Quanah, Acme and Pacific (QA&P) - West Texas - Fictitious Model Railroad Layout Agriculture Industry

Discussion in 'Freelance' started by skyraider, Oct 13, 2019.

  1. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Paul, simplicity is the key. The backstop is an excellent idea and simple wood benches. I would go no further. The vending machine should stay at the depot. People can envision the "traffic' from the makeshift ball field and the machine; maybe a little wear path in the grass would be evident.
     
  2. skyraider

    skyraider Member

    Patrick,

    It's actually the Cumbres depot from the old D&RGW narrow gauge / now the Cumbres & Toltec.

    Paul
     
  3. skyraider

    skyraider Member

    Hi Keith,
    That was partly my thought, as well, but the kids at the vending machine have ball gloves on the handelbars of their bicycles. Also, now that there is the ball diamond, it seemed silly and dangerous to have the kids crossing two railroad tracks.

    Thanks,

    Paul Moore
     
  4. patrick flory

    patrick flory Member

    We were the county seat.

    Lights and bleachers are great modeling opportunities. My layout is 15” wide so no ball park for me.

    Before I retired I was a State Fire Marshal plan reviewer. I can’t tell you how many baseball and football fields I reviewed for schools and small towns. Not the fields themselves but the bleachers, concession stands, and accessible parking mostly.
     
  5. patrick flory

    patrick flory Member

    Is the cumbres depot scratchbuilt? Or a kit?
     
  6. skyraider

    skyraider Member

    It was a laser kit, but I don't remember who the manufacturer is.
     
  7. patrick flory

    patrick flory Member

    Ok, thanks. I thought it was a very cool plastic kit.
     
  8. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Two railroad tracks and a grade crossing never got in my way as a kid.
     
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  9. skyraider

    skyraider Member

    Play Ball!!! Its nearly done. Keith is pulling his hair out at right about now, but I decided that the ball park would be the kids gathering place---not the depot. The backstop might need some cross braces. Thanks, everyone, for your input. It's fun having a collaborative project. It's especially fun when your wife gets involved!!!!

    There's a benefit to using real dirt in the scenery. When you have to drill a hole and need to hide it, you just sprinkle a little more dirt around the base of whatever the hole is for and the hole disappears.

    The benches came out ok...not great, but acceptable. The backstop was difficult, but it mostly looks decent. Last night Tom told me how he lays down his posts using tape and attaches the tulle fabric for the screen.

    Again, I may add some crossbraces. There were several online photos of rural ball parks. One is attached--the one where I got the idea for the vertical supports. The grass and field are much nicer in the real one, and it has lights, but the backstop is pretty cool.

    Talk to you later,

    Paul Moore
    IMG_3890 copy.jpg IMG_3891 copy.jpg IMG_3892 copy.jpg Untitled-3 copy.jpg field_of_dreams.jpg
     
  10. patrick flory

    patrick flory Member

    I have the same window problem you have. Because we’re not up north with basements!

    00C6E6B8-78E2-4797-B1CF-90235311DC1E.jpeg
     
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  11. Karl

    Karl 2008 Engineer of the Year Frisco.org Supporter

    Let’s play two.
    -Ernie Banks-
     
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  12. patrick flory

    patrick flory Member

    In the field of dreams cornfield photo, those are the kind of field lights I’m talking about. Except in modern times the wiring is underground.

    Long ago I remember when driving through the country after dark on Friday nights you could see the glow in the sky from those lights for miles, refracting in the humidity in the air. Almost year round, little league baseball then high school football.
     
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  13. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Not the case, I did not consider the building next to the ball field when you posted about the soda machine. I think you have done very well. I also think the benches look very nice.
     
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  14. skyraider

    skyraider Member

    Thanks, Keith. Your suggestions were all great, but there was one thing I hadn't thought of: that the ball park would be a perfect place for kids to hang out. Your idea about keeping it simple was absolutely great advice. The backstop and benches are about as minimalist as can be made. There are no lights and won't be.

    Thanks for the comment on the benches. It's funny when you're building something without plans how the thought process works. How long to make the benches; how wide and how high; etc. I actually found myself measuring the height of stools in the house and then squatting down to see how far it was from below my knee to the ground!!! After all that I settled on 16" tall.

    Thanks, and have a great weekend!!!

    Paul Moore
     
  15. skyraider

    skyraider Member

    OK...the team track area and yard are almost done. Still need some weeds and a little clutter or something. Adopting Karl and Keith's keep-it-simple, there's not much at the team track location (where the blue stake side truck is)--just a small pedestal crane to unload flat cars. Trucks can back right up to the track and load and unload. There's not even going to be a loading / unloading platform.

    Other than some weeds and stuff, what kind of clutter should there be near the team track? Would there be a few ties, loose rails, etc., laying around the yard? Modern yards are pretty sterile, but it doesn't sound like yards from the 50's / 60's were that way.

    The machine shop and town are nearly done, also. There will be two additional small buildings in town, but that may be awhile. Still need a couple of small trees, weeds, etc., but they're nearly done.


    Thanks,

    Paul Moore IMG_3927.JPG IMG_3928.JPG IMG_3930.JPG IMG_3931.JPG
     
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  16. Karl

    Karl 2008 Engineer of the Year Frisco.org Supporter

    The debris will consist of materials used to secure the load to the car, e.g., steel straps, wood blocking material, scrap wood, wood pallets, wrapping materials, empty steel drums, etc.

    I have attached a photo of a company service car (ex Kansas City) spotted on the the Lenexa House track, and a visible are a steel strap, ties, logs, and weeds.

    ex_kc_ed-2.JPG
     
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  17. skyraider

    skyraider Member

    Wonder what the logs are from?
     
  18. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member Staff Member

    That scene looks good Paul. I have used drafting tape for banding. Those logs are interesting, you notice there are some kind of white dots on the ends of some of the logs.
    stacks of ties and just all kinds of stuff lying around, cardboard would have been there too.
     
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  19. skyraider

    skyraider Member

    Good point, Tom. I hadn't noticed the white dots. The tie stacks, pallets, and barrels sound great. My knife / scissor skills aren't good enough to make scale metal banding!!! My wife gave me a spool of extremely fine, almost rust colored wire that is as fine as thread. That would make great cable. Maybe there would be some cable--maybe even a partial roll or spool.

    Thanks,

    Paul Moore
     
  20. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member Staff Member

    I got all kinds of banding I can send you. When an old office supply store was closing down I basically bought all the thin black tape they had, I can just send you a letter with some in it. I figure the cardboard could be simply a bit a brown paper sack cut up.
     
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