Unsung Heroes

“Aye, every little boy grows up wanting to be a train engineer. But no one sees the work behind these black beasts!” barks Shaymus McHaulem. “My team and I have been at this Kitty Pryde Coal Refuel station from the earliest days. Since before they had them lumber mill at Schumacher or before Jane & Stanley’s harvested their first fine vintage. Yet we get little credit.”

Shay and his coal crew are in charge of the only coal refuelling stop for Halland Railroad. Located just a stone’s throw from the depot, no locomotive begins it’s passenger or freight run without first taking on fuel and water at the station’s siding.

“We really don’t mind,” interjects understudy Clarence who has been with the crew for some time now. “I know Shaymus complaints a lot but he means well. He looks out for us, as well as the engines. They’re all his family.”

What may seem like a straightforward job is probably one of the toughest and most important in all of Halland. Shaymus and his crew have to ensure that the coal supply is always topped up and ready from daily inbound freight wagons from Amberton Coal. Once unloaded, the empties are returned to Amberton Coal to make way on the siding for any incoming locomotives from St Andrew’s that need the precious black fuel, sand and water before commencing their run.

“We’ve never had an accident. Never had a delay. A couple of close shaves and injuries, especially that one time when those damn piglets escaped their Sty! That facility is way too close!” grunts Shaymus. “Oh but you never complain, when it’s time to head to the market for fresh meat,”

Clarence grins as Shaymus trudges away to welcome the inbound Locomotive. “Number 4’s here! Look alive people..” Shaymus barks, his booming voice even overpowers the chugging rhythm of the incoming engine.

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While the vast majority of my locomotives and rolling stock are Marklin – intentionally because of their high quality and long-lasting characteristics – there are very few Marklin structures in Halland. One is the repurposed station building at Astoria and the other is this Coal and Sanding kit located at Kitty Pryde.

They are very good plastic kits and I highly recommend them. However they are more European in design so fitting them in your layout takes a bit of freelancing and imagination. Like many of my resources, this coal building has been with me for many years and the truth is I’ve forgotten where and when I acquired it. I do know that this is the first time I’ve assembled it for a layout as this is my first layout dedicated to steam power. While the coal fuels mainly American old steam locomotives, I still feel it looks at home in the sleepy town of Kitty Pryde.

An Accident

It doesn’t happen often but the outskirts of Kitty Pryde town today witnessed a serious accident. Police are still investigating but initial reports show that a tree fell on one of the workers of a nearby warehouse while he was taking a break.

“I hope Jerry is okay,” remarked his close buddy Tom. “We were just hanging and there was a loud sound…like a snap or a piece of lightning…and next thing we knew, we saw this fast shadow move. We both ran but Jerry got hit.”

While visibly upset, Tom was relieved to find out that Jerry would be okay and he regained consciousness as he was being taken away paramedics.

A crowd of people gathered to watch the drama unfold and additional police had to be deployed with barriers for the safety of everyone. “The landscape here is rather rugged,” reported Officer Brodie. “We have uneven terrain, old trees and not to mention the nearby mountainous region. So it’s best that we take precaution and ensure that the public doesn’t get too close to the scene.”

While accidents are rather rare in Halland, they do occur and when they do, it does cause quite a commotion. Perhaps things are so nice and slow in the town that people can’t help but get curious whenever something out of the ordinary takes place!

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Sometimes a scene just comes together after a really long while. I had various figure sets from Noch, Preiser and Merten. I also had nice z scale barriers that I got from Archistories. So while composing this module I knew I wanted an empty space near the town of Kitty Pryde to let the scene breathe. Then I started playing with the figures and thought about how I could use the paramedics set with the stretcher. Well the answer is the Unfortunate Tale of Tom and Jerry and the Falling Tree.

Trainspotting

Gerald parks his bicycle by the side while his girlfriend Tamara looks on. In the background Engine Number 4 simmers in the siding at Jaka, awaiting it’s freight cars to be made ready and coupled to the locomotive. “Any moment now,” declares Gerald excitedly who has been trainspotting around Halland since he was old enough to walk. He now uses his bicycle to trek to the most strategic locations to catch a glimpse of the steam locomotives in action.

While there are a handful of roads around Halland, most of it’s citizens have grown up using and becoming intimately familiar with the railroad. It’s a source of employment for many, a vital source of distribution of goods and also the primary form of transportation. It’s therefore no surprise that many of the amateur railroader wannabes can often be seen near or around the tracks. Sometimes a bit too near!

“Oh it’s alright” confides James Ezydoesit. “I’ve had a few close shaves once or twice. I’ve been warned by the management a few more…but no harm comes from it.” James certainly does have a mixed reputation. He’s often seen near the large train yard at Astoria and has on occasion been reprimanded for over-stepping the boundaries of what’s been allowed for safety.

