The Carolina Sandhills Lines in HO Scale

[davefoxx]

On its wheels.  Yes, it needs a clear coat and the “glass” reinstalled, but, “Yay!”



DFF

[wazzou]

Looks great to me Dave.

[davefoxx]

I’m asking for some guidance.  I have a narrow space between the track and the aisle on the Southern Pines side of my layout that has me stumped.  Allen’s house and its kudzu conveniently filled a portion of this area, but I’ve wanted something to show that this is supposed to be in or around Southern Pines.



A flag stop wouldn’t be a bad idea, so I picked up a Walthers station platform kit.



Plopping the base down, I found it fit without having to slice it off at the layout edge.  Cool, this might work.



Dang, this thing is tall, but I guess they usually are(?).



Thoughts?  Love it or shove it?  If it’s a go, suggestions on color?  The base and pillars would be concrete, but the roof?  Note that there’s a bunch of roof trusses that remain to be installed on top of the roof.  (See the picture on the Walthers box above.)  I haven’t glued the roof on to the columns yet, so the structure remains easy to paint in multiple colors.

Thanks,
DFF

[Philip H]

I don't like it.  Too big and urban for the location. Could you meet your placing requirement with some sinage?

[packers#1]

Not a big fan of that Dave, it doesn’t really look like it belongs there. I’d add a backlot for a store, complete with fence and weeds.

[davefoxx]

Thanks, guys.  Already two votes confirming my fears.  Into the scrap box it will go.

Philip- Signage is a good idea.  At a minimum, perhaps I can figure out how to make an appropriate "Southern Pines ________, Inc." decal and apply it to the brick warehouse on the other side of the tracks.

Sawyer- That was sort of my original plan, but I didn't know how to pull it off at the layout edge.  I'll think about it further and check the scrap box for appropriate pieces and parts.

Thanks,
DFF

[DKS]

Hate to say this, but I'm with the others. It makes that part of your layout look a bit like a kid's Tyco trainset. (ducks) Honestly, why not leave the area as "negative space"? Or, perhaps just a few more trees with mounds of kudzu? I don't think you could ever have "too much" kudzu.

Edit: you posted while I was posting this.

[nickelplate759]

Flag stops often were/are not much more substantial than a bus shelter.   This seems too big.   Branchline Trains has a nice one with a teeny waiting room in it.
Even better, GCLaser has an open-sided passenger shelter suitable - just a bench in a shed.  https://www.gclaser.com/ho-scale-passenger-shelter-prr/

  Both claim to be PRR prototype.

[DKS]

Some suggestions. How about a bunch of relay cabinets, such as:





Or, just the corner of a fenced-in parking lot, perhaps disused and weedy?

Or, a portion of the foundation of a demolished building?

[Philip H]

Or, a portion of the foundation of a demolished building?

That would set Kudzu Jesus off nicely . . . .

[packers#1]

Sawyer- That was sort of my original plan, but I didn't know how to pull it off at the layout edge.  I'll think about it further and check the scrap box for appropriate pieces and parts.

Thanks,
DFF

I’d pull up the grass, put down some sandy grout (like either a whiter shade or gray shade depending on the lot), and put in some weeds and junk. You could also put some more cars and kudzu.

I actually really like DKS’s suggestion as well; maybe have a utility pole as well with a kudzu drape hanging down.

[davefoxx]

Some suggestions. How about a bunch of relay cabinets, such as:





Or, just the corner of a fenced-in parking lot, perhaps disused and weedy?

Or, a portion of the foundation of a demolished building?

Ooh, nice!  Very railroady, too.  I also like the corner of a parking lot with a fence.  Both could fit, I think.

Thanks, all!
DFF

[davefoxx]

I’d pull up the grass, put down some sandy grout (like either a whiter shade or gray shade depending on the lot), and put in some weeds and junk. You could also put some more cars and kudzu.

I actually really like DKS’s suggestion as well; maybe have a utility pole as well with a kudzu drape hanging down.

I’ve already got the sandy grout, so great idea, Sawyer.  I also was planning a utility pole with a line to Allen’s house for the Kudzu Jesus.  That will definitely be on the layout someday.

Thanks,
DFF

[davefoxx]

Flag stops often were/are not much more substantial than a bus shelter.   This seems too big.   Branchline Trains has a nice one with a teeny waiting room in it.
Even better, GCLaser has an open-sided passenger shelter suitable - just a bench in a shed.  https://www.gclaser.com/ho-scale-passenger-shelter-prr/

  Both claim to be PRR prototype.

Southern Pines actually has an SAL station, but, because of the narrow space against the aisle, I don’t have the space for the entire station.  I’m not even considering building a sawed-off structure with detailed interior.  A smaller shelter could work, but I was hoping to build a shelter that implied the station was just off the layout.  I failed.

I think I’ll go with something like the relay cabinets and/or corner of a parking lot with a fence.

Thanks,
DFF

[Chris333]

When I think of flag stop I think of an old western town looking tiny depot with gingerbread trim.