# Watts-Myniss Mine



## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Some of you may remember my mighty 5x8 tabletop layout. When we moved in here last March I had more room, so I added a spur along the other wall. Then I got busy with other stuff and it sat, and sat, and sat, unfinished, collecting junk.













A couple weeks ago my ex informed me that my son, his wife and young twins will be coming out from Philly for Christmas week... AND they wanted to see the trains run! Okay, time to get off dead center..... First on the agenda was the mine structure. Keeping in mind that the shelf is only 10" deep.


Keeping with the "company town" theme, I started with another Piko house (actually the church/school). I built a wood base to get it up in the air, and a flat for the back wall. Then to match the siding on the Piko kit I covered much of it with individual boards (actually coffee stirring sticks from a local convenience store-- hey, they were free) . I may add a brick or stone face to the base. I haven't really decided,and I need to make signage as well. And, yes, it is going to be lit. 





















There you have it...any suggestions?


----------



## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Looks good so far, are you planning to glue down your ballast?


I would add a small spur to that inside corner, and then line the wall with building facades. But thats me..


----------



## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Vic, I thought about that, but then put a barnyard, a large tree in the corner. A crossing and a pair of bicyclists are filling the gap between. I also scrounged a "shed"(half a B'mann refrigerator car shell by the look of it) to go between the end of the stockade fence and the road. I think I'm also going to model a gas well head and tank to help fill in. (only about 5" square, so it should be a neat little detail) 

Ballast is kitty litter, held down with diluted white glue, ala HO. If you don't glue it down the floor gets most of it eventually.


----------



## trainbuffjr (Jan 11, 2008)

*Looks Good! Keep us posted on the progress!*


----------



## ThinkerT (Jan 2, 2008)

Maybe a cliff facade for the mine to come out of or a backdrop? Seems a little disconcerting erupting from the wall like that.


----------



## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Mic,

That looks like a great start. And on 10" of depth. That's encouraging, because it looks like I'll have some narrow spots when I get things rolling. I still don't have any real concept of how big this stuff is in three dimensions. If there were a few adult beverage drinkers, where a can got left by accident in a pic....









Les


----------



## ThinkerT (Jan 2, 2008)

That looks like a great start. And on 10" of depth. That's encouraging, because it looks like I'll have some narrow spots when I get things rolling. I still don't have any real concept of how big this stuff is in three dimensions. If there were a few adult beverage drinkers, where a can got left by accident in a pic.... 



Bigger than you think - always. Quite a few neat ideas I had for my space bit the dust when I was confronted with the reality of just how much room G scale requires. Most recent case in point: a couple days ago, I figured I'd set up a simple figure 8 type arrangement around the christmass tree and the television table downstairs. Not even close. Had to settle for an oval instead. (Well, I probably could have done the figure 8, but then I'd be stubbing my toes on the track all the time).


----------



## Terl (Jan 2, 2008)

Nice addition to your layout. 

Terl


----------



## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Thinker,

I have one ace up my sleeve: it seems a mine would be the most complex, so it might could be I'd relegate the sawmill to an 'off site' operation, as is the ML as now envisioned. That way I could expand the mine as much as possible, leaving only enough space for a terminal for the SL.

Les


----------



## ohioriverrailway (Jan 2, 2008)

Creative use of a building kit. It looks really good. I like the name as well.


----------

