It’s been a while since I updated my progress on the Silver City, Pinos Altos and Mogollon Railroad project. Since the last installment, I’ve decided to go a different direction, and I’ve cut the display down to this finished diorama. The SC, PA&M was a two-foot narrow gauge railroad, only operating for a few years, serving copper mines between Silver City and Pinos Altos in the New Mexico Territory. The line was closed in 1908, but opened briefly in 1910. The bridge depicts the prototype lattice truss bridge on the Horseshoe Curve, albeit shortened a bit, while the scratch-built adobe house was added for visual interest. The Shay locomotive #2 was built entirely from scratch using original plans and photos of the prototype. The ore cars, however, were made by my friend Jesse Svoboda over at CCE trains. Jesse wanted to support the project and I was glad to have him since he is a master when it comes to 3D printing. Had the layout been completed, there would have been 8 ore cars pulled by the Shay and it’s accompanying powered boxcar. This car was finished and the train did operate briefly. I decided to go with 3D printing for the cars as I needed 2’ narrow gauge trucks, and while these could have been built from scratch, 3D printing offered a more robust and consistent construction allowing the wheels to turn smoothly. The scenery is my typical mix of techniques and the wood was aged with a solution of steel wool and vinegar. A handy little way of aging and slivering wood. Paint for the project is from ScaleColors, my paint sponsor. If you’re interested in more photos, I have a couple more up on my website at www.josephlavender.com
