Scratch Built Structures

JIM BUTLER'S CABIN

This weather worn miner's cabin, so typical of nineteenth century mining towns, stood in the ghost town of Caribou, Colorado. I took this picture in 1969, and just a few short years later the cabin was a pile of old lumber. An old timer remembered that a man by the name of Jim Butler had lived there during the mining heyday of Caribou. I wanted to preserve this old cabin on my layout in honor of the miner Jim Butler.

Jim Butler's cabin and this picture of an old Water Tower I found in a 1967 issue of Railroad Model Craftsman were the inspiration for this scratch built scene on my layout. I built these to exact "N" scale using Evergreen Styrene sheets and structural forms.

WALL STREET SCHOOL

The old school house in the ghost town of Wall Street, Colorado. I took this picture on Memorial Day 2000; the first time I had been back to Wall Street since 1971. It is nice to know this building is still standing and is now a private residence. In 1971 this old school was still in use as a meeting hall by the local residents of Wall Street.

MAGNOLIA PRIMARY SCHOOL

The old school at Wall Street has now become the Magnolia Primary School and serves as the Church and Meeting Hall on Sundays. Once again the Evergreen styrene sheets and forms were transformed into an exact "N" scale replica of a real building. The Evergreen line of styrene modeling supplies lends itself to creating lifelike layout structures.

Future Plans for the Magnolia N Scale Model Railroad Layout

An old railroad layout builder once told me you cannot add too much detail to your layout and that a layout is never done. You know, I believe him. There is still much to do. I have an old time gas station to build, more homes and cabins to add, plus fences, billboards and even a fruit stand. I plan to update this web page from time to time so come on back and visit me. Tell your friends about this site also.