The trains is currently getting brand new cars, built from scratch and will be more detailed and tidier.
Progress Report: 5/13/07
Natural arch bridge gets some paint and scenery...
The trains is currently getting brand new cars, built from scratch and will be more detailed and tidier.
The trains is currently getting brand new cars, built from scratch and will be more detailed and tidier.
Progress Report: 4/2/07
< An update on the train. I retired my old NWRR engine and replaced it with a newer model, the old engine was plagued with problems that could not get fixed. The new engine runs much smoother and reliable than the older engine. The new engine was also a "second chance" at painting, and this time the paint came out perfectly unlike the old engine. Updates on the newer engine that weren't on the old engine are the painted "rims", the NWRR plate on the cab, the long awaited box headlight, and a number (it hasn't been numbered for a long time, so it's offically #1). The tender may need a new paint job and the cars may need a revised rebuilding to match the quality of the new engine.
NOTE: Ballast/ground covering has appeared and it stretches from Rainbow Ridge to the "Crazy Cactus" area.
I don't have any pictures of it, but Cascade Peak has two more waterfalls.
NOTE: Ballast/ground covering has appeared and it stretches from Rainbow Ridge to the "Crazy Cactus" area.
I don't have any pictures of it, but Cascade Peak has two more waterfalls.
Progress Report: 2/24/07
Cascade Peak gets its first waterfall....
Made of melted plastic, plastic bag strips, shredded cotton balls, and many layers of medium gloss.
Made of melted plastic, plastic bag strips, shredded cotton balls, and many layers of medium gloss.
Progress Report: 11/30/06
My N.W.R.R. project is slow but there has been some progress since my last update. I rebuilt the entire top half of Cascade Peak because I thought it could be better and look more like the real one (There were some inaccuracies) The tender was rebuilt for the train, again, there were some inaccuracies.
Progress Report: 9/25/06
September 25, 2006 marks one year of construction on the Nature's Wonderland Model. Exactly one year ago, I bought my HO Flex-Track and began construction on a clean and flat piece of masonite. It's not a complete year of work (I don't work on it every single day ) but it's been a year since I started.
Progress Report: 7/26/06
I figured out how to make animation .gif on my digital camera, so here is a demonstration of Balancing Rock Canyon.
Progress Report: 6/30/06
Some scenery in Beaver Valley.
The start of Balancing rock canyon. I know, it's hard to tell where the rocks are but they are there. They will stand out better when I detail them more and paint them. The rocks do move, through a cable system. There's the stationary rock attached to the base of the layout, and a moving rock on top attached to the stationary rock by a spring ,(I tried a hinge, but it would get jammed too much, and a spring "wiggles" more. ). The cable pulls the moving rock down and the spring pulls it back into position! All the cables go to one point under the desert scene and a longer cable is attached to the point and goes to the train controller next to Cascade peak where it is controlled.
The start of Rainbow Caverns. Every thing still needs painting. The red is a "test color" I tried on the rocks that glows under a black-light.
This is what is taking so long. Adding the Pack mules (Highlighted in Green). I rebuilt the back section of Cascade peak to add the cliff. So it's more like building two rides in one. Cascade peak also has it's base coat of paint.
The start of Balancing rock canyon. I know, it's hard to tell where the rocks are but they are there. They will stand out better when I detail them more and paint them. The rocks do move, through a cable system. There's the stationary rock attached to the base of the layout, and a moving rock on top attached to the stationary rock by a spring ,(I tried a hinge, but it would get jammed too much, and a spring "wiggles" more. ). The cable pulls the moving rock down and the spring pulls it back into position! All the cables go to one point under the desert scene and a longer cable is attached to the point and goes to the train controller next to Cascade peak where it is controlled.
The start of Rainbow Caverns. Every thing still needs painting. The red is a "test color" I tried on the rocks that glows under a black-light.
This is what is taking so long. Adding the Pack mules (Highlighted in Green). I rebuilt the back section of Cascade peak to add the cliff. So it's more like building two rides in one. Cascade peak also has it's base coat of paint.
Progress Report: 12/30/05
The Town is pretty much complete except for a few small details(chairs, barrels,Etc.) Added some ballest
Rainbow caverns is covered and I ordered the blacklight for it. Rainbow ridge hill is also covered. Started on some Rockwork in Beaver Valley. (I'm making my rockwork out of Celluclay)
Rainbow caverns is covered and I ordered the blacklight for it. Rainbow ridge hill is also covered. Started on some Rockwork in Beaver Valley. (I'm making my rockwork out of Celluclay)
Progress Report: 12/23/05
Most buildings are comleted. Clarion and general store are next to be worked on. I had to eliminate two buildings in order to make it look right proportion wise because it's such a small area.
They are sorta blurred because I didn't have a tripod or something to rest the camera on, here's the train is rounding around the unfinished Cascade Peak.
Progress Report: 12/3/05
Natural arch bridge, cliffs, and "spur line" tunnel in the living desert.
Rainbow caverns structure and Rainbow Ridge hill structure.
The train and loading area. The Engine is almost done and the cars need some paint touch-ups.
The headlight is not the box type yet but it will be modified soon.
Rainbow caverns structure and Rainbow Ridge hill structure.
