Lonesome Dove 

During the last Markdorf Model Train Show on November 2 and 3, 2002 the latest status of the layout was operated again, first time for two years! Unfortunately the entire layout is too large for my hobby room... 

Lonesome Dove is a small stop with a siding on the single track mainline of the RRR. Lonesome Dove is located in the rural and wild southwest. It has the only siding over several miles. 

Lonesome Dove is a pleasant and quiet place. Alternation  only comes up during the annual rodeo or a shooting in front of the saloon. 

What else happens here? Please have a look:

                        Bild Richard Willi

Just within the Red Rockies Lonesome Dove is located.

The daily local steams eastwards behind the home of the Krause family.

Mr. Krause enjoys his own pool. Soon he will jump into the refreshing floods. His beatiful daughters are relaxing on their inflatable mattress. (Sorry for the quality of the picture - we didn't want to disturb them with our helicopter and had to fly high!) 

                        Bild Richard Willi

The cattle pen isn't finished yet, but just the first stock cars were moved to the loading ramps. 

                                        Bild R. Willi

View to the station. The town is still under construction - but the inhabitants were just able to erect a water tower for the Markdorf train show. It has been build from "junk", a plastic surprise egg, a roll where plaster cloth was on, paint, an old RRR decal and some dry transfer letters created this building within 15 minutes.

Veeery slowly Lonesome Dove awakes in the early morning sun ...

From Mary's Cafe our view follows the tracks westwards to the feed mill and the cattle pen. 

                                         Bild R. Willi

Still in it's old NYC livery this RRR F7 is just ahead of the west tunnel.

A spy shot of secret tests with a broad gage engine near the cattle pen. The engine runs on the opposing rails of the siding and the main track - just between them (it is really running, no joke!).
After the panic during the last trial the management of RRR has invited all inhabitants into the town hall - music, food and drinks for free! Nobody has been seen in the streets that day...

Another spy shot in the dawn of that remarkable day - there are rumors of atomic propulsion of this engine!

In the evening the only unplanned incident happened when two cowboys left the town hall for a duel. They had some dozens of whiskeys and during their showdown they shot three windows, two car tires and one vulture. Both survived without any scratch. After all ammunition was fired, both suddenly noticed the activities on the railroad track. Both went back into the town hall mumbling words like monster locomotive, aliens railroad. Nobody took notice of them - they were too drunken to believe them. The strategy of RRR has worked perfectly!!!