The park project

J

jeffrey-wimberl

Active Member
Oct 25, 2006
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Sundown, Louisiana, USA
Recently I began work on the park for my layout. This is situated on a 2 inch thick square of white bead board that is a lift out area. There's a covered picnic area, plenty of space for traditional picnics on the grass, a playground for the crumb snatchers, a mailbox, antique phone booth and assorted trash cans. There's also a magnificent looking K4 as a centerpiece which will eventually have a fence around it.

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Now for the K4.

I took this old beat-up loco and cleaned it up:
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And now it looks like this:
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Here's a birds-eye view of the scene. The open areas around the section will be covered by strips of cardstock covered with bushes and assorted clump foliage.

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Jeffrey,
That loco look like it belongs in that park! What a great idea. Many years ago I rode my bike to see a similar loco on display in a small park outside the Santa Fe station in San Bernardino, CA. The kind gentleman who was working on the engine invited me to come inside the fenced enclosure and he told me all about his involvement in restoring this beauty. He was a retired locomotive engineer with lots of steam experience on the Santa Fe and even lent a hand on an SP cab-forward once in awhile. I'll never forget his stories! Well, it took a large organization and lots of volunteer's time and donations to finish the project, but one day I saw this gentleman in the cab and the loco, ATSF 3751, was on its way to Chicago!

Thanks for the memory.
-Ed
 
Jeff, thank you for sharing.:thumb:

That's a cool concept and you are going about it with an eye for detail.

If I may make a small comment without being accused of becoming a rivet-counter?

The power station in the 1st picture seems waaaay over-scale.:rolleyes:

:wave:
 
I love the GIANT air conditioner in the first pic! :)

I'll be having a park very similar to this, using my old (but still very strong) Gilbert NYC Hudson 4-6-4 as a centerpiece. It's at the end of a yard ladder, and can be pulled into service on a moment's notice.

What you have looks good, but is missing a detail: How did the engine get there? If it was parked and the tracks later removed, there is no trace of the tracks -- not even the old grade. You might consider adding overgrown tracks to the engine, so that it is credible that it should be there.
 
this looks really sharp! I really like the dirt around the playground equipment. I think you could use a few sidewalks, and maybe a drinking fountain.

Kevin
 
The good thing about a model is it can be as it should be, or as it is at its best. I love having it without the rusty chain link fence that always seems to be around them in too many parks. There is an old logging loco (I think it's a Heisler) unfenced in Lewiston, ID, so some places can still do it right without fear of vandals or lawsuits.
 
All the parks around our area that have trains, tanks, planes, etc all have a fence around said item. I wish they didn't because there is a very nice consolidation I would love to crawl around on. Its the kid in me!

Looking very nice!
 
Santa Fe Jack said:
...
What you have looks good, but is missing a detail: How did the engine get there? If it was parked and the tracks later removed, there is no trace of the tracks -- not even the old grade. You might consider adding overgrown tracks to the engine, so that it is credible that it should be there.
Click to expand...

In Ardmore, Ok, at the East side of town, next to the Fair grounds is parked a 2-6-2, Engine Num 1108 and its tender. It also is inside a chain link fence. There is no visual evidence of how it arrived on site, which is 3/4 mile away from the nearest set of tracks..

This engine, which means a lot to the city of Ardmore, was given to the city and was moved to its present site over temporary tracks. Two local oil men donated trucks and crews. Over a period of 3 days, working 24 hours, a 100 foor section of track would be laid, the engine and tender pulled to the end of the section. The track would then be moved to the front and the process repeated. This was in July of 1954.

My grandfather was the Santa Fe Agent at that time was made the arraingments for the donation. I now have in my possession 13 pictures, 8x10 in size, that document the movement of the engine as well as the article as submitted to the local paper plus what was printed.

So, Jeffery - if anyone should ask - how did it get there, this is a true example of how one city made it happen.

I think your idea is excellent.

Cheers, Bill
 
You definately need the fence, and soon! Observant viewers will note the absence of the number plate from the smokebox front...it won't be long before folks have robbed the cab of its gauges & other appliances. Such a sad world we live in...it's probably in some railfan's basement by now. Ugh! Makes me sick to think about it.

But seriously, nice work on the scene. When will it be populated?
 
Here's most of the items I picked up yesterday.


Two boxes of green shade trees.


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Three packs of figures.


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Satin pins and tulle (material used for wedding veils) that will be used in fence construction.


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I also got some fine gray blend ballast to make paths.
 
The park has been rearranged a bit. I moved the loco over to the right side and rearranged the playground equipment and benches near it to make room for the baseball diamond. It's small as ball fields go but the kids are enjoying it at this moment. I'll get photos after the glue dries.
 
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