|
HO Scale Reaghan's Feed Mill This 1:87th scale diorama was my entry in an online model building contest sponsored by James Deignan on his Model Railroad Forum. All the entrants purchased the same HO scale laser cut kit, Reaghan's Feed Mill ($59.00) by Mr. Deignan's company RailroadKits. We were not to alter the foot print of the building nor to use detail parts that did not come with the kit. We were allowed to add as many figures as we wanted, up to three vehicles, scenery, track, and any details that we could make from strip wood and readily available materials. The idea was that we would not use lots of castings to gussy up our builds. We all submitted photographs to be judged.
   
The submitted models were all really nice. Everyone had their own vision, their own take on the kit. I was very pleased and honored when my model was chosen for the third place prize. My version of the HO scale Reaghan's Feed Mill includes the following features: - A highly detailed, hand painted, white metal Woodland Scenics Diamond 1914 Diamond T truck ($11.99 for the basic kit). I replaced the cast metal flat bed with a scratch built wooden bed. The grain sacks on the bed are hand painted metal detail parts that came with the kit.
- A detailed, hand painted, white metal, 1934 Ford pickup truck from Wheel Works ($12.80 for the basic kit). The barrel in the rear was one of the metal detail castings that came with the kit.
- Six HO scale Preiser Figures. I hand painted all of these figures. I modified the young man struggling with the donkey by removing his alpine style hat and replacing it with a broad brimmed straw hat.
- Stick built docks. I stained all the wood with different strengths of alcohol and India ink. Random lengths and broken boards add realism to the loading docks.
- I replaced the laser cut billboard backing and framework with a stick built framework. Notice how the sign has been gently weathered and cut apart to conform to the boards backing it.
- A scratch built water wooden tower atop a sloping asphalt roof.
- A scratch built, entirely rickety fire-escape
- A scratch built downspout. I used styrene rod for the pipe and added foil from the top of a wine bottle to represent the fitting joints and the brackets holding the pipe to the weathered clapboard walls
- Instead of using the corrugated metal roofing to cover the awning over the loading dock, I used some to cover the small, clapboard addition thus turning it into a metal side building.
- When some of the HO scale corrugated metal was left over, I used a pair of pinking shears that I'd purchase in Michael's scrap-booking section to cut fancy metal window awnings.
- To add visual interest to the building, I cut out and recessed one corner and added a flat roof.
- Behind most of the windows, you will see either signs or hand painted boxes & cans stacked on shelving.
- Through the open loading dock door you can see a shelf filled with brightly colored products. The silhouette of tool handles is visible through a front window.
- Two scratch built power poles carry power to the building. I made the sixteen insulators by gluing two micro-beads one atop the other. The transformers are dowels with wire and card stock hole punches.
- Notice the foundation under the small corrugate metal shed. The beams rest on rocks.
- Fat gray pigeons perch on the roof leaving behind the present that pigeons bring.
- Creosoted posts painted with white tops act as a bumper to keep folks from running their vehicles into the ditch
- The ditch, filled with water by a recent storm, is filled with bits of trash - assorted cans, papers, sticks, and rusting bits of metal.
- a dirty wooden crossing allows vehicles (and mules) to cross the rusty, weathered, weed-covered tracks. A simple bumper made from old railroad ties and piled gravel stops railroad cars from rolling too far. Newspapers and other trash litter the path alongside the tracks
   
The submitted models were all really nice. Everyone had their own vision, their own take on the kit. I was very pleased and honored when my model was chosen for the third place prize. The HO Scale Reaghan's Feed Mill Diorma sits on a 12" by 12" fully sceniced base of 1/8" Gatorfoam (tm) laminated to 1/2" blue insulating foam. At the tallest point, the tree top, the diorama stands about 6" tall from the bottom of the base. I used Woodland Scenics and Silfor products, basswood, styrene, Bristol Board, local rocks and dried plants to create this one of a kind diorama. WARNING! This is a scale model and is not suitable for children. Small parts and white metal castings. Besides this is much too nice for children!    
If you are interested in having one of these RailroadKit kits built to your specifications (different coloring or signs), please drop me a line at mthduggan@pawofabear.com and we can discuss your needs and budget. Please note that I don't ever exactly duplicate any diorama. |
