More of that ferry

For reference its a Artitec kit and sells for around 80 bucks, rails not included, and code 55 will work.

Started scratch building a gantry bridge, the end closest to the barge will sit on a pontoon.

Barrie - Allandale model train show Feb 17 2014

Been awhile since my last post, had another big move at the end of summer so railroading has been the last thing on my mind, there's nothing like a train show to get back into the game. Went to the Barrie show on sunday found it was a little larger than last years. I took a few snap shots of some points of interest here they are:

 Found out this little n scale gum stump and snowshoe layout, the owner said it was purchased for $25. Only problem with it is the low clearance under the bridge, sadly the piggy back trailer carrier wont fit.

A model of the mini train ride at the round house in Toronto

Heres a shot of the round house interior.

I couldnt resist purchasing this little European ferry kit, wish I had someplace on the layout to put it.

2013 Bracebridge model train show

Officially this is my 11th year doing my home town show.  It was a little smaller this year, looked like some venders pulled out and the crowd attendance felt lighter than usual as well give the hot weather this year. After doing it for so long and going to other shows in the area you pretty much see all the same layouts over and over again and I swear most of the layouts look like they haven't changed in all that time either. Sadly some layouts have been around for years and have had very little in the way of improvement to the scenery done. Such as the track is still not ballasted, buildings not painted or weathered, trees that look like they came straight from a furnace filter and so on. Running long trains on a layout is nice for the kids but running trains on a layout that has been given a lot of attention to detail is what makes it magical. Another issue I have at shows are layout tables that are built to adult eye level. I know layouts are best viewed at eye level and its nice the kids cant reach anything but when they are the primary audience it make me want to give some heads a shake. Anyway enough ranting heres a few pics from the show, glad to see the fall fair mural I painted back in 2000 is still up in the background of the photo below.

                                                             nice to see the old ferry still going

                                             Glad to see more progress on this layout

I thought this little layout below was a good idea, the gentlemen who owns it gives kids the opportunity to learn to drive a model train

                    

 

Thought I'd add a dash morality to the layout.

Summer days

Its hard to be motivated to do any model train stuff when the weathers hot and the weekends get filled with other summer fun activities. A while back after adding some hydraulic hosing I painted up the excavator in a Linkbelt color scheme seeing as Im working with those machines day in day out now with the new career. I know Linkbelt never made a modern front end shovel excavator but if they did Im sure it would look something like this.

Moving along

Started with the terex rock truck

Some simple hydraulic cylinders