Model Railroading on the Cheap

    On a small layout, small industries are more important than big ones.   I have a small industry that takes up practically no real estate. This phantom loading service industry has no building or loading dock at all. The owner just works off the tail-gate of his pickup truck removing old blocking etc. from gondola or flat cars or shoring up bracing for loads or patching holes in box cars for new shipments from local industries. He can occasionally be found with a car on the approach track to WREX as seen here near the RR Hotel at Hilton. The photographer found him by his truck, on his cell phone.  I think his office is his truck.  Note a few hand tools in the bed of his pickup truck with the opened tailgate. (Use a fine tooth saw and an Exacto knife).  

The Y&H RR YMCA is in the two-story building with the porch railings in the background. It is for overnight accommodations for train crews. There are sleeping rooms upstairs and meals are served on the first floor. The building in the left foreground was made by drawing it with the paint program on the computer, printing it on heavy paper, cutting it out with scissors and gluing it together. Behind the semi-truck is the Ramswell Bulldozer Co.

   I enjoy taking close up photos of detailed scenes on my layout and telling a story about them with the computer. Of course one can always use more details.