A Model Train Station from the 1910’s

[Ian7633]

I'm a bit stuck for words Russ, what was already a stunningly good model has been elevated to a very special piece of art with the story of your friend from Florida. Purely from a modelling perspective it really is beautiful work, the detail is so good that I feel I could wander around in it. I can imagine a hot breeze blowing through while sitting waiting for a train. The work on all the buildings is outstanding, I can certainly understand the huge amount of hours you put into it. Credit too to your sister, the backdrop adds to the feeling of space and air, gorgeous.

What an amazing thing to do for your friend in Florida and so wonderful that he got to enjoy it in his final weeks. I have a friend who after two ten hour long operations to remove brain tumours has also decided to opt for palliative treatment only should the tumours return again. I think it's a very brave thing to do and I admire anyone who makes the decision and enjoys what time they have left.

Excellent work and a very special story Russ. Keep banging out the choons too, as a "resting" musician myself I certainly know where you're coming from. I've still got a couple of basses and a Strat so maybe one day I'll get my feet wet again.

[hifi_dave]

Fabulous. Well done.

I'm in awe. I wouldn't even know where to begin..

[alphaGT]

I'm a bit stuck for words Russ, what was already a stunningly good model has been elevated to a very special piece of art with the story of your friend from Florida. Purely from a modelling perspective it really is beautiful work, the detail is so good that I feel I could wander around in it. I can imagine a hot breeze blowing through while sitting waiting for a train. The work on all the buildings is outstanding, I can certainly understand the huge amount of hours you put into it. Credit too to your sister, the backdrop adds to the feeling of space and air, gorgeous.

What an amazing thing to do for your friend in Florida and so wonderful that he got to enjoy it in his final weeks. I have a friend who after two ten hour long operations to remove brain tumours has also decided to opt for palliative treatment only should the tumours return again. I think it's a very brave thing to do and I admire anyone who makes the decision and enjoys what time they have left.

Excellent work and a very special story Russ. Keep banging out the choons too, as a "resting" musician myself I certainly know where you're coming from. I've still got a couple of basses and a Strat so maybe one day I'll get my feet wet again.

Thanks Ian! Dave and the Martin’s.

My friend in Florida was named Dave. He was the choir director for a big church! A deeply religious man. Shortly before he passed, I half jokingly asked him to put in a good word for me when he got to Heaven! It was a year later that I had my life saving surgery, maybe he did put that word in for me?

It took a few years to develop the skills to make it. According to those in the modeling hobby, they said it looked like the work of someone with 20+ years experience. But I’ve always been a quick study. I bought the grasses and shrubs and cacti from a company called: https://www.scenicexpress.com There are people who do this stuff for money! They make models and sell them, and do commissioned jobs, if someone wants something specific. I saw an O scale water tower for $4,000! (O scale is Big) if I had to pay myself minimum wage, I’d have to ask $7,000 for the train station! But I doubt anyone would pay that.

And I also wonder if I had built this for myself, rather than someone else, it may not have turned out as well. Wanting to do something extra nice for my friend drove me to do more, and do better.

But I had a flash of an idea last night! It’s a model of the actual train station, which is still operational in Southern California, I wonder if they would want to buy it? They may want to put it on display in the historic train station? And they may be more likely to pay more for it! I’d really hate to part with it, but as they say, every man has his price. I suppose $2500 could persuade me to pass it along? And it would always be on public display with my name on it! And that money could buy some real STEREO! I’ll always have the photographs.

Russell

[Discopants]

Thanks Ian! Dave and the Martin’s.

My friend in Florida was named Dave. He was the choir director for a big church! A deeply religious man. Shortly before he passed, I half jokingly asked him to put in a good word for me when he got to Heaven! It was a year later that I had my life saving surgery, maybe he did put that word in for me?

It took a few years to develop the skills to make it. According to those in the modeling hobby, they said it looked like the work of someone with 20+ years experience. But I’ve always been a quick study. I bought the grasses and shrubs and cacti from a company called: https://www.scenicexpress.com There are people who do this stuff for money! They make models and sell them, and do commissioned jobs, if someone wants something specific. I saw an O scale water tower for $4,000! (O scale is Big) if I had to pay myself minimum wage, I’d have to ask $7,000 for the train station! But I doubt anyone would pay that.

And I also wonder if I had built this for myself, rather than someone else, it may not have turned out as well. Wanting to do something extra nice for my friend drove me to do more, and do better.

But I had a flash of an idea last night! It’s a model of the actual train station, which is still operational in Southern California, I wonder if they would want to buy it? They may want to put it on display in the historic train station? And they may be more likely to pay more for it! I’d really hate to part with it, but as they say, every man has his price. I suppose $2500 could persuade me to pass it along? And it would always be on public display with my name on it! And that money could buy some real STEREO! I’ll always have the photographs.

Russell

Things like this are invariably always a labour of love , however saying that...The best value is always going to be in a link like this to the place itself, or to a model train enthusiast or railway employee who is or was local to the real place.


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