Free-moNebraska

[Lemosteam]

Yeah, that's a good idea too.  But one of the things we don't like about the current system is having to remove one tray to get at another.  I'm imagining a box that will hold four of these new trays as drawers themselves, including a locking latch thing to keep them contained. 

Now since there will be multiple boxes, I do plan to make those stack-able.

They could all be stack-able, but with a little gap when they are in the cabinet so they don't inter lock.  I'm sure you will be putting different drawers in different cabinets either on purpose or by accident so it would make sense to make them all interchangeable.

[Mark W]

Well here's what I came up with.  Just a plywood box with wooden runners. 


https://i.imgur.com/0UIm1tS.jpg


Gonna have to cut finger holes for easy tray removal.


https://i.imgur.com/fQfUg2q.jpg


Shop helper Mozzy wants everyone to know he's a good boy. 


https://i.imgur.com/2o1ZP8G.jpg



https://i.imgur.com/6pmzbJx.jpg

[Albersala]

Great job! 

[Mark W]

That little auger build turned up (heh) to be a catalyst to finish a lot of long overdue work at the Roca Elevator Company!

I've also been experimenting with some clamp-on photography backdrops, inspired by @jpwisc photos which always look so clean!


https://i.imgur.com/QRGSm5l.jpg

[jpwisc]

That scene came together really nicely. For photography the backdrop does help draw the eye to the layout. I painted two walls of my garage and then I have one clamp on backdrop.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I like it, and the backdrop makes a HUGE difference!

If you added some generic distant landscape to it it'd be even better.

[Mark W]

With the completion of Roca, I've turned my attention to Marsland, the real town that doesn't exist. 

Marsland was founded on August 28, 1889. The town was one of many that was located along the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad. Marsland's population peaked at 200 in 1910. In the years immediately following, a number of fires consumed a large portion of the town's business district. Although it is still occupied by a small number of residents, Marsland is largely considered a ghost town.

The fiction goes that Marsland the Free-moN module exists in a parallel universe, where the population slowly grew to around 1100; supported early on by a stagecoach factory, which modernized into a heavy equipment distribution center, and tourism after the acquisition of a few steam locomotives. 


https://i.imgur.com/q12HMLO.jpg

That brings us to today, with West Marsland serving the historical railroad with turn table and service track, and the south station siding and stagecoach stub (the old railcar loading point for that stagecoach factory).  And the surviving town itself on the east side, including two short service stubs, and one long siding extending back into the west side of town. 

The fiction itself was built around a track plan adapted from the late Wolfgang Dudler's fremo module "Salina".

Until now, the three sidings on the east side of Marsland just existed, with no true assignment as for what industry they served.  So that's the goal for this project.  Pretending Marsland received a huge federal grant, I'm looking for ways to re-build the town to better fit it's fictional backstory. 


I'd like to leave the town itself mostly as is.  At most the right side of the street gets pushed back to add some curb parking.


https://i.imgur.com/xzOC8Aq.jpg


The west side of town also stays about the same, but I think it needs some more steam era structures, like a coaling tower and service shed. 
The long spur at the back will become the heavy equipment distribution point, served mainly by flatcars.  Aside from a loading dock, I'm looking for ideas on the warehouse thats large enough to support heavy equipment, but also fits the 'vibe' of the small town. 


https://i.imgur.com/hnbZQps.jpg


Back on the east end is where I'm looking for the most feedback.  These are the two stubs that need purpose.   Both the feed mill and the wooden platform were originally placed there to fill the empty space, and they haven't left since.  I like the look and feel of the area, but I think it's missing something and I don't know what.   I don't even remember what reference I used when I scratch built that old feed mill.  Should it have elevators or pits?  Would they be served with boxcars or hoppers?  If anyone has any recommendations or ideas, I'm happy to hear them!


https://i.imgur.com/RXzidSG.jpg

[C855B]

Your scenic treatment is always stunning, Mark. You give "modules" a good name.

One suggestion... your horse should be thirsty by now, so maybe put a trough next to that windmill in the last picture. Old-style windmills are relatively weak engines and usually pump into a vessel within a few feet of the well shaft.

[Mark W]

Your scenic treatment is always stunning, Mark. You give "modules" a good name.

One suggestion... your horse should be thirsty by now, so maybe put a trough next to that windmill in the last picture. Old-style windmills are relatively weak engines and usually pump into a vessel within a few feet of the well shaft.

Thanks Mike.

Funny you should mention the horse and windmill. They actually had some water tubs way back before the windmill grew. 


https://i.imgur.com/wac5xf0.jpg


These guys have been riding in the parts tray the last couple years, to be placed on the layout after set up. 


https://i.imgur.com/JxFwmzA.jpg

All three horses used to be glued on, but pokey fingers and all.  Haven't re-glued them yet because they need some touch up with paints, which now that I have them out on the workbench, is about time I get to it.

[Mark W]

Aside from trains, the rest of the layout is a complete ghost town.  Time to fix that and get some figures out there.

I found that lightly brushing plastic cement on figures will soften them just enough to let you slightly re-position appendages.  On this model power park bench sitter, I added a styrene cowboy hat and separated his legs.

A few touches with a super fine brush and he looks like a stagecoach driver now.


https://i.imgur.com/6GI33Ln.jpg



https://i.imgur.com/EN43DOi.jpg

I also found some luggage that we'll throw on top there with him, and I'm even going to add lines for him to hold on to.

[Specter3]

Feed mill will be box car served. Sacks going out and if they needed inbound grain it would be in boxcars as well. So is that area staying vintage? Or is it going to be modern traffic? The platform is vintage looking. More re ent woukd be a concrete ramp for reaching boxcar doors and parking for the vehicles unloading the cars. Lots of shortlines doing transload spurs now with a gravel path for a tank or bulk truck to pull up along side the track and some hoses for hookups.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
Boxcar setup for grain hauling

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
Simple concrete loading dock

[Mark W]

Sooooo, this is what the stagecoach looked like after playing around with luggage placement.  I like the way they fit here, so I thought I'd snap a phone pic for reference when gluing...


https://i.imgur.com/6Fkd56E.jpg


And this is what it looks like after dropping the phone on top of it.   


https://i.imgur.com/quN39c9.jpg






Anyway, thanks for the good info Specter!  I'm currently testing out locations for the old platform over on the west side of town.  I'm too attached to that old thing to not use it, but I don't think it fits its current spot anymore.  It makes sense to move it with the historical steam area. 

[nscalbitz]

Everything is fitting beautifully!  I'll still need about 4 more trays/drawers, but today's goal is to build the first cabinet.

Surprised you haven't hypothesised the full 'beehive' effect.
 
d

[Mark W]

Well I was able to find all the parts and re-build the stagecoach! 


https://i.imgur.com/hYfEQgb.jpg


Next I spent some more time tinkering with buildings.
Here I added a roof access, a pair of skylights, and a new color scheme.


https://i.imgur.com/HzgRupm.jpg


Added an awning, some roof details, and a side exit.


https://i.imgur.com/HP44c1g.jpg


This one has been a long time wish list model.  I caught these cats back in 2014 and instantly wanted to model a similar load some day.


https://i.imgur.com/a3FgF6j.jpg


Deciding to put a heavy equipment distributor in Marsland sparked me to throw this together.


https://i.imgur.com/IH0aE2x.jpg

[Mark W]

Late notice, but we're set up at the Beatrice, NE train show this weekend!


https://i.imgur.com/Hx3xhqc.jpg

The new transport boxes are working great too!