Final daze of Jackson & Burke RR

[FJ and G]

I was privileged to visit Bruce Chandler's G-scale garden layout in Burke, Virginia on Saturday afternoon. He's gonna tear it down soon to make way for a newer and more operationally oriented garden layout.

Here are some of the final scenes from a soon-to-be abandoned route that has carried freight and passengers a goodly number of years.

The tracks are already becoming overgrown with vegetation…



The fireman's view from the tender look like we are traveling thru the jungle of a banana republic.



Here we pass by a real working mill and waterwheel which derives its energy from water pumped from a pond into a spillway leading to the waterfalls. The mill is scratchbuilt with rocks and concrete and styrene windows (when the work styrene is used, you know the modeler is a reformed HO guy). The waterwheel generates so much power that it provides 100% of the energy for the pump and is perpetual motion (just kidding).





The folks in town don't move around too much. They seem to be frozen in a twilight zone episode. The figures are made from clay by Bruce. I meant to get the recipe but forgot.



The fall foliage must be very lush judging from the large scale of the leaves. The engineer has had too much whiskey and has thrown safety to the wind. He will plow right thru the leaves…



The trestle is in need of repair, but the engineer doesn't seem to mind the risk and plows on ahead (successfully this time I might add).



This scratchbuilt house was wrapped in spiderwebs. Bruce removed them for this photo and luckily didn't get any spider bites.



I forgot to write down all the names of the vegetation but I think this might be creeping jenny



and finally, every story ends with the caboose over his scratchbuilt trestle built with some kind of brass pins and glue. Wish I'd written the stuff down!

[Anonymous]

I am tempted to write an article on this in the times? May I?

[Train 284]

That is a great idea Captain!

Sad to see the railroad go. But good that he is not quiting the hobby. Can't wait to see his new railroad!

[tangerine-jack]

Always bitter sweet, starting over. So many memories to tear down, yet an opportunity to start with fresh ideas. I would imagine I will be at that point about 5 years from now.

Capt, can't wait to read all about it!





[oX)]

[vsmith]

Onward and upward?

I have to look to dismantling my indoor layout, not looking forward to that but I'm also looking forward to getting rid of the cobweb ridden dingy garage I'm currently sentanced to.

[Tom The Brat]

I just did that, but not for any encouraging reason[xx(]





The green tables and store shelving are stacked in a friend's garage. The track is piled in my closet. The bridge is in the friend's garage.

[FJ and G]

Capt C.

If you get his permission I have these and other photos in hi-resolution I could contribute (but not do justice to the nice layout).

Bruce and I share a love of beagles (they own the backyards). His beagle is named Peanuts and looks like a puppy but is 11 years old. Mine is BB, age 2.5.

[Tom The Brat]

I remember when he built that mill. Beautiful.

You always do it better a second time. Wow[:D]

[van buren s l]

I hope that Bruce keeps his web site. It seems that the builders and bashers have the best large scale sites and Bruce's is especially well done.
Bob

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by vbsltco

I hope that Bruce keeps his web site. It seems that the builders and bashers have the best large scale sites and Bruce's is especially well done.
Bob

I dont why he wouldnt keep it, how else to chronicle the rebuilding process?

[Anonymous]

I am not a garden railroader but I must say those pics are awesome[:P]