I know there are some guys who model exactly 4:13PM August 9, 1954, and will even have the tiny newspapers in the scene showing the date. And all details exact. But I enjoy the other end. So Tony Koester, go in the other room for a moment…
I hope many of you remember Walthers’ Piker and Oscar passenger cars. One three axle truck with a tiny short Pullman or coach car atop. I always wanted them. I think they are really cool, myself. And while it was 60 years ago now, I could swear I had an old wooden era shorty coach, maybe with drawbars, but if I recall, maybe 40 foot tops. So cartoon charicature sort of stuff, tongue in cheek, but realisticly done.
I lacked, and still lack, the skills, but I always wanted to build a locomotive. It would be a single four wheel truck with a GP7 cab and short hood on top. I suppose it would be OK to make one with a six wheel truck and an SD7 cab. Where inside it an engine might go, who cares? I recall back in that era “featherbedding” was in the news a lot. That was born of the RR unions wanting to preserve jobs, and the railroads claiming that meant unnecessary crew people. Not taking sides here. But my warped sensibility envisioned one of these things as a extra cab for the extra crew members. But I also thought it would be cute pulling a few single truck cars - passenger or freight.
Does anyone else get ideas like that, or do I need therapy? I know some avoid joke scenes on their layouts, claiming once seen, they get old on you. But I like them. Even semi-jokes, like a burning building, with a movie crew filming. Or a T-rex chasing people down the street, and a film crew to the side. With maybe a “real” Trex about to eat the film crew. Ah, maybe that is a bit much. But today there are so many possibilities. I know there are layouts out there with real movies playing on drive-in screens.
I believe you should do what ever, however, to get the enjoyment you seek.
It’s a hobby,aint no rules.
‘‘Whimsical’’ ? I use a pretty wide brush for prototypical modeling, but it has to be believeable. But I stop befor I hit whimsical. I know its a pretend RR in a pretend town, but ‘‘I’’ need it to look real.
You should try to build thouse locos,worst thing that can happen is you end up tossing it
On a recent section I built at the club I did a office building with Dewey Cheatham and Howe attorneys, Monet, Gruber and Steele Accountants and Marvin Acme Novelty Company- (With a stack of portable holes barely visible in the window) The building is far enough back that a lot of people miss it. I also put the Grumobile from Despicable Me (Kinda hidden by a truck) near a bank with an armored car- now to come up with some minions…
I think as far as I am going to go is have various businesses to somehow tie to family members, even though it’s not the correct area that I am modeling. Such as, when they first came out with it, I got the Walt’s Cafe kit for my Uncle who never turned down a good meal. I’ve often joked about it, but I am pretty sure I will have a laaw firm on my layout. Just not Deqey, Cheatham, and Howe. No, mine will be Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, and Howe. Might have to have a Peart & Squire Music Store, too.
The family ones, only family will get. Some of the others - I know some people will get it.
That’s what I do. For example, my wife, an avid(rabid?) reader has a bookstore in one town named for her. That sort of thing. I don’t have anything against someone putting something whimsical on their layout. Wizard of Oz characters tucked away in a park, or the Bailey Building and Loan from “It’s a Wonderful Life” are fun, in moderation. I’ve often thought it would be neat for someone to build a fanciful layout of steam-punk looking locomotives, run by goblins, hauling gold and silver ore in a dark, half dead world of other fanciful beings. Would make a fun halloween layout article for MR. I don’t have the supplies or talent to pull that off though. Kevin?
As a die hard Star Trek fan I have to know, where did you get that car? Or did you make it yourself? Either way that is really cool. I have decal paper for inkjet printers, so I might just have to make one.[swg]
Many visitors to my layout are not into trains. To get them more interested in the layout, I have LOTS of funny business names on my structures. It is very common that once one of these visitors spots a funny business name, they continue to look for others. Most people completely miss my Binford Tools store, though!
I also lettered a couple of Accurail Data Only boxcars for the Anahiem, Azusa and Cucamonga. However, I find that the train people like these cars more than the others.
My younger daughter is a lawyer and has kept her own name so I have a lawyers office with her and my son in laws name with “Partners in Crime” as the slogan in a row of low relief backdrop buildings on a British themed exhibiton layout I built. It is alongside the “Swinging Arms Hotel” and the “Miracle Furniture Shop” (if it stays together, its a Miracle)
[1] The subject of an old engineering joke being shipped to the home base of the Venture Brothers of late-night cartoon fame. As a recipient for unusual shipments, Venture Industries has a truly mind-boggling number of possibilities.
[2] A prog rock gag.
[3] Oblig. Sir Terry Pratchett ref., though I ended up placing Ankh-Morpork in New Jersey for routing purposes.
I recall that the original Caboose Hobbies in Denver had a modest display layout under plexiglass. Under close inspection, you might notice a chimp walking across a rooftop and leaving tracks from spilled red paint, while another was walking through wet cement, and so on. If you continued looking, you’d find the zoo van they escaped from after an accident popped open the rear doors. Subtle, clever and plausible!
" I always wanted to build a locomotive. It would be a single four wheel truck with a GP7 cab and short hood on top. I suppose it would be OK to make one with a six wheel truck and an SD7 cab. "
I saw a prototype for this. Larry’s Truck and Electric was scrapping some SD EMD’s at Lordstown, Ohio. One unit was cut off right behind the cab leaving the cab and low nose sitting on a three axle truck.
Just change the routing for that load of brakes to Squire, WV (it’s a real place) and you’ve got them all. Or two alternate locations - there are several towns in the US named Howe.
Really they missed that from Home Improvement, man I sometimes miss that show.
I’m planning on adding Scooby-Doo characters in various locations, but not showing the van. Adding an advertisement for The Vic**ki Vale Show from Batman Arkham games.
