Siskiyou Line photo time

GAPPLEG

Member since
January 2002
From: ERIE PA.
1,661 posts

Posted by GAPPLEG on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 1:30 PM

I really enjoy seeing a great SP layout, love those SD's running through the woods. I too model the SP but the NM Texas desert is my realm. BTW bought some neutral fake fur to try some of the weed techniques. Would love to get my hands on that Silfor too. Can't justify the $$$$ right now.

Jerry SP FOREVER http://photobucket.com/albums/f317/GAPPLEG/

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jfugate

Member since
January 2002
From: Portland, OR
3,119 posts

Posted by jfugate on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 3:45 PM

QUOTE: Originally posted by Master of Big Sky Blue
I do have a question ... Were you the person that Invented Mushroom Style Benchwork, Or just the first person to apply it in a signifigant mannor?

James

James:

A gentleman by the name of Richard Benjamin invented the concept in the mid 1970s, and built a layout using the idea. John Armstrong (the famous 'Dean of Layout design' and prolific layout design author) saw Richard's layout in 1978 and said, "Wow, what a cool idea!"

In the early 1980s, I came up with the idea on my own and started doodling with track plans using the idea.

John published the first "opposite-facing double deck" track plan in the October 1987 Model Railroader magazine, and John coined the name "mushroom" for it. When I saw that article, I went, "Ahah! Mr Layout design himself has noticed this is a good idea!"

Then I spoke with John and Richard about the idea and how I was building a layout using it. I published the first in-depth discussion of the mushroom design concept in the January and February 1997 Model Railroader.

So Richard Benjamin invented the idea, and was the first to build a layout using it.

John Armstrong was the first to publi***he idea in a track plan.

And I was the first to describe in-depth how the idea works and the first to publish a real layout that uses the idea.

Joe Fugate Modeling the 1980s SP Siskiyou Line in southern Oregon