How This O Scale Model Railroad Keeps The Family Together!

Great layout tips from an unexpected source on this episode of Toy Train Tips and Tricks. In order to avoid distractions from the featured model railroad, I'm going to give a shout out to our channel members here at the very beginning of the episode. Thanks to all of you for helping make these videos possible. Now on with the show. In the family room of a farmhouse located somewhere in Ohio is a most unusual model railroad. While the trains and associated items are O scale, which is not all that unusual, the track is two rail, which is less common among O scale modelers. Even less common is the track gauge, which is a scale 30 inches or two and a half feet, meaning that these O scale trains can actually operate on HO gauge track. Two rail O scalers, and especially narrow gauge scale modelers, have a reputation for being so-called rivet counters. Being laser focused on scale fidelity and historical accuracy, sometimes to the level of obsession. But again, this model railroad breaks the mold by mixing craftsman style modeling with whimsical ceramic structures. Mixing scale fidelity with a run what you want mentality. Mixing highly detailed locomotives and rolling stock with box store toys and animations. And balancing realism with whimsy. All the while using the crafting talents of family members to create memorable model scenes using unusual and inexpensive materials and methods. In other words, once you overlook the HO track and the insufficient number of rails, because we all know that three rail trains are the best, there's still a lot that we three-railers can learn from the Squirrel Creek Railroad and its owners, Chris and his wife, Squirrel. Don't ask about the nickname, it's a long story. So let's take a trip on the Squirrel Creek Railway and see what we can learn. Longtime viewers will note that we have visited the Squirrel Creek before, always in the fall to coincide with the predominant scenery on the Squirrel Creek. While most model railroads are set in the lush green warmth of summer, or the stark white of December, it's always a crisp October day on the Squirrel Creek. And why not? The colorful scenery of a fall afternoon looks great surrounding these overscale trains. And while a few of the structures and animations on the layout are Halloween themed, the overall layout concept focuses on the scenes of a fall harvest. Think pumpkin pie and apple cider rather than trick-or-treat candy. Veteran viewers may remember the early scenery of the Squirrel Creek, which consisted primarily of multi-colored sponge painting on vertical surfaces, representing the October scenery. Those painted images are still there, but are now supplemented by more than 2,000 trees, lichen bags by the gross, and now people. Lots and lots of people. Most of them sourced from inexpensive packages ordered from the internet. Of course, Chris is not beyond dismembering his scale figures and reassembling them in new poses when necessary. Just like Dr. Frankenstein. Dr. Frankenstein It's pronounced Frankenstein. The trees and lichen are of course painted and covered in appropriately colored ground foam, using what Chris describes as a macabre tossed salad of paint, glue, and ground foam. For hedges, the duo developed an easy method of slicing cheap dollar store scrubbing sponges to the appropriate shape, then covering them in ground foam. Squirrel also notes that the reindeer moss purchased from dollar stores makes the best lichen for larger shrubs and bushes. The team added a cricket machine to their modeling arsenal this year, which they call their new best friend for modeling. You can see evidence of the device in the lettering found around the layout, on locomotives, bridges, and water towers, and even in the curtains on the couple's custom-decorated funeral trolley. More about that later. Another fun new tool is a small battery-operated spray gun, which is great for weathering and other small painting projects. Three entire towns have appeared on the Squirrel Creek this year. These towns are all placed near the rear wall and are served by the newly upgraded trolley line. Rather than straining his back and knees by climbing on the layout, Chris cut out appropriate sizes of thin wood paneling, then added structure, scenery, and details to the panel from the comfort of his workbench, before placing the completed scenes on the layout intact. On the whimsical side, the Squirrel Creek includes many references to films and television programs. Sharp-eyed viewers will notice the shady rest stop, a reference to TV's Petticoat Junction, as well as the town of Pixley, and Haney's truck from the related Green Acres TV program. The film Emperor of the North is referenced by the A-number-one graffiti on the water tower, and also by Locomotive 19, both examples of cricket lettering. More obscure is the Tomahawk and Western caboose being refurbished by local crews, a reference to the film Ticket to Tomahawk, the first film featuring a young Marilyn Monroe. Also on the whimsical side is a new animated deer scene. Humorous, but also reflecting life in the Depression era, are depictions of hobos, moonshine stills, and an occupied outhouse suffering from a door malfunction. On the more realistic side, a new prototypical culling dock has been added to the upper locomotive facility. This mostly scratch-built structure is reminiscent of the type of home-built solutions that would have been used by a steam era branch line, when neither space nor budget allowed the construction of a larger culling facility. Nearby, a commercial water tower kit has been reworked with a new scratch-built base and new scale details. An example of the highly detailed custom decorating is the funeral trolley on the Interurban line. Trolleys like these were common in the pre-automobile era, serving as hearses between trackside funeral homes and cemeteries. The custom lettering and striping, as well as the detailed curtains, are all courtesy of the couple's new cricket machine. And lots of patience. They are proud of the final result, as they should be. The Interurban line also uses modified HO scale trolley poles with extended bases, or sometimes a base only represented by green paint on the backdrop. And speaking of backdrops, Chris's use of these scenery layers stacked in front of one another creates a dramatic sense of depth, despite some scenes being only a few inches deep. When combined with selective compression, that is, using smaller items in the background to create the illusion of depth, the net result is very impressive and is reminiscent of the scenery on another classic O scale layout, Frank Ellison's Delta Lines. The tunnel portals on the layout were recently redesigned. The new wood look portals utilize wooden matchsticks, which is Chris's favorite source of lumber for the layout. And, of course, cricket lettering. The large pumpkin patch uses a combination of dollar store pumpkins and painted acorns, while the apple orchard is made from modified commercial trees with a matchstick wood fence around the perimeter. Beehives were made from small craft blocks, matchsticks, and aluminum foil for the roofs. Operationally, Chris has abandoned DCC for conventional control, and the schedules, waybills, and car routing cards of many scale operating model railroads are replaced by nothing. Just turn on the trains and let them roll, just like most of us three-railers. The Squirrel Creek is a great example of a family model railroad, with Chris and Squirrel each utilizing their individual talents to create a shared vision. It's no wonder this model railroad is the centerpiece of the family room. And Squirrel notes that sharing trains can be more than just a model railroading activity. The pair have both developed an interest in real steam-powered and narrow gauge lines, such as the East Broad Top. Squirrel also notes that even if you don't like trains, join your spouse on train-oriented trips anyway. Because the rail lines often feature great scenery, and there are usually unique non-train activities nearby, such as crafting, antiquing, general shopping, and great local food. Plus, there's always the value of spending time together. Toward that end, Chris and Squirrel, and all of us here at Toy Train Tips and Tricks, would like to remind everyone about the recent flooding on the Whitewater Valley Railroad. While the road's volunteers have made significant progress toward bringing the line back into operation after the recent catastrophic floods, there is still much work to do. So, if you have the means, please consider donating to the Whitewater Valley Railroad Flood Relief Fund, and if you're in the area, consider volunteering. They can always use the help. As we all know, a model railroad is never truly finished. Among the future plans for the Squirrel Creek are the planting of more trees and shrubs, custom lettering for more locomotives and rolling stock, and adding more people, especially to locomotive cabs and the many horse-drawn wagons on the layout. So, it's safe to say that the Squirrel Creek Railroad will keep Chris and Squirrel busy and working together for years to come. So, let's all take a lesson from their railroad and keep the trains running, and we'll see you next time with more Toy Train Tips and Tricks.