Large Scale Central

Bruce Chandler's mill finds a home on the C.V.S.Ry

Modeling
#1

I must be 4 years ago now that Bruce brought his stone mill to Ken’s op session in hopes Bob would pick it up from him. Bob couldn’t make it that year so Bruce talked me into bringing it ‘half way’. Even though I was pushing weight limits already, I agreed. I brought it home and parked it on my stone patio near the RR. I talked with Bob a few times about picking it up and warned him if he waited too long it would find a home here. Well, today is the day it found a home. Sorry Bob :frowning:

I had been planning to add a siding for it, but when I analyzed the space needed and the amount of work to cut in a switch, I opted to simply have the mill be a “spot” on the engine House lead. This plan adds to the difficulty of switching the engine house.

I began by digging out a bunch of Creeping Jenny that was growing at the site, then excavated for the foundation and added about a half inch of paver sand…

The foundation (two 4x8x16 concrete blocks) was then placed and leveled…

Then back filled with soil…

Before the next shots were taken, I re-planted the Creeping Jenny, added support for the stairs and the wheel race, then covered it all in black mulch. Here are several views of the mill after planting. Pine Summit is becoming a bustling community!

This is a really beautiful building and I’m proud to display it on my railroad. I still need to light it, do a little touch up painting and see if I can repair the missing and broken roof shingles.

I don’t plan to power the wheel. Bruce built a cool wooden sluiceway, which I have, but to be believable I would need an aqueduct from the top of Deep Cut. So the story will be that when the mill deselized, they took down the sluice, but left the wheel for aesthetics :smiley:

3 Likes
#2

Great job Jon and your back story makes it’s location perfectly believable. Always great to see structures with history rehomed and continue to be enjoyed.

#3

Almost. Needs a small shed for the engine. Someday!

#4

It’s so cool to see my stuff in different settings!

Well done, Jon - looks great!

(I LOVE the story!)

2 Likes
#5

I guess if Jon dissapears from here we will know BD wasn’t happy with Jon using “his” building!LOL

#6

The mill looks great!

#7

Wow that is a fine looking building.

#8

It sure is! Bruce took a lot of time placing the stones, pouring walls and placing individual roof shingles. The build log is here: ARTICLE: Building a Stone Mill

All I have done to it so far is to clean the stone with 30 Seconds Outdoor Cleaner as it was covered in green and I spray painted the wheel. Today I’m working on adding interior light. If that works out I;ll take night pictures soon.

Looking at Bruce’s article and index again, I learned it is named Smith Pond Mill, probably in honor of Richard Smith. Since I don’t have a pond, I will shorten it to Smith Mill.

#9

You are correct!

All of my buildings were named after folks I operated with - either here, or somewhere else. In Richard’s case, it was on his layout in Oregon.

1 Like
#10

Bruce;
I too am proud to have one of your models. I consider it to be a work of art. It also came to me through the hands of our Great, Mutual Friend, Ken Brunt.
Yes, it needed a few repairs, which have been tastily preformed by my friend, Mike Hamer, here in Ottawa.
We have treated it as a “Repurposed” building. It has become the Yard Office at a town named Spruce, on the IPP&W Railroad.
For those who may not have seen your model; it is a VERY faithful reproduction of my Garage, and Shop, here where I live. Pictures…yes they have been posted…and can be found on “Mike’s Railroad blogs”, with links found on our web page at; www.ovgrs.ca
Thank you, Bruce, for the wonderful model, and for your lasting, FRIENDSHIP.
Fred mills

#11

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Kinda seems like it might be a stone house of ill repute or a speak easy as I see no water to generate that wheel if it even works (but it damn well better knowing Bruce)
I know I had a brothel on the CVRR at one point in time.

#12

Yesterday I completed the task of lighting the mill. I used two old sign modules that have plastic lenses. I coated the lenses with translucent orange and yellow vinyl to get a warm color. They were attached to a piece of acrylic which just sits on the ‘floor’ inside with wires hidden in the mulch. Power comes from the track which is a 12V lighting buss now.

This evening I got out at dusk and took these shots. It’s really cool to have all these structures lit at night, plus two more down the hill.

I really need to freshen up the engine house. I have new Taylor Tin to replace the rotting shingle roof, then a good coat of stain to bring the color back. The problem is moving it. Marilyn and I can lift it, but she’s worried that the terrain might be too hard for her now.

@Rooster - You must have missed the bit about removing the sluice when they dieselized the mill!

1 Like
#13

Yes Jon I clearly did not read to the end !
Looks great!!!

#14

Jon,

Taylor Tin???

Jon, I’m playing around with lighting and have had limited success getting the light output in your pictures. So far I’ve tried Solar powered grain of wheat bulbs, (15 meters in one building gives a minimum amount of glow). Initially I was hoping that I could have used a lot less meterage of bulbs and light multiple buildings. Solar stuff

I thought I might try Railway Fiberoptic Systems but I don’t think it will work.

Any advice?

#15

Go back a bunch of years in the MIK Challenge and you will see that Dave Taylor provided some corrugated roofing for participants he called Taylor Tin.

I use 12V LED modules designed for sign service. My locomotives are all battery power, so my track acts as a lighting buss. Buildings are tied to the track for power. To get the amberish color I either cover the LED lenses with translucent colored vinyl, or in the case of the engine house and a few others, coat the inside of the roof with yellow and orange vinyl, then point white LED modules up at the roof.

It’s a long thread, but the Stabilization project included the lighting near the end: Stabilizing the Engine House

There is also my Structure Lighting Project thread here: Structure Lighting Project

#16

That must have been before it became the INTERNATIONAL LSC.

#17

And that leaves out his ongoing room lighting project for the indoor portions, if you need more ideas Bill :upside_down_face: :sunglasses:

#18

David,

There’s more?!

Sign me up for the Room Lighting Project™️ but first tell me more about these Ginsu™️ Knives!