The "New" JJJ&E: The Idaho Hotel " A Signature Building " On The "New" JJJ&E

The Idaho Hotel " A Signature Building " On The "New" JJJ&E

The Idaho Hotel is another "Signature Building On The "New" JJJ&E. I built this advanced kit over 12 years ago and this building is very distinguished with its corrugated metal roof. It took me over 14 hours to finish and weather this structure.

Three techniques were used to weather the Idaho Hotel. I used washes of acrylic paint and blue windshield wiper solution to weather the building ( 20% paint and 80% blue windshield wiper solution ). I also used the Bragdon Weathering powders to weather the building ( See Photo # 6 ). The third technique I used was to dry brush highlights in certain areas of the building. The "Dry Brush" technique was extensively used on the corrugated metal roof.

Bar Mills issued this kit in N scale as a limited run of 250 kits. There is actually an Idaho Hotel in the state of Idaho with very similar characteristics. This kit can still be found on Ebay form time to time and makes a nice additional to any N scale layout.

The Idaho Hotel occupies a prominent place in the town of San Marino, right adjacent to the double track mainline which runs through the center of town. The San Marino Santa Fe "style" station is right next to the Idaho Hotel. Passengers don't have far to go to get excellent accommodations in San Marino when regularly scheduled passenger trains make their stop in town. ( See Photo's # 1, # 1A, # 2 & # 4 ).

Photo # 1 ATSF Articulated Mallet # 1792 on the inner mainline track in the center of San Marino. The Idaho Hotel with its distinctive corrugated metal roof is one of the "signature" buildings in the center of town.

Photo # 1A A UP #4006 "Big Boy" is on the outer mainline track in the center of San Marino. The Idaho Hotel is right next to the San Marino Santa Fe "style" station in the center of town. The corrugated metal roof of the Idaho Hotel gives this structure a very distinguished look.

Photo # 2 A UP #3985 "Challenger" is on the inner mainline track directly in front of the Idaho Hotel in the center of San Marino. Some of the residents of San Marino live in the hotel.

Photo # 3 ATSF FT's on the outer mainline track heading to the Monterrey River Valley in the turnaround area east of San Marino. This is a good view of the corrugated metal roof which took several hours to finish and weather.

Photo # 4 A good look at the center of San Marino. The Idaho Hotel is an important building in San Marino. A SP Black GS-4 is on the outer mainline track with a consist of freight cars. The double track signal bridge is powered by Logic Rail Technologies block signal boards and photo cells embedded in the track roadbed.

Photo # 5 The center of San Marino is almost completely scenicked. Flowering trees have been planted behind the Idaho Hotel and other adjacent buildings. A Southern Ms-4 Mikado #4839 is pulling a consist of freight cars on the inner mainline track.

Photo # 5A An old color photo of The center of San Marino is almost completely scenicked. Flowering trees have been planted behind the Idaho Hotel and other adjacent buildings. A Southern Ms-4 Mikado #4839 is pulling a consist of freight cars on the inner mainline track.

Photo # 6 A closeup view of the weathering on the front of the Idaho Hotel. The Bragdon Weathering System and selective "Dry Brushing" created those effects on the building. A ATSF Articulated Mallet #1792 is on the inner mainline track.

Photo # 7 A closeup view of the Idaho Hotel. All the side walks are in place and folks are watching ATSF F-7's on the outer mainline track heading east to the turnaround area in the Monterrey River Valley.

Photo # 8 An old time classic photo of the Idaho Hotel in the center of San Marino.

Photo # 9 An old "Platinum" B&W photo of a UP #3985 "Challenger" on the the inner mainline track. The Idaho Hotel is in the near background.

Photo # 10 An old sepia photo of a UP #3985 "Challenger" on the the inner mainline track. The Idaho Hotel with its distinctive corrugated metal roof is in the near background.