The Bear Creek Railroad huffs and puffs, pistons pump and wheels turn furiously, but the locomotive never moves an inch. The rail line exists only in the mind of W. B. Baldwin and on the tables where he creates his dioramas. With only four feet of track to run on, the "G" scale trains are destined for the den or office, rather than the garden. "I've designed my dioramas as fine furniture," says W. B., "in fact, they are constructed on what would be considered a sofa table." Inside the table's drawers are all the electronics and controls that help W. B.'s dioramas come alive. Advanced circuit boards create the sounds of a babbling brook, a thundering steam engine, whistle and bell. Run-in-place rollers (figure A) allow the locomotive's wheels to turn while the engine remains stationary. The settings for the mythical Bear Creek Railroad are straight out of W. B.'s imagination. "I usually start with a trestle, which allows me to elevate the locomotive and add more scenery to the diorama. They are period pieces, set in rural America during the era of steam locomotive, and each depicts a story," W. B. explains. The elaborate dioramas are a testament to the painstaking detail W. B. puts into each scene. For example, it may take as many as six parts from various figures to create the engineer aboard the locomotive in just the right pose. And only upon close examination does one realize that the rails and ties beneath the engine have been aged (figure B) and show signs of rust. "I make up most of the scenery as I go along," W. B. says. Though highly realistic, the materials used in the landscaping of his dioramas are surprisingly simple. The basic structure of rock, mountains and streambeds are made of plastic foam that's been cut with a hot wire. After he is satisfied with the initial layout, W. B. applies a layer of drywall plaster to give the surfaces detail and dimension. W. B.'s interest in "G" scale trains is not limited to just indoor activity. He has also built a large, partially elevated, garden railroad in his backyard, complete with it's own life-size train station. "I think that most of us who are involved in the hobby have been accused of being boys at heart," laughs W.B., "but I think it keeps us all young."
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