Well, Johnny didn't know if he wanted these posted or not but I think that these are too good not to post! These are pics of his own layout. I will give a sentence or two but let Johnny describe the scenes. #1- Two switchers await their orders. Docksiders like the one in this pic were commonsight working the docks around Brooklyn: #2- This scene reminds me more of the many industrial parts of Queens. Makeshift businesses crammed in between industry. Oh yes,...and plenty of police! #3- The same scene from a different angle. I stared at this pic for a long while. It is packed with details! #4- Junkyard: #5- Safety First! #6- A five alarm fire scene! This is awesome!
I am blushing so hard I am going to set the smoke alarm off! I'm no Paul Templer! LOL! I'm no Russ Hoffman either. I KNOW Russ Hoffman, and I'm no Russ Hoffman! LOL! Thanks for posting them. I get few visitors to my little world and only once in a while do I show off photos to relatives or coworkers. I feel like I've been published! My layout is only a little over 6 foot long and 21 inches wide. There is so much stuff on there that goes back to my childhood. I just love to display all of it, even though some people freak and think it's crowded. I remind them that it's a modeler's idea of a New York City scene. And there is still so much fine tuning to do to all the stuff already there. The B&O switcher was a lovely gift from Mr. John Patton when I was at Sand Patch! It proudly sets waiting to be called to duty. The convoy of police cars (many unseen) are heading to some MOBILIZATION or they're heading for donuts. The fire scene is just a mess. That was the one thing I hadn't dusted before I snapped the photo. And I moved the street constuction scene into the middle of the street, dividing the road better. And I added a fence along the top of the arches. The rooming house next to the fire is now being evacuated and many strange people are leaving in a hurry! LOL! The houses have lights and blinking lights for the fire too. There are street lights under the overhead road too. The vehicles on the layout are a mix of Matchbox to Wiking.......many very old. The road below, once was another track for the yard steamers to run in and get coal from my HO PLASTICVILLE coaling tower. It's nearly 40 years old! There was a switch that led to the right, and straight on past the little orange freight building. (Older than the coaling tower)!!!!!!!!!!!!! The City needed to get another road in. Anyway........it's what I do and love. I have to take another photo of the fire scene since it's improved greatly. I also have a nice tribute to the FDNY I am working on! My poor tracks need ballast. I have to do it!!!!!!!! With my layout being small, I will change the scenes over and over for years to come to keep me busy. All those vehicles on the layout are just part of my collection! Thanks Russ. (I think!) God Bless!
Thanks for the compliment but remember, that is YOUR talent in those pictures and I am no JohnnyTrains! Seriously though, We apartment dwellers here in NY do not have a lot of room for big, majestic layouts. I hope that the above pics illustrate just how much can be done in a confined area. Now.....If Johnny were to do N-scale!......... Russ
Hey John... That smoke detector is going off because YOUR LAYOUTS ON FIRE!!! Seriously though, nice work and I knew you'd have a fire scene.
Thanks, Warren! I forgot to mention, that's not a junk yard. That's illegal dumping! The steer horns on the purple building are for the now defunct cafe below. The Mad Cow Cafe! LOL! I had that building long before I thought of that, otherwise I would have painted it black and white. There is a "closed" sign on the door, and a picture of a cow's face in the window. The large yellow building you may recognize as the Superior Bakery from way back when. I named it the Delton Locomotive Works after a friend (departed). It was abandoned back in '64 and has sat there ever since. It has nice old rusty details inside of it. It really finished it's life as a useful building when the local private sanitation company moved to an even larger garage. The building under demolition was an old brewery converted into an SRO. (SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY).
Johnny, your layout is pure New York City. I feel privileged that you sent me some photos a long time ago. It's amazing what you have done for the small space you have. Plasticville??? I thought I was the only one old enough to remember that. I had some O scale stuff. Wonder what happened to it?
John. That is some layout. In my mind I was comparing it to Paul Templers layout. He has a lot of fallen branches, leaves and earth stuff. You compare with all the junk placed just right. It tells a story.
The great thing about these pictures and the layout itself is the atmosphere they convey. There is a feeling of being there.
The thing I like most about the layout is spending hours looking at each detail on it. Even then I find I miss something. It is certainly as I remember New York! I'm still looking for the Dalmatian Fire Dog though. I know he is there, I just haven't located him yet. Its a great layout Johnny, very well done, or should I say lived in? I think the "lived in" look is the characater of a well done layout. Very good job!
Johnny, thats one excellent layout! i love all the little details there. i used to have a little docksider like that when i was young, and the photo made me wonder where it is, my have to ask my mother. great layout, great photos thanks
Guys, when I look at your layouts I would have never thought of posting photos of mine. I am deeply honored to have such good compliments from such talented and wonderful Brothers and Sisters on the best railroad site in the world! As we all know, layouts are never FINISHED! Guess I 'd better spend some of my weekend geting more done! Thanks again! Russ, wait until I see you tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL!
JT, Talk about being privaleged. I think I had pictures of your layout from 3 years ago from Pete! So..... It sure has changed from them (comparing them to the ones you have online now) It sure does have that sence of "being their"!!!!! good detail packed with detail everywhere (for its size) I bet I could look at that thing 50 times an see something different everytime that I missed the time I looked before!!!!! As for the little Docksider JT, hes the "little engine that will" big can motor in him! for his size! I rebuilt it! its an old 1969, or 1970 Rivarossi Docksider.......Anyway I thought that thing looked familar! Run it yet ???????
