Sep 1, 2025
Nuckolls Packing scratchbuild - a Meat Distributor in Telluride
Anyway - this building stored refrigerated meat, shipped from Nuckolls main plant in Pueblo CO (see Nuckolls building in Pueblo). Here's a photo of a smaller Nuckolls outlet (which is handy for the signage used).
The Telluride location was built of stone, and likely had thick cork insulation on the storage portion of the building. There's very few photos of it (that I could find); just a couple distant shots in a few of the usual RGS books. The building no longer exists, but a now-tavern which was of similar construction right across the street DOES still exist, and gave me some detail on the stonework, as I assume they were probably similar materials - the Stronghouse Brew Pub. Here's a couple other photos of the prototype:
Steve Harris did a version of this building, and published his plans in a couple of articles (one in the NG Gazette and another in Model Railroader). Those include some plans, which gave me a start on the dimensions for my version. I did a lot of digging into the photos I could find, and noticed a couple details different from Steve's model - but only in certain photos! I suspect the building changed somewhat over time, and both his and my version are likely correct for certain years.
I drew plans of my version, and had a friend lasercut some Monster Modelworks Small Mixed Cut Stone walls. I used wood for the lintels, and Monster Modelworks brick sills around my windows. And then picked out a few Tichy windows to match what I saw in the drawings.
Here's the windows I selected:
So here's the beginning - the lasercut stone walls, and my own manually-cut roof ends (you'll need 4, as there are 2 roofs on this building):
The walls go together with 1/4" square stock to brace the corners, and some other bracing on the interior. For lintels, I used thin wood over the windows, and then the Monster sills on the bottom. You'll see I'm also adding the bracing for the porch at one end:
The whole thing is coming together now. To support the roof ends, I've added some bracing on the end walls.
I debated a while about how to paint this, as I wanted to pull out all the amazing stone detail. I ended up doing pretty much what I did for the layout's rockwork - a dark charcoal undercoat, then lighter colors over it - in this case a couple tans / browns (dry-brushed - to preserve the detail between the stones). On top of that, I used colored pencils (from AK I believe), and just scrubbed them over the stones. I'm pretty pleased with the results:
More later!
Dec 3, 2023
Nov 20, 2023
RGS #41 - back in operation
Apr 12, 2022
Town of Rico - including RGS right-of-way and mines - to be sold?
Feb 18, 2022
Jan 8, 2022
RGS #20 - travels and operations in 2021
Dec 10, 2021
RGS Story books - new copies up for sale!
May 23, 2021
Major updates to the online Google RGS right-of-way map!
Some years ago, preparing for an RGS exploration trp, I discovered mapping, on Google maps, and started 'drawing' the RGS right-of-way, looking at satellite imagery, and pairing what I found with the old right-of-way maps in various RGS books.
I got a bit carried away, and started adding lumber branches, bridge locations, and other items. I took the trip, and it was helpful to find the actual locations. Then life happened and it sat. That was 2007.
Later though, Jim Marlette discovered it, and started filling in more details, and adjusting the accuracy of specific locations, and also filling some of the gaps. Then more recently, Dog Bergmann discovered it and spent last fall and winter making massive updates, especially by adding icons and photo links.
It's now a rather amazing resource - check it out!
https://www.google.com/maps/d/ viewer?mid=1wV0uynA8j_ AFx3KCzV-QJKYzEck&ll=37. 754695227075736%2C-108. 40542691764027&z=9
Feb 21, 2021
Winter 2021 projects
Darn magazines. I read an article in NGSL Gazette about logging turns out of McPhee - the author emulated a prototype practice with 3 loads of logs into McPhee from elsewhere on the layout, and 3 empties back out.
Jan 23, 2021
Layout tour on YouTube!!
Here it is folks - my first YouTube video, giving an overview of the entire layout.
Dec 14, 2020
Some great new structure kit options!
Merry Christmas everyone!!! In case you weren't aware - Raggs is producing the Dolores JJ Harris warehouse in HO (as well as the previous S). He's taking orders now!
And, Crystal River Products has their kits in production again - on a made-to-order basis. These include the Vance Jct coal pocket, stockyards and chutes, and water tanks - in several scales.
See https://www.crystalriverproducts.com/cacti?page=2
Aug 11, 2020
Podcast time again! And Trees, lots of trees.
Podcast time
I had a chance to visit with Brett and Todd Wiley on their BenchTime podcast last week. We had a great chat about trees, structures, and scenery versus operators. :-)
Bench Time #139: Steven Haworth is BACK | Rio Grande Southern Railroad
Scenery work
Also, it's been a while and I'm overdue for sharing some photos of the work I've been doing. I went back to a number of completed structures and 'planted' them finally (which for some reason was intimidating, and I dragged my feet on it). But I'm happy w/ the results - see this older post - or some updates at Vance Jct after adding some bushes:
Trees
And, with summer weather, I finally pushed myself to tackle tree-building, and ended up making a pile. Some of these started as unflocked pines / conifers - which I sprayed and then flocked with fine dark green ground foams.
And the I dug into SuperTrees, taking a few steps:
- Straightening the sticks / trees (I used steam from a teapot, outside so as not to steam up the entire house)
- Soaking them in very dilute white glue / water (to strengthen the fragile branches)
- Painting them (just rattle cans of spray paint, in various browns, grays, dark greenish/black)
- Then spray glue (Gorilla Heavy Duty Spray Adhesive) and flocking with all kinds of things, including:
- Super Leafs in various greens (nothing too bright)
- Dark green ground foam (both course and fine)
- 4mm static grass (in the darkest color I could find)
Painting SuperTree trunks:
Trees in progress:
Lots of bushes too!
You can judge the results for yourself. The dark green flocking on the SuperTrees looks like some types of conifer to me (at least for background trees). And SuperTree material yields all kinds of smaller stuff, so I made a lot of bushes and small trees as well.
Blending trees and photo backdrops:
I'm playing with layers of color and texture here, trying to create depth and blur the distinction between physical models and photos. And I'm having a blast playing with the effects!
Tracks thru trees:
In these areas, I had to be pretty careful, balancing the look of track running thru dense woods, but also allowing access for my operators, maintenance, track cleaning etc. The trees also have strategic gaps - not easily noticed I hope - which allow my arm to reach into the scene where needed. Whenever we can return to operations, we'll see how well it works when people are switching on the branch.

















































