Found out about Flynn

A few posts back Russ Bellinis and I were chatting in the comments about Bill Flynn.  Russ's suggestion to check one of Bob Chaparro's SoCal groups was right on.  A quick search of the messages on the Model Railroads of Southern Calif group produced this post from January 23, 2006:

It is with great sadness that I report the passing of longtime PRR
modeler Bill Flynn of Tustin, California. Bill passed away on
January 21 due to complications from several cancer surgeries.
Arrangements are being coordinated by Saddleback Mortuary.

Bill's Southwest Subdivision/PRR was a showpiece model railroad with
its four-track mainline, detailed scenery and many scratchbuilt
structures. This railroad first started in Bill's two-car garage.
As we all do, Bill came to the conclusion he needed more space
to "do things right" so he fill-in his seldom used swimming pool and
built a layout room over the former pool site. And he did it right.

Bill also was a strong supporter of the Cajon Division/NMRA and
hosted many open houses for division, region and National
conventions. He was a friendly face at many local meets. He will
be missed.

Bob Chaparro
Moderator

Well said, Bob.  George Sellios has said that really fine modeling is inspiring.  Bill Flynn's railroad inspired me.  Here are some images I took of Bill's pike back in April 2004.

While these two overview shots of an under-construction railroad give a sense of the scope, it is in the smaller scenes and finer details where Bill's talent really came to the fore.  My favorite area was a small town at the end of a branch line on a narrow peninsula.  It inspired Pinto on the previous incarnation of the Ocali Creek back when it was still set in Appalachia, and to a lesser degree influenced design choices I made at Ocala Springs (Pine Branch Park), my current railroad under construction.

I still learn something every time I study these photos.  That, to me, is the mark of a great model railroad scene (and a hallmark of many great Disney attractions).  There's always something to catch your interest and it may not be the same thing each time you look, though it may have been there all along and you just didn't see it before.