Layout in a Senior's Home

In the posts that follow this one, you will see images and stories about the wonderful model railroad that now resides in a senior's home in Kanata, Ontario on the western fringe of Ottawa. Good friend and OVAR member, Ray Mathey had a dream that his layout would follow him into the home and provide him and many other seniors with the joy we know that model railroading brings. Well, the layout made it safe and sound under the caring and watchful eyes of Peter, Grant and friends and it now resides in a room all its own!

I remember the day Peter asked me to come out and give a clinic on tree making...I wondered how would this go down with a group of people well over eighty years of age? Well, any misgivings I had were quickly dispelled on those evenings when I visited the home with Peter. A group of seniors made well over one hundred trees, and I must admit that these were perhaps the most rewarding and entertaining evenings of railroading I have ever experienced!

Let's look at some pics of Ray's lovely layout as resurrected and refurbished by Peter Nesbitt, Grant Knowles and friends. The first image depicts CN steam engine 6060 exiting one of the many tunnels on the layout as it passes the station platform. In the second image we see a number of the structures on the layout. Just to our right, we spot two handsome young lads, Jim and Chris as they enjoy listening to the sawmill hard at work just below them and out of the picture.

Not only are there many tunnels on the layout, a couple of bridge draw the attention of railfans as well. This scene is just to the left of town on the lower level. I can't recall if there was a pour of water here as yet or if the basin was painted to create the illusion of depth. The changing elevations on the model railroad certainly add to the visual interest of the layout and of course no model railroad would be complete without at least one bridge scene!
The station platform reverberates to the rumble of the diesel as it roars through town on the lower part of the layout. The upper line runs through the tunnel as it enters the rugged mountainous terrain at the far end of the layout.

I hope that you've enjoyed this small tour of one fabulous model railroad that was the dream of one man that now brings joy and smiles to many!

Cheers, Mike