B&M in Thailand

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I think I posted about this before, but I have started to look deeper into what would be needed to transport a mostly complete shelf layout to the other side of the globe. Here are the basic requirements:

1. The layout, all equipment, tools, and accessories MUST fit into two large 28" suitcases, light enough to be checkable (under 45 pounds each). That might sound like plenty, but keep in mind there is no model glue, few micro tools, no paints or scenery supplies available in Thailand. Any hazardous material (paint, glues, etc.) will need to be drop shipped ahead of time.

2. The models will need to be sent mostly complete as there is no - anything - available to put them together once I'm over there. I have a few old suitcases that I can tear apart just for this transport. I am thinking of an aluminum cage to which I can bold items down to. Items must be able to withstand the bag getting thrown at least 10" - common when unloading a 777.

3. Metrics! Yep those meter loving infidels are everywhere. Furniture is measured in CM, which means this layout will need to be as well. Right now I have a stretch of wall about 2M x 30CM. Not bad for a shelf layout.

4. This isn't just an ops layout, but an art piece. This will be a conversation started for everyone who visits. Most will have no first hand experience with the US. This is a window into another world for those that see it. Think Civil War diorama, and you get the idea. As such, the layout needs to integrate with the aesthetic of the house, while being a window on a different world.

5. Modeling focus. This is the fun part. Love my Conrail, but this will be totally different. I have chosen 1933-1940 Boston & Maine as my time period. The city will be fictional but I have not settled on a name yet. Less quaint and cutesy than F&SM, but perhaps a bit influenced by it. This will be an inner city industrial area. Engines include: B&M 0-8-0, 4-4-0, 2-6-0, 2-8-0 and one or two MEC 0-6-0 for interchange. There will be no diesel. I have no idea what the industries will be, and no rolling stock so far.

6. This is a second home for my steam. Also on display above the layout will be a N&W J, W&LE USRA 2-6-6-2, a unlettered USRA Light Mountain and probably some other goodies.

Though we used an architect, I had designed the basic shape and layout of the house. I also chose most of the interior appointments...

The original idea was a "floating box" of concrete with a huge front window pane. this proved to be impractical due to the climate, and we agreed on this:


Manual labor is still cheaper there than heavy equipment, so pre-cast concrete just wasn't and option. This is how construction looked in May:


And here is how it looked a few days ago:


Lets take a look inside.


I will tell you now, modern Thai style is just insanity. People just choose whatever they like - tiles, paint, appliances without thinking how it would all look together. Luckily, Joy has lived in the US long enough to appreciate a cohesive style. After weeks of being unable to figure out what she wanted, I got the chance to show her what I would like and everyone liked what they saw.

Floorboards are tile. Wood can not be used in the tropics with this much rain. I actually had to show them how to do 1/3 overlapping flooring - a totally foreign concept to them. Usually this style tile are laid grouped in squares. Insanity!


Wood can not be used for bannisters. I went with stainless steel to give it a more industrial look. It also makes the window view feel like the bow of a ship:



Joy is heading over there next week for a few months to oversee completion, installation of appliances and furniture and help her mom move (who will live in the first floor).

[Scottl]

Nice!  Once you start using metric, you will see the light. 

I suspect this will all justify leaving a layout in Thailand.   Those baggage handlers will chew up anything that travels more than a few times.  Rolling stock could come back and forth. 

[Cajonpassfan]

Wow, that's quite an undertaking, in more ways than one!
I suspect you will need to learn how to live and build models all over again...and metrics are going to be the least of it.
Keep us posted on your progress please, and all the best to you and your wife in your new life there.
Otto K.

PS: what's up on the street side above the stairs, where there is no windows? High ceilings? Looks like a great space for a layout loft

[daniel_leavitt2000]

That was before they installed the windows. They were still moving heavy equipment out of the second floor when that photo was taken.

[Missaberoad]

That was before they installed the windows. They were still moving heavy equipment out of the second floor when that photo was taken.

I think Otto meant the bricked over area at the very top over the the upstairs windows...

That scaffolding is something else!! OSHA be damned lol...

Excited to see things progressing for you...

[Dave Schneider]

You know you are in the tropics when you see a satellite dish pointed almost straight up! Good luck on the project. I like the modern look.

Best wishes, Dave

[Cajonpassfan]

I think he meant the bricked over area at the very top over the the upstairs windows...

Well, yes...

[jpec]

Daniel,

Beautiful home in a beautiful place. What's the cost of living there vs. here in the states?

Jeff

[sirenwerks]

Great time to escape the US, Daniel!  Good luck!

[peteski]

So you are leaving USA permanently Daniel?

