Even though this is an O scale layout, I thought it would get the greatest exposure here.
A good friend (who also lives in Williamsburg) and well-known O scale modeler is building a ~2300 ft2 layout in his basement. The extremely well-designed layout is based on a section of the Pennsylvania Railroad and includes a branch line servicing three coal mines. The mainlines are in and he has started on scenery in some areas. Finishing this huge effort will take years more..I stopped over yesterday morning to check on his progress and took some photos which I’ll share.
When you enter the basement this is what you see. A fully equipped machine shop is on the left and a lift bridge lets you access the main train room:
The lift bridge from the main room:
Looking down the basement rear wall from the bridge opening:
Thr far rear corner; note: the farm at the top is HO for forced perspective:
Taken from inside an operator's hatch; looking back along the rear wall. Notice the work shop hidden under the scenery:
Ed standing in his workshop hidden under the scensery. It has a beautiful view of the woods behind his home and is open to the train room light (see the hidden opening above the workshop in the photo above).
The front wall of the basement: this will be the site of the main roundhouse/loco servicing area on the layout (IIRC, there are also two smaller turntable/engine facilities):
Ed did a demo run of a :short" Pennsy mail train headed by a pair of Baldwin Centipedes.:
Here the train is rounding what will be Horseshoe Curve. Notice the track below: a five track staging loop capable of holding full trains and a multi-track stub yard. All will be hidden when the scenery is complete:
Another five track staging area. This structure was hung from the ceiling in the correct position before any benchwork began. An example of Ed's thorough planning and skillful execution:
The control panel for the above staging area. Not only is Ed a skilled modeller; he has installed the latest electronics on his DCC controlled layout:
Ed is a very trusting guy; he let me run this smooth running "Hippo"on the coal branch. Note non of the scenery on the layout is finished.:
These few photos can't show the full scope what Ed is doing - the layout boggles the mind. It makes my little hi-rail layout look amateurish...
We are building a house here in Virginia, it will have a large unfinished basement. If I even do it half as good as that I will be dang lucky. Great engineering on the layout.