“We try to be as accommodating as we can be,” answered Mr Octan of Halland Railroad, “We know they don’t mean any harm. We just need to make sure that everyone stays safe and that our trains can run on schedule. Everyone depends on us for that.”

Regardless of whom you speak with, trainspotting is certainly a popular activity in Halland. Not just reserved for the enthusiasts, all members of the public regardless of age or gender can often be seen catching a glimpse of the railroad in action.

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Adding figures to my layout is often one of the last things I do. I like to compose almost every aspect of the landscape first, such as the buildings, the scenery and even the weathering. When I feel that about 90% of the “look” is done, then I start to add my figures as real people. I ask myself where would they go? Where would they sit? What’s the story here? Sometime I find myself bored after watching breathtaking model railroad videos on Youtube that just show trains go by without any commentary or focus on the town and scene. I realised that the ones that were most interesting, were the ones where you felt a connection to the layout, to the town and to the story. That’s what I hope to do in a small way with Halland and my stories here.

Jane & Stanley

Hidden in one corner of Halland, in a small valley nestled between Stirling and Spandau is one of the best kept secrets of the community. Husband and wife team, Stanley and Jane have been running their own vineyard for decades and their dedication to quality is shown in doing everything by themselves.

Every morning Stanley walks his fields to check on vines, chase away pests and ensure that all the needs of his vineyard is tended to. Sometimes he has a word with his longest serving employee…Mr Scare K. Row.

“It’s a hard job but a good life” remarks Stanley. “You’re on your feet all the time, subject to the elements and everyday is pretty much the same.” But still those can be advantages too. “He complaints all the time, but he loves it!” proclaims Jane. “Lord knows he has a vested interest to make sure our vintage is top quality – as he drinks as much as we move!”

Jane & Stanley’s wines are well loved by the townsfolk of Halland and guests who visit from out of town. There’s been many calls over the years to expand and export to other regions but the couple have always maintained that this is a family business and one which they’re contented to keep for the benefit of Halland and it’s citizens.

Despite being a boutique winery, Jane & Stanley’s still produce a healthy amount of wine each season. They lease out three specialised wine cars from Halland Railroad to help in the distribution of their stock to all the towns. Of all the grapes they use, we’re told that the 2009 Reserve Vintage of Shiraz is the most sought after. This was a special year when they had a collaboration with a winemaker from another vineyard – Jane Brook.

Jane & Stanley’s is fondly named after my grandparents who brought me up. They survived World War II but my grandma lost her eyesight permanently while being held in a prisoner holding camp. They both have long since passed but in Halland they have a place to work and rest, and spend time together forevermore.

In building Halland, I took the time and opportunity to add names to places that helped create more meaning to my layout. Sometimes it’s a loved one or a name from a favourite video game. But I try to make sure they all blend and add to the storytelling of my little make belief world.

Finding Space

“Fancy meeting you here mate,” nature enthusiast Ashley quipped. “Yeah it’s part of my daily trek. A chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of work and everyone else. Hope you don’t mind the company,” replied Scott Wealthy. Scott is a actually a very successful businessman working out of Rei Holdings at Astoria.

The two aren’t close friends but frequently run into each other during their exploration of the lesser know parts of Halland. While Halland is famous for it’s vineyard and town centres and farmer’s market, there are still places where citizens can go to, to find some solace and space away from the daily chatter and steam engines.

Ashley used to be in advertising but has now taken time to just explore his hobbies and get healthier. The great outdoors can help with that. “I hope to find time to relax soon,” remarked Scott. “You seem to be enjoying yourself.”

“Well it’s important to be happy isn’t it?” replied Ash. “I used to be working for a couple of decades. Work was good but life goes by as well. My kids grew up and time is something money can’t buy.”

One of my favourite layouts is the Franklin and South Manchester by George Selios. I’m inspired by creators who not only build beautiful model railroad layouts but include tiny details and stories wherever they can. This I feel truly brings a layout to life and gives it a purpose. In a way, that’s what this series of A Day in A Life is for. Something to challenge myself with and to explore my layout to bring it to life.

I’m also a big fan of exploring nature and taking time and space to think. It’s something that’s very healthy both physically and mentally.

A Visit to St Andrew’s Locomotive Depot

“I feel like I struck the lottery!” exclaimed Rudy Railfanner. “I’ve been a big fan of steam locomotives and the railroad all my life, but to see them up close and personal is another thing entirely.”

“It certainly is nice that that the management of Halland Railroad opens up the depot to an open house every once in a while,” agrees Chandra Trixman.

While the Railroad and it’s staff maintain a very close relationship and synergy with the townsfolk of Halland, it is true that the St Andrew’s Locomotive Depot is normally off limits to the public for safety and operational reasons. But once or twice a year, the management does agree to open up the facility to the public to foster closer bonds and also show enthusiasts how locomotive servicing is done.

