Layouts! Every layout has something about it the owner does well or distinctively, and for the Layout Design SIG layout tour, I find this to be especially true.  I'm delighted to report that for the Wednesday LD SIG layout tours here at the 2008 NMRA National Convention in Anahiem, this remains as true as ever!

Mike Kresen's HO freelanced western Pennsylvania layout

 We carpooled with Rob Hinkle driving (who as it turned out, has already been to some of the layouts on previous nights as a guest operator - so he drove right to them). We departed the hotel just after 10 am to begin our trek. We stopped first at Mike Kresen's HO scale steam-diesel era freelanced western Pennsylvania layout set in the early 1950s.

The fully scenicked 14x20' layout immediately impressed me - with the level of detail being well above average - although Mike claimed the layout needed still more details (what layout couldn't use more detailing work?)

For instance, the details in the central city scene really dazzled me and caught my eye. I've included a scene here on the left (click the image to enlarge). Notice the realistic street lights, the building billboard light, and the animated neon dental supply sign that plays through a realistic sequence of squeezing the toothpaste out onto the brush. And that wasn't all - Mike also included traffic signals that change, a spinning barber shop pole, and other realistic eye candy. Very nicely done, Mike!

Mark Lestico's N scale UP Cascade Subdivision

 Later on in the morning, we made it to Mark Lestico's N scale UP Cascade Subdivision - a prototype area somewhat near to my heart since it's the SP mainline route that relegated the Siskiyou Line (the area I model) to secondary main status. I have a fondness for other Oregon rail lines, and Mark's done a fantastic job with his N scale depiction of the prototype.

Mark's been diligent to post updates on the LD SIG wiki for his layout, including perhaps 100 photos of the layout under construction. Mark's layout follows many LD SIG best practices - the layout uses a linear walkaround design with minimal duck-unders.

Mark has placed the layout shelves nice and high off the floor at about chest height, which shows off N scale quite nicely. The layout shelves are narrow (24 inches or less), with everything within easy reaching distance.

Working on and operating Mark's state-of-the-art layout should be a total pleasure! Not only has Mark done his homework on layout design best practices, he's completed the layout and room to a very high degree of finish. By the way, that's Mark standing in the photo on the left, and that's none other than Tony Koester coming around the penninsula on the right to congratulate Mark on a layout design and construction job well done! (Click photo to enlarge.)
 

Slim Gauge Guild

After lunch, we made it over to the Slim Gauge Guild's Sn3 and HOn3 narrow gauge Colorado layouts. Consistent with the Guild's reputation, I found the layout scenery to be simply stunning! I especially liked their Gallagher  Loop scene - they cleverly painted a fully detailed backdrop scene on the wall across the aisle behind the actual modeled HOn3 scene. This extra touch adds greatly to the drama of the scene, and adds literal miles of depth. Far more effective than a plain wall!

Just by looking at the photo on the left, you can see how effectively the rear wall backdrop extends and adds to the scene! (Click photo to enlarge.)

As to be expected, the group has loaded both Slim Gauge layouts with dazzling scenic vistas, detailed structures, and excellent scratch built bridges. The layout at this point looks about 90% scenicked, making it a great feast for the eyes!

The layouts fill a 2000 square foot basement, providing ample opportunity to really model Colorado narrow gage railroading with a marvelous level of coverage.

We visited a couple more layouts and then stopped for dinner.

Lee Christopher's HO scale McCloud Railway

 After dinner, we headed to the south LA area to take in a few more layouts before heading back to the hotel. One treat turned out to be Lee Christopher's HO scale McCloud Railway! Lee's layout has been featured recently in Scale Rails and Railmodel Journal - but there's just nothing like seeing it in person. Lee has made effective use of his 17x19 foot space - following the scematic of the prototype McCloud Railway closely.

Lee's done some amazing handlaid trackwork using code 83, 70, 55, and 40 rail. He's nicely weathered his rolling stock and locos so they look great rolling through the 40% of his layout that has completed scenery.

As you can see in the photo here, Lee's done quite a decent job of modeling the Shasta - Black Butte area where the McCloud Railway runs - right down to the red pumice ballast. (Click the photo to enlarge.)

Los Angeles Model Railroading Society

As the final capper before we headed back to the hotel, we stopped at the Los Angeles Model Railroading Society's club layout. The moment you walk into the layout room, the scene below greets you (click on the image to enlarge).

 Notice the huge expanse of industrial and dock area - note the grain elevator, the double stack loading facility, the rotary dumper, the tank farm, the refinery area, the loco servicing area, and the other assorted industries.

This one scene extends across the 40 to 50 foot room, and incorporates some fantastic industrial structure modeling. It all looks very believable, with a delightful level of detail that invites standing and studying each mini-scene more closely.

The modeled water, the weathering on the various parts of the scene, the animated rotary dumper, the list goes on and on of delightful details that the club has weaved into a vast scene that hangs together with a realism I've seldom seen in model railroad industrial scenes. And this is but one of about 4 or 5 similarly sized areas of the 40 x 50 foot layout.

All-in-all, this 10 am to 10 pm tour left us satisfied that we'd spent a most productive day enjoying the works of some very fine model railroad hobbyists!

P.S. We visited many other fine layouts as well, and I hope to post some of the photos of each of the other layouts in future blogs. But for now, I need to get to bed!