great work Matt; very nice ,reminds me of my nieghborhood…Jerry
Hmm
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Was that a NuComp above-ground pool in the last photo, or scratchbuilt?
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Street lighting - would this involve free-standing or pole mounted (general question about SoCal suburbs of the 1950s)
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Electrical poles - did most SoCal surburbs bury their power/comm lines by this era?
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One thing missing so far that would be found in a Northeastern Suburb of the time - chain link fencing (as soon as the last of the tract house development construction crew left, chain link started to go up) - would that be popular in a 1950s SoCal suburb?
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Oh yes, your layout will NEVER be realistic till you have some scale broken toys scattered in the backyards…
Looks GREAT! Is that a kid swinging from the tree?
Yes NuComp pool.
I haven’t looked much into the lighting yet, but will eventually. I do have some street lights for the city section (yet to be installed), so they might work for the residential neighborhood as well.
There probably should be some electrical poles. And wires going to each house. But I haven’t found any that I like and that look residential. Might have to scratch build some. However, by the mid to late 1950s, some electrical lines were buried in the newest of developments.
Chain link was not very popular, at least from what I have researched thus far. Mostly wooden or landscaping fences…at least in the more affluent neighborhoods.
The fence I have in those pictures is a test fence that I had on another part of the layout. The real fence still has to be built and located.
I do have a set of backyard “junk” that is still awaiting placement.
[quote user=“scoutII”]
Is that
Raised in Burbank, C A, I remember that there were no street lights on our street, only on the four lane main streets. The power poles were along the center of the block back yards so power lines could serve the back each house. We had a six foot concrete block wall fence in the back yard, no front yard fences. We had large Maple trees on each side of our street, named Maple Street. A small parkway for trees and grass of four feet between the sidewalk and curb.
NEW POST
Been a while (actually almost exactly 2 years), but I figured it would be better to update this post rather then make a new one.
Seems like I do most of my layout work while there are baseball playoffs on the radio [;)]
I finally got some leaves on the orange trees and you’ll probably notice some other new details here and there:
N
icely done
Are you holding off the ballasting of your mainline for some reason? It just doesn’t seem right in it’s current state (and don’t tell us you just haven’t had time to get around to it - as you stated, it’s been 2 years…)
Ballast is the last step for this section. I have to add another track bus connection so I haven’t ballasted this spot yet. The track isn’t even glued down here. Just a few track nails in the old cork.
And I really haven’t had time…even with 2 years [:$]
A lot of my available layout time was spent on the G scale layout in the last 2 years. But that layout is finally completed so now I can start again on the HO and maybe the O as well.
Matt,
I guess I missed your post update last month. Your neighborhood looks great! I especially like the look of the end-of-road barriers. I’m sure you’ll continue to develop detailing ideas as time goes on. I wish I could get my plywood pacific looking more like your layout. I keep getting various scenes partially completed only to get distracted by the adjacent bare plywood sections that suddenly look too bare next to the partially completed scene. As long as I keep at it, I’ll eventually fill in enough rough scenery that I’ll finally be able to finish off a scene or two. I didn’t realize when I built my current 10’ by 19’ double deck layout how much time (and money) it would take to add the desired scenery.
I agree, this section looks great
Great looking layout, but at the risk of appearing critical, which I am not trying to be, why did you choose to install such a tight curve instead of running the track around the perimeter of the layout?
Rich
I didn’t. My dad started the layout back in 1973. I’ve been slowly upgrading the layout. But the track plan is pretty much set and can’t change much. But I make do with truck mounted couplers.
ahh, I understand.
No mattter, the layout looks great, and the photos are very pleasing to the eye.
I like it a lot.
Rich
Hi Southwest Chief
All you need now is the orchardist’s house with him sitting on the veranda with a gun loaded with salt pellets…
For when the local kids decide super fresh oranges or strawberries would be nice and jump the fence.
OUCH!! I can still remember those in the back side [:O][:'(]
regards John
Matt,
I like your suburban scene. In the mid to late 50s just about every outer suburban tract house had a TV antenna on the roof, all the better for us kids to see less snowy San Francisco/Oakland broadcasts of Mayor Art and Captain Satellite, but more importantly mom’s Jack LaLanne show. I remember father up on the roof cussing and adjusting the antenna while calling down to us, “is that better, how bout’ that, is that better?”
Each Ticky Tacky house on the street had a city planted tree on the sidewalk blvd. That tree was another source of irritation for dear ol’ dad, he hated trimming it and when it’s roots cracked the sidewalk he got so angry we could have fried eggs on his forehead.
BTW, your Salmon colored automobile with the white top parked in front of the single car garage, what make and model is it?
regards, Peter
That is a Classic Metal Works 1953 Ford Victoria It’s one of their earlier models that had opening hoods.
I have three, the Red (Salmon), a Dark Blue, and a Light Blue Grey. Beautiful model and one of my favorites. Too bad they don’t make this particular model anymore.
I forgot that CMW used to offer models with opening hoods - I remember getting peaved at some of those models’ hoods (was it the 1967 Galaxy? the 1978 Caprice?) not aligning right and just gluing the hoods shut.
So the basic layout cannot be changed - but can you expand it via a shelf or second level? Add a shelf, and maybe model an industrial area of LA/Orange counties? Maybe Bob Smaus has a few items lying around he could send you after he downsized his 1950s Downtown Los Angeles layout…
Matt,
Thanks for the reply, I can see why that Vic. is one of your favorites. Darn, I missed out on those. Saw a couple on eBay, but already sold. Attached photo is my father’s car, photo taken in front of the house we lived in before moving to the suburbs. He doted on that car, gave it a loving bath just about every Saturday. About a hundred yards or less from the front of that Ford was the Southern Pacific mainline, further beyond the Golden Gate Fields Horse racing track.
regards, Peter
Great photo Peter.
To me, the best looking cars were made during early to mid 1950s.
Here’s my 53 Ford Victoria line up:
