Large Scale Central

Alaska: A visit to Ron Simpson's Copper Center Rail Depot Bar

General Discussion
#65

I have already mentioned my collection of “tourist” buses. I spent some time hunting down these 1:24 models–two from China, two from Britain. Had to really bite the bullet on these costly limited edition versions, but they really add to the model: [url=i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/blackburn49/ALCANEX/a-011.jpg]

(http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/blackburn49/ALCANEX/a-011-a.jpg)

[/url] The original ones were the gold one and the yellow-orange one. I acquired those in 2007-08. The latter two I acquired this year. I have been waiting for the arrival of an American prototype bus, preferably a Greyhound type. None has ever surfaced in this scale. Believe me, I have searched long and hard: no positive search results. As with MOST of my pictures I present on LSC, these ones can be clicked on to obtain a larger version. Not all the larger versions are of the quality I prefer, but I try.

#66

In the 90s I found this model of an ALASKA state trooper car in a hobby shop in Anchorage that is long-gone. Since then I found one more on line. Haven’t seen any since. [url=i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/blackburn49/ALCANEX/a-004.jpg]

(http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/blackburn49/ALCANEX/a-004-m.jpg)

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#67

THIS year I found this 1:24 model of an Alaska Industrial Hardware store truck, so naturally I had to have one of them: [url=i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/blackburn49/ALCANEX/a-012.jpg]

(http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/blackburn49/ALCANEX/a-012-m.jpg)

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#68

I already had a hearse, but I REALLY like the elaborate details in this one, which was briefly offered for sale LAST year: [url=i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/blackburn49/ALCANEX/a-006.jpg]

(http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/blackburn49/ALCANEX/a-006-m.jpg)

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#69

And, of course, EVERYONE from my era should have at least ONE classic 1957 Chevy: Here is my lineup: [url=i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/blackburn49/ALCANEX/a-007.jpg]

(http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/blackburn49/ALCANEX/a-007-m.jpg)

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#70

I have my share of those early 70s muscle cars as well. Here are two of the latest acquisitions: [url=i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/blackburn49/ALCANEX/a-001.jpg]

(http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/blackburn49/ALCANEX/a-001-m.jpg)

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#71

Some of my classic cars are over in the town’s used car lot. Among them is “Christine,” that infamous 1957 red Plymouth: [url=i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/blackburn49/ALCANEX/a-009.jpg]

(http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/blackburn49/ALCANEX/a-009-m.jpg)

[/url] The blue Charger is the one in the chase scene with Christine. [url=i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/blackburn49/ALCANEX/a-008-a.jpg]

(http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/blackburn49/ALCANEX/a-008-a-m.jpg)

[/url] [url=i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/blackburn49/ALCANEX/a-008.jpg]

(http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/blackburn49/ALCANEX/a-008-m.jpg)

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#72

And finally, I have these 1959 Eldorados. Maurice Minnifield in Northern Exposure had one of these like the gold one seen here. It is a well-detailed Danbury Mint version. The blue one is a Franklin Mint that I acquired back in my Fairbanks days. The newer gold one I found just a few months ago. [url=i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/blackburn49/ALCANEX/a-005-a.jpg]

(http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/blackburn49/ALCANEX/a-005-a-m.jpg)

[/url] [url=i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/blackburn49/ALCANEX/a-005.jpg]

(http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/blackburn49/ALCANEX/a-005-m.jpg)

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#73

Ron,

Nice collection and they are displayed well.

#74

Ric Golding said:
Ron, Nice collection and they are displayed well.

I did it backwards. I started a collection of 1:24 Danbury & Franklin mint cars & trucks knowing the scale was right but not having a place to put them. At the time my only contemplated model railroad was the Copper River & Northwestern. In those days 1994-96) I did not even have ONE model railroad, although I was building up the rolling stock for one. It was not until 2006-07 that I finally had a modern railway system that could use these cars that by that time amounted to many dozens of collectibles. Some were damaged in the move to Copper Center and await and uncertain fate. Most of the rest now have a permanent home in Cicely. [url=i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/blackburn49/ALCANEX/004-1.jpg]

(http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/blackburn49/ALCANEX/004-m-1.jpg)

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#75

Ron,

You said - “Some were damaged in the move to Copper Center and await and uncertain fate.”

