Part 61 - ops and scenic tour of Eric Vannice's 1895-era Western USA HO scale train layout

Eric Vannice is an experienced and artistic lifetime model railroader, and this video is a brief tour of his most recent model railroad layout. The layout depicts the dramatic scenery of eastern Washington State in 1895, when trains were vital to each small town's existence. Eric has scratchbuilt a number of the buildings and bridges on the layout, painted the backdrops and constructed the scenery using plaster and rubber molds. The video also highlights the first ever operating session on the layout, where passenger trains meet freight trains and ore cars are set out at his super-detailed mine scene. The action took place at an open house at his layout, so the video has a lot of background chatter noise in addition to the locomotive sounds. Burr Stewart took the video shots with an iPhone X and narrated and edited it using iMovie and Photoshop on a MacBook pro.
This is Eric's fourth layout, and this is the first time that it has ever been "published". His work, however, has been seen on many layouts in the Seattle area on which he has contributed time and talent, Including several featured in other videos on this KZbin channel ‪@muchfunwithtrains‬ .

[@theaussiez5133]

This layout is so cool and detailed

[@muchfunwithtrains]

I agree. The guy is a master artist, and this is his fourth (and final) layout masterpiece.

[@hectorfarm9416]

Amazing!

[@muchfunwithtrains]

We agree! The guy is a master!

[@shaunbolton4662]

Beautiful layout- stunning workmanship! The level of detail is amazing. My favorite era is the 19th century, although I am a steam buff all the way to the end with those magnificent Malletts, but for me the 19th century has so much charm and variety. Thanks for making this. New subscriber!

[@muchfunwithtrains]

Thanks for your comment, thanks for joining, and I hope you enjoy my other past and future videos. Soon, I hope to make a better quality video of Eric's beautiful layout, once he finishes building the pile driver scene. And I agree with you that the later era articulates are fun too.

[@mloik1]

Gorgeous layout.

[@muchfunwithtrains]

Thanks so much!

[@gregbowen617]

This is a very beautiful model railroad Burr. It is probably the standard of modeling we all hope to achieve… thanks for sharing your visit with us. Your humility is admirable and very much appreciated. I love this hobby with a passion and you have shown us why it’s so rewarding… cheers from Melbourne Australia 🇦🇺

[@muchfunwithtrains]

Thank you Greg. I feel the same way.

[@randydobson1863]

hello burr it's is randy and i like yours video is cool thanks and super cool vannice 1895- era wasington ho scale train layout and is cool eric and burr thanks friends randy

[@muchfunwithtrains]

Glad you enjoyed it Randy.

[@jimd.6152]

Beautiful and impressive railroad. Love the fantastic detail!

[@muchfunwithtrains]

We agree on this! :)

[@theangelsmodellingandrailways]

Thanks for sharing Burr. The work Eric has done is amazing, a stunning looking layout for sure, very inspirational. I like how you showed us his before/during/after rock work and how he creates those wonderful looking rock faces. Top Notch. All the best. Brian @ The Angels

[@muchfunwithtrains]

Glad you enjoyed it. I'm amazed that his layout has never been published before, as far as I know. I wonder how many other masterpieces are out there, waiting to be discovered?

[@brianbenson1973]

Very cool Burr!! 😎

[@muchfunwithtrains]

Thanks!

[@J3scribe]

Breathtaking.

[@muchfunwithtrains]

I agree.

[@brucec954]

Fantastic scenery!

[@muchfunwithtrains]

It really is!

[@steve87thpsap]

Dry nice tour some great work was done on it.

[@muchfunwithtrains]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@toddpilcher3804]

Beautiful small layout. Would be better if time was spent to cover more information about the track plan and so on.

[@muchfunwithtrains]

Good point. At least I could have included a wide-angle overview shot of that whole corner of the room. Thanks for your comment.

[@TonyTitleGuy]

The period of interest to me is pre-1965. Nothing any newer. There is so much really quality HO model stuff available. Old Labelle stuff, etc. I think Eric's period of interest requires a lot more scratch-building than I was capable of doing effectively. So I salute you and your layout. Thanks for sharing your efforts.

[@muchfunwithtrains]

I've always been interested in the history as well as the current day, and for me 1973 is something of a compromise (at least there were still cabooses then!). I would love to build some of the LaBelle kits that I've been hoarding for 50 years, and maybe someday I will. Eric's approach to modeling 1895 is inspiring and I'm glad you liked it too. Thanks for your thoughtful comment.

[@TonyTitleGuy]

@@muchfunwithtrains Thank you, Burr. LaBelle, Northeastern (?), Athern Metal line...and a few more. I've got a bunch in different stages of completion. I remember Varney too. Had an old 4-6-2 Pacific (I think) from Varney - later Bowser.

[@muchfunwithtrains]

One of these days I'll finish the HOn3 Labelle combine that I got half finished back in 1974! Argh!

[@TonyTitleGuy]

@@muchfunwithtrains I have several of the LaBelle kits in various stages of construction. They all have Central Valley truck sets too.

[@TonyTitleGuy]

@@muchfunwithtrains Sorry to ramble... But Central Valley had a line of wooden kits for the old days, too. With beautiful silk screen sides. In keeping with your period of modelling

[@Lakeside1943]

Fine historic layout ! But the purpose of a camera is to capture moving subjects, not to keep flying around the subject. Makes you kinda seasick.

[@muchfunwithtrains]

Yes, sorry about that. One of these days I'll go over there with a better camera and a tripod and do it right. It is a fine layout. Thanks for your comment.

[@modelrailwaybackshop]

Love these steam locomotives! I'm huge into steam, but mainly in the early to mid 1930s era steam.

[@muchfunwithtrains]

We'll try to run more steam on this channel in the future. Thanks for watching!