Black River & Western

[OldEastRR]

I take it the scenery and locale are as important to model as the actual line. Is that going to take a lot of scratchbuilt structures matching the real ones?

[DKS]

I take it the scenery and locale are as important to model as the actual line. Is that going to take a lot of scratchbuilt structures matching the real ones?

It will be a mix of stock kits, kitbashes and scratchbuilds. Key railroad structures, like the stations and shops, will be scratched to match as closely as practical. For the rest, I'll target the general feeling, but I'm not about to scratchbuild every single one--I won't live long enough. Just as liberties were taken to compress about 15 miles of track down to less than one scale mile, I'll take similar liberties with the structures and scenery, both to make the layout practical to build as well as more enjoyable.

Furthermore, I'm consciously altering reality to improve the aesthetics of some areas. For example, Flemington is dominated by outlet shopping centers, with enormous, multi-story modern buildings right across from the Flemington station, covering several blocks in area. There's a little park in the area, so I replaced the outlets with a slightly larger version of the park to provide better viewing (as well as to omit the unsightly shops). Otherwise, you'd never see the train at the station. Plus, I'm tweaking the timeline here and there so I can model some of the things I remember about my earlier train rides, such as Stangl Pottery in Flemington, now long gone. In Lambertville, I'm also thinking of relocating a park from one end of town to the other to provide a better transition from the town to the countryside, and I'm picking and choosing certain key structures and locating them all in the middle of the town--like a "best of" album of favorite tunes.

I've remained as faithful as possible with the line and its operations, with only a few minor tweaks (some by necessity rather than choice), but I'm not going to be a slave to everything else, because I believe it would make for a less enjoyable layout. That said, I don't think I'm doing anything that would be outside the realm of possibility or believability given an alternate timeline. Sure, I could have wound the clock back thirty years or more and done things just as they were then, but that would mean giving up certain more modern features I like, such as the endless stream of different rolling stock that traipses through Ringoes like a parade. Such are the choices I've made to justify building the layout I want. I think it's safe to say we all do it, to some degree at least.

 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I THOUGHT your Flemington looked less ugly than the real thing

It's a good plan.

The only other concern I have is... there's not a lot of "nothing" for your paying passengers to see.

[DKS]

I THOUGHT your Flemington looked less ugly than the real thing

It's a good plan.

The only other concern I have is... there's not a lot of "nothing" for your paying passengers to see.

Yes, I agree. I maintained a fair amount of nothing beside Ringoes, and now I'm weeding out some excess sh!t in the between-Ringoes-and-Flemington stretch, so hang in there. But I can't rip out much more without losing some landmarks.

 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Yes, I agree. I maintained a fair amount of nothing beside Ringoes, and now I'm weeding out some excess sh!t in the between-Ringoes-and-Flemington stretch, so hang in there. But I can't rip out much more without losing some landmarks.

Awesome. Can't wait to see V2!

[Cajonpassfan]

A very creative plan. Protobased, but yet selective enough to eliminate some of the proto ugliness. I've done some of that too on my layout; there's enough ugly in our world... Ugly with character, that's another story.

I do have a questions about how to handle the big divided four-lane, Rt. 202. It maybe proto, I don't know, but I often find it difficult to "believe" a major highway model with stationary vehicles, and it's hard to not have any vehicles on a long stretch, either. It still photos, traffic is fine, but in real life, not so much. It's much easier to model small roads... or short segments imho. Just food for thought, if you need any that is...
Looking forward to see this evolve.
Otto K.

[Point353]

I do have a questions about how to handle the big divided four-lane, Rt. 202. It maybe proto, I don't know, but I often find it difficult to "believe" a major highway model with stationary vehicles, and it's hard to not have any vehicles on a long stretch, either.

Perfect site for a model of the Northlandz building.

[Cajonpassfan]

Perfect site for a model of the Northlandz building.

I'm sorry, I don't uunderstand your comment.
What does it have to do with mine, about stationary vehicles on a major highway?
Otto K.

[eric220]

I'm sorry, I don't uunderstand your comment.
What does it have to do with mine, about stationary vehicles on a major highway?
Otto K.

Gonna assume it’s because Northlandz is on 202 in Flemington.

[OldEastRR]

I'm wondering why the Rte 202 mega-road is on the layout (in the middle of the U section). There aren't any buildings or landmarks on it, unless the sprawling concrete expanse is a significant feature that needs inclusion. By moving the edge of the layout in you could keep the countryside but completely leaving out the highway. Unless the highway is part of the "nothing to see" from the tourist train.

[Chris333]

I don't see any solar panel farms in the plan ? 

[Point353]

I'm sorry, I don't uunderstand your comment.
What does it have to do with mine, about stationary vehicles on a major highway?

It was more about Rt. 202 than the stationary vehicles.

However, wouldn't you expect everyone to come to a stop if they saw this roadside sign?

[DKS]

I do have a questions about how to handle the big divided four-lane, Rt. 202. It maybe proto, I don't know, but I often find it difficult to "believe" a major highway model with stationary vehicles, and it's hard to not have any vehicles on a long stretch, either. It still photos, traffic is fine, but in real life, not so much. It's much easier to model small roads... or short segments imho. Just food for thought, if you need any that is...

The bridge will be under repair, and traffic temporarily halted.

I don't see any solar panel farms in the plan ? 

I've considered it, but they're space pigs. I'd rather have real pigs.

Perfect site for a model of the Northlandz building.

Well... If you must know, I did give it some thought. I don't have the room for the building, but I can spare some space for part of the outdoor train. Northlandz is close to Three Bridges, so if I do go this route, I'd replace the water treatment plant with a model of a model train ride. We'll see...

I'm wondering why the Rte 202 mega-road is on the layout (in the middle of the U section). There aren't any buildings or landmarks on it, unless the sprawling concrete expanse is a significant feature that needs inclusion. By moving the edge of the layout in you could keep the countryside but completely leaving out the highway. Unless the highway is part of the "nothing to see" from the tourist train.

A few reasons to include this particular stretch of road... It's an easy access point for railfans to stop and shoot the train, so it's a "landmark" from the standpoint that it figures prominently in fond memories of the line. It's also the site of a diner, and I like modeling diners, although I won't be faithful to the real one--it's seriously fugly, so it'll be there in name only. And finally, you guessed right--it is indeed part of the "nothing" in this area (sometimes "nothing" can be a landmark, strange as it sounds). I may slide the highway back toward the edge of the layout a little to allow the scene to breathe a bit more, but it's not going away. Oh, and the cars on this stretch will be stopped at the traffic light on Eggerts Road.

 

[davefoxx]

Well... If you must know, I did give it some thought. I don't have the room for the building, but I can spare some space for part of the outdoor train. Northlandz is close to Three Bridges, so if I do go this route, I'd replace the water treatment plant with a model of a model train ride. We'll see...

It wouldn't be the first time that we've seen you model a model of a model train.  It was a functioning N scale layout in the window of a Z scale hobby store, if I remember correctly.

Watching with wonder,
DFF

[DKS]

It wouldn't be the first time that we've seen you model a model of a model train.  It was a functioning N scale layout in the window of a Z scale hobby store, if I remember correctly.

You remember correctly (I still have that little beastie, and I may put it in a window on the layout). In this case, I'm toying with the idea of making a loop with T Gauge track and possibly make it run. We'll see--it's way down on the priority list.