PHOTO JOURNAL

The bench work. Simple yet sturdy with Tile lats 15mm x 35mm. Screwed together with Dry Wall screws. It just took me a few days to assemble.

Roadbed 5mm Plywood. Next came the Polystyrene and Latex foam for the first tunnel

We're getting more serious now and get our hands dirty with dry wall filler plaster and some kind of Zip Texturing with building color powders.

Following a start making scenic stuff with saw dust; milled and colored latex foam etc.

By the end of April 2018 trains were 'test' rolling and the Railroad takes shape

Exercises in landscaping.

Building bridges of all sorts.

And more rock faces. Carving and modeling the latex foam and zip texturing....

It takes shape and there sprouts some vegetation.

And here we are today:

See the Car Float to UMAUMA ?

 Hi Niel - remember ? We can start shipping soon...

The wharf at Freddy Port is taking shape too.

With regards to the inspiration found by master builders like TROELS KIRK - Coastal RR and the real "Peggy's Cove" - Nova Scotia. All is 'home build' mostly with balsa & paper and watercolors.

And some pano views to end this first update...

To conclude: It was and is a real joy to work on this project and the progress speaks for itself. I like to thank all of you as a continuous source of inspiration, idea's and information. MRH is GREAT and I'm happy to share The AnneliesVille with you !

I'm looking forward to read your comments and I'll be happy to answer your questions and remarks that are most welcome.

Happy Model Railroading !

Filip

Nice trackplan, Filip

You really got a lot done in a year. I especially like the water features.

Lighters

Filip:

We will have to carrier the cargo via “lighters” to shore until the new pier is completed. Please have the captain signal for a pilot when entering the harbor to a safe mooring. Thank you for you understanding and cooperation. 

The layout is coming along! Well done! Tres bien!

Bonjour Hans,

Most of the time I will operate this layout solo so keeping things simple was a parameter as well as being able to oversee things. So no helix, no long tunnels.

As a boy we often spend holidays with the family at the seaside (in Belgium) and I remember the 'buzzing atmosphere' in the Fisherman villages. Colorful boats, the smell of fish and tar, hard working men smoking the pipe... It's all gone to be replaced by 'industry' of more and more without character nor soul. To capture the 'drama' on a layout is little effort but ever so pleasant as you know. Soon I hope to build these paper boats:

Thanks for your nice comments Hans !

Happy model Railroading - Cheers - Filip

Umauma car float and lighters...

Hi Neil, Thanks for a good laugh ! I'll inform the Captain to double the watch !

But no hurry, the Ferry still needs to be build. Sketches are on the drawing board...

What do you think ?

All the best & happy Railroading - cheers - Filip

Ship

I have build severals ship formy layout and some will be build in a near future.

The most difficult parts to build in a ship is the hull to give her convincing form.

When the ship where in the steam area, many have the stern with round form and the bow quiet straigt without curves.

If the bow is quiet easy to do the stern is more complicated.

I have scratchbuild some of the hull from wood and other from styrene, but always the stern is not an easy task and it's time consuming, a lot of sanding, coumpound  to obtain a good look.

There are not a lot of ship which are offered in HO and in N scale for a ready use.

So kitbash or scratchbuild is the only issue for the most.

Kitbash is an easy way, if you buy a model with a suitable hull; since these models are in styrene, build up the structures on the hull is really doable.

Many hulls can be used, from the Linbergh line, Heller line, Trumpeter; all these lines offer big models with big hulls which can be easily adapted.

Many of these models are offered on EBay at bargain price if you made a good research.

Hull of the steam area are quiet straight, so it's easy to cut down a hull or lengthened it.

Many Heller models of huge sailboat offer hull which are suitable for HO and N scale; they just need some work on the bow, but the stern is ok for the steam area.

Time to time on EBay appears an old Frog model named the "Shell Welder"; Its a perfect base to go from a small cargo to a big one with an easy kitbash

I would also mention a Netherlands models company which offer exquisite ship  in HO and N scale :

https://www.artitecshop.com/en/

This is a US company which offer HO models but also part for building structures of ship in HO and N scale:

http://seaportmodelworks.com/boat-model-kits-waterline-c-146_23.html

And of course Sylvan models   

Paddlewheel?

This months Gazette features a layout with a neat ferry. I took this pick in the sun so a bit hard to see. 

Bonjour Filip

Your waterfront and ferry slip are features that I would have liked to incorporate into my model railroad if I had the space for an ore dock. Your theme of a French fishing village sounds really cool. It just so happens that I live in a fishing village on the shore of Lake Michigan which was settled by the Acadian French from Canada in the early 1800s. There is still an active commercial fishing fleet owned by the descendants of the original Acadians. The phone book has many names like Lesperance, LeClair, and Rocheleau.

I'm looking forward to more updates!  

