APA Micro Layout (Part 16) - Detailing the Fiddle Yard (Part 5)

Most of the structures for my second box of the APA Micro Layout came from left-over parts from different kits.

I also wanted to try out another weathering technique using oil paints and turpentine to recreate fading and running colors. An old boxcar shell came in handy for this project.

I also dusted the shell with pigments. On the Ford Coupe for my hobo camp scene, I used one of the IHC body castings that came with a structure kit. I applied some rust patches and sprinkled rust powder into the still wet paint.

Here is a view of the finished scene.

I installed two light sockets from Brawa by drilling two 6mm holes into the baseboard

I like to add small scenes telling a story. Here a Bekins truck is backing to the loading door. A worker is giving hand signs to guide the driver.

The forementioned hobo camp.

Another over-all scene with trucks and cars in place.

I applied some weathering to the shop walls. A clerk is watching the truck's manoeuvres.

The lights are installed and working, while another truck driver prepares to leave.

Overall view of the fiddle yard box. Note the effect of the box art backdrop.

Thanks for dropping by. More to come. Stay tuned.

Building a switching layout (Part 4) Naming the industries

For my idustries I always try to find some "real" brand names that actually existed or still exist for the locale I am modeling.

The easiest way to search for the appropriate industries is doing an internet search.

I settled on three major companies for my switching layout.

1. Georgia-Pacific, well-known for its paper and tissue products

I assembled the backdrop structure on the left side from DPM wall sections and for the right brick wall I used plain styrene and laminated the brick sheets to it. The walls are all attached to the backdrop with double sided tape.

2. Acme Packing Company, formerly known as Indian Packing Company that was involved in the canned meat industry. Today the company is remembered as the namesake of the Green Bay Packers. The football team took its name after Curly Lambeau, a shipping clerk for the company, successfully asked the company's owner for money for jerseys and use of the company's athletic field in 1919 (the stadium of the Green Bay Packers is named Lambeau Field)

The Acme Meat Packing Company cloese in June 1943 because of supply shortages related to WWII and never reopened after the war.

I absolutely wanted a reference to the famous football team on my layout, so although the company doesn't exist any more, I still have a warehouse with a faded sign, remebering it. 

This structure is completely scratchbuilt by laminating brick sheets to a plain styrene sub-base. The windows and loading doors came from my scrap box. The canopies above the loading doors are from Auhagen.

I added blowers and air vents from Rix, Kibri and Auhagen

3. Procter & Gamble is manufacturing paper products in Green Bay, but as I already have GP as a paper industry I use the P&G structure as a distribution center for the other brands they sell.

This distribution center was scratchbuilt to fit the available space with a sub-base of plain styrene. I added brick sheet to the lower parts and metal siding above.

I had no idea what kind of buildings I would put on the layout when I started building it. So I first laid the track and then imagined the industries. Why do it the easy way if you can do it the hard way.

But hey, model railroading is fun, right?