# A Visit to the Tortoise & Lizard Bash RR



## Gary Woolard (Jan 2, 2008)

Todd & Linda Brody held an open house at their "Tortoise & Lizard Bash" RR back in September. Unfortunately I was feeling a bit under the weather and couldn't make it. Fortunately my top cub reporter Carla, aka "She Who Must Take Pictures", could! Here are some of the pictures she brought home.


We'll start with some wider establishing shots to help you get your bearings.


Looking southeast across the layout; the main station and a switching yard are in the foreground; a small town is on the far side. Open house visitors will help give you sense of scale and perspective --












A similar angle, but moving further north along the border of the layout; the track crosses over a pond and circumnavigates a volcano with a waterfall. Father and son, I presume, are sitting along the back fence and watching the trains go by.












"Hey Dad, look over there!"












Maybe he was looking at the train crossing the trestle?












Here's a view from the eastern side of the layout. We can see the town (Todd, I forgot its name!?) and more passing sidings and turnoff's. The T&LB can handle quite a bit of traffic; I think I've heard Todd say it can run six trains at once!












The freight consist has traveled clockwise around the volcano, passing under the waterfall and the trestle that it was crossing just a moment before.












Meanwhile, a passenger train runs counter-clockwise around the mountain. The volcanic topology makes for some great G-scale sightseeing, I imagine!












I'm not sure where I first saw a 'dinosaur dig' on a layout. Might have been on the T&LB -- this has certainly become one of the best-developed digs I've seen! I figure these fellows must have a grant from the Smithsonian.












Just around the curve, the train will pass this small hard-rock mine.












On a nearby siding, a stock car is being loaded with hogs and piglets. Meanwhile, the farm wife is feeding her chickens.












Another freight engine stops at the station. There's a lot of nice detail to be found here.












The Bear Whiz Brewing Company runs a brewery here, and there's a fairly constant call for ice. That's Gustav tending the hatch.












Some of us may remember Gustav -- another of Todd's adventures in animation! Todd did a fairly complete exposition of how he built Gustav's ice-loading movement here on MLS, but of course I can't find it now. Anyway, here's another angle of Gustav loading ice..












Another of Todd's 'tricks' that I enjoy is apparent in this shot of bathers enjoying the Hot Springs just outside of town. I picked this shot of S.W.M.T.P.'s, because it shows the steam rising up from the tubs and 'natural vents'. Has anybody else tried this gimmick in an outdoors layout?












Todd has also documented his new "Alligator Lizard" Rigi cable car system. Here are a few shots of the custom landings.






















Here's a nice shot of a couple of modified cowboys herding their cows across the stream.












If you've hung around MLS much lately, you must have seen Todd's latest creation in development -- the graffiti-laden, homeboy-driven "Lowrider". So I'll only show you a couple from the almost 100 shots that S.W.M.T.P. took of this train!


Here's an 'establishing' shot, for those who haven't seen it yet.












I had to laugh when I realized I was looking at a homeboy-rigged 'bottle-opening' apparatus!












But the most fascinating car in the lowrider consist was just that -- a lowrider "Chebby" on a flatbed. (It is a Chevy Malibu, isn't it, Todd?) The automobile,named "Hopper", comes complete with actuated 'bouncy' shocks both front & rear, so this car can really buck! S.W.M.T.P. created this 'montage' display so that you could get a sense of the range of motion. CheckitOut, dude!











Once again, our thanks to Todd & Linda for their hospitality. I'll make it next time, kids!


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Thank you Gary and Carla! Carla's pics came out beautiful as always.

The town is named "Tortoise Town" and we run 7 trains.

The construction of Gustav will be featured in an upcoming _Garden Railways Magazine _article.

Sure, a Chebbie Malibu works. n









The Lowrider train has now been completed. It is dirty, the graffiti was permanently afixed, and gang "tags" have been added. Additionally, the train now had the "Beer Chaser." The Lowrider train should be operating on the Del Oro Pacific at the SWGRS this weekend.





"Big Chino" is not amused by the activities of the day.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

A very photogenic layout! 

Greg


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## tj-lee (Jan 2, 2008)

Great pics. Thanks for posting them. 

Best, 
TJ


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