Great George, I especially liked the King Kong shadow, now where was the screaming Jessica Lang, or Faye Ray? Maybe the chopper noise drowned it out. Anyway the layout looks really good! And I tip my hat your son too!
Thnxs guys. Took the camera out of the box...charged a battery...and went right out to THE layout with it. Priorities...ya know ;-) THE Layout is getting there. A little work on it everytime I go out there. Except when I'm running trains. So its a S L O W process at this point lol
(EX)Sunset Motel...with a George Twist. (EX)Sunset Motel...with a George Twist. Ok...I had this funky little corner at the end of Jeans Valley. Figured a Motel would would fit nicely in the odd space. I was going to wait for the temperature to warm up a bit so I could go out in THE RV to assemble this model at my workbench. Mother Nature isnt cooperating...with highes in the low 30's and single digit temps at night...so I brought a few tools in here and built the model at my computer desk. Looking at online pictures I see a lot of the 'Sunset Motel' models in N scale or HO out there. They all look the same...the way the are set up and even the paint scheme ! Mine needed a 'facelift' to bring it into my modeling era. I decided to give it a little twist. First: I kept looking at the pictures and realized the Office seems to be on the wrong side of the lot. Here in the US we drive on the Right side of the road. We enter parking lots on the right and exit on the left. I figured the Office should reflect that by having the office entrance on the right. I reminded THE WIFE of at least 3 motels here in town that are set up just that way. I reversed the walls on the Office and with just a little trimming off of a couple 'tabs' it worked out fine. The 2 angled support columns really dated the office to far back into the 60's for my taste. So I put 2 vertical columns in to hold up the roof. The story goes that in the early 80's two old stoned Cheech and Chong looking fellows with 'eleven long haired Friends of Jesus in a Chartreuse microbus' came flying in the driveway late one evening and knocked out the first angled column anyways !!! LOL. Second: The posts at the motel rooms where definately to 60's looking with those decorative stacked blocks. So I upgraded them by covering them with 'stacked logs'. The motel siding in the pictures looked to 60ish also...being painted yellow and all. So I painted them with some red primer. This gives them the look of the fake logs siding we see on alot of buildings around here that are stained or painted red. Third: That Motel sign itself really needed an upgrade to bring it into my 1980 to present era. I cut off the 'sun' at the top and will be doing some other things to dress it up and bring it into line with my modeling era. Lastly: We where throwing out new names for our Motel. I think we settled on the old cliche name for Motels that resemble the one I built. I think we will just name it... LOG CABIN MOTEL So now it has that 'old time flavor' but looks like it still fits in with my modeling ideas. Thats my story and I'm sticking to it !!!! ** I mocked it up on the layout to see how it will look. **
Add a trash dumpster, a couple of vending machines, and an ice machine, plus a few old trees hanging over the buildings that the insurance folks haven't made them cut down yet and you have it.
How about a pool, with some sunburned folks lounging around it in various odd or inappropriate clothes?
Not enough room for a swimming pool...but "...folks lounging around it in various odd or inappropriate clothes." gives me some ideas....hmmmmmmm...lol
Thought I was going to be looking at a FEF-3 running on the T.H.E.R.R. <ducks for cover> Nice work George.
The layout has made progress over the last year, George! I particularly liked the stunt pilot flying that chopper! Hopefully nobody else had a flashback!! This is my first sight of the 8-ball yard, neat idea! Now for a cue ball barber shop elsewhere... Kudos to the son, also. It"s nice when they surprise us like that. Makes it worthwhile having had them, and allowing them to reach maturity!!
I got the 7 Yard Lights built...painted and put in. The 3 in the main yard are spaced 27 inches (360') apart. The 4 further towards the actual working area of the yard are spaced 18 inches (240') apart. The yard light poles are 6 inches (80') tall. I think the yard lights somehow make Lucky Penny Yard look even longer .
I just continue to be impressed with everything from the concept of in an RV to putting it on cabinets to well, just everything. Oh, and I am very envious of THE Yard. You go man. Um, any plans for a 3 year anniversary?
Thnxs Just recently went back and looked at pics from the start till now. Lots of blood...sweat...and tears in there. Anniversary ? Already ? Time flies when you're havin fun !! Maybe we will reserve "Jean's Excursion Train" for the evening. It does have a "Bar Car" and limo tinted windows throughout the train. Could be one heck of an all night party !!!!! In reality: The Wife and I will probably grab a cup of coffee...go out to the trains. She will run her Excursion Train. I will probably run a couple of freights. Maybe switch Lucky Penny Yard. Sit and talk of everything we've got done...and what still needs to be done. Just sit back...chill...and smile. Life is good :teeth:
The yard lights are just decorative...non functioning. I do need to go out soon and take another night shot with the RV leds going. It looks like a full moon lit night in there !
George, I can't agree more. My Bride and I celebrated 56 years this past Friday. She has been the best thing that has happened to us. She controlled our savings so we could retire. Then designed our post-hurricane house that included an 11x25 air-conditioned room just for my trains. What more could I ask...<gr> Though I really like your RV, now that's neat.
Would love an indoor train room... *sigh* Being renters...I got tired of tearing everything down each move. THE RV servers a greater purpose
