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Friday, April 01, 2011

My Old San Diego Trolley Layout

You might think I'm trying to fool you but, believe it or not, before your ol' pal Dan D Sparks was modeling the old San Diego Electric, I used to have a layout featuring the "new" San Diego Trolley!

I came across some old photos of the old layout, so I thought I would share them with you. So here is the nickle tour:

The layout was built in a 12x12 foot bedroom in my apartment. Originally the layout started as a 2'x4' module that grew to take over my entire bedroom!

1. This is the scene that greeted you when you walked through the door. I absolutely fell in love with MTS Imports models of the Siemens/DuWag SD-100 LRVs when I saw one in my local hobby shop. So I saved up my nickles and dimes and purchased it. Which was no small feat at $300 a copy (that was a lot of money in the late 80s)! Eventually I was only able to collect 3 of the models.
2. Transit Center and Clock Tower built from Plastruct parts. The background was painted directly on the wall. Something I regretted when it was time to move out.

3. Visitors really loved peeking inside the American Plaza Station, it made for a nice scene.
After the layout was dismantled, I traded in the LRV models for some San Diego 4oo series class 5 trolleys from Pacific Traction. And that's how I got started modeling the old SDERy. MTS imports is apparently importing some more of the LRV Trolley models. I wonder how much they will cost this time around!

I have some more pictures of the layout somewhere. Maybe I'll post some more pix at the beginning of next April also. Yes sir! The beginning of next April also!

Dandy

9 comments:

  1. Thank you! I fabricated it myself!

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  2. Lies are the truths of the liar

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  3. Incredible detail and determination to build a layout like that. That background had me fooled I thought it was a picture.

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  4. Well technically it is a picture. Well... more that technically really. But I don't think it would take nearly as much determination as it did to build your layout! Now that's some nice work!

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  5. Where did you get the palm trees in picture 2?

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  6. Hart of the South Models makes outstanding palm tree kits: http://www.hartofthesouth.com/

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  7. Looks like it was an amazing layout!! Do you have more pictures?

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    1. That layout was too good to be true. I do have more pictures! I'll do a new post posting around... let me check my calendar... I would say about a month and a half. No later than the 1st of April of this year. You ask and you shall receive. Thanks!

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