As well as things seem to be going with this P87 experiment. It is still very apparent that the whole thing is floating around in some sort of limbo for I have no concept for the layout. I've thrown a few ideas out there in the hope that one of them might stick, but all to no avail. I know that it would be a mistake to copy Wingetts recycling in P87. Why would I need two of the same layout?
The layout will likely be used as a demonstration piece for the Micro layout workshops over at Lakeside hobby so it needs to be simple. You might well question the wisdom of using P87 for this purpose. But the workshop is all about techniques and ideas so what scale I make the model in is immaterial. Besides it will be an education to most to learn that Ho scale is not the be all and end all.
So a simple test track, easily transportable. About 4-5' long that isn't Wingetts recycling.
The inglenook style trackplan has been proven time and time again to produce interesting layouts in a small space.
So an inglenook track plan then as a basis. How to treat the plan to produce something interesting is the quandary.
Wingetts taught me that if you can create a story with the action on the layout people will get interested and watch. The story on Wingetts was the scrapping of wagons. Though we never saw what hapenned. The actions around lead the story to form in the imagination of the watcher.
So I need to tell a story too.
What about an Oil depot as a subject? No story there. Tankers arrive, tankers depart, ad infinitum. Model railway equivalent of the music of Phillip Glass...
Warehouse? Much the same situation. Plenty of variety of you like box cars though. But no story.
Independent Locomotive works? Better. Battered, broken down and dirty locos arrive. Nice clean repaired ones depart. Great if you've got lots of model locomotives. I do have lots of loco's but I'd have to re-wheel them all for P87 to be effective.
A Sawmill? Ooooh hang on a bit, this might be it. Here's a modellable story Logging line brings lumber down to Sawmill where it is processed into various wood products. To later leave the mill on Centerbeam cars, Bulkhead flats even in Boxcars too. Could even have wood chips loaded somehow. This I like. I've long been fascinated by logging lines. The more modern ones in particular. I like to see pictures of logging line switchers that have airtanks and dynamic brake housings added to them.
So I may well have talked myself into some kind of logging line scene. I have no problems with that at all.
Now all I have to do is find some inspirational imagery. I know of some very inspirational video of the Hull-Oakes sawmill in Oregon you can find that at the Dawson Station blog along with other interesting photos.
So I could be onto something here. We'll see.
I hope you enjoyed this ramble through my scheming mind.
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