Bobbin mill start

Here is the basic start to the bobbin mill - just the basic walls, windows and doors.  Wood bobbins were the staples of the fabric mills in the 1800s and early 1900s.  By the mid 1900s they were replaced by new technologies.  Wood bobbins were  created to collect the thread for fabrics. They twisted and spun on spindles to collect the threads.  Bobbins came in many shapes and sizes depending on the needs and preferences.  They were made from a variety of hard woods.  The bobbin had a cylindrical center which had a hole bored into it and a wider flat cylindrical disk at each end.  Some bobbins had metallic ends.  Many years ago I became fascinated with wood bobbins and bought several of various sizes.  Eventually I got rid of most of them retaining only two which my wife uses to hold large candles for display.

Here are the two bobbins sitting on the flat area in front of the fireplace in our family room.

My bobbin mill is an old style wood structure with a stone foundation.  At this point I have built the basic walls with the foundation.  There will be many details added, especially at the back of the building,

Above is a view of the back.  The projection at the right is the boiler room.  The boiler is wood fired as there is an ample supply of wood debris.

Above is the front view which will be track-side.  There will be a loading dock.  All windows and doors are commercial parts, mostly Tichy.

I will be bob bob bobbin along building this industry.  I just had to make that pun - 😀

Furniture factory installed

I have installed and added scenery for the furniture factory.  I am still considering what to name it so signs will be added later.  Over the last week I was also constructing an SS Ltd light delivery truck which you can see backed up to the platform on the right side.

The factory is located in front of the building under destruction which you can see on the right side of the furniture factory.

This view shows the delivery truck with a piece of furniture loaded in the back.

I will probably add more scenery as time goes by.

Next Model.

I have decided what my next model will be.  It will be something I doubt many if any modelers have modeled.  It will be a Bobbin Mill - a mill that creates wooden bobbins for use in weaving factories for the textile industry.  Bobbin mills mostly disappeared by the mid-1900's due to changes in technology, but since I model 1939 they still existed.  In my next post I will discuss details on a typical bobbin mill and some background information.

Furniture factory bldg #3 complete

I have completed building number 3 of the furniture factory,  That completes the factory.  Next I will install it on the layout with scenic details around it.  This structure has some minimal interior details but they are very hard to see which is why I placed most of the furniture on the loading dock.

Most of the furniture is SS Ltd cast metal details with some modifications such as backs to the tall shelving at the corner of the dock.  The roof has shingles by BEST.  All windows are by Tichy.  The stack at the back was made from a plastic sprue.

Above is a view of all three structures of the factory together.

As I install this industry I will be also planning my next model - always a challenging task as I have built so many industries it is difficult to come up with something new.

New York Central RR Station Rochester NY

As a diversion from my building progress,  here is an interesting postcard I acquired some time ago.  I shows the 2nd station built by the NYC in that city - built 1882 and replaced by 1913.  What I found most interesting is the track leading up to the building in the foreground with a passenger car on it backed up to the building.  It appears the entire passenger terminal yard is elevated as the street runs under it.  There does not appear to be any door where the car is so???

I used to collect railroad and industry postcards, so I have a modest collection.  I go through them from time to time looking for ideas for my modeling.  I also collected RPO postmark cards and belonged for a time to the Railway Postal Society.  It seems few people send postcards any more as the are more convenient ways to correspond including email, texts and social media.  I do not participate in any social media (unless you consider this blog social media).  I find that people share way too much information on social media.

I am now working on furniture for my furniture factory.  Most of it will be placed on the loading docks on two sides of building #3.  A lot will be SS Ltd cast metal furniture kits, some plastic furniture and some scratch built.

I also decided to place the furniture factory next to the edge of the layout near the building under destruction.  I have finished leveling the site and had to make a small triangular addition at the edge on the layout to give more room in front of the factory.

Furniture factory building #3 start

I have started on the third and last structure for the furniture factory.  I have built the walls and internal first floor.  Still to be completed are the roof,  loading docks,  and interior details.  There will also be a partial second floor - at least as much as will be seen through the upper door on the right side.  That upper door will be for hoisting materials from the loading dock.   The roof will not be removable so whatever interior details will be seen it will be though the open doors.

As usual, the windows are Tichy products.  I will scratch build some doors which will be open.  There will be a variety of furniture products inside the building and on the loading docks.  Many of the furniture products will be cast metal items by SS Ltd.  Others will be scratch built.

Once all three buildings are complete they will be installed on the layout and scenic details will be added.