I got back into model railroading after a 35 year break about 8 years ago when I retired the first time. I was well into the dream, design and buy stuff phase when I let them talk me into going back to work for a few years and for three years I basically just dreamed about a layout and bought things. I built some models.
I chose Centralia because it's close to where I live so in 30 minutes I can visit what's left of the huge railroad operation that was once there. It was served by 4 railroads, the IC who had a huge operation there, a 48 stall round house and a large car shop where they built rolling stock for themselves and other railroads. The CB&Q who had a large yard, the Southern who went through town and the Missouri and Illinois a MOPAC subsidiary. All four railroads ran next to each other through the center of town with the Mike and Ike using IC trackage. I can run IC and CB&Q steam and first generation diesels and Southern and M&I diesels and both the CB&Q and M&I used motorcars for their passenger service to Centralia.
There was a lot of industry in Centralia then. Two wholesale grocers, 3 lumber yards that were served by rail, Hollywood Brands Candy Company, a petroleum transload terminal where oil from the wells in the area was loaded onto tank cars and several oil field supply and fabrication companies. The IC, CB&Q and M&I all had passenger and freight depots in town at that time.
I have a 30' x 40' building on my property with a concrete floor at will be finished on the inside with heat and AC this Spring. I have designed the layout using the TOMA method and I started working on the first modules this past year. I will move it out of the basement and into the building when the interior of the building is finished.
The first two modules 6' x 4' and 6' x 4' tapering to 1' make up an industrial area where the Illinois Central freight house and three small industries Kohl and Meyer Wholesale grocers, CA Glore Lumber Company and a Central Illinois Public Service ice plant are located. There is also an IC boiler plant that provided steam heat for the IC passenger depot, the IC freight house and 3 short coach yard tracks where coaches were spotted waiting on connections with other trains.
I used a 1949 IC track chart and property map (Centralia, like many of the towns on the IC mainline was laid out by the railroad and the railroad at one time owned most of the land in town.) and a 1938 Sanborn Insurance map. I started with a full size cardboard mock up seen here in my family room.
After I negotiated an agreement to use some space in the unfinished portion of the basement, I started construction of the first two modules. 1x4 open grid bench work with 5/8" plywood and 2 sheets of 1 inch (I was unable to buy 2" in this area) foam on top.
The track was laid, wired, tested and painted. I painted the foam with a latex flat tan and am in the process of laying down the streets and concrete pad areas. I am using 2mm black craft foam. The concrete in this area has a tan tint to it. I modeled this by spraying the craft foam that models concrete with Rustoleum light gray auto primer and then using a wash of thinned tan latex. I started to use Tamiya deck tan but at $5.98 a bottle I thought I'd try the latex paint. I applied the tan with a sponge and I'm satisfied with how it looks. It does look better in person then in the photos.
I'm not as happy with the as[halt. I used progressively lighter grays on the black foam and I think it's too light. Going to try a darker wash to see if I can tone it down.
Prototype photos and track plans of the area:
SO far the research has been fun but frustrating. I am amazed at how much information isn't available about things a mere 60 years ago. I've got the area bracketed in photos. I have a lot from before 1955 and a lot after, but not many in 1955. This has resulted in some guesswork in what to model.
I hope to update this blog with photos and descriptions as it comes together.
