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New Mike Engler modular layout

I haven't posted in a while as I've been busy getting old.I have been kicking back on my new knee, I ordered one on Amazon and had it installed a couple of weeks ago. I've built some new stuff and haven't been posting much. Also been detailing a lot of stuff that was already pretty well detailed. Brett shipped me about a pound of the new beautiful 3D castings.

A few weeks ago I figured out a way to make my mostly still-life around the wall layout moveable most anywhere. The layout as some of you know is about 80% SWSM kits built over the last 15 years. Some turned out pretty well - the first was Twin Mills which won Best-of-Show at the 2008 National Narrow Gauge Convention and a year later the same award at the National NMRA convention. There are lots of photos of these two on my page of the Gallery section of this forum.

In 2014 I combined seven SierraWest kits (about 22 structures) onto a 2.5ft x6ft module that I called Camp Chambers, a logging camp that adjoins the sawmill. Those two modules plus four more 2x4 modules now make up my portable modular layout. All are joined end to endFreemo style if you guys know what that is. All except the sawmill have a straight code 83 down the center. The sawmill has a 90degree curve mainline so it can be in the middle to make an 'L' shape layout or be at either end of the six to be a straight line point to point.

Three of the six modules are all SierraWest kits and structures, the fourth and fifth modules are a combination of other structures.

Now where you guys hopefully come in. Module three is all SierraWest but it is all currently three 12x12 dioramas, (foundry, fabrication and Deer Creek Mine) plus the 5x12 inch Duluth Company. Since elevations are fine except for the mainline down the center I was planning on adding a Flux Mill on a grade to have some elevation to a raised mine.

But please help me design this last 2x4 module. I'll try to attach some photos but they might be in a following post as Karl Allison often has to walk me through these. Please post your ideas, drawings, sketches, etc.

Photos in my next post.
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Comments

  • Good to hear from you mike, regardless
    Terry
  • Welcome to the new knee club. Rehab is a bitch. Hope to see what you do with the 3D prints.
  • Hi Mike:
    Glad to see you posting again. I had my knee replaced 7 years ago and what a bear to recover from, but I'm glad I got it done as I have no issues with it at all. I'm sure the technology is better now, but once you get better you'll be glad you have a new knee. I could not walk and now I don't even know it's there. Take care and welcome back.
  • Oops! Need Karl.
  • A taconite loading dock on Lake Superior?
    Terry
  • Yup. I'm converting an old FSM coaling dock into a 1920 version of an ore dock. My railroad is the fictitious Minneapolis Duluth and Cloquet- a duel gauge HO-HOn30 shortline about 1920. The SWSM Deer Creek Mine has become one of the few silver mines in Minnesota around 1900.

    The sawmill and logging camp are Cloquet MN. Minnesota in the 1890's produced more board feet of cut lumber than any other state. The two South River Model Works dioramas make up one of the 2x4 modules and represent Duluth MN and my Fos Scale Modeks wharf scene module represents Superior Wisconsin.

    As soon as I re-learn how to post some photos from my iPhone I will share.
  • Mike good to see you back.

    Jerry
  • Hi Mike.
    Long time no see or talk hope that you are doing well. ........Carl.......
  • Glad you are back to modeling and posting Mike.
  • Here are a couple of photos of modules one and two, which you have seen plenty of in the past. No. 1 Is the Twin Mills sawmill That I built in 2007, which actually was my first SierraWest kit.

    .2009NNGC_BestOfShow_DSC_5954_PhotoBy_Jaime_E_Zepeda_2
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  • So many little details that add to the scene….the tires lashed to the piers….now I return to look for more
    Terry
  • Yes but we never get tired of looking at it. It is so well done!
  • Nice photography. Last pic strikes me as very realistic.
  • another master among us.....
  • Great diorama, very well done !!
  • Thank you all for the kind words!
    I'll try to post some photos of Module 2 this evening.
  • Module 2. This is a 2.5 x 6 ft module that was made from 8 or 9 SWSM kits I built from 2008-2012.It was Best in Show at the 2014 National Narrow Gauge Conventon in Kansas City. There are lots of photos of this one again in the Gallery tab of this site under my page. It connects to Module One the Twin Mills sawmill. They are the cornerstone of the layout. I'll post some more current photos of the second one.
  • Curses! Foiled again. Am not at home and haven't been able to post any photos from my iPad or my new iPhone. No "choose" option as tutorial on posting above suggests. Ideas?
  • No big deal, Mike…. I just popped over to the Gallery section and took a look. I’ve seen your pix many times but each time I find something new to admire.
    Well done, buddy
    Terry
  • Above is Module 2. Lots of photos in the Gallery of this one. Eight or nine SWSM kit small dioramas on this module.
  • Nice to see them all together. Great work !!!
  • Thank you very much Robert. Your interpretations of Brett's kits are in another world from the rest of us. I so much admire your skill and imagination.
  • Thank you very much Robert. Your interpretations of Brett's kits are in another world from the rest of us. I so much admire your skill and imagination.

    amen to that!

  • Always impressed with your work Mike.....are you coming to the National Narrow Gauge event in Pittsburg this September?
  • I will be for sure. I will have a table there promoting the 2026 NNGC that will be in Minneapolis. I am chairman of that convention as I was in 2018 when we hosted the NNGC for the first time. I hope a lot of the folks on this forum will attend Pittsburgh, St. Louis in 2025, and then Minneapolis in 2026.

    Some incredibly good modeling, clinics, home and club layout tours, and a great trade show. And the best of all are the people you meet- old and new lifelong friends. Much fun!
  • edited June 19
    Always amazing to see your work Mike, such an incredible collection.
    It was such a pleasure to see them all in person.
    Magnificent and inspiring work, please keep posting your progress.
  • Mike...I'm one of the Staff in Pittsburg, I'll be working the move in and set-up of the vendors....I also have a few things that will be in the contest room.....We should set up a meeting of those of us from the Forum that will be in attendance....I was in Minneapolis in 2018....and I'll be there next year too I hope...
  • Hi Mike:
    Just saw your diorama and it looks really super. The way you put everything together looks great and the details are awesome. I live in Chicago so I look forward to seeing some of your work in person. Very impressive.
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