The Great Scale Model Train Show is the creation of Howard Zane and Ken Young and is the largest show in the country dedicated to "scale" model trains. Howard Zane, of course, is known for his large Piermont Division layout and author of "Howard Zane: My Life With Model Trains". Both men have since retired from the show operation (after 3 decades) but the new owners / operators have upheld the high standards for which the shows are famous. "Held 3 times a year, the Great Scale Model Train Show is always a welcome and richly rewarding visual experience, no matter what the season."
For this trip, I wanted to focus on the many club layouts that fill one of the large rooms at the show rather than shopping (not that I didn't pick up a few things).
My goal was to get some ideas and speak with the folks who worked on the layouts about techniques used for scenery, etc.
As I took in the details on these huge layouts, one structure caught my eye. It resembled an Atlas structure I had on my first ping-pong table layout many years ago. However, this one had been kit bashed into something much better.
On a panel to the left of this structure was an explanation by the modeler:
The signal tower here is an Atlas kit number 704 ... I built a wooden deck around the tower, changed the staircase, changed the angle of the roof, painted it different colors and added details all around it.
I can't take full credit for the changes as I have a photo of one very much like it for George Sellios' HO Franklin & South Manchester Railroad.
Here's a photo I took of the tower on the F&SM in October of 2018.
Here are more of my photos of the Franklin & South Manchester Railroad.
One amazing modeler I spoke with in the Craftsman Courtyard was Al Judy who models in On30. His attention to detail was remarkable and his dioramas were very inspiring.
