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The ACR in 1985

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Visitors to my blog may now notice a new “The ACR in 1985” link item in the navigation menu in the page header.

I’ve just posted this new page which serves as an article and discussion on the railroad and its equipment and operations during the 1980s, which is the period that I am targeting with my modelling. It is my hope that this article provides a nice background to my modelling efforts that I am documenting on this blog.

I’ve also used this page to consolidate links to existing train number and roster information pages and I’ve also added one other new significant page/feature. Linked from the “ACR in 1985” page, is a new page listing all of the sidings/locations listed in the employee operational timetable in the mid 1980s. From this listing, I have linked to a couple of prepared articles on significant locations, covering so far Searchmont, Dubreuilville and Mead. I plan on following these up with short articles on other key locations as well, giving a detailed overview of the ACR line to use as reference as some of these articles will provide the background of the locations that I hope to model.

So, without any further ado, you can continue reading here:

The ACR in 1985

First Scratchbuild

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Earlier this weekend, John Longhurst published a post over on his M&M Sub Blog about some early scratchbuilt structures on his layout, including his first ever scratchbuild, a small industrial building, although he states how the structure has no place on his current layout, partly because it doesn’t fit, and partly because like many first efforts it no longer holds up to his current standards.

John posted a link to the same post and started a discussion over on the Trains/Model Railroader forums inviting others to share examples of their first scratchbuilt structure efforts.

Here’s mine.

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I built this small building out of cereal box cardboard when I was still in grade school, cutting strips of boxboard glued to a core of the same to simulate clapboard siding. The tarpaper/roll roofing is regular masking tape.

I’ll never actually use this building on a layout again, as everything about it is of course well below any current standard I would set for myself, but I keep it around out of some sort of sentimental value as my first building that I made myself.