NNGC - Rio Grande Southern in a basement

 The 2021 National Narrow Gauge convention was held in Hickory, North Carolina. Modelers who enjoy scale recreations of narrow gauge railroads travel to these yearly gatherings. These conventions are arranged in such a way as to leave each day open from noon until 6 PM to tour private homes and see the model railroads created by talented modelers in the area.

This particular model railroad is a recreation of the Rio Grande Southern in HO scale. The RGS was a railroad that ran thru SW Colorado and traversed some amazing scenery. It is a popular railroad to model.

Walking into the home

Down the steps to the basement

Where the railroad awaits

Some portions are double decked

The white portion of the image is where a river will be located as the scenery progresses

This is the coaling station at Vance Junction. Julie and I have hiked to this location several times in Colorado

Ore tipple at the town of Sawpit

The diggings at Pandora

Scenery supports in place for future rock work

Many of the stations along the RGS have been modelled

The backdrops add a lot to the scene

The station and tram house at Ophir

Depot at Telluride

Brass model of a Shay as used by the lumber companies

Another view of the mines and mill at Pandora

Fall is in the air on this layout

Sand facility

Turntable and yard trackage

 

More Fall colors 

The railroad modeler hired a talented artist to paint all of the backdrops

Turnout controls are mounted on the fascia

Equipment staged and ready  for operation

This was a very nicely laid out recreation of the RGS and was a pleasure to visit.

Color matching the RGS Depot

 I enjoy researching the history of narrow gauge railroads in Colorado. The Rio Grande Southern (RGS) in Southwest Colorado is my favorite.

The RGS had a depot in Dolores Colorado that was lost when the railroad went out of business, however the town recreated the depot on their main street through town and did a wonderful job on the recreation. For years they sold plans for their recreation. We bought a set and used it as a guide to the proportions of our cottage in the mountains.

The Dolores Depot includes restored Goose #5 on trackage out front

The depot is a museum and includes all kinds of memorabilia of the RGS RR

This includes a very nice model of the depot as it existed during the time of the RR

The scale model shows the depot in relation to other buildings in existence at the time.

This kit image shows the red and green color scheme used in the early days of the railroad. I am modelling a later period which painted the buildings in a yellow and brown scheme.

I am building a 1/64th scale model of the Dolores, Colorado Rio Grande Southern depot and needed to paint it in the correct colors. The paint recommended by the kit manufacturer is no longer in production. 

Fortunately the entire history of the railroad is documented in an eleven volume set of books telling the story. We took one of the books from the Rio Grande Southern series to Home Depot. The intent was to get the depot image scanned, but they will not do that due to copyright, so we instead matched the image to paint sample chips and had them mix up the sample containers of paint you use to do test paints. Turned out to be a very good match.

The paint colors I came up with for the Dolores Depot are Behr colors with samples mixed at Home Depot.

The lighter color is Cork, #PPU6-05m. The paint sample card has the number OM8-4

The darker color is Ancient Root, #PPU4-20d. The paint sample card has the number YN1-7

The mixed paint is available in sample containers which will be a life time supply for modelling needs

Here is a few images of the work in process

I look forward to getting this done and made into a diorama.

Greg Condon home Layout - National Narrow Gauge Convention

One of the nice things about the National Narrow Gauge Convention is they take place in a different city each year. This gives the attendees the chance to visit local modelers homes and see the layouts they have created in their basements.

I find it interesting these good folks have opened their homes to total strangers to share their love of the hobby and show their creativity to one and all. Typically you sign in when you arrive and can enjoy some snacks and treats the hosts have put out before you see their railroad.

The Convention folks publish a summary of the layout giving an address, scale of the layout, overall size and what percentage is complete. They also include how far it is from the convention hotel and any other details needed.

Greg Condon is a Master Model Railroader( MMR) which means he has attained the upper echelons
of the hobby. Greg models the Rio Grande Southern in the scale of HOn3. He has done a magnificent job of capturing the various scenes of the railroad and his use of photo backdrops and how he has blended them with his 3D scenery is first rate.

Greg is standing outside his recreation of a RGS depot which is where the trains are dispatched in operating sessions

There are a number of little scenes you will find. This was in the layout fascia and is the opening to a mine tunnel

View down the mine shaft

 

View from inside the "Depot"

This is a particularly good example of blending the backdrop with the layout

Here a mirror reflects the scenery

Another good blending of foreground and background

Julie and I have walked this portion of the real railroad and found the locations of all of the buildings found in this scene

The coal tipple at Vance Junction

Depot at Vance Junction