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I HAVE MANY HOBBIES FROM JAPANESE HISTORY TO LARGE SCALE TRAINS. A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME TO SHARE PICTURES OF MY TRAIN LAYOUT ON THIS SITE. I AM NOT ANYWHERE NEAR FINISHED WITH BUILDING IT AND STILL HAVE MANY BUILDINGS TO BUILD AND ANOTHER BLOCK IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA TO DO. BUT HERE ARE SOME PICTURES SHOWING WHERE MY PROGRESS IS.

I STARTED WITH PRETTY MUCH A BLANK SLATE. AN AREA IN THE GARDEN 32 FEET BY 30 FEET. THERE IS ANOTHER 32 X 30 AREA NEXT TO THIS ONE FOR LAYOUT EXPANSION

A FREIGHT TRAIN COMING THROUGH THE TUNNEL ON A SUNNY DAY! HEADING FOR THE LAKESIDE STATION

LINDA FINISHED
THE CALIFORNIA STYLE MAIN TRAIN STATION,
I'M NOT FINISHED WITH THE ROADS IN THE STATION AREA YET.

WHAT GOOD WOULD A SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LAYOUT BE WITHOUT THE INFAMOUS SLOW SPEED
O. J. SIMPSON CHASE.

I HAVE VISITED MANY LARGE SCALE TRAIN STORES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
AND THE VERY BEST IS GOLD COAST STATION IN VENTURA CALIFORNIA.

THE OWNER IS HANS-G KAHL AND HANS IS A WONDERFUL PERSON TO DEAL WITH. I HAVE FOUND HIM HONEST AND WILLING TO STAND UP TO A MANUFACTURER ON THE CUSTOMERS BEHALF. HE HAS BEEN IN THE BUSINESS MANY YEARS AND HIS EXPERIENCE IS BEYOND VALUE TO ANY CUSTOMER.

NO HE DIDN'T PAY ME TO SAY ALL THIS. THE GUY IS JUST EASY TO LOVE AS A BROTHER. CLICK ON HIS PICTURE TO BE SENT TO HIS SITE.

I am truly thrilled to tell you that the photo below showing a Santa Fe War Bonnett f3 diesel pulling into my darling wife's California Mission style station has just won the Mylargescale.com photo contest for the period of Dec. 15, 2002 to Jan 15, 2003. Hooooray I finally won.

THE PICTURE BELOW IS JUNE 07, 2005
I still have more of the downtown area to complete. For later downtown pictures see page 3

AS YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE SOPRANO REFUSE REMOVAL SERVICES. YOUR TRASH SLEEPS WITH THE FISHES, BADDA BING!

I ALSO HAVE TO THANK MY PAL BOB WHIPPLE FOR HIS CONTRIBUTION OF THE PALM TREES WHICH IS JUST WHAT MY STATION NEEDED!

PLEASE BE PATIENT FOR THIS LONG PAGE TO LOAD.
THIS PAGE PROVES THAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MEN AND BOYS IS THE PRICE OF THEIR TOYS!
SCROLL DOWN THE PAGE TO SEE ALL THE PICTURES

VALHALLA PETROLEUM
"FROM THE FEORDS TO THE FREEWAYS"
LOOK FOR IT UNDER THE SIGN OF THE PRANCING NORSMAN

DAN'S BURGERS FINALLY GOT THEIR BEER AND WINE LICENSE SO THEY DECIDED TO PUMP THE STUFF IN!
SEE BELOW
P.S. THE WINE CAR WAS A PRESENT FROM MY PAL AXEL TILLMANN

OUR PARKS DEPT. JUST ADDED NEW PARK BENCHES. SEEN HERE THE MORNING OF SEPT.04, 2003

THE TALL BEAUTIFUL TREE RIGHT BEHIND THE BUSINESS MAN IS
A CHRISTMAS TREE JUNIPER THAT PUTS UP WITH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HEAT LIKE A CHAMP

GOTTA HAVE A PLACE TO STORE THE TRAINS.
WHEN I RETURNED FROM THE NATIONAL LARGE SCALE TRAIN CONVENTION IN SACRAMENTO I REALIZED I SPENT A BUNDLE IN ONE BOOTH AT THAT WAS "RAIL PLAQUES".
PAUL CALABRESE MAKES THE BEST THERE ARE AND NOW I HAVE THEM ON MY TRAIN SHED.

THIS SHOT BELOW IS BEFORE THE PATIO AND
BEER TASTING KEG ROOM.
I LIKE IT BECAUSE IT REALLY SHOWS OFF THE WATERFALL!

It seems that people always ask me the same question about the layout. The first thing out of their mouth is
"WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN IT RAINS?"
I do nothing but thank god that I don't have to water the layout that day. It is all built to withstand the weather.
All the trees are real.
You don't run out and cover your house when it rains do you? Well I don't cover the layout either.

People seem to not realize the size of my trains so here is a picture comparing sizes.

SOME PEOPLE ARE VERY INNOCENT AND ASK "WHAT KIND OF TRAIN SET DO YOU HAVE?" IF I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THEY ARE UNAWARE OF THE RUDENESS OF THE QUESTION I WOULD BE INSULTED. THE TRAINS I HAVE DO NOT COME IN SETS LIKE THE TOY TRAINS OF THE 1940'S AND 50'S. THEY SELL ONE PIECE AT A TIME AND THEIR COST
GREATLY EXCEEDS THE COST OF BOXED TRAIN SETS OF OUR CHILDHOOD. THE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE THESE TRAINS TAKE ALOT OF TIME TO LANDSCAPE THEIR LAYOUTS, THEY BUILD BUILDINGS FROM KITS OR FROM SCRATCH. THESE LAYOUTS ARE A TRUE LABOR OF LOVE.