 |
In 2006, Summit looked like
this. The west switch (A) was the beginning of the siding
which ran through the saddle (B). Cardboard profiles are for
evaluating future land forms. The logging branch interchange (C) hadn't
been developed nor had the branch itself. The east switch (D) was
buried in a cut which kept getting deeper and deeper as the line
continued east. The main line finally poked out of the cut (E)
and ran on down the backside as hidden trackage. Medco (F) is
below Summit and was taking shape. An earlier rendition of the East Derby Gorge and bridge (G) are in
the distance and show the two track bridge which was replaced. Photo by Jay Mudge |
 |
Medco (F, but
really the whole lower scene) was already well under development by the
end of 2006. The realization came that in order to efficiently
work on East Summit, people were going to kneel and stand on the area
around the wye and chip loader. Hence, the decision to put Medco
on hold and work on East Summit. |
 |
The East Summit scene
finally started to evolve, after much carving and stacking of foam
blocks...followed by unstacking, more carving and restacking of foam
blocks (repeated several times over.) The trench is gone.
The main line cuts through a small ridge (to the left of the yellow box
car) and enters another drainage. The rest of the train and the
drainage are going downhill away from the viewer. Another hill
rises to the left. No tunnel will be needed to conceal the
track's disappearance. |
 |
East Summit is on the
left. The main (inside track) and passing siding curve around and
through a cut. The upper level logging loop's sub-roadbed has
been built. Construction Notes: This scene is a combination of foam and cardboard strip/paper towel/plaster land forms. Some of us got tired of messing with foam and resorted to hot gluing cardboard strips together and layering hycrocal soaked paper towels over them. It seemed faster, less messy and definitely made it easier to remodel a scene if necessary. |
 |
Following the mantra, "What
did this look like before the railroad came through," we frequently
checked our developing scenes with a long straight stick (dark red
line). Note how it can be laid across the terrain and the
railroad appears to have been carved into land that's been there for
eons. The sub roadbed for the logging branch is noted "Log
Branch". |
 |
Looking to the right
(railroad west) from the scene. Summit's west switch (A) is
just out of sight to the right. The saddle (B) has been formed
and the logging line interchange track has diverged from the
main. A small interchange yard (C) marks the beginning of the
logging branch. |
 |
Looking back from the
saddle, the logging branch winds up the hill while the main and siding
start down. Sub roadbed for the logging loop is also visible,
including a small timber trestle. |
 |
Loose rock and trees, lots
of trees, bring the scene to life. A west bound reappears
from hidden trackage around a cliff and past a grove of aspens. |
 |
Through the cut and over the
switch at East Summit. The clear cut in the foreground was
planned in order to make a view window for main line trains. As
we put trees into scenes, we strive to plan where trains will be show
cased and where they'll be hidden. Imagine watching a full sized
train moving through a forest in the mountains. |
 |
Across a short fill and
small drainage. Barely visible above the locomotive is a timber
trestle on the logging branch. |
 |
Aerial view of Summit.
To the right is the logging branch yard (C). The branch snakes
its way up the mountain above the main line to a loop (L) on the
highest level. The hidden main (E) is along the far wall. |
 |
It's every modeler's dream to see their work on the cover of a magazine. We were delighted when Model Railroad News decided to photograph Summit and use it as the background to display the new Walthers GN Empire Builder. Photo by: Mike Lindsay and © 2007 by Model Railroad News Used with permission Caption: Somewhere in the Pacific Northwest, the Great Northern's gorgeous Empire Builder passenger train winds through a picturesque canyon. This scene was captured on the Rogue Valley Model Railroad Club's layout at the Railroad Park in Medford, Oregon. Photographer Mike Lindsay appreciated the logging that has opened up this scene for his lens. Below: The center spread. Used with permission and © 2007 by Model Railroad News |
 |
|
