I visited my friend Pierre Oliver yesterday, and the two of us spent a productive few hours working on Pierre’s HO scale Wabash layout. We accomplished several things that are easier to do with two sets of hands – including determining the locations for his fast clock system and installing the first of several Train Order signals – this one, at Jarvis, Ontario:
(Compare these two photos – in the first, this eastbound caboose hop has Form 19 orders waiting for it. In the second, the caboose hop has a clear board, while Form 19 orders are waiting for the next westbound train. Click on either photo to visit Pierre’s blog)
The station was built by our mutual friend, the late Richard Chrysler, for the HO scale CNR Hagersville Sub layout Rich was building with his son Geoff Chrysler. That layout was dismantled earlier this year after an extensive photo shoot, and Geoff generously donated the Jarvis station to Pierre for his Wabash layout:
(In this photo, you can see a CNR caboose in staging to the right of the station – that’s the same CNR line that trains on my layout would travel to head to Hamilton)
Click on the blades in the photo below to read Pierre’s report about installing the working train order signal, and about the fast clock system:
Pierre was having trouble getting his static grass to stand up straight and – knowing that I have had some success with this – he asked me to try my hand at it. It annoyed him to no end that I was able to produce a field of long grass outside Jarvis, using exactly the same techniques that failed to work for him:
Maybe I’m a natural Scenic Artist? More likely, I just got lucky. It was fun, nonetheless…
Another reason for the visit was so that I could deliver the five HO scale tobacco kilns I built for Pierre, which will sit near the track between Courtland and Delhi. Click on either photo below to read Pierre’s report on that:
Thanks, Pierre, for a great day out! It was even worth the extra hour it took to get home because of traffic, and I look forward to our next session – at your place, or mine!
Nicely organised train room – including a radio/cd player by the looks of it! Is it always that tidy?
In some of the photos, the train order signal seems to lean a bit. Is that an effect of the camera lens?
Hi Simon:
I would say no. Pierre – like so many great modellers – works at a blistering pace and produces lovely work, then has to step back and clean up so he can move again. I suffer from the same problem – without the talent that goes with it.
The train order signal may be leaning. We were focussed on getting the mechanical bits and pieces working properly. The signal is pinned in place with three spikes, secured with CA, but may need additional gluing. Before that happens, though, we’ll need to check it for plumb with a square.
Cheers!
In truth Trevor was very selective as to what parts of the layout room were shown.
The room also serves as the shipping centre for both of my businesses and holds many of the kits and other projects clients have sent me.
I like to refer to it as a semi-permanent state of chaos!