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.

Vintage Victory!

At the recent Great Train Expo in Santa Rosa I found the sort of dealer who carries the sort of trains I like to buy at the sort of prices I can't refuse.  Most were rare, long out of production cars, priced between 2 and 5 dollars, depending on the condition.  I found these three I couldn't live without:

Yes, I already have one of the Purina Reefers, er, ventilated cars.  I couldn't pass it up.  It will need a new underbody, trucks and couplers, as well as new vents - these were not iced, so no hatches.  Still working on sourcing parts for the vents.

The second car is a Varney car, and as marked is just at the edge of my era.  What makes this a must-have are the paper crates.  This is one way early autos were shipped and I have had my eye out for one of these cars.  The flat is in near-perfect condition, with all the sill steps and even the brake rod and wheel still intact.  The paint is factory fresh and the lettering crisp and legible.  The trucks will pass for PRR trucks in use at the time but the brake gear is AB.  However, I may not change it since it really isn't that visible due to the low side sills.  Naturally it will need new couplers, and if I ever come across some Carmer uncoupling levers I may add them, otherwise it is RTR with a little weathering.

Finally the last car is a custom lettered car for the Shepaug Valley & Western.  If any of my dozen or so readers, okay, the three or four of you, know anything about this road let me know in the comments or send an email.  I think there was an actual Shepaug Valley Railroad that was folded into another Connecticut line early in the 1900s, but beyond that I have to assume this was a private road name applied by a creative individual.  Love the orange and green.  This car will need some TLC as the orange paint chipped away from where the price tag pulled off....<grr>....and one of the doors popped loose.  The trucks are fine but I may trade them out for T-sections or express trucks at some point.