I can't comment on their locos, but I do have a pair of their of double door boxcars. The etched metal parts are nice, however, the box was marked as having MTL couplers, they were knockoffs. Also, the color of the boxcar brown was way off, I had to darken the car when weathering it.
Oakville has a new addition: Yes, I just had to do it. The backstory: I grew up in the town where Dairy Queen soft serve was test marketed - and was a patron of the shop that did that test - and was treated to the delicious concoction from one of the original stores. DQ and I have a LONG history. And the town in which I now live got one a few years back, and maybe once a month the temptation is there and I just HAVE to. Still tastes the same. Naturally I added to the kit, using my local store as source. I gave it a detailed, lit interior, complete with menu boards which can't be seen. And around back is the drive thru menu board as well - I'll show that in a future post, along with a couple more frills to be added...
You went with the modern kit, vs old-time. Down in that area, I could imagine the old-style DQ, down the block from Post Office.
Hey Jim, What time does the DQ open? I could really go for a peanut buster parfait. They just don't have a good DQ around here....... Really love the addition! Thanks for the pictures, they really help to motivate me.
Rick - it's at the other end of the layout... Bremner - that close up shot is merciless, thanks for the thought! It doesn't hurt that DQ is owned by the owner of BNSF...
A few finishing touches to the new Dairy Queen at Oakville. I'm particularly pleased with the lights in the parking lot and the shrubs around by the drive through... If you look carefully you can see the menu screens through the left window on this shot: And finally a night shot: Going to try for a couple shots of the backside for next week...
I just got back from Rochester MN (business trip), and the DQ near my hotel was "closed for the season". Really don't understand why they would do that, just because it was 18 degrees outside. One still needs chocolate dipped soft ice cream, and blizzards
As promised - a view of the back of the DQ. This was shot through a front plated mirror. No layout visitor will ever be able to see this, but I thought it needed to be modeled - for myself if nothing else!
Looks great - and I agree, the details that can be seen "from the track" are just as important as those seen from the "giant creature" side of the layout.
If/when you make that new 'Layout Video'...if you use a 'cab ride' camera...the back of the buildings will be seen as the train goes by. Just my thoughts.
Funny, George - I'm just not all that much into video. I've never done a layout video (I think the guys are referring to Daryl Kruse's work that he did while visiting a couple years back). My videos are usually just railfan type shots of trains passing. I really should do one, I suppose - just too lazy....
Not lazy Jim, just using your time to model and run..... And what is it the layout is for anyway.....
Hi jim I hope iam asking this in thr right place. When I read your blog when you started to cover the hills and mountains you used one method and then I think you changed to something a little different. like plaster cloth and then dry wall mud ? So can you help me know what you liked that gave you the best results. Thanks for your time and help.