Spotlight on Don Stoddart

I was introduced to model trains when I was about 8 years old, when my parents gave me a Hornby OO train set for christmas. That was about 68 years ago. Over the years the technology has really changed and I have gone through eight layouts. At present have an HO and an ON30 layout in my basement.

editor's note, Don was one of the originators and Treasurer of the Woodstock Model Railroad Club.

Flex Track?

This is what happens when the temperature changes.

Humm

Tuesday Night at the Huff & Puff

With most of the regulars on hand, many areas recieved attention. Wiring, ballasting, and scenery were all worked on.  Some streets were paved in Lincoln, grass and a gravel road were added to Miller. Rock work and rock painting around the coal mine and along the back of the port area continued.  More feeder wires were soldered on the track work in Wellington.

rock wall along the coal mine

Lincoln's main street paved

large rock wall

more wiring

DCC wiring

Our DCC system gets worked on.  Leads were added to the nine separate blocks, for the power supply. While checking out the various blocks, some shorts were found, some caused by gap closures and one by a crossed wire.

Jim checks the blocks for shorts

Tom correcting some crossed wires

Tuesday night at the Huff and Puff

Members enjoy the lounge

Braving another Arctic Vortex, it was full speed ahead, on Tuesday night.  More plaster rocks were added on the branch line and Trent add and shaped more castings for his project area.  Ballasting and painting continues and the main street at Lincoln was worked on.  A tunnel portal, on the upper return loop, was fitted to a land form area, previously screened in. The DCC wiring was also worked on.

Tunnel portal installed

Working on the electronics

Lincoln main street

Backdrop painting continues

Trent hard at work

Tuesday night at the Huff and Puff

With all hands on deck many areas got attention. Shelving was build for the DCC equipment and our requirements for fascia plug ins, wiring and equipment to be purchased, we're discussed. Lincoln town site got attention as well as Miller.  Track work continued at Wellington, and ballasting goes on. Rick brought in a file cabinet and a vertical plastic file drawer system, both will help clean/organize our layout room, areas were even vacuumed.

new file cabinet

Wellington track work

shelf for DCC units

pondering the streets of Lincoln

bushes along the backdrop at Miller

Hay Co.

Ralph brought in a scratch built factory he had obtained, that will be used as a furniture factory called Hay Co., at Lincoln. It's has a connection to Woodstock in that Hay Co. was located here and made furniture and or plywood. It was bought out by Weldwood, where Ralph was a supervisor until the plant closed down in 1970.

Tuesday Night At The Huff And Puff

Happy New Year everyone.  With Woodstock in a deep freeze (colder here than the North Pole) a few members still ventured out. Now in our second year, we still have a lot to accomplish.  It will be interesting to see how well we detail some troublesome areas, the result of layout design and construction. There is always a trade off between scenery and operation. Scenic details are now in full swing and we are now having conversations about our control system (most of the wiring is complete).  A range of hills went in at Miller as well as rock work on both sides of the Long River Bridge.  A few visitors viewing the layout commented on how fast things change from week to week, which is nice to hear when you spend the whole night on one little area.

hills at Miller

more hills at Miller

some rocks painted

Trent wants to make this area his own, Matt looks on