“It was really a pleasure to see all the locomotives up so close and personal,” exclaimed Cole Mine. “We were lucky to see three of the four locomotive fleet engines in the depot,” he added.

While Halland often plays host to a number of interesting and sometime curious locomotive visitors, the main fleet consists of four Baldwin class 4-6-0s, nicknamed “ten wheelers.”

The lucky few visitors were shown around the depot, given demonstrations of how locomotives were wiped down, had their ash removed and had grease added to all the gears in order to keep them running well. After a late morning tour round the facilities, the guest were treated to a scrumptious lunch by the nearby Farmer’s Market before being allowed to once again roam the depot grounds before closing. All too soon, it was back to work for the staff of Halland Railroad and the awestruck visitors bid a cheerful goodbye.

The locomotive fleet of Halland Railroad that’s based at St Andrew’s Depot consist of Marklin’s class of old style American 4-6-0s which were released to commemorate the great American Railroad Engineer Casey Jones in 1999. These were limited sets that came with accompanying passenger cars and the locomotives were all made in brass.

I spent a long time researching before finally coming to decide on this model of locomotives and I’ve been very happy and proud of them. I’ve made several modification over the years including adding real coal to the tenders and customising the name plates and numbers with brass plates from a UK company called Narrow Planet.

Every once in a while, I’m tempted to experiment with a different model of locomotive, but I feel that these ten wheelers have really come to earn their place in my old fictitious Western community. They fit nicely in this town and landscape, where everything moves a little bit slower and the folk just seem a little bit happier.

Sunday

The Church of St Andrew’s is one of the oldest buildings in Halland. It’s located at Zelda Town and in close proximity to the Locomotive Depot that shares its name.

“Sunday service is still the time for church and for us to meet with our friends and brethren” says Father Maythews. He has been serving the community for decades and is fondly loved by all.

“We know the world has changed and continues to. This is good. But we are also here to make sure people are not left behind” agrees his assistant Gregory.

Like the steam engines of Halland Railroad, father Maythews and the church of St Andrew’s are sometimes comforting reminders that not everything needs to change and some things are worth preserving.

This church was built from a Japanese kit set I acquired many years ago while in Tokyo, called Sankei. It goes together easily but is not as sturdy as the lasercut kits I’m used to from American and German manufactures. It took me a long while to get the look I wanted particularly with the roof weathering. I’m most pleased with the coloured paper I used to give a small effect of a stained glass window casting light from within.

May you find some light and peace this Sunday.

There’s Always Room At The Orbit Inn

“Oh we simply love the place,” says Mrs Halliday. “We’ve been coming here, every year, for years,” agrees her husband Eugene.

The couple have been coming to Halland’s favourite staycation place for many seasons. Located next to the famous Kitty Pryde Farmer’s Market, the couple manage to recharge their batteries and get some shopping at the same time.

It doesn’t matter to them that the Inn is also located close to the St Andrew’s Locomotive Depot. “Oh we love the smell of coal” declares Eugene. My father was a miner and Helen’s dad work for the Halland Railroad all his life.

My Orbit Inn building is actually a Noch Swiss Alpine building that’s accompanied me for over two decades and many of my layouts. While the locomotive depot was the first scratchbuilt structure I made many many years ago.

I think it’s nice to recycle our model railroading assets. They travel with us, save a little bit of money for that shiny new locomotive and help us tell different stories.

Like the Hallidays, I’ve been visiting with these structures for most of my adult life.

Animal Rights

Some concerned animal activists have written in to express their displeasure at Charles Francis Logging Company using horses for some of their logging tasks.

When contacted the PR Rep Mindy Arown Biznest assured the press that these animals were treated in the best possible way and given ample rest and care.

She also shared a photograph to show special staff on hand to tend to the animals needs. So all appears well for now.

Figures and animals add life to Halland without question. My trains are the gems and performers but it really is the little people and animals that help me tell little stories and make the scene more real in my head.

Unfortunately there is less choice in z scale. I used to have a handful of figure sets from Merten but now all that’s left is Preiser. Some of my figures are painted sets but many come unpainted and I paint them to save cost and add my own touch to them. They also become more real and personalised in that way.

Advertising

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Several citizens have written in to the mayor expressing concerns about the effects of advertising and it’s ability to influence the young. The political office was quick to assure them that all communications would always be thoroughly vetted for ill effects or false claims. Many are still unconvinced especially with the continued advertising sign boards that have begun to pop up all over Halland. I guess you could call it a sign of the times.

Adding height to one’s layout is always welcome and interesting I think. Too often I focus on buildings, with trees being the only objects that show height and variation. One day I had a desire to create advertising signboards so on the spur of the moment I scratch-built three of these and laid them around the modules. I’m pretty pleased with the results as they do add a some difference to the scenery and give texture to the scenes.