Has Pelle Soeborg changed layouts?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I noticed in the preview for the August MR a picture for his article on building roads… And there’s a US30 road sign, which makes it somewhere other than California…and a downtown building at the left that does not look like the Mojave CA themes in the past.

?

2

Pelle replaced the California layout with one that has a midwest theme.

3

US 30 is/was a transcontinental highway ending at the boardwalk in Atlantic City New Jersey in the east and i am guessing Oakland or San Francisco in the west. Have a hard time accepting it didn’t cross California but will stand corrected if wrong

4

Goes to Oregon so stand corrected.

5

Oh well. One thing I liked about Pelle’s features were the western desert themes which I am partial to, but I can appreciate his talent and professionalism too!

Of course with Rob’s I get three bonus’s in one, western desert-like theme, 70’s time frame and similar freight trains that the D&RGW also pulled as well; as I recall, while the WP was a friendly connection to the D&RGW, they handed off freight trains to each other so much of what one road hauled, so did the other - much was bridge traffic. So I enjoy seeing photo’s of Rob’s naturally - triple play!

6

Almost all I need to know about US 30: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_30

7

Pelle’s new layout is indeed based in corn country, rather than the desert. You’ll get your first good look at it in our August issue.

8

Before I80 US 30 paralleled the UP main all the way across Nebraska. Great road to watch trains

9

So long, Daneville Division… we hardly knew ya! [sigh]

I’ll miss Pelle’s southwest modeling, but look forward to seeing his new work.

10

I’m sure it was a “culture shock” for him to drop the Mojave theme and switch to the Midwest. He always did such a fine job on the desert landscaping and such - can’t hardly wait for his techniques on modeling the heartland! I’m betting there will be an impressively large cornfield somewhere. It’ll be something to see green grass instead of brown earth, leafy trees instead of Joshuas, and creeks and streams instead of dry river beds!