Large Scale Central

Gomez Store

Modeling
#1

I posted this at MLS, but I realized some of the members here do not visit that site. So I’ll post this info here as well for those who haven’t seen it. I made a rendition of the famous Gomez store that used to be located on the D&RGW narrow gauge line at Pagosa Junction, CO (also know as Gato, CO). The store (yes it still survives) was moved to a museum in Pagosa Springs, CO. Here is a picture of the real store at Pagosa Junction taken in the 1960s:

And a more recent photo taken at its new location:

My model is not 100% accurate because I sort of cheated in using an already assembled model for the main building. I used the building made by Upland Trains. I scratch built the side building. I also added the front decking, gas pump, altered the windows, added figures/details, painted it, and made the lettering decal. Here are some photos of it on the loop portion of our layout:

#2

Looks great, Matt, and I won’t notice the difference from a galloping horse, or, for that matter, a speeding locomotive. :lol:

#3

I like your “rendition” better than the original…Nicer proportions.

For reasons I can’t explain, I do not care for those glass topped gas pumps. They alway look out of place to me…But yours looks just like it belongs there.

Like!

#4

Funny you mention not liking the old glass topped pumps Mark, as I don’t really care for them either. But the real store had one so I had to add it. Since I was bothering with it, I even added a bulb in the globe. At night the globe lights up. Pretty neat for a pump style I don’t like all that much :wink:

(http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/8459/gomez4.jpg)

#5

Very nice Matt!

The building has lots of personality: the store front siding and the details on the top, the tin rooves/ruffs, the board and batten siding on the shed, the wooden deck and details, especially that lit gas pump.

#6

Nice addition Matt.

#7

Nice Work

#8

You’ve certainly captured the “character” of the building and that’s what counts…:wink:

#9

That looks good. I’m currently making some changes to mine.

#10

matt, nice looking store, and setting… :slight_smile: good job

#11
Doug Arnold said:
That looks good. I'm currently making some changes to mine.
Doug, would that be changes to a version of the Gomez store or the Upland Trains building?
#12

Matt,

Nice looking building and I like the gas pump style :slight_smile: Great job on the signage also. I love the layout of your town too. My RR being on benchwork I can’t lay out a town site like that. The whole thing goes together very well even to the location of the stock pen across from the depot.

I assume you take the buildings in for the winter?

#13

Thanks all for the really nice comments.

Richard Smith said:
I assume you take the buildings in for the winter?

You assume correctly :wink: Just one of many shelves containing buildings:

(http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/6/buildingstorage1.jpg)

And Richard since you mentioned the setup of this town area, I found another slightly different angle photo. This time with a train in it. And I changed out the baggage cart for a mail cart at the depot. Of note is how the roads are not as crisp. Must have rained a few times between “pavings”. Also of note, take a look around the buildings. The oval outline is from plastic storage bins I use to cover them when it rains. Keeps things nice and clean.

(http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/227/gomeznew.jpg)

#14

Looks good. You’ve really captured the feel of the original structure.

#15

how are the Upland Trains buildings holding up? I’m curious about them (fit the budget well).

Thanks!

#16

Awesome job on the store and the whole town in the first photo!

#17

Matt,

Nice look to your town. I remembered the pictures with the plastic covers. Looks like it works.

#18

Great job Matt, I like that old style pump.

#19

I like those old gas pumps too. I wonder how many of you know how they actually work?

courtesy of http://www.old-picture.com/american-legacy/001/Station-Gas-Old.htm

#20

Joe actually if you look at the graduations and numbers on the glass, the ones I have seen are pumped with gas to the top line, marked “0”. Then the car’s tank is filled. As the level in the glass drops, the top of the gas lines up with different lines as the level falls. Reading the number and graduations between the numbers, where the final gas level is, will tell the attendant how much gas went into the car’s tank. Then the handle on the side of the pump is pumped to fill the glass back up to 0 again. When gas was 7¢ a gallon, knowing to the nearest quarter or half gallon was close enough.