Wanted! Dirt from Northern Illinois

[C&NW Man]

Greetings all,

YES! I'm serious- if you live in Northern Illinois, I would love to get a box of dirt from you.

My mom and I are building a 3 x 6' N-Scale layout together, (it's physical therapy for me and mental therapy for her- she lost my dad, {her husband of 55 years}, last February). The layout is set in the C&NW Country of Cook and McHenry counties.

However, anyone living in any part of Northern Illinois we'll have the type of soil we are looking for- it is dark gray to black. The soil in our area, (Southeast Ohio), is all tan to brown, like most soil. Experiments in dying native soils haven't turned out so well and potting soil is too black.

If anyone out there lives in Northern Illinois and would be willing to send us around 3 to 5 pounds of your native sod- we would really, really appreciate it... we would also cover your expenses.

If you can help us; please put up a post here- I am brand new to the forum and haven't quite figured out the private messaging system here yet.

All the best,

Sean C. (C&NW Man)

 

[Gary B]

Dirt from Cook County? Just buy the Chicago Sun-Times, plenty of dirt in it on any given day! (Sorry, sad but true political humor) Any 'native' soil on the little speck of property I own is long since covered with 'top soil' which I'm sure no different than the stuff you can buy. May I suggest blending some top soil with some 'Ohio' soil and see if you can get a closer match?

 

[C&NW Man]

Hello Gary,

Thanks for the tip- it's worth a try; however, I have my doubts- the soil where I am in Southeast Ohio is a tannish, mustardy yellow/brown. I don't think blending it would make much a difference- but I'll give it a try.

All the best,

Sean C. (C&NW Man)

 

[URI]

I can help, I do underground work so we are diging it up all the time. Would dirt from DeKalb Co work, as it has the old CNW double main passing through.

leafriversub@gmail.com

 

[C&NW Man]

I can help, I do underground work so we are diging it up all the time. Would dirt from DeKalb Co work, as it has the old CNW double main passing through.

leafriversub@gmail.com

Hello URI,

Yes! That sounds perfect!

Thanks,

Sean C.

 

[wheeler1963]

Sean, if that doesn't work, my sister lives next to a corn field in Kane (Aurora) county. I can have her fill up a coffee can and send it off to you.

 

[C&NW Man]

Hello Jerome,

Thank you very much! I would love to get a can of dirt from your sister because even if Bill's, (URI), sample works out, which I'm figuring it will- no two samples of dirt, (even from the same area), will be identical. The more samples I can get, means the more slight variations I can model- giving me an EVEN MORE realistic appearance.

My e-mail address is: cnwman1@hotmail.com OR spcolfer@comcast.net

Please feel free to contact at either address, so we make the arrangements. Thank you again- very much!

All the best,

Sean C.
C&NW Man