Excellent write-up ...

... about an exceptional module.  Thanks M.C. Fujiwara for the valuable insight into not only the 'hows', but also the 'whys' of the various scenery elements that make up this fascinating scene.  A very good read, l learned lots.  

Superb, M. C.

You have definitely set the standard for modules.

Thanks for the tips.

Nicely done

Nicely done

What an artist

I would have given 11 stars, but the system is down.  I plan to take your expertise and put it to use on my HO.  Thank you in advance.  Joel/Berlin

Great article...

and I like how you make your trees and your manual switch control.

Good story, excellent pictures!

EXCELLENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Awesome article.  I have been researching the different techniques on building modules and attempting to incorporate these into the modules I plan to build. I really like the leveling system you have use with the leg levelers from 'Rockler Woodworking'. I also like your way that you make your trees. Five star article!!!!      

shoofly

Great read,even if a rewrite of old info. Has MRH ever contacted M.C.about joining the staff? Are you not looking for an N.scale writer? He is very easy to read and could present new info each time.

john

Yes, he would be a very good choice ...

... provided he is willing and has the time.  

As always, excellent

Thanks

Thanks for all the kind words, and I 'm glad people find the article a very useful article.
(Sounds a bit Thomas the Tank Engine-ish there )

John: some skill steps and "process" photos are revisited for this article (I always seem to share "too much" in my forum blogs  ), but I've been saving the sunlit "au natural" photos and concise step-by-step "how to" specifically for this article.

Joe F. and Don H. are modeler writer's editors: quality minds and hearts that will work with you to make your article better without the editorial eraser of other publications.  (And, personally, I think the online photos & text look crisper and clearer than print.)   I wish I had the opportunity/time/resources to be able to contribute to MRH every month (is there bunk space under the Siskiyou Line? ) but the current family/work situation forces me away from the workbench.  The few hours I have to model are now focused on helping a fellow MRR get his geared steam in gear for him and his grandkids.

I hope one day to be able to devote most of my day to building a quality model railroad and using that as an opportunity to helping other through articles, photos and videos.  One day!

If anyone is around the San Francisco Bay Area the weekend before American Thanksgiving, then please feel free to come by the Great Train Expo at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, CA on November 23 & 24.

In addition to a choad-load of layouts from G to Z, our Silicon Valley Free-moN anarcho-collective will have a layout of at least 200'-250' of mainline running, including the "Shoo-fly in Sonoma" module featured in this article:

[As every post should include a photo of actual modeling... ]

Thanks again for all your feedback on the article.

Excellent as always

Another great piece of modelling, MC. There is plenty in the article for everyone, no matter what scale or prototype is modelled.

Tony in Victoria, Australia

This Answers So Many Questions

I'm a starting N scaler using Free-moN to minimize the costs of the newbie mistakes that I will make.  Thanks for showing how you made a module and letting us hear from the voice of experience.  Seeing how to do the legs, rail joints and storage answers my biggest questions for working with the standard.  

I do have a new question, how does the crane get there?  Or on the other side of the river?

ABout M.C.'s comment

M.C.: You have already "been there, done that" - all I have seen from you is quality and in volume.

This article is much more than about a "shoofly" - the shoofly is just a focal point.

throughly enjoyable

also like the way you did the oak trees.

bill d

Thanks,nice one.

Thanks,nice one.

Thanks

Thanks for the kind words.
I'm just trying to spread the Gospel of Free-moN

Speaking of which, I'm just about to unbolt all the seats in my car (save the drivers!), load it up with modules and legs and haul it down to the Alameda County Fairgrounds to set up for the Great Train Expo this weekend.

So if you're in the San Francisco Bay Area over the next few days, come on down!
Always happy to meet fellow forum friends!

Shoofly - an any-scale idea

What a super article!  It was detailed yet not tedious.  It was filled with

useful information that those of us working in other scales can apply.

And it was fun to read as well.  I wish that other modelers-authors

would spend as much detailed prep-time on their articles. Thanks

Mr. Fujiwara.

Free-moN & Shoofly in Action!

During Free-moN shows I always try to take video to show progress both on our individual modules and as a group layout as a whole.

We had a great layout this past weekend at the Great Train Expo show in Pleasanton, CA, with a good balance of single-track and passing-siding sections to allow a lot of trains to run continually, with some member even getting some local switching in.

One member brought a Looxcie camera rubberbanded to a flat car that got pushed around the layout, so I was able to splice in some POV footage with my own.

I already posted this on my own Free-moN: At Home And Away thread, but thought I should add (for posterity) the video here as it shows both the Shoofly module "in action" as well as the Free-moN layout in total as well.

Enjoy!

And thanks for looking.

and thanks for sharing!

Well done and very informative.

Had I not read the article I'd never know what a shoofly was or that it was an actual railroading term.  Thank you.

Nice video, MC

The train enters the shoo fly scene about 4:12 into the video.

I love your stuff

Can't get enough of your great modeling M.C. Love that video, more, more!

Shoo-Fly

Excellent job on the Shoo-fly. In my career as an engineer I operated over a Shoo-Fly. It makes for a very interesting operation in both 12"=1' scale and 1:87.