I took these photos one day back in 2012, and lost the folder on my computer. Today I stumbled upon them and decided to share them. I am planning on integrating this module into my home layout cause it's my favorite module, although this side is not my favorite side. I like the modern sawmill side better, but here's this side: Overview of the old sawmill side: A BN train behind the S.T.INC. canning factory: Sunrise at the S.T.INC. tuna canning factory: Sunrise at Seaside Small Craft Repair, the sleepy fishing village is already busy:
This fishing boat has already unloaded it's catch: The nets have been repaired and are drying in the morning sun: The Thai Foon Fish Company crew are on morning break, enjoying the sunny morning: A guy casting a line out, hoping to catch some Rock Cod pauses to watch a few Mexican asphalt cars crossing the bridge:
In the background a cut of Thrall All Door cars are being dropped off at the sawmill, the all door cars make loading long trim and specialty wood products easy, and protects them from damage: On the other side of the river, a switcher has just backed in a small cut of log cars: The sawmill is preparing to start the day shift. Work will require dumping several cars of logs before any sawing can begin, but last night's millwork needs to be loaded on the Thrall cars to make space for the day's sawing: Just another day in the sleepy morning in Paradice!
Fantastic layout, great pictures. Thanks for sharing. - great turnouts, what make are they, Wright? - love the scene with the Thai Foon crew taking a break, must have been a great catch, are those fishbones at the right? Matt
Yeah, Peter Wright turnouts were, and still ARE the absolute best, most reliable operation, most DCC friendly, and greatest looking turnouts ever produced in Z Scale. I used 9 on this layout. Thai Foon was the first structure installed too, and there are lots of fish bones, on structures, the dock, the rocks, and under the water. I love those fish bones, they were the funniest details I ever made. Got the idea from seeing those fishbone stickers on car bumpers and truck rear windows. Here is the original module trackplan from the day: And here is the module showing both sides early in construction: These two overview pictures represent the low res quality of photos I used to post in the day. Now however, with thereabouts 6 months, from my 20th anniversary on Trainboard, I just discovered YESTERDAY, that I can post higher resolution photos. I don't have a desktop PC anymore, instead I have a tiny Intel NUC connected to a wall mounted 55" 4K TV that I use to surf the web. So going forward I will try posting everything in the highest resolution I can on Railimages. I am just now getting back into model railroading following a 7 year day job induced hiatius, as a full fledged retired model railroader.
I like to detail the insides of structures with lights and sound too. Remember these pics of the sawmill? I put a stereo MP3 player under the module, with the right channel playing sawmill sounds: With the roof off, natural sunlight lets you see the interior from this side pretty good: And at train shows everyone likes to look in from above: Bridges need details too, so I rusted mine up pretty good:
I even rastered in visible rivet detail: And see if you can spot more fishbones at the wharf: Sometimes I like a clean caboose, and sometimes a dirty one, why not have both? I have not yet weathered ANY of my Thrall All Door cars, I just can't bring myself to do it!
A tuna processing plant called S.T.I. Hmm. It is a very impressive module to see it in person. I really liked the fish bones under the water and all the other tiny thoughtful details.
Fantastic layout Ray!!! You have a lot of detail in your scenery. Great job, thank you for posting. Joe
Haha! The tuna factory is called S.T.INC. for stink! Pun intended! The other packing companies, Thai Foon (typhoon) and Tirn Bros (turn brothers sells turned fish) are all part of the fun! ;D
A few more shots of Seaside Tuna Incorporated, the Left side: The Front Side: And with the lights turned on inside the structures:
Robert, deal out the info. on those pratt truss bridge's [double + single] if you don't mind; neither of them look to be Micron Art nor TrainCat's [which I don't believe his ever made it past prototype_production sample's]...but they do look very similar to his design from year's ago.
Z scale sure has a lot of really nice buildings, I'm amazed by the quality and quantity of models available. Some of them it's hard to tell they are models. The hobby overall has come a long way from the 53 years experience I have in model railroading. Joe
Hate to tell you that the 2 bridges are not commercial. That's laser MASTER Robert Ray ! Rob, thanks for posting the starting point.
Yeah, the bridges are my own design, made of laserboard cardstock and removable for easy cleaning. They are only held in place with tiny rare earth magnets. All the structures are my own design too, as well as the cabeese and all door cars following prototype measurements. All the locos and other cars are modified, painted, and custom decaled too and can be reproduced once I get my shop setup.
Man, your a master at building structures and detailing scenery highlights!!! Great job on your layout. Joe