3’ corners

The NEONS modules are kept at our sponsor’s train store.  Some of them are kept in our storage racks and a few are set up as a small layout at the store so that members always have a place to run trains.  Any time we took out layout to a show we had to tear down the store layout and prepare those modules for transport.

When our sponsor, Challenger N-Scale Hobbies, moved to its current location, there wasn’t as much room for a layout as there had been in the old location.   After much deliberation we decided that we should permanently assign some modules to the store layout.  These modules would be “retired” and would no longer be transported to shows.  Four of our oldest modules that were becoming a bit fragile due to their age were chosen.  Since we only had four corner modules, all four footers, we chose to build a set of four 3’ corners that would remain with the store layout.  Because they would not be travelling, these four modules had permanent legs rather than fold-up legs.  With 3’ corners, the layout automatically became 2’ narrower and 2’ shorter than it was when we used our 4’ corners.  Now our 6’ x 14’ permanent layout consists of the three foot corners and the four retired modules.

Each of the new corners has long radius turns (27” radius on the red line) and minimal scenery.  In fact, for a couple of years they were pink plywood plains.  Eventually we did scenic three of the modules.

Arroyo – An arroyo is a deep, dry creek bed that is common in the southwest.  Semi-arid climates are prone to having short-lived but heavy downpours that run off rather than soak in to the soil.  The runoff causes erosion that cuts a ravine into the ground.  In this scene, an arroyo meanders from the rear of the module, under the tracks, and on out toward lower ground.  A lone coyote bays at the moon from a dune.

Stallions – As a school art project, the daughter of one of our members built a diorama with horses in a pasture on a one-foot square piece of ¾” foam board.  It had been sitting at the store for several years gathering dust.  So, we decided to cut a one foot square hole in the bare foam of one corner, drop in the diorama and blend it in.  It looks great!  We do need to extend the pasture fence to complete the scene.  Maybe someday that will happen.

Mounds – One day a club member was grousing about the unfinished corners.  It was quickly suggested that he turn his attention from talk to action!  So, with the aid of a hand rasp, a few strokes here and there, the surface was sculptured so that it had a bit of relief to it.  He then sprinkled on some ground cover, added some trees and presto, we now have module with scenery.

Mainard Selbe Pointe – One of our long time members passed on a few years ago.  In his memory a caricature bust was sculptured and placed on one of our modules.  (The member isn’t named Mainard Selbe,).  We received a lot of questions about it at shows, and eventually decided that it would be better if the bust was displayed on the permanent layout at the store.  We built a rock outcrop with the intention of doing the bust in a Mount Rushmore style presentation, and that’s as far as we got.  The mountain was built of layers of blue and pink foam, carved, but never painted.  One day a customer brought his young daughter with him to the train store.  The little girl said “Oh, Daddy, look at the ice cream mountain!”  Soon thereafter the mountain was painted, awaiting ground cover and finishing touches.  And that’s where it stands today.  It isn’t completed yet, and there is now a betting pool on when, if ever, the module will be finished.

Arroyo

Mainard Selbe Pointe

Mounds

Stallions 1

Stallions 2

An arroyo is a deep, dry creek bed that is common in the southwest.  Semi-arid climates are prone to having short-lived but heavy downpours that run off rather than soak in to the soil.  The runoff causes erosion that cuts a ravine into the ground.  In this scene, an arroyo meanders from the rear of the module, under the tracks, and on out toward lower ground.  A lone coyote bays at the moon from a dune.

One of our long time members passed on a few years ago. In his memory a caricature bust was sculptured and placed on one of our modules. (The member isn’t named Mainard Selbe,). We received a lot of questions about it at shows, and eventually decided that it would be better if the bust was displayed on the permanent layout at the store. We built a rock outcrop with the intention of doing the bust in a Mount Rushmore style presentation, and that’s as far as we got. The mountain was built of layers of blue and pink foam, carved, but never painted. One day a customer brought his young daughter with him to the train store. The little girl said “Oh, Daddy, look at the ice cream mountain!” Soon thereafter the mountain was painted, awaiting ground cover and finishing touches. And that’s where it stands today. It isn’t completed yet, and there is now a betting pool on when, if ever, the module will be finished

– One day a club member was grousing about the unfinished corners. It was quickly suggested that he turn his attention from talk to action! So, with the aid of a hand rasp, a few strokes here and there, the surface was sculptured so that it had a bit of relief to it. He then sprinkled on some ground cover, added some trees and presto, we now have module with scenery.

As a school art project, the daughter of one of our members built a diorama with horses in a pasture on a one-foot square piece of ¾” foam board. It had been sitting at the store for several years gathering dust. So, we decided to cut a one foot square hole in the bare foam of one corner, drop in the diorama and blend it in. It looks great! We do need to extend the pasture fence to complete the scene. Maybe someday that will happen.

As a school art project, the daughter of one of our members built a diorama with horses in a pasture on a one-foot square piece of ¾” foam board. It had been sitting at the store for several years gathering dust. So, we decided to cut a one foot square hole in the bare foam of one corner, drop in the diorama and blend it in. It looks great! We do need to extend the pasture fence to complete the scene. Maybe someday that will happen.

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Arroyo

An arroyo is a deep, dry creek bed that is common in the southwest.  Semi-arid climates are prone to having short-lived but heavy downpours that run off rather than soak in to the soil.  The runoff causes erosion that cuts a ravine into the ground.  In this scene, an arroyo meanders from the rear of the module, under the tracks, and on out toward lower ground.  A lone coyote bays at the moon from a dune.