A few CVRR pictures and some other related pictures....

[MurphOnMillerAve]

"Murph Headroom" caption and adjusted photo, pretty clever stuff that, Wayne.

And Roger, though you thought better of asking, I am dressed like that because I was voted Symbol of School Spirit by the collective student body, faculty, and administration of my high school, receiving the traditional title of: "The Duke." My mother was so excited about the prospects of my taking up this position, one which was virtually a community-wide honor to hold, back-in-the-days of old, that she took me downtown to get the traditional white-tie-&-tails (though we elected for a black tie) for my public appearances at pep-rallies, at basketball, and at football games. I was in heaven that whole Senior Year.
The Duke

[rogruth]

Murph,

You will never get a higher honor.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Murph,

You will never get a higher honor.

Thanks, Roger. One of the things that came very close to that was an event the week I retired from teaching high school in the inner-city. The principal invited the entire school - every single teacher, ancillary staff, and student - to line up, impromptu, along both sides of all the hallways, a kind of "honor gauntlet," for me to pass through and among. As I did so, my colleagues shook hands with me and some gave me hugs; however, the students themselves cried, gave me kisses on the cheeks, both female and male students alike, hugged me, and said many very, very precious things to me. There was barely a dry eye in the place and certainly not mine.

I had given the privilege of teaching there my all, and, apparently, what I had offered was received in minds and hearts.

It is interesting to me that some of the greatest joys and satisfaction in my life were events and honors that happened while I was in schools.
Murph

[webenda]

Both exciting events, but your retirement send off must be the more memorable... all those lives you influenced during your career. I can feel your mixed emotions upon retiring.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Both exciting events, but your retirement send off must be the more memorable... all those lives you influenced during your career. I can feel your mixed emotions upon retiring.

Mixed emotions is true. I appreciate your seeing that, Wayne. I still find it difficult to speak of without having to clear my throat too often, even 10yrs. later.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

The Washington Hotel in Berkeley Springs

[rogruth]

Must have been quite a place and significant to the town.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

They liked those porches for the shade and breezes, I'd imagine, and the social factor, too.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Must have been quite a place and significant to the town.

Berkeley Springs was at one time a big resort town for folks from "the city" to escape to and enjoy the bathes and bucolic nature.

Photo is from 1913.

[Mitch]

I'll say one thing about the hotel, and that is that designers and builders had class back in the day. If you were gonna scratch build that for your layout, you better have some serious real estate. Not like the pre-built plastic buildings available with their tiny 6" x 8" footprint.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

I'll say one thing about the hotel, and that is that designers and builders had class back in the day. If you were gonna scratch build that for your layout, you better have some serious real estate. ...

You're right, Mitch; you make a good point. Can you imagine that dominator sitting on a layout? Every mouth would drop open as soon as it was spotted. Then, just imagine the appropriate setting all around it, streets, other buildings, figures, roadways, animals! WOW!

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I'll say one thing about the hotel, and that is that designers and builders had class back in the day. If you were gonna scratch build that for your layout, you better have some serious real estate. ...

You're right, Mitch; you make a good point. Can you imagine that dominator sitting on a layout? Every mouth would drop open as soon as it was spotted. Then, just imagine the appropriate setting all around it, streets, other buildings, figures, roadways, animals! WOW!

And that is why you very rarely see such a structure modeled in O scale - just takes up way too much real estate. Best that you can do most cases is to create a false front street scene against a wall.

Probably would be a huge undertaking even in HO to create the entire scene and surrounding setting.

[mickeydee]

To each his own but in those rare instances where a modeller has tried to reproduce a realistically sized town I always feel it diminishes the impact of and detracts from the trains themselves which I feel should always get top billing.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

To each his own but in those rare instances where a modeller has tried to reproduce a realistically sized town I always feel it diminishes the impact of and detracts from the trains themselves which I feel should always get top billing.

Interesting point, Mickeydee.
To me, the trains are like a swimmer or swimmers in a pool. They each need the other to be enjoyed at their best.

[Mitch]

The Washington Hotel in Berkeley Springs

Looking a Rufus' picture, and assuming the lady is leaning up against the pillar, and there is approximately 2 feet between the other 3 and roughly 4 more feet to the next pillar, I would say that all the support posts are 12-14 feet apart and they are symmetrical in both directions. Where the people are, I'm assuming that the corner of the building is set at 45 degrees. And considering that most buildings from back then- the main floor had at least a 12' high ceiling, though some were 16' in hotels, banks, etc, and the main building is 4 stories, (where the 2nd, 3d, and 4th would have 10' ceilings,and assuming 12' separation of the columns), I would extrapolate the scale size of the building would be approximately 22 1/2" x 13 1/2" x 6" high. That wouldn't overpower the trains, considering what was available in 1920. There were Mikados, Mountains, Hudsons, Pacifics, and some articulateds', so even one sitting or passing within 8 to 10" away, would still look big in comparison to the Hotel. I'm mean, a scale Mountain with west coast tender is what?; about 26" or 28" long. It would be something to think about, and you could probably do the rest of the block in each direction in another 30-36". Big, but not domination.