Colorado Midland Modeler
Proudly modeling the CM, MT & SL in HO Scale
That gives me good starting point, thanks.
Finally, Santafewillies layout thread - revived Feb 2026
- Thread starter santafewillie
- Start date
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A great looking train collection on the beginning page.
I'm hoping one day to get my layout looking as good as yours.
Your work gives me much inspiration, as do so many others here on this this Modelrailroadforum.
Also I am enjoying collecting and buying the train engines, locomotives.
Of course all this depends on financial situations. But I do have enough stuff to keep me going if I can't afford anything for a while.
There were those who called me Screwy Louie behind my back. Because some people thought I was crazy mean. I still won't answer if called Louie. As the lady who raised me said "If you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything" It finally sank in, better late than never!
Magnificent work, as always and thank you for sharing!
I look forward to the next installment. No rush, good things are worth waiting for.
Thanks for posting everything! Dave LASM
In the uk people struggle to get a spot by a church and there have been some rather gruesome digging up and layering horizontally tO make more space I have my parents and my in laws ashes my dad said if buried and we moved pls recur and take with us all four sit in a nice wooden cabinet behind cupboard doors is that strange?
I am so glad you came thru it okay! Despite damage your poor neighbours as well
No train pictures in the thread is just an oversight, as I intended this thread to be primarily about structures. You have given me some food for thought though, as I have ~64 active diesels roaming about. All are ATSF except one engine from SLSF used for interchange service.
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westtexjohn
Well-Known Member
Willie said...........Thanks for looking and I hope that you are enjoying the tour.
I am indeed enjoing the tour. It appears Grandpa & Grandma West have a green thumb. Well done.
I am indeed enjoing the tour. It appears Grandpa & Grandma West have a green thumb. Well done.
michaeljoe
Well-Known Member
Everything looks so good; I love all the buildings and details.
A great looking train collection on the beginning page.
I'm hoping one day to get my layout looking as good as yours.
Your work gives me much inspiration, as do so many others here on this this Modelrailroadforum.
santafewillie
Same Ol' Buzzard
Thanks for the comments Michael Joe. I like the modeling aspect of this hobby almost as much as I like the actual running of trains.
RhB Michael
RhB Lokführer
Great attention to detail. Looks wonderful Willie.
Colorado Midland Modeler
Proudly modeling the CM, MT & SL in HO Scale
I totally agree with that, I enjoy the modeling aspect almost as much as running trains too. Doesn't matter if it's working on layout scenic work and buildings, or painting/customizing locomotives and rollingstock, it's all fun. I've also been greatly enjoying your layout tour, and I look forward to the next installment. Keep up the good work!
michaeljoe
Well-Known Member
I also enjoy making the models painting the scenery and just putting it all together also.
Also I am enjoying collecting and buying the train engines, locomotives.
Of course all this depends on financial situations. But I do have enough stuff to keep me going if I can't afford anything for a while.
santafewillie
Same Ol' Buzzard
Time for another update, since the rain Saturday has left it too wet to be in the garden or other yard work. We're still in the town of Vernon. I left off at the trailer belonging to Billie Joe and Bobbie Sue.
The last structures on the aisle side of the tracks are for Plains Grain Co., a local small feed & seed company. Both of these structures came from a Bachmann train set that I purchased for my son back in the mid-80's. The one on the left was intended to be a small town passenger station, while the one on the right was a freight station.
From here, the track angles too close to the layout edge to put anything else there besides trees and shrubs.
On the other side of the tracks there is a beauty shop that I have named Cut and Curl Beauty Shop. From the aisle, only the backside can be seen at first glance.
This is one part of a Grandt Line kit that is called Reese Street Houses. The boarded up outhouse also came with that kit. From the front which is visible by looking just right from the side is the entrance.
Another structure from this kit was featured in post #195 as the Jones home, which at the time I didn't remember it's origin.
Moving South along the backdrop is Pioneer Press, the home of the local newspaper. It's just a 2D background structure made from Walther's modular walls. Nothing special here.
This and the next two structures are in space that is not fully developed yet, thus the brown painted plywood.
Flowers By Leanne is a small florist shop. This may or may not remain there, but it fits and is a space filler right now.
This came out of a much larger Rix kit of a factory. There is a cardstock backdrop structure behind it and the next business, which is Louie's Cigar Store, formerly known as Lou's Cigar Shoppe.
Louie has renamed it Cigar Store, but cant find anyone willing to climb up and repaint the original sign. This is a small laser-cut wood structure from Bar Mills.
I like how the sign on the side wall turned out.
The last structures on the aisle side of the tracks are for Plains Grain Co., a local small feed & seed company. Both of these structures came from a Bachmann train set that I purchased for my son back in the mid-80's. The one on the left was intended to be a small town passenger station, while the one on the right was a freight station.
From here, the track angles too close to the layout edge to put anything else there besides trees and shrubs.
On the other side of the tracks there is a beauty shop that I have named Cut and Curl Beauty Shop. From the aisle, only the backside can be seen at first glance.
This is one part of a Grandt Line kit that is called Reese Street Houses. The boarded up outhouse also came with that kit. From the front which is visible by looking just right from the side is the entrance.
Another structure from this kit was featured in post #195 as the Jones home, which at the time I didn't remember it's origin.
Moving South along the backdrop is Pioneer Press, the home of the local newspaper. It's just a 2D background structure made from Walther's modular walls. Nothing special here.
