completed Waterfront Yard – starting with the signal featuring trimmed targets.
It turns out the real signal was modified to permit West Coast Express bi-level commuter trains to pass without issue. By studying
the photo, I saw the MTH no. 30-11025 1-over-1 signal had a very similar
appearance, even without altering the targets. Next, I saw the chain link fence
resembled O scale fencing sold by Scenic Express or kits produced by Brennan’s Model Railroading Products. Barricades and concrete jersey
barriers reminded me of items from Model Tech Studios or Saint Charles Model Works. The more I studied the pix, the more items I found and
installed -- as I demonstrated for a forthcoming article in the pages of Classic Toy Trains magazine.
Without my essential tool, it would have taken me countless
trips (as of today, a R/T tix between MKE and YVR costs more than $700) to
recall a fraction of the details contained in a one free, yet
priceless, photo!
Friday, January 18, 2013
Nearly completed Canyon
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