It’s the Thunder Cam again! More unedited footage of trains rolling by on the Thunder Mesa Mining Company On30 layout. Originally posted on the Thunder Mesa FB page, August 2016.
It’s the Thunder Cam again! More unedited footage of trains rolling by on the Thunder Mesa Mining Company On30 layout. Originally posted on the Thunder Mesa FB page, August 2016.
Ride the 3:10 to Calico! Danger! Intrigue! Suspense!
Okay, there’s really none of those things, but if you enjoy watching sound equipped model trains do their thing, this video is for you. Newly acquired E&SG #2 pulls out of Thunder Mesa with a short train of mining supplies bound for the rich diggings at Calico.
It’s the Thunder Cam! Unedited footage of trains rolling by on the Thunder Mesa Mining Company On30 layout. Originally posted on the Thunder Mesa FB page, August 2016.
Sam Towler’s amazing model of Disneyland’s Mine Train Thru Nature’s Wonderland attraction filmed at the 2016 Railroad Days Celebration in Fullerton, CA. This fantastic On30 model railroad was the hit of the show and lovingly recreates this long lost Disney attraction in elaborate, often animated, detail – right down to the themed trashcans! Enjoy.
A trip through Rainbow Caverns on the On30 Thunder Mesa Mining Company model railroad. This is just a preview of some of the ultraviolet lighting effects working so far at Staircase Falls and Rainbow Falls. More scenes are planned at the Crystal Grotto, Bottomless Pit, and Color Changing Pools. Stay tuned!
After the creation of Nature’s Wonderland National Monument in 1906, the railroad wasted little time in promoting the line to tourists back east. Here we have some early “historic” footage promoting the Thunder Mesa Mining Co. and the many scenic wonders that could be enjoyed along the line.
Please enjoy this video tour of my On30 Thunder Mesa Mining Company layout as it has evolved and grown over the passed 4 years. What started as a simple 3’x6′ display now occupies a footprint of more than 15’x9′ and continues to grow with new scenes, structures, rolling stock, and special effects being added all the time. The music used is by the great Louis Armstrong and is not owned by me. Thanks for watching.
April 2016 Video Log
Howdy Folks! So much has been happening out here in Thunder Mesa Country that it’s hard to know where to begin. The right of way has been changed, towns have been moved, combined or added, and entire areas have been reimagined. On top of all that, a lot of real progress has been made bringing these changes to life with new scenery work and modeling at Horse Thief Canyon and the town of Thunder Mesa well underway. The best way to get caught up on things is with a new video log!
Frontierland Music Loop
Every land at a Disney park has its very own soundtrack, usually a one hour music loop that helps to reinforce the land’s theme and further immerse guests in the experience. I’ve always enjoyed the music played in Frontierland and thought it would be a kick to add it to the railroad. I put together my own extended loop that also includes music from the Big Thunder queue and Big Thunder Ranch (now gone!). The music is provided by an inexpensive MP3 player and piped in through speakers hidden under the layout.
A step by step how-to video describing my technique for building rock layers out of extruded polystyrene foam insulation board (the pink stuff from your local home center). Thanks for watching.