Over the past few weeks, I’ve been going back and re-photographing the Downtown Spur layout. In the above image, the local is working the largest customer on the spur, Ferrous Process and Trading. The loads have been pulled and placed to the right, and the empties are now being shoved in.
Scrap metal is brought in by individuals, demolition companies, etc., ground (a VERY loud process!) into baseball-sized chunks, and then shipped to South Carolina. From personal observation, they seem to work with cuts of five cars at a time.
In my just-released book, I talk about planning your details. The easiest path to realism is to just study a photograph and copy what’s in it. Details here include: fiber optic cable markers, trash, signs, and the crane parts placed on the roof of the structure. In the book, I also emphasize the importance of watching your parts thickness and being aware of visual landmines such as inappropriately modeled chain link fencing.
Here’s a view of the prototype facing westward. The airport is just to the left and behind the metro overpass. Last year, all of the track next to the plant was upgraded, and the ratty/no longer used siding was restored and put back into service.
Student to Master Now Available. Click HERE to purchase.
It’s interesting to step back at times and view the hobby and its participants with impartial detachment. Where do people struggle in their attempt to create what they see in their mind’s eye? It was those observations that inspired the subject of this book.
There has never been a time in our hobby’s history when we’ve had so much information. In addition, that information is delivered through much more useful vehicles. However, what’s missing is a way to prioritize that information and put it into context, to see how the pieces fit together.
This book takes a strategic approach to identifying and prioritizing the core modeling subjects that produce maximum visual impact. It’s about understanding which key skills matter the most and focusing your efforts there. It’s about decision-making. It’s about developing an awareness of “landmines” that detract from an otherwise great effort.
With its punch list of chores on The Downtown Spur finished, Y322 heads westward back to Hialeah Yard. Although it’s only three and a half miles long, there are mileposts on the spur. In the background is Antillean Marine. As time has permitted, I’ve been going back and re-photographing the layout over the past few weeks.
In September of 2008, Tom Klimoski sent me a photo of the eastbound Downtown Spur Yard job parked just shy of the 12th Avenue grade crossing as the crew took a lunch break. It was a pretty unspectacular shot, something he grabbed on the fly for general documentation. It stuck with me, though. I loved the way it captured a typical day and the flavor of the spur. Using that shot as inspiration, I tried to recreate the scene on my layout.
11:30 am, September 29, 2008. The crew has split the train so as not to hold up traffic, turned off the locomotive lights, and “gone to beans”. Cuba Tropical Produce is on the right. That’s Tom’s truck on the left. Tom Klimoski photo.
Recreating the photo on the layout was a little tricky. It was hard to get the camera in position and challenging to light. Fortunately, all of my structures are removable, so plucking a few off the layout opened things up a little. Removing the structures presented another problem, though. It left a very obvious blank styrene wall on the left side. A few blocks up the line was an interesting mural painted on the back of a structure that I photographed on a whim back in the day. I edited the mural shot, printed it out on typing paper, and used it to cover the blank styrene.
The model photo is comprised of four shots taken with an iPhone 6 and combined with Helicon Focus. It took two photo floods to fully light the scene. The sky image is a Google Streetview screenshot taken from I-95 near Melbourne, FL.
Visual “texture” and a prototype that’s still rockin’ and rollin’ are key ingredients for a theme that captivates me and motivates me to keep working on the layout. This shot was taken a few months ago where The Downtown Spur crosses 22nd Avenue. On the left, a tank car is spotted at Family & Son.
I can’t think of a subject that contributes more to somebody’s enjoyment of the hobby than selecting the “right” theme for their layout, something that motivates them and has them chomping at the bit to work on it steadily. How do you find it, though? How do you pick the right one? The answer to that question is elusive, something I’ve never been able to pin down for myself, let alone articulate to others. For some, they fall into it. For many of us, including me, it isn’t so easy.
Even if you are successful, there’s no guarantee that your interest will hold forever. Maybe it doesn’t need to. I’ve had a number of cases where I was riding the wave for years and then lost interest.
You know you’ve found your mark when the prospect of walking into the layout excites you. The flip side, the “shot and a miss,” is having a railroad that checks the boxes, is modeled well, but leaves you flat, sort of a shoulder shrug when you think about it. Stagnation sets in, and months pass without you working on it….and not even caring.
Personally, the most important thing is to have a place with a hard-to-describe energy and vibe that draws me in. An edge. Visual interest architecturally and scenically. A place that has an air of optimism, not a sense of resignation and depression as it dries up economically. I need a theme that is still operationally active.
I want a theme where I have a like-minded and excited community of support to feed me news, information, and photos. This could be friends, online groups, or both. I need a theme I can and will visit in person.
My past layouts? Things have worked out, but I’ve had some swings and misses along the way.
Miami and LA: I have no clue why I’ve been drawn to these cities most of my life. Part of it might be due to the portrayal by Hollywood, but that doesn’t explain all of it. In the cases of both, you can feel the energy and optimism as soon as you walk off the plane. The businesses aren’t massive, but they’re in overdrive. When you’re in the field, it’s lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way, or you’ll be flattened by a forklift or truck!
Even when I knew I wanted a South Florida layout, it was a few years before I narrowed things down. In retrospect, the thing I did right was enlisting the help of others. Ultimately, it was fellow modeler David Orr who brought the Miami scene to my attention and laid out what it was all about and how the pieces fit together. If there’s one piece of advice I can insert into this rambling dialogue, it would be to get others involved in your search. Cast a wide net of potential subjects.
The Monon In Indiana. This layout was based on my hometown. I had lots of fond memories and access to information. Over time, however, I felt my emotional ties to the area fading. When CSX surprisingly found the line to be redundant and ripped up all of the rail, I was done. I rarely ran the layout after that. It sat unused until I dismantled it. I’m thankful for the good times it provided but honestly, I don’t miss it.
Brooklyn Waterfront. What a great theme and city. So rich in rail history. Loaded with visual interest. I just felt no connection or ties to the area. Modeling the 1940s didn’t grab me…I found out after the fact.
The Georgetown Branch. Another great theme. It’s in my backyard also. The fact that it is no longer in service is a deal breaker. Plus, I have friends in the area who have already modeled it exceptionally well. I’ll let them do the work of building it, and I can just go visit!
Baltimore/York. What a head scratcher. Great theme. Lots of vibe and texture. Unlimited access to information. Intense operations. Love visiting there. Why do I have zero desire to model either? I have no clue.
Knowing oneself is something we think we have a handle on, but probably less so than we’re willing to admit. That truth, that reality, makes the selection of the fit that’s right for us quite challenging indeed.
