Mill Water Wheel
This was one of those "almost to obvious" projects, but I thought that a realistic mill and an accurate water wheel might give new life to an old trope I'd originally planned for the Greystone & Rock Bottom RR. I was going to use the Branchline Laser-Arts kit as-is, but based on dozens of reference photos I'd gathered, the kit looked as if it was a work of pure fantasy. Worse, the water wheel was, in a word, pathetic. So I bashed the building and scratch-bashed a new water wheel.
The mill project was then transferred to the Mountain Vista Railroad, where the structure was significantly modified and, finally, motorized.
The flume and bypass sluice is a self-contained unit that gently press-fits into place, allowing access to the wheel for maintenance. The project was completed on 27 August 2020.
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When the Mountain Vista was decommissioned, the project was transferred to the White River & Northern X, where it was remotored twice (for noise), and paired with an all-new spillway.
New Venue
This animation is now part of a diorama, Field of Dreams.
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On Another Layout Far, Far Away
I also animated the mill water wheel for my long-gone Z Scale Gorre & Daphetid.