Newport & Rock Falls: Another Retro Micro-Layout

[wm3798]

The "Prussian" look with the timber and stucco is a thing around Philly and Baltimore, which had high concentrations of German immigrants in the late 19th and 20th centuries.  Lots of architectural examples of this exist in the mid Atlantic.
Lee

[dem34]

Think hes sticking with the 70s faux Euro style for consistency. That said there are areas at least in the burbs of NJ where you do get these... interesting. Bits of European exclusive architecture. With debatable execution.

[DKS]

The building looks good, but I'm confused whether this layout depicts European or American locale.  I know you mentioned that many of the buildings have European flavor (but could still exists in USA), but the brick and timber walls (in Polish we call that "Prussian walls"), look uniquely European.

Remember the theme of the layout is retro. Back in the late 60s/early 70s, very few American structures were available, and certainly not enough to fully populate a layout. So it's a fantasy locale at best, with no desire or intention to attempt an authentic American look, even though it's an American layout; the trains, at least, will all be properly American. The selection of kits is based on fond recollections of my earliest modeling efforts, to the extent that it's practical, and the whole point of the project is to have fun. Yes, the layout has a few modern elements (such as LED lighting and certain scenery materials), but that's only because I found it too constraining—and thus not as much fun—to slavishly adhere to the retro theme in all aspects of its construction; the extent to which I've done this is to maintain a consistent look, hence the kitbashed station.

I think if one looked hard enough, one could perhaps find plenty of examples of overtly European architecture here in America—Princeton, NJ, comes to mind—



—but that would be a ridiculous effort, IMO.

[peteski]

Remember the theme of the layout is retro. Back in the late 60s/early 70s, very few American structures were available, and certainly not enough to fully populate a layout. So it's a fantasy locale at best, with no desire or intention to attempt an authentic American look, even though it's an American layout; the trains, at least, will all be properly American. The selection of kits is based on fond recollections of my earliest modeling efforts, to the extent that it's practical, and the whole point of the project is to have fun. Yes, the layout has a few modern elements (such as LED lighting and certain scenery materials), but that's only because I found it too constraining—and thus not as much fun—to slavishly adhere to the retro theme in all aspects of its construction; the extent to which I've done this is to maintain a consistent look, hence the kitbashed station.

That makes sense. Thanks for the explanation.

I think if one looked hard enough, one could perhaps find plenty of examples of overtly European architecture here in America—Princeton, NJ, comes to mind—



—but that would be a ridiculous effort, IMO.

WOW! That looks just like one of the Vollmer or Kibri kits!

[keeper]

With debatable execution.

YES! Very questionable.

Thomas

[DKS]

4 March 2021. Completed the Rock Falls passenger station installation.



Also finished the freight crane installation.



And in non-photogenic news, I've nailed down the control panel design. 35 switches to control this silly little layout!

[DKS]

5 March 2021. Got most of the gravel bonded in place at the gravel works.



Also completed the greenery around the rolling lift bridge control cabin.



And did the first official track ballasting (all three inches of it) at the freight crane.

[Chris333]

That quarry is the $hiznit!

[DKS]

That quarry is the $hiznit!

Thank you. Been wanting to do something like that for ages.

[OldEastRR]

Yeah, a great quarry. Let's see the other side.

[DKS]

Yeah, a great quarry. Let's see the other side.

Not done yet. Getting there, though.

[DKS]

Okay, here you go. Except for figures, vehicles and few odd little details, it's done.

[OldEastRR]

Love how you extended the narrow gauge tracks to make the short section on the kit base actually have a purose.

[DKS]

6 March 2021. In addition to the other side of the quarry, above, I started the first stretch of mainline ballasting.



In other news, I retrofitted a pair of vintage Atlas gooseneck lamps with 0402 warm white LEDs, along with globes from old Miniatronic streetlights to make a pair of station parking lot lights. Everything was press-fit: the LEDs press-fit into the globes, and the globes press-fit into the gooseneck tubes. Kismet! Thus these lights are a microcosm of the layout as a whole: an aesthetic mix of old and new.

[Jeff AKA St0rm]

DKS I am always amazed by your layouts. just WOW