Walnut Cove

Here is a quick overview of the A&Y - N&W interchange in Walnut Cove.  In reality, the N&W (seen to the left) had three tracks, and the A&Y  (right side) had two tracks with an interchange track between the two.  For space considerations I swapped the layout and now the A&Y has the mainline, a "house" track, a spare track and the interchange.  The Atlas depot is a stand-in for the N&W depot and the red brick building is a stand-in for the A&Y.

Buildings for Pilot Mountain

I am trying to put together the downtown of my representation of Pilot Mountain-- a small town on the A&Y.  When going through what I have already built (Walther's, etc.), I noticed that there small downtown buildings are all two or more stories tall.  However, most of the small towns along the A&Y are single story brick storefronts, with the occasional two or three story building.

Above is a Downtown Deco model, Bingo's Pool Hall.  As you can see, it is a neat little one story building with the potential for a lot of character.  So far I am pleased with the castings and the color I have gotten on the front facade, which is made in resin.

Adding a third level

Here is a repair shed (minus it's roof) that was built by Master Modeler Railroader, Al Phillips.  The building was part of his old layout that was cut up some years ago.  This model has been I my shelf since Al moved out West some years ago.

Al was one of the founders of our model railroad club (Carolina Model Railroaders) in the early 1970s.  You can read more about our club at www.carolinamodelrr.org/.

Adding thrid level

Here is the 1'x8' section that was built on saw horses.  It has all of the under the track wiring added, including stationary decoders.  If I would have figured out that this was an easier way to build I would have used this off-layout method a lot earlier.

Flue-Cured Tobacco Barn

Flue-Cured Tobacco Barn

Not complete, but getting closer...

Flue-Cured Tobacco Barn

Flue-Cured Tobacco Barn

Flue-Cured Tobacco Barn

Step one to building my flue-cured tobacco barn was to cast a base, then carve field stones into the plaster while it was still somewhat soft.   The dimensions are 16’ wide by 18’ long.

Flue-Cured Tobacco Barn, Archdale, NC

Working on the pack house kit got me thinking that every Southern railroad needs to have tobacco barns depicted.  Even today, with the demise of the small farmer, these barns still stand as reminders to North Carolina's tobacco history.

In Archdale, NC, this is one of four flue-cured tobacco barns that dotted this 20+/- acre farm—now with only two still standing.  It was built around 1930, and was modified from wood-fired to oil probably sometime in the 1940s.  It also had an addition built to accommodate storage of the tobacco.  According to the farmer, it would hold about 300 sticks of tobacco.

Tobacco Pack House

This is a B.T.S. kit of a tobacco pack house.  I am getting ready to start scratch build the companion flue-cured tobacco barn.

Belews Creek Team Track gets a crane

 

The guys at the Belews Creek Team Track sure are glad that they now have a 10-ton Brownhoist "little hook" crane to help with the heavy lifting.  It was made from an old Alexander kit.

The kit was made by Paw of the Bear.  I really liked the assembly jig used for the post.  I don't know where this small warehouse will land on my layout, but it probably will find Pilot Mountain as its home.

Belews Creek, near depot

This is a billboard that came from the first FOS kit.

Belews Creek team track

The team track in Belews Creek. The office is a laser kit that I built some time ago and I do not remember the manufacturer. The loading dock is scratch built. This is the first siding on the railroad, and while the real road had a shingle factory at this siding, I choose a team track to fit the space. As an interesting side note, this siding passes through the backdrop to the other side of the peninsula where it becomes the Norfolk & Western Railway-- thus giving the N&W interchange access to the staging yard below via this siding.

House in Belews Creek

Three views of the home near the helix into Belews Creek.  The building is from a kit from KingMill, and is called "Mrs. Treadwell's House."  I followed the suggested painting instructions for the metal roof, and have it being painted.  The kit also comes with the chicken coop and the outhouse.

Click here to watch video of Belews Creek on YouTube.

St. Matthew School

The St. Matthew School was originally photographed by famous FSA photographer, Walker Evans. The inspiration for the model can be found here: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2017762377/.

The model is from an old kit—circa 1985 of plaster and card stock. I upgraded the kit by adding the piers and better shingles-- the kit recommended a tarpaper roof.

Belews Creek store

Here is a "Dill's Market" kit from American Model Builders (laserkit.com). I like this building very much and it closely resembles a structure right on the K-line between Greensboro and Kernersville, off Market Street.

Lick Trestle in place