Are there no junk yards in Alaska? Either that or put them on EBay. :wink:

#76
Ric Golding said:
Ron,

You said - “Some were damaged in the move to Copper Center and await an uncertain fate.”

Are there no junk yards in Alaska? Either that or put them on EBay. :wink:


Room permitting, I will eventually set up a model junkyard for that stuff. I am not exactly flush for space on the model townsite at this time.

#77

Fall is VERY short here in the Copper Valley. Even before most of the fall leaves have been blown off the trees, we have seen our first snow squall of the season. I am utilizing every relatively good day there is–and there are not many left due to rain-snow mixes and otherwise blustery weather with plenty of heavy wind gusts–to complete my remaining projects on the outdoor part of the layout in advance of the winter cold and snows that will close the railroad for the season within a few weeks (if not sooner).

#78

Toward the end of the summer season, when I tried running the large USA passenger coaches through the west-end turn-around loop on the lower level where the Cantwell yard is located, it became clear that I would need to find a way to widen that curved. I ended up making changes that also created a platform for a future extension of the ALCANEX line. The extension would cross an area that is an established path for me under the model housing structure. There was no way around it. I needed a bridge. I purchased an 8-foot three-section piece from a guy in the area who decided this year to sell of his own g-scale model railroad due to his age and deteriorating health. For now the bridge will be the end-of-the-line. Thus I now have something for which Alaska has become infamous: a Bridge to Nowhere ! [url=i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/blackburn49/ALCANEX/alterations-Cantwell.gif]

(http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/blackburn49/ALCANEX/alterations-Cantwell-600W.gif)

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#79

The repositioning of that west curve also enabled me to connect up a dead-end caboose parking line that previously had no connection to the main tracks. The new curve works very well. And I am quite happy with my new bridge, which I completed installing today. Any painting of the new area may have to wait until next year unless I am fortunate enough to have a few hours of sunshine in the next few days that will allow me to finish the job. At the end of the bridge will be a straight line which will dead-end as a parking area, and a curve that will work its way around to the OTHER side of the Cantwell RR yard. I need it to move AWAY from the yard first, so I can lose sufficient elevation in order to bring the new RR line to a point UNDER the existing RR yard. This will be the parking area for the Phase III Klondike Mines Railway system. The line will continue all the way through the area BELOW Cantwell, reach the east end, and then head for GROUND LEVEL–a first for my railroad.

#80

Looks like a Garden Metal Models bridge to me. Nice stuff.

#81
Jon Radder said:
Looks like a Garden Metal Models bridge to me. Nice stuff.
Great. I wanted a modern bridge for my ALCANEX layout. Looks like now I have one. And for the next 8 months it will remain the RR Bridge to Nowhere.
#82

You can always tell when the days are getting real short in Alaska. Ron becomes a prolific poster :smiley:

I would have thought that we have less daylight now here in the Northeast US, but a check of the charts show…

New York Sunrise 6:49 AM Sunset 4:49 PM - 12 hours 3 minutes of daylight
Anchorage Sunrise 7:50 AM Sunset 7:52 PM - 12 hours 2 minutes of daylight

So Ron has only lost about 1 minute so far on them New Yawkers. Does the difference grow as we near Winter Soltice ?

#83
Jon Radder said:
You can always tell when the days are getting real short in Alaska. Ron becomes a prolific poster :D
I really don't think you have to worry too much about that concern.
#84

WINTER SHUT-DOWN: All the locomotives which contain built-in batteries for remote battery control have been moved into the bar. Most of the rolling stock that was in use this year is parked either in Cicely or below in the Cantwell RR yard for the winter. Given one more good day and enough time, I will still pull out a locomotive to run the rails because there is no snow so far. Nothing has run in about a week due to cold weather and other adverse conditions.

UPDATE: We seem to have entered a long period of rain and clouds interspersed with gusts. Given another day of sunshine (dries out the track and gives us SOME heat) I can run the train ONE more time. STILL waiting !