Willimantic, CT Footbridge

[dougnelson]

After completing Palmer Union Station for the HO Central Vermont in Northern California layout group, I was asked to work on another signature structure on the CV - the footbridge in Willimantic, CT.  This steel pedestrian bridge (actually a series of spans) was built in 1906 and is still used today.  The main span was approximately 150' and crossed the CV and NH tracks.  I figured out that the Central Valley N scale 150' truss bridge was an almost exact proportioned copy of the pedestrian bridge in HO scale when two kits are spliced together.  For the two smaller spans leading to Willimantic's Main Street, I prepared simplified drawings and created the truss components with a laser cutter.  Bridge supports included a stone tower at one end and a stone ramp at the other that I created with a laser cutter and added rustic stone texture with matte gel medium (same as was done for Palmer Union Station).  Steel supports were created from spare Central Valley bridge truss parts and styrene.  HO scale railings are by Tichy.




Bridge components:





The Bridge installed:

[dougnelson]

I also scratch-built a couple of iconic structures next to the bridge: Curran's Drugs and the Railroad Street building.  The space available for these buildings was less than actual, so the buildings were somewhat compressed.  Curran's Drugs is a typical 1930s or 1940s storefront with Carrara glass, glass block, large windows, and 3D architectural lettering.  The store also had a large neon sign added.  I created drawings for this building and used a laser cutter to make the storefront window frames and the architectural lettering.  Brick walls were printed with an ink jet printer on matte photo paper and then laminated on mat board and cut to sizes.  Walls were glued with wood glue and corner joints were lap cut to eliminate the mat board edges.  The hanging neon sign was created in Adobe Illustrator, printed, and glued onto a wood shape with rounded ends.

Curran's Drugs:





The Railroad Street building was created in similar fashion - walls were printed brick pattern with windows and a faded Coca Cola sign, laminated onto mat board and glued together with lapped corners.  The roof was also printed shingles glued onto mat board.  The storefront window frames and doors were created from a drawing and then made with a laser cutter.  Signs were made from scratch and from a Coca Cola sign found on the internet.  Sidewalks were made from mat board painted with added sponge textures and joints and cracks added with pencil.  Asphalt streets were made from black EVA foam sheets that were painted with added crack lines and center stains using Pan Pastels.

Railroad Street Building:

[JeffB]

Nice work Doug!!!

I don't think I've ever seen anyone model Willimantic...  Used to volunteer at the CT Eastern RR museum about a mile from the foot bridge when I lived in Brooklyn CT years ago.

Jeff

[Plate C]

Very cool, I spent a lot of time watching trains from the footbridge as a kid.

[peteski]

Very well done!  And the "package store" (or "packie") firmly places this scene somewhere in the New England area.  They sure didn't sell packing materials. 

[amato1969]

Whoa, really nice work @dougnelson !!!

  Frank

[garethashenden]

Very well done!  And the "package store" (or "packie") firmly places this scene somewhere in the New England area.  They sure didn't sell packing materials. 

You can often get free boxes though!

[peteski]

You can often get free boxes though!

True that! 

[dougnelson]

Very well done!  And the "package store" (or "packie") firmly places this scene somewhere in the New England area.  They sure didn't sell packing materials. 

“Package” being a euphorism for liquor. I wonder if the use of package store had something to do with prohibition, or just temperance in general.

And thanks for the comments everyone.

[peteski]

“Package” being a euphorism for liquor. I wonder if the use of package store had something to do with prohibition, or just temperance in general.

Yes, I believe that is the correct explanation. Living in Massachusetts, I have seen liqueur stores called "packies", although that name is not as popular as it has been in the past.