jeff train

This should be the last of the "planning" posts for the peninsula project. Sure, there will be more planning as construction commences, but I'm ready to start building. 

I've decided "option 2" is the best choice (from the previous post). This decision means I have to (1) figure out if I'm going to add a second mill - where the Branchline creamery kit is shown in the earlier pictures and (2) determine a logical way for the river to gracefully exit the visible portion of the layout. 

I don't want to use a bridge over the river as bridges are a little problematic, especially on curves, but mostly because I want to avoid a non-prototypical bridge intruding onto the Waterbury scene. The answer seems to be a culvert. After all, a culvert is really, in essence, a small bridge with the added advantage of being very subtle. 

For this scene I think I'll go with the arched stone culverts offered by New England Brownstone, (http://nebrownstone.com/culverts.htm)

If you aren't familiar with NEBS masonry products you need to check them out as they are some of the most realistic stone and brickwork you'll every find. 

With the river taken care, the next step was to select what to use for "the second mill." The Berry Mill is a multi-building complex - an old wooden mill building with several outbuildings. I've narrowed the choice down to one of two possibilities for the second mill - the first would be a building scratchbuilt based on this prototype photo: 

That leads us to possibility #2. About 12 years ago - maybe longer - I bought and started building a kit from South River Modelworks called "Lamson & Goodnow." The issue has been I've never finished because I could never find a place for it on any of the layouts I've built in the intervening years. Perhaps it would work here? Here's what the key buildings in this complex look like. 

This photo was taken on the upper level of the previous version of the layout. I may well use it on the peninsula scene - the brick buildings would contrast nicely with the primarily wooden Berry mill complex. Besides, I have the kit so it seems a shame not use it. But the issues I've had "placing" L&G over the years shows a real problem with these craftsman structure kits. We can easily be lured in by how great they look on a diorama, but it can be a real challenge to incorporate them into the layout.