Ships

I recently posted a link to the Hagley Museum and Library that had added a lot of photos from the Harlan & Holingsworth collection, they were a shipbuilder in Wilmington, DE.  If you want some ideas on what different ships looked like in the early 1900's, there are ideas there.

 Here's a lighter that could be made from a commercial tugboat, with the hull extended and a stiff leg derrick added:

@Marc - Ship

Thanks Marc for this wealth of information. I know about Artitec and visited their website.

In heart I'm a DIY'r and like to build things. I'll check out the references you mention and have a look on ebay too for the "Shell Welder" seems an interesting ship.

Many thanks and Happy Model Railroading - Cheers - Filip

@Neil - Paddlewheel

Thanks for sharing Neil. This Paddle reminds me of Paul Scoles ship - looks similar.

Interesting idea even modeling the mid fifty's on The AnneliesVille & Nav.Co. A 'heritage steamer' perhaps...

Cheers - Filip

 PAUL SCOLES - G.T. CREY Paddlewheeler

@Hans - Acadians

Thanks for the link to the Acadian French. I live not far from a Acadian settlement here in France. Some came back to France after been driven out by the British. They had no place to go and the French government of the time didn't care. But a rich nobleman let them build new very modest homes on his property and in return they worked for him. This is a museum today.

The wharf on the AnneliesVille is rather a mix of buildings inspired from different places. But your info triggers my imagination so I'll check this out. Amazing how we delve into history building a layout. So many aspects come to 'life'.

Many thanks and happy Railroading - Cheers - Filip

@Dave - ships

Thanks for posting this information Dave. Most welcome ! The choices become like the colors of the rainbow. I'll have a look at the 'Hagley Museum Collection'. And sure I can also find idea's for the year 1955 I'm modeling on the AnneliesVille & Nav. Co.

Thanks again for the link & happy railroading - Cheers - Filip

Wow

Filip, You have made a lot of progress.  Great job.  Your benchwork looks really good.  The trackplan is coming to life.  Have fun building your layout.

Best wishes,

John

Progress

Thanks John ! It's a pleasure to work on the layout and see it coming to life.

Still a lot to do but running some trains is fun already. More to come...

Happy model railroading too. Filip

For information

These two ship models are excellent start to be kitbashed.

The Meng model is a magnificient kit at a scale of 1/150 suitable for HO and course better to N scale.

The cargo is the old "Shell Welder" of FROG; find on eBay and reoffer by a russian plastic model firm.

The Meng model is offer in a beautiful box and the instruction are offered in a real small book.

Both can be find easily on EBay.

The Frog model is  from EBay, 22$ plus shipping.

The Meng model is also on EBay, but mine was bought one week ago at the Intermodelbau toy fair in Dortmund at a bargain price.

Here are pictures of the models and followed by an heavily  modified "Shell Welder"

@ Marc

Thanks for the info Marc !

I'll have a closer look.

Cheers, Filip

Working on a scene

Some tree 'bashing' experiments to compose a scene.

This job is far from finished, and the quality of the photos not top with flash light - but tell me...

Happy railroading, Filip

Nova Scotia inspired scene

I saw your reference to Nova Scotia's coves. It really is a very picturesque place. I've visited a friend's summer home there in Lunenburg several times, and explored some of the surrounding coves. 

I also visited a model railroad museum/layout there in Lunenburg that recounted the railroad system that once served that area. I believe I may have even posted that on this forum at one time.

Great layout you have there, and I envy your quick building

 

@Brian

Thanks for the info Brian and your appreciation !

To build quick I just keep things KIS(S) = keep it simple (but not stupid). My goal is to get the landscape done and work on the details later. This makes 'operations' more pleasant and enjoyable.

Bon courage with your Railroad too !

All the best, Filip

Track additions

Added a track in AnneliesVille that can serve the shunting towards the staying tracks and also locate an industry.

The set up configuration for the Turntable at AnneliesVille. The mock up is a Dapol kit (UK made). left of photo.

An additional track right side at the staging in Florimont to locate an Industry.

So that's the progress up to this date. Upcoming is ballasting the tracks and to continue on the scenery & landscaping.

Greetings from The AnneliesVille RR.

Filip

Update 28 Mai

I've been working on the bridges at the P. Scoles bend. 

The plate girder is a Wills kit and the concrete arch bridge I made out of Extruded Polystyrene and painted with acrylics.

The weathering needs some extra attention I guess...

Happy railroading.

filip

New Update..

COMING SOON...

Made some advancement and just need to take some pic's.

Hang on...

Filip

New Photo Update

As promised a photo update on the latest progress, Mainly the work on the Peninsula.

Many details still have to be added but it looks more like a model railroad and running a train becomes even more pleasant.

Please click on the pic the view in full size & enjoy.

The sunset freight special heading to Freddy Port.

Comments and advice are always welcome.

Greetings, Filip