Hello all, [8-|]
My name is Jean-François but your can call me Jef. I’m 32 years old. I start model railroading 20 years ago.
I’m french and i have been converted to US N scale modeling 10 years ago. I love the colorfull american railroad.
My layout is, at the beginning, a 6" * 3.3" feet in open grid bench work.
It is representing a small town, witch could be in colorodo on the D&RGW railroad.
Here is some views of the farm :
An old House :
Jef,
Welcome.
Very nice looking farm. I’m jealous, neither my real farm or layout farm look as nice. I especially like the older farm house you have. Reminds me of many I have seen over the years.
Again, welcome and I hope you will share more photos on the forums either on the Weekend Photo Fun (WPF) or Show Me threads or in the Photo Galleries.
Thank you for sharing.
Have fun,
Richard
Wow, those are some great looking pictures!
Welcome Jef,
That is some great looking work ! I’m in Wisconsin, USA, and those farm scenes look just like the south central part of Wisconsin.
Thanks for sharing.
Mike.
Many thank’s guys [:$]
Here is a video showing this area of the farm with a little bit of action. The train is short because i have only 4 car weathered to fit the SD45 …
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfWMoGzaqB0&feature=share&list=UUdiu8Syl5wuLnXd59tBtiqA
Here is a global pictures of the est corner of the layout. I will describe you the layout step by step, if you are agree to see more …[;)]
Jef:
Welcome to the forum! It is always nice to see the efforts of our international colleagues and you have done some very impressive work. I’m always amazed at how well European modelers capture the look and flavor of American railroads from the other side of the pond.
Joe
Thank’s Joe !!
It’s very important for me to have the filling of americans on my work. Wathyou have you said is true, it’s sometimes very difficult to get pictures for inspiration far between the atlantic. I have some books and internet can supply too, but some details fall direct from the imagination. I’m not representing a specific point in US but if my layout should be a little bit realist, it would be better for me !!
Some pictures now of the S. GONZALES Speed Towing & Repair … I think everybody willl see the joke 
Arriv, Ariva, Aie Caramba !! ( i’m a real fan of cartoon’s).
The gas tank, pipes and pumps is scratch built with an european tank car for base :
The traditionnal junk is just behind the building:
The Towing truck is always ready to go … Mr GONZALES has a reputation of rapidiy to keep [;)]
Of course the interior is full of tools and equipements :
More to come … Thank’s
Some views of the Freight Yard,
It is composed of a laser cutted freight depot from AMB and a warehouse fully scratch buit with styrene.
The two buildings are disposed around a concreate area made in plaster carved.
Truck are Ford model from Athearn (Rio grande motor way) and weathered. The D&RGW 48 feet trailler is from deluxe innovation and have been repainted and fitted with micro scale decals. The barriers are gold metal model chain linked. In th e back ground you can see the Farm wind mill. It’s a brass kit from yester years, and it is motorised with a rear rotor of pico Z helicoptere. Roads and rock are plaster handly made. Cars are classic metal models. The blue shed in the back is from BLMA.
The clark is a white metal kit from GHQ . The interior of the warehouse is fully fitted out.
The warehouse construction :
Hello,
Vraiment un beau réseau et ravi de savoir qu’il ya de fin modélistes US dans nos contrées.
US: Really a nice layout and happy to see fine US modelers in our countries.
Marc de Belgique
Bienvenu - Jean-Francois!
And thank you for sharing those pictures of your wonderful layout with us! It is an absolutely smashing example of what can be achieved in N scale today.
I hope to see more of your excellent model work in the future.
Merci Marc !! Thank’s Ulrich. Nice to meet europeen people how enjoy US model railroads !!
Here is a video showing a commuter rolling stock test on the on the Turtle Field division rail.
I love the commuter trains , i’m sad to have not enought time and space to built a sepcial layout on that theme. Should model railrooders have 48 hours per day instead of the regular 24 ? [(-D]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ckcaqPtTp8&list=UUdiu8Syl5wuLnXd59tBtiqA
48 hours is a long time, but if I was just working on my trains I’ll take it!
amazing work!
Wow, nice work. Thank you for sharing. Whenever I see pictures like that I can immediately see elements & detail I can add to my layout (also N). thank you for the inspiration.
Welcome to the forum.
Bonsoir, Monsieur Jean-Francois,
would it be asking too much if you would supply us with some more info on your layout? Things like track plan, type of track used etc.
I think your layout is a great inspiration for all of us!
Thank’s Garry, Terry & Ulrich !!
No problem for the track plan :
The layout is a double 8, used to break the break the oval shape of traditionnal looped layout. Now i’m working on an extention ( two trcks goes to EXT). This extention is named “spirit of Denver” because the inspiration will comme from this city. But it would’nt be a real reproduction … just inspired.
The track on the Turtle Field is Peco code 55 but Spirit of denver will be laid with Altas code 55 track.
Switch are powered by Tortoise motors (Not DCC).
The layout is drived by a NCE DCC system. I use digitrax plug and play decoder.
The structure of the Turtle Field is an open grid in 10mm plywood covered with aluminum grid and plaster bands :
Bubule;
You are a true artist. What you have done is simply incredible. [:)] [wow]
Brian
Many Thank’s Brian !! [:$]
One more pic of the frame work :
Here is a view of the comercial row of Turtle Field :
Some detail’s on Moe’s Tavern buiding, You can drink DUFF at any hour !!! [:P] :
All the station is in curve :
The station is from Bar mills scale models :
Wow! Awesome work!!!
Jean-Francois,
you put us all to shame!
Your layout is an excellent example, that a rather simple layout, in terms of track plan only, can turn into a masterpiece, when executed carefully and with a lot of care for detail!
You pictures should silence all critics of N scale!
[bow][bow][bow]
Many Thank’s !![:$] I can’t say enything after great coment’s like your’s… 
It’s great to see that my work can be pleasant for some model railroader’s !!
Some more pics, Now you arrive in nature behind the mountain at the back of the town (witch is used as scénics divisor) Wild vegetation and rock kingdom !!
The rock’s are handly carved and in plaster, no mold’s on this pictures. Broad-leaved tree are all scratch built with electrical wires, putty, aquarium fiber and woodland turf.
The montain hide the town just behind to creat another atmosphere:
And small videos tha showthis area :