The train and loading area. The Engine is almost done and the cars need some paint touch-ups.
The headlight is not the box type yet but it will be modified soon.
Progress Report: 10/22/05
Part of the boarding platform has been built, and the "waiting area", the entrance, and exit are next to be built.
Progress Report: 10/17/05
Progress report:
Cascade peak is more "full"
Structures of tunnels are added
The bases for cars are made
Cascade peak is more "full"
Structures of tunnels are added
The bases for cars are made
Here is my Mine train through Nature's Wonderland On30 4 X 7 layout. As you can see, It's still in it's construction phase.
That popsicle stick structure is (or will be) Cascade Peak
That locomotive you see on the track closes to you is a Bachmann 0-4-0 porter that will be painted to look like the NWRR trains later.You could also see the bear country trestle.
Instead of going underground, The train just goes over a cross.
That popsicle stick structure is (or will be) Cascade Peak
That locomotive you see on the track closes to you is a Bachmann 0-4-0 porter that will be painted to look like the NWRR trains later.You could also see the bear country trestle.
Instead of going underground, The train just goes over a cross.
The NWRR Project
This project is a recreation of the 1960 Disneyland attraction, Mine Train Thru Nature's Wonderland in On30 scale. This is a selectively compressed layout, not a true inch-for-inch scale model, because of the large scale of the project squeezed onto a rather small 4' X 7' table. So, elements from the original ride to be shifted, moved, eliminated, modified, or distorted, but all the major areas of the attraction are represented. Despite the compromises, close attention to detail is included within those areas.
What prompted me to build such a layout still puzzles me to this day. I wasn't even around when the attraction was open and I wouldn't enter the world several years after it was replaced. I think it was all the elements the attraction had that made it so appealing: it had western towns, mountains, tunnels, hills, deserts, sandstone rocks, trestles, lakes, ponds, rivers, glowing caverns, geysers, mud pots, dinosaur bones, jiggling rocks, a variety of animals, it had trains, and it was a Disney ride.
The layout was originally started in September of 2005, when I was just a sophomore in high school with basic model making skills. Since then, there have been countless changes and modifications which are still under-way. With my ever-improving skills as a model maker, the model should reflect that skill level. Now almost 5 years later, the layout is in a construction state that is almost similar to how it was since the day I started. Areas have been rebuilt from the ground up and quality has certainly gone up. Through expansion, the layout is now measuring about 5' X 7.5". Since this project hits the back burner a lot, there is no estimated completion date as things will always continue to change and improve. But, after almost half a decade, I'm pretty close to finishing, and I think by the end of 2011/early 2012 (if things go well) I just might have every single little detail in.
What prompted me to build such a layout still puzzles me to this day. I wasn't even around when the attraction was open and I wouldn't enter the world several years after it was replaced. I think it was all the elements the attraction had that made it so appealing: it had western towns, mountains, tunnels, hills, deserts, sandstone rocks, trestles, lakes, ponds, rivers, glowing caverns, geysers, mud pots, dinosaur bones, jiggling rocks, a variety of animals, it had trains, and it was a Disney ride.
Above, the mine train model as it appeared in 'The "E" Ticket' magazine in early 2006
The ever changing layout, as it appears in early 2010 and below now in early 2011
What is "Mine Train Thru Nature's Wonderland"?
Mine Train Thru Nature's Wonderland was a Disneyland attraction created in 1960. It is an upgrade from it's former self, the Rainbow Caverns Mine train, which opened in 1956. The attraction covered a very large chunk of Frontierland and featured over 200 Audio-Animatronics and featured themes and scenery from Walt Disney's popular True-Life adventure films. As guests board one of 4 battery powered faux steam locomotive trains, they passed by the sprawling town of Rainbow Ridge which also served as the loading area for the pack mule attraction. From there the guests were treated to views of Beaver Valley, Cascade Peak, Bear Country (not the land known as Critter Country today) the Living Desert, Cactus Forest, Balancing Rock Canyon, and the magnificent Rainbow Caverns.
The attraction lasted until 1977 when it was replaced by a much higher speed train ride, Big Thunder Mountain. Today remnants of the original Mine Train attraction are still around, like large Buttes from the Living Desert, the buildings from Rainbow Ridge (Re-arranged for the Big Thunder Loading area), although half buried in concrete the rock formations for the geyser corner, the tunnels to and from Cascade Peak, Bear Country pond, and some animals AA's from the attraction. Other remnants that survived that have been torn down in later years include Cascade Peak, the bear scratching his back on the tree, and soon, the last remaining mine train staged as a wrecked train.
The attraction lasted until 1977 when it was replaced by a much higher speed train ride, Big Thunder Mountain. Today remnants of the original Mine Train attraction are still around, like large Buttes from the Living Desert, the buildings from Rainbow Ridge (Re-arranged for the Big Thunder Loading area), although half buried in concrete the rock formations for the geyser corner, the tunnels to and from Cascade Peak, Bear Country pond, and some animals AA's from the attraction. Other remnants that survived that have been torn down in later years include Cascade Peak, the bear scratching his back on the tree, and soon, the last remaining mine train staged as a wrecked train.
Aerial Model Shots
April 2017
May 2013
February 2012
June 2011
January 2011
April 2010 (early)
October 2005
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
