Yesterday was a day well spent. Jim, Oliver, Connor, and myself spent the day on the HOMES Hamilton layout tour. Although there were no S layouts to visit, there was some incredible modeling to view.
We started the day at the late Rich Chrysler's CNR Hagersville Sub HO layout. This is simply Canadian Prototype modeling at its best. Rich's son Geoff, along with a talented group of people consisting of the Ontario and Eastern modeler's and others, have spent countless hours in the past couple of months bringing the layout to a point that countless new scenes and details could be seen.
The rest of the layouts we stopped at happened to be narrow gauge O scale. Not that we had specifically planned it that way, it was just the modelers we wanted to visit. Among the interesting things we saw, was the use of RC helicopter servos, and Tam Valley electronics to through switches. This is worth some investigating.
I have to say the layouts we visited had excellent modeling, and every stop left us with more ideas. The modeling juices have been renewed and each of us went home planning our next modeling moves. Connor even got an invite to an operating session at a later date on Craig Webb's On3 Algoma River layout, I just hope Craig doesn't mind his Dad and Grandpa tagging along!
I almost forgot to mention that on the tour was a visit to the Mt. Albert Scale Lumber workshops. A fastinating tour, that included them showing us every operation to making an O scale 2x10. A new appreciation was gained to the work that goes into the incredible basswood scale lumber we have all come to love. A great stop on the tour.
Thanks to the HOMES club, and all the layout owners for putting together an enjoyable day, and letting us tour their pride and joys.
The S Scale Workshop is comprised of a small group of like-minded modellers - from Ontario, Quebec and Pennsylvania. We exhibit at a limited number of annual events, primarily in the Southern Ontario region.
