# Fantastic indoor layout in latest Garden Railways



## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Just finished reading about Joe Crea's latest indoor traction layout. I have to admit I am rather jealous, it is exactly what I hoped to be doing with my indoor layout before I got sidelined. After reading it, I find myself wanting to get back to work on my layout again, I am hoping to do so this summer once I can sort thru the stuff I had to store in the garage.
The level of detail is inspiring, there's even a California Crazy architecture feature, the Frog gas station, which is crazy good. There are so many ideas bouncing around in my head right now, which is great as I had hit a bit of a mental roadblock on my layout with how to proceed. That roadblock has now been dynamited!


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## ewarhol (Mar 3, 2014)

vsmith said:


> Just finished reading about Joe Crea's latest indoor traction layout. I have to admit I am rather jealous, it is exactly what I hoped to be doing with my indoor layout before I got sidelined. After reading it, I find myself wanting to get back to work on my layout again, I am hoping to do so this summer once I can sort thru the stuff I had to store in the garage.
> The level of detail is inspiring, there's even a California Crazy architecture feature, the Frog gas station, which is crazy good. There are so many ideas bouncing around in my head right now, which is great as I had hit a bit of a mental roadblock on my layout with how to proceed. That roadblock has now been dynamited!


Agree 100% with ya. That was a great article to read. The detail levels are amazing. I'm also inspired and can't wait to build some buildings.


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## Doug H. (Aug 30, 2011)

I have to agree with you. I'm lucky to have Joe as a close friend. The magazine article really didn't do his layout justice. You really need to see it in person. Here are a couple of pictures I took.

Thanks,

Doug Heitkamp
Centennial, CO


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## Dennis Cherry (Feb 16, 2008)

I too got to see his layout before the Denver Convention.

Almost went back home after seeing his layout as nothing would have come close to his detailing, but was wrong and seen many impressive outdoor railroads.


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## ewarhol (Mar 3, 2014)

Thanks Doug for the new photos. The detail is amazing. Reminds me of a friend of mine and his HO layout. I'll pay a visit, look at a scene for a while, when I return the next time I'll see something new in the same scene that I missed the previous time. Those that can model at this level of detail sure inspire me.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Doug H. said:


> I have to agree with you. I'm lucky to have Joe as a close friend. The magazine article really didn't do his layout justice. You really need to see it in person. Here are a couple of pictures I took.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> ...


Hi Doug, since you know Joe, maybe you answer a question I've had for a while. Whatever happened to the G/Gn15 Pitkin Tram layout he was building in one of his closets? It was in GR several years ago, it was incomplete at the time and of course Kalmbach *never* follows up. It was one of the layouts that got me to work doing large scale indoors. Just curious thanks.


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## Doug H. (Aug 30, 2011)

vsmith,

Joe's other layout, The Pitkin Tram, is now just a memory. It was in a small bedroom, approx 10' x 12'. It went around 3 walls of the room. On one long wall was the tram line, on the other long wall were his Colorado & Southern models - Jefferson Depot, Jefferson Dry Goods, Water tank, barn and windmill. When Joe moved to a new house a few years ago, he donated the C&S side of the layout to the Narrow Gauge Preservation Foundation. The tram side of the layout was taken apart and Joe still has the Gunnison Mine module.

I should point out that both of his layouts were built to 1/2" scale (1/24th). When Joe started modeling in large scale, there was nothing available other than LGB. He said he wanted to use a standard ruler, so he chose 1/2" = 1 foot. The track gauge on the tram was 30". In 1/2" scale, O gauge track comes out to 30" gauge. This made it easy for him to get arch bar trucks and wheel sets.

I'll see if I can post up some pics of this layout.

Doug Heitkamp
Centennial, CO


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## Doug H. (Aug 30, 2011)

Here are few old pics of Joe Crea's Pitkin Tram layout...


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Another chance to enjoy this beautiful layout. It's in the latest issue of NARROW GAUGE & SHORT LINE GAZETTE, Sept/Oct issue.
Nice article,Bit more detailed than the GR but GR got the plan and I think more pics. Put the two together and its really nice.
____________________________________


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## Modeltrain (Jan 16, 2017)

Doug H. said:


> Here are few old pics of Joe Crea's Pitkin Tram layout...


Love the layout you have here!! this is going to look awesome when it's finished 
Well done


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

Sounds like a very interesting article and railroad. Where can I read it????

Ed Headington


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

eheading said:


> Sounds like a very interesting article and railroad. Where can I read it????
> 
> Ed Headington


Ed - suggest you read the title/heading of this thread, and check the date on the first post (2015).


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

PEte, duh!!! Thanks! I was looking through the latest Garden Railways, December 2016 and Feb 2017, and couldn't find anything like that!! Too bad I didn't check the date of the first post.

Ed


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