Category Archives: Scenery

More about The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago

The Museum of Science and Industry has a model train display that is really much more than just a train layout. It is about transportation, and how the railroads move goods from place to place.
The fact that it is beautifully crafted, with scale large sections of Chicago and Seattle and the industries , plains, mountains etc in between, makes it a modelers must see if you are in Chicago.

Chicago

The buildings in Chicago are true to the sections of the city that is being modeled. Two times an hour there is a short night segment to show the display in that setting.

Chicago-night

Of course along the way showing double stack containers, mountain bridges and peaks, not to mention some human interest in a stream

Containers

UP in the mountains

Beach

Finally ending up in downtown Seattle including the docks.

Seattle

Visiting Chicago Museum of Science and Industry / Tranportation

Visited the Museum of Science + Industry, Chicago this past weekend, to see their terrific HO model railroad exhibit, from Chicago through the plains, the rocky mountains, and ending up in Seattle.

I will put shots of the exhibit up in future posts, but this one to one scale Empire State Express greets you at the beginning.

Empire State Express

Closeup of Driver

Empire State Express Driver

The Yard and Engine service

Another area that I am working on, both for operation reasons and for photography, is the yard and engine service area. Still have some final pieces to add to the concrete coaling tower, as well as definite weathering. This is the first of several structures to be completed for that area as well as track and signaling

Almost completed coaling tower

Also working on Sanding tower, water tower and stanchions, small sheds, as well as the switches and trackwork.

 

Scouting scenes on layout for photography

As a photographer, I am starting to look at sections of the in progress layout to work up into completed photographs of scenes, looking to do this in different weather scenarios, time of day, etc. I will put up several in the next few posts and then later I’ll recall them and the finished photographs.

View across main line and siding to town

 

Wiring the movable access section part of the town for lighting

 

Using several kinds of lighting including woodland scenics Just Plug, strips of long reel leds

as well as some 12-16 volt incandescent Veissmann gas lamps.

Wires for town site

Wires for town site

Rigging bus bars and Just Plug light hub to a couple of mini plugs [added later) so the access section can be removed if needed with little trouble.

under the town section wiring in progress

under the town section wiring in progress

Adding details and lighting to highway underpass

Finishing the highway underpass leading out of town. I added led lighting and safety railings, as I have made the sidewalks higher above the road surface.

strip light and connector

self adhesive LED strip light and connector

Here the railings have been added and some random trash added. (might add more later)

almost ready to install

almost ready to install         

View from road under the bridge showing lights, railing and a poster on the wall

Under the bridge

Under the bridge

Will add a wall surface from sidewalk to the Road before installing the underpass