That house looks very interesting - it looks like it'll be comfortable even if it is small compared to what we are used to in US. Not much privacy with the neighbors being so close, but at least there is no lawn to move or leaves to rake.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

The area above the second floor was just a façade. It will be invisible behind the ornamental shades on the exterior. Originally, the architect wanted to do a split level. Ugh... in any event, there does need to be an incline due to the fact we can get 6-8" of rain in an hour during monsoon. I think we will have some storage up there.

The total area of the house is about 24' X 60'. I love the challenge of small houses. See exactly what you can pare down to. There are lots of ideas out there from Japan and Europe. I desperately wanted a American feeling in the home. My personal oasis.

Cost of living: it's complicated. The house will cost about $80,000 to build - more than $25,000 over budget. As a few of you know, this almost cost us our marriage (and my trains). After weeks of fighting, we got a plan together and it has worked so far: rent a room out in our house. Get a home equity line of credit. Save, save, save. Joy was originally going to quit her job, but they actually gave her an 11 week leave of absence. She was also looking at getting a $10,000 raise due to the new Fair Labor Standards Act, but that was canceled when the Fifth Circuit blocked the change. And lord knows the new tangerine POTUS won't back it. Tangents...

So the house and land are worth about $150-170K, but that is because it is right in the city and it's behind the government firewall. Quick SE Asian civics lesson: Southern Thailand was once Malay. It is mostly Muslim, and the southernmost provinces: Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat have been subject to bombings, shootings and general nuisance. We live just north in Songkhla. This area is pretty safe, and the people leaving the south for here drive prices up.

Cars cost a bit more than in the US. A Mazda CX5 costs about $35,000. Ours cost $27,000. But labor is really cheap, as is building materials. You can go out to eat for less than $10 for two. In fact, a fancy restaurant in Bangkok for 6 of us will usually cost under $100. And no tips! Hotels vary by area but we rarely spend more than $50 a night. With Joy's Marriot discount, I think it comes to about $25 for Marriot, and $15-20 for Courtyard Marriot. There is no real estate tax, or really any taxes once you retire. So living once you are established is actually really cheap.

Thailand is currently a military junta. I have seen first hand what a government that complexly disconnects itself from the truth will get you. While I will try to keep this non-political, I have enough worries about the future of both my homes to cause constant nightmares. This is coming from a registered republican.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Do any of the down east guys know what sort of engines and rolling stock would be common in urban Maine in the 30's? I am thinking of lettering up a Bachman Baldwin 10 wheeler to go with the Bachmann mogul, and consolidation, and the Walthers USRA 0-8-0 I'm painting.

Also, did the USRA 0-8-0 (and MEC USRA 0-6-0) make branch or transfer runs, or were they strictly yard goats?

[wm3798]

Really cool design!  Did you have this custom drawn for you, or did you work with stock plans?

I'd love to see the floor plans...
Lee

[daniel_leavitt2000]

It was all custom. The architect tried to use generic designs, but we had rejected all of them. Finally we had a very long translated conversation and he understood what I was looking for.

I'll try to post a floor plan. Starting from the front, the first floor has a small garage able to hold a car, motorcycle with some added storage under the stairs. This opens up into a small living area. Moving back, there is a bathroom and small bedroom on the left and a galley kitchen and rear door on the right. This is essentially my mother-in-law's apartment.

The stairway to our apartment on the second floor leads from her living room. This was done to make it feel like one house and to increase resale value as apartment buildings are not in great demand there.

The second floor starts with the stairway over the garage. This opens up into a large mixed use space (I use the term "large" loosely) of about 22x25 feet. Behind this is a larger bathroom on the left and 22x25 foot bedroom with large rear windows. There is no kitchen on this floor (not needed as everyone eats out and there is an accessible kitchen on the first floor).

The mixed use area can be partitioned to create a second bedroom for guests, complete with convertible couch.

Originally, I wanted to create a loft bedroom above the mixed use room. Joy thought this would be a problem as most of our guests would be elderly family who would not be able to climb the steep stairs. Oh well. I still think it would have been cool.

Right now, the layout will be built into a bookshelf along the wall separating the bathroom from the mixed use room.

[cne_craig]

Hi Dan,  We meet a few years back at the Big E show, I had the Mi-jack.

Anyway, a good source on MEC and B&M locos and picks is Ed Ozog.  Here's a link to his google site:
https://sites.google.com/site/rhodeislandlocomotiveworks/

The link is to Rhode Island locomotive works page but if you scroll to the bottom his links to other pages are there.  There's plenty of pics there on locomotives and sample freight.  Enjoy.

Cheers,
Craig Michaelsen