City and Country
Basic Information
Name: City and Country
Built by: Dennis Saunders in 2001
Size: Two 4ft x 24in
Introduction
These modules were donated to the club in 2014. The country module features “snob hill”, a ritzy hilltop home complete with swimming pool. George Barrier refurbished them in 2019, straightening the frame to remove the dip in the main lines, patching cracks in the surface, and freshening the foliage with new material. George also made a few modifications such as replacing the wooden legs with metal legs, repainting the roads to include lines and crosswalks, adding overhead signal lights to the intersections, adding working lights in all the buildings, and adding thread to the power poles.
Original Condition
Damaged structure
After years of use in the club’s shows, these modules were greatly degraded. The Country module has a road which passes under the track. The plywood top was cut to make the road, but the two halves were not supported near the cut. The first step was to reinforce the plywood top so that there was no sag in the middle where the cut warped.
Bending the plywood top destroyed the track that was ballasted on it. The second step was to lay fresh track on both modules (better if they match) and re-ballast.
Repeated heating and cooling had caused the cheesecloth under the hills to shrink. The third step was to patch the edges where gaps had appeared.
Faded scenery
Once bright and vibrant, the scenery had faded over time to be very dusty and dull. New foliage needed to be added to bring all the plants back to life.
Module Upgrades (2019)
Main Street City
Since the roads originally had no paint, the road crew had some work to do. White lines and yellow lines were added marking the center and shoulders of the main road. Merge arrows were added where the road reduces from 4 lanes to 2 lanes.
The intersection also received crosswalks for pedestrian safety. The intersection’s vehicle traffic is now controlled by overhead signals. These upgrades greatly reduced the fatality rate of this area.
City Center
The west end of the city module has a very interesting intersection. The main highway follows the railroad tracks, but the city grid is turned at an angle. This complex intersection also received lines, crosswalks, and traffic signals for safety.
Signal Tower
The triple-track mainlines of this module included a signal tower over the tracks. Years of getting clobbered by track cleaning crews had reduced this equipment to a mangled mess. The broken pieces were glued back together, but they were very weak from being broken so many times. In order to make it stronger, steel rods were glued into the structure before it was painted shiny silver. Magnets were glued to the module and hidden by washers, allowing the whole signal tower to be removed for track cleaning. Much better for durability.
Fresh Plant Life
The faded greenery was not removed, but was instead covered by a thin layer of fresh material. This preserved the basic look and feel of the original scenery while giving it more vibrant color. Some additional yellows and greens were added to increase the color complexity. The inhabited areas were given a darker green color set to reflect a more manicured look.
Snob Hill
“Snob Hill” looks even more aloof than ever. This photo was taken by Amanda Barrier.
Wedding by the Tracks
There is a small outdoor wedding happening right between the rural highway and the railroad tracks. It is not the most peaceful location with all the trains coming and going. This photo was taken by Amanda Barrier.
Busy Urban Scene
Road vehicles and pedestrians were added to make the city truly come to life! This photo was taken by Amanda Barrier.