Cliff Jennings said:

As a wizened old V&T aficionado once told me at a V&T Historical Society conference in Carson City: "When it comes to model railroading, hell, it's your layout. Do what you want and have fun."

That certainly works for me.....................;)

Cliff Jennings said:

Thanks Rooster, thanks Hollywood. I knew you would understand the weird struggle I'm dealing with, in trying to appease the reality of what was there, yet need to draw the line at some point so I can model it, yet explain why my model doesn't fit with this photo or that.

 

 

 

 

I thought I just told you I didn't understand so what don't you understand about that?  Besides I model by eye so no need to thank me!

Bruce Chandler said:

Cliff Jennings said:

Bruce Chandler said:

Cliff,

I do believe that you are having too much fun!!!!

I just peed my pants, so I guess you're right, dang it. 

 If you wear dark trousers, most folks won't notice...

 

Bruce...

Thanks Rooster, thanks Hollywood. I knew you would understand the weird struggle I'm dealing with, in trying to appease the reality of what was there, yet need to draw the line at some point so I can model it, yet explain why my model doesn't fit with this photo or that.

As a wizened old V&T aficionado once told me at a V&T Historical Society conference in Carson City: "When it comes to model railroading, hell, it's your layout. Do what you want and have fun."

===>Cliffy

Cliff Jennings said:

Bruce Chandler said:

Cliff,

I do believe that you are having too much fun!!!!

I just peed my pants, so I guess you're right, dang it. 

 If you wear dark trousers, most folks won't notice...

Yep! down playing the ability to reduce the structure in three different formats and still complete a very believable build and an accurate representation will not sway our collective decision to admire and applaud your skills.

Cliff Jennings said:

OK, now for some true modeling confessions. 

 

 However, I need you to understand that there is a huge gulf between what was really there, and my 1:24 model representation of it. 

 

===>Cliffy

 

No matter how much you need me to understand I don't ? The model looks fantastic to me !

Bruce Chandler said:

Cliff,

I do believe that you are having too much fun!!!!

I just peed my pants, so I guess you're right, dang it. 

OK, now for some true modeling confessions. 

There are at least 3 massive problems in my model. I have to move on, getter done, plant it on the layout as it stands. But the issues will remain for anyone doing any rivet counting here. So, here goes.

1. Making it fit #1. I began the computer models of these Comstock mines about 8 years ago, with the intent of squeezing them into my layout space. With a 1:24 scale to start with, I decided on a 75% vertical reduction and a 50% horizontal. That's the only way I could hope to model these things in my real estate. So all the H&N models I've built are squished in those dimensions.
2. Making it fit #2. For the shed, three factors made me not do that squeezing of 75%V and 50%H. 
1. The electronics needed more space
2. The shed was in the foreground, permitting a forced perspective on the rest of the works
3. When I modeled the shed and bin, I forgot that I squeezed the rest of the mine, 8 years ago, by 75%V and 50%H.  Sheesh....
3. New developments. I'm modeling at a slow schedule that will eventually allow me to photograph and present it to the annual V&T conference next October. However, the ongoing site observations will increasingly be out of sync with my model decisions made prior.  

So, my true thanks to you all for your appreciation of this effort. However, I need you to understand that there is a huge gulf between what was really there, and my 1:24 model representation of it. 

===>Cliffy

Cliff,

I do believe that you are having too much fun!!!!

Thanks again for that offer Bruce, and will do! 

Regarding the onsite investigation, I'm sitting here in a Sarasota FL hotel, looking through the recent aerial footage and stills I've received from last week's expedition. Before I go any further, any sky shots that follow in this thread were produced by a professional drone operator, Justin Hensley, who works for Aerial Nevada. 

So here is an aerial shot, showing the present condition of the little ore bin. 

Those vertical beams are part of the ore bin structure, which is half submerged in the waste rock in the foreground. The shattered remains of the shed above it are strewn around, with its north wall flopped on the ground to the right. At the left is a bent of the original H&N waste trestle, ca 1870 (IMO). Another bent is clearly seen next to the V&T tracks, but is not seen here. 

Here's my model rendition, from a similar view.

I'm modeling in a time frame when this little ore bin was functional. Many of my model details though, such as the retaining wall and chute (for ore wagon loading) are guesswork, because it was all buried by subsequent decades of further waste rock. So I can only shoot for a very rough approximation in my model. 

Thanks for your support!

===>Cliffy

Cliff Jennings said:

Thanks very much, my friends! You're really being generous, and I sure appreciate your camaraderie in this build! 

Yeah Sean, I know, it's coming... If it makes you feel better, my wife is kinda getting thin on patience with this project... 

Camaderie?!??   We're yanking your chain half the time!

Great work.   Again, please let me know if you want help to move it outside...

Thanks very much, my friends! You're really being generous, and I sure appreciate your camaraderie in this build! 

Yeah Sean, I know, it's coming... If it makes you feel better, my wife is kinda getting thin on patience with this project... 

Sean McGillicuddy said:

I want to see this "OUTSIDE" ....

What? Are you crazy?? Don't you know what weather does to our creations???

Oh the horrors!

I want to see this "OUTSIDE" ....

Great job Cliff, as always going to be an interesting follow.

Dennis

Well, since Forrest and Jim took all the great words I was going to use, I guess I'll just say WOW 

Jim Rowson said:

(and yes, I went to thesaurus.com)

 

As well as crossing paths with y'all in places like this, the availability of things like that is a thing I really enjoy about the internet and computers,

Bruce Chandler said:

Jim Rowson said:

I'm thinking Cliff has gone well past epic, personally. Heroic? Ginormous? Fire-breathing? Astronomic? Monumental? Glorious? Legendary? Illustrious? Genius?

 

(and yes, I went to thesaurus.com)

 

Great work as usual, Cliff.

Monumental at least.

In fact, he could end up with a statue in "Dead Rooster" Gulch!

better, than with a dead rooster in Statue Gulch....

Thank you all for helping me out.  Now you can see what the shim is and how it functions.  If  I can find a photo of one mounted on a car, I'll attach it.