This and the next two structures are in space that is not fully developed yet, thus the brown painted plywood.
Flowers By Leanne is a small florist shop. This may or may not remain there, but it fits and is a space filler right now.
This came out of a much larger Rix kit of a factory. There is a cardstock backdrop structure behind it and the next business, which is Louie's Cigar Store, formerly known as Lou's Cigar Shoppe.
Louie has renamed it Cigar Store, but cant find anyone willing to climb up and repaint the original sign. This is a small laser-cut wood structure from Bar Mills.
I like how the sign on the side wall turned out.
That's it for this installment, I hope that it isn't as long before the next one. Thanks for viewing and I hope that you enjoy.
John from Indiana
Well-Known Member
Howdy all from NW Indiana it's 12:30 and it's 50 degrees with wind gusts up to 20mph. I haven't built anything for months, due to a million things going on right now; but I finally built something, an ITLA Allstate Building. It is close to done now; but not complete. I took it off the workbench and put it on my layout and it dawned on me that I don't build new buildings. It doesn't fit in where I wanted it to go...way to shiny. I will have to create a spot for some new, or freshly painted buildings. The ITLA kit started out a little rocky; but turned into a fun build.
Attachments
Bruette
Well-Known Member
And I thought they were still running today. It just goes to show everybody settles down eventually.
My Mom owned a beauty salon named "Cut and Curl" How cool is that?!
Nothing to do with me. Nobody calls me Louie, not to my face.
There were those who called me Screwy Louie behind my back. Because some people thought I was crazy mean. I still won't answer if called Louie. As the lady who raised me said "If you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything" It finally sank in, better late than never!Magnificent work, as always and thank you for sharing!
I look forward to the next installment. No rush, good things are worth waiting for.
migalyto
Well-Known Member
After all, their two young lovers with nothing better to do!
michaeljoe
Well-Known Member
Santafewillie, everything is looking great I really like the little cigar shoppe.
My ex-wife had a beauty shop its name was....Hair We Are.....
My ex-wife had a beauty shop its name was....Hair We Are.....
logandsawman
Northern Pacific history enthusiast
The cigar shop is my favorite, you are right about the large sign turning out very nicely!
Thanks for posting everything! Dave LASM
John from Indiana
Well-Known Member
Meant to post this under another thread
Jaz avalley
Station cat
Oi slacker no wonder i struggled to find the thread 
Still at least I get some catch up posts
Still at least I get some catch up posts
Jaz avalley
Station cat
Are the ‘plaques’ for people with ashes? I could understand some being for soldiers who never made it home but as the lawyers outnumber the gravestonesAs promised I have returned after a short break to return to a normal life and clean up some of the mess that the tornado left me. There's still a lot more to do in the way of tree removal, but my HOA (I'm the President and only member) is not too particular about how quickly it gets done!
We left off at the small farm across the road from the next ranch, the Stallings Horse Ranch, named after some friends of ours who are getting out of the horse rearing business.
First an overview.View attachment 195555
The barn is a laser-cut wood structure from the now closed American Model Builders, the log cabin is a cardstock structure downloaded from the Illinois Historical Society years ago.
We see Janey practicing barrel-racing in the practice pen.
View attachment 195556
View attachment 195557
To the south is the ADM grain elevator from Walther's.
View attachment 195559View attachment 195560
I recently added a safety rail around the dust collectors.
View attachment 195561
View attachment 195565
Behind the elevator is a cemetery. This is made with parts from an old Woodland Scenics white metal casting kit, with additional headstones from their current plastic kit and many simple ones that I made.
View attachment 195562
View attachment 195563View attachment 195564
Lots of room left for future occupants. Note that some pictures were taken at earlier stages and don't show all of the current headstones.
In the next installment, we'll look at some more rail-served industries south of here.
Thanks for looking and I'll get back on track more quickly.
In the uk people struggle to get a spot by a church and there have been some rather gruesome digging up and layering horizontally tO make more space I have my parents and my in laws ashes my dad said if buried and we moved pls recur and take with us all four sit in a nice wooden cabinet behind cupboard doors is that strange?
Jaz avalley
Station cat
O M G
I am so glad you came thru it okay! Despite damage your poor neighbours as well
I've forgotten if I ever ask this question(s)
Did you ever try to run a Bachmann northern (4-8-4) on your layout? If so, did you find it lacking some pulling power for longer trains?
Your layout is sizable length, did you ever have problems with any other steamers pulling long trains?
PS: WOW, I just did a quick look back thru this subject thread, and saw very few trains,...and no steamers
Did you ever try to run a Bachmann northern (4-8-4) on your layout? If so, did you find it lacking some pulling power for longer trains?
Your layout is sizable length, did you ever have problems with any other steamers pulling long trains?
PS: WOW, I just did a quick look back thru this subject thread, and saw very few trains,...and no steamers
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santafewillie
Same Ol' Buzzard
I have no steamers at all. My layout is set in the 1978-1995 time frame. I also have no passenger equipment. This discipline has saved me from making too many impulse purchases. That's just me though, as I can see where others (my two younger brothers included) enjoy running a variety of equipment. I do have about 50 roofwalk boxcars packed away that were purchased before I made this decision.
No train pictures in the thread is just an oversight, as I intended this thread to be primarily about structures. You have given me some food for thought though, as I have ~64 active diesels roaming about. All are ATSF except one engine from SLSF used for interchange service.
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a commision from some of the links and ads shown on this website (Learn More Here)