Module Monday: Steve's Swamp

Steve's Swamp module.

Over the year's I've had a chance to photograph numerous modular layouts at the Railroad Hobby Show and interview the module builders.  Here is a look back at one of these module profiles which was compiled during the 2009 Railroad Hobby Show.

Module Spotlight Scale: HO Size: 28"x72" Standards: Club Years Constructed: 2006 Features: Swamp, Beaver Dams Era: 1950s-Present Club: Central New York Modelers Owner: Steve and Bill Brown, MMR

There is nothing quite like a vacation spot in the Adirondack's to drum up inspiration for a module project. The Steve's Swamp module was designed by Steve Brown and his dad, Bill, based on scenes from the Adirondack Scenic Railroad in upstate New York. The module features numerous mini-scenes to capture the feel of the area as well as a photo backdrop from a summer vacation to the Saranac Lake in the region.

The module was constructed in 2006 over span of about six months following standards developed by the Central New York Modelers club.  Supported by folding legs, the module's mainlines stand at 51" off the floor.  All the trackage on the module is code 83.

At just six feet in length, a lot of details have been packed in to create the summer vacation scene in the Adirondacks.  There are fishermen, beaver dams, campfires, and an animated crossing.  The buildings are combination of kit, kitbashed, and scratchbuilt structures.  One of the more interesting features is the working fireflies.  Steve and Bill managed to add this animation using fiber optics and a single light source.  The simple design produced effective results and when viewers are up close to the module can see this detail.

It's no surprise with all this detail that the module was awarded third place in the individual module contest at the 2006 National Train Show in Philadelphia, PA.

An overview photo of the module.