This is my second entry in the Spearfish Canyon Diorama build for the South Dakota Railraod Museum in Hill City South Dakota. In this second entry i have been busy placing molds with 20 Min. sheetrock mud.  After about 30 min. I peel the mold off and the mud is still soft enough to take some tools a shape the cast to blend in with the mold next to it. it is a slow process but is very real looking when complete. The TV in the back ground has a photo of Bridal viel falls in Spearfish canyon. THe falls will be on this end.

I have decided to help out Rick Mills at the South Dakota State Railraod Museum in Hill City with a diorama he wanted built, to represent Spearfish canyons Sandstone cliffs the dual gauge Ralroads and the Pondarosa, Spruce, paper birch and the scenery of the Black Hills of South Dakota. So this is my begining of the concept all the way to finish. So we have decided to use some models built by past modeler from the area.

Northern Hills Railway Society is looking for some model railroaders that would like to join a club. At this time we have no dues. All of our Locos and rolling stock is own by the club. The Club is located on Deadwood, Main Street, South Dakota. In recent years we have lost a number of members to the great layout in the sky. So the club is looking for new members to join our great layout. The HO and HOn3 layout is 70 feet long and 16 feet wide and has two main DC lines that run off a dollar machine.

So i was jumped about how this is done by someone on facebook. So that being said, trying this method of tapering dowels can be dangerous, if you are not comfortable with power tools and your hands than this may not be for you. ( NOT OSHA APPROVED). I go thru a pair of gloves about ever 6 packages.THat does give me enough logs to do a few buildings. So the taper is from 16 inches scale on the but end to 10 inches scale at the top.

So i felt like sharing some of my modeling techniques. This is a prototype of the Deadwood Theater in Deadwood Gold camp, Dakota Territory June 15th 1876. At this time this building was under construction as you can see, the facade is not complete, when this is mounted on the diorama it will have a scaffolding in front with guys putting up the siding.

One of my other projects. Deadwood Gold camp diorama. This is just a few shots of what will be many buildings.

Fremont Elkhorn & Missouri Valley 4-8-0 Mastodon  Above Nevada Gulch on the Portland Line (circa 1900)

The Deadwood Gulch and Ruby Basin layout is a prototype of the Narrow Gauge rail roads of the Black Hills of South Dakota. It was inspired by these photos and illustrations. In the 1880's there were 3 different Narrow Gauge rail roads. I have all 3 lines on this layout, The Black Hills & Fort Pierre, Deadwood Central and the Fremont Elkhorn & Missouri Valley. All most all of the scenery and buildings are scratch built.