Miniaturists of the Central Okanagan (MECO): Midnight Train To Georgia

Mini Train in a Brief Case

There is just something about trains that fires the imagination and speaks to the romance in the soul. Just as an example, when I was trying to come up with a clever name for my post today, I found no less than 900 song titles involving this mode of transportation - some about trains and some just mentioning trains, but either way, you have to admit, that is a boatload of train imagery (no, I didn't look, but there might have been songs about trains on boats as well, it wouldn't surprise me).

I worked very briefly in a train museum in my misspent youth, located in a city which literally would not have happened had the choice for the lines been made a mere 50 miles south - as evidenced by the little town 50 miles south that didn't get the lines, which just eventually faded from a thriving community into ghost receivership, being revived as a small tourist attraction, all for the want of a train. I remember from my brief job at the museum just how in love the old railway men were with trains, delighting in running down corridors they technically shouldn't have been down, ducking under taped off areas with the staff in hot pursuit lest the villain who was our boss caught us both in forbidden areas. They used to tell us great stories of their adventures, some of them very gory and not something you would repeat, but because we were keeping the memory of their beloved trains, we were somehow part of the railway family and they felt very comfortable in sharing the family stories. Sadly I grew to loathe the job (due to the aforementioned villainous boss) by the end of the summer, but trains will always take a special place in my heart, and if it weren't for finances and space, I would have a railway of my very own in a shot.

Imagine my delight, then, when member Rosemary announced that we would be doing a two part O scale railway, complete with train layout, buildings and a little train! Sometimes things just work out. This train, of course, isn't a working model, but it is devishly adorable nonetheless. This appeared in an old Dollhouse Collector, I believe, and is a 1:12 scale 0 Scale railway printie. There were buildings, a station, miles of track, and a layout overlay (to be done at a later time).


Printie Page Lionel O scale train

Barb (l) and Margaret (r). examining their kits

Block of Stores

Block of Stores, 2nd image

We started out with the simple bits first - the stores - as they were basically boxes.

The Gang, Studiously Workin' On The Railroad, All the Live Long Day

Block of Stores, plus the Controller Tower

The Station House

Station House

I managed to make all my buildings before the tea and coffee arrived, although some had gotten to the trains proper. I will tackle that a little later in homework, and you well get to see more of that next week. Eventually all these little pieces will be varnished, to give them a shiny appearance and protect the colours.

In other news, of course when you have a meeting, you have to share what you have been doing. Well, okay, you don't "have" to, but it is nice, you know?

Member Sherril's Wine Tasting Diorama 1/4 scale

New Member Sherrill brought this for show and/or tell. This started out life as one of those little boxes you can get from the big craft stores in the unfinished wood department, and she went from there. The detail is stunning. Look at the tiny table with wine and food, and the cellar with tiny wine casks.

Teeny Table!!

It is a little hard to see, but the wine bottle is actually one of those plastic price tag tie ends.

Tiny Garden and Tiny House! 1/4 scale

This is another of Sherril's offerings. The picture simply does not do it justice.

Inside the Little House

In all honesty, this does show that you don't necessarily "need" a house to make a fabulous piece. I really like this, and am squirreling it away in my brain for a future project.

Elizabeth's 1/12 scale Dog

Again, the picture doesn't do the piece justice. Eventually Elizabeth will flock this adorable little husky, but isn't he just sweet as anything?

And that is a wrap for our meeting today. Hope you enjoyed the little window into our get together! To finish off, a few little pictures of some of the smallest trains you will ever see, darling as anything. Until next time, my little railroaders!