Description

by Bill Baldwin (QGANOVA*)

One day I was browsing around the shelves of Obie’s Trains, when I saw a box hidden on a top shelf called Baldwin Station. As you know, this is the way Fred tricks you into buying some things you just can’t live without, so I bought it. It started me on the Baldwin Station module. I researched the Rand McNally Atlas and found many towns named Baldwin, but Baldwin, GA seemed to be the only one with a railroad station during the pre-1960 era. Baldwin, GA is a small town nestled in the mountain terrain of north Georgia. Baldwin Station is a non-prototypical town set in the South after WWII, as I imagined it, based loosely on Baldwin, GA.

I built the module with half-inch plywood sides which are 4” deep. I drilled several 1 7/8” diameter holes on all four sides of the module to lessen the weight. (As the most ancient member of NVNTRAK, I have to use every device possible to lighten my loads.) You aviators will remember this construction is similar to the structural members in aircraft, which are designed to insure structural integrity while at the same time reducing weight. The top of the module is 1/8” Luan plywood. The hills on the back of the module are made with layers of 1” preformed sheets of building insulation that have been shaped by hand and covered with foliage.

I have installed the three mainline tracks (Red, Yellow, and Blue) as well as the Green Line Mountain Division. To further embellish the scene, I installed a trolley track along Main Street. I added a trolley car that moves back and forth (when it is working) thanks to the Circuitron reversing circuit under the layout which controls the trolley's movements. Off Main Street there is a side street that enters a hillside through a tunnel in the back of the module.

The railroad station, which has seen better days, is located half way down the module. This sleepy Southern town has benches for retirees to sit around on and watch cars go by or just rest and contemplate how to spend their children’s inheritance. A close look will reveal trash containers, a telephone booth and various vehicles on Main Street.

Adjacent to the railroad station at the junction of two streets you can see traffic signals. These traffic signals work (well, most of the time). The lights control vehicular and pedestrian traffic in all directions. I control them using a four-way switch under the module.

At the far right end of Main Street there is a building on fire. Two fire trucks are in front of the building — ostensibly to fight the fire. The flames are provided by a flickering 12 watt, 110 volt lamp. I have installed steel wool coming out of windows on the top floor and the roof to simulate smoke. The fire trucks are connected to fire hydrants. This building on fire has attracted a lot of comment at a recent mall layout, particularly from children and more than a few adults. I can best describe this phenomena with the current trendy word “COOOOL”, a word used by almost every child that approached the Baldwin Station module. To create interest I often ask children what comes out of fire hydrants. When they say “water”, I ask if they would like to see water. They always say “Yeah”. I simulate making adjustments behind the backboard and when they repeat they want to see water, I lightly spray them with a hand-held spray bottle. This always gets a laugh and brought people back to show another child (sometimes even adults) how “water comes out”.

The building on Main Street are pre-built Model Power structures that I bought at Obie’s. They include a pharmacy, a restaurant, a hotel, among others. Some are lighted, but the others have not illumination. The automobiles are the typical N Scale ones that your can buy at any model train outlet.

This article would not be complete without thanking the many members of NVNTRAK who have helped me with wiring, trackage and just plain comments (some of which were even constructive!!!). Thanks guys!