Palm Trees for our Layouts 2.

I am modelling Murrurundi NSW that is a major location on my layout. Photos in Byways of Steam and photos I took in May 2006 show Palm Trees. I will need some of these.

On April 16, 2007, Allan Brown posted a message on Aus Model Rail Yahoo Group (copied below) and posted some photos in the Files Section of these Palm Trees from Samtrees in the U.S. Ray Pilgrim replied, he will need these for his Murrurundi Loco. I will need them for my layout also.

For easy comparisons, I have pasted the photos below.

Thanks Allan and Ray for the photos that I hope you don’t mind I copied here.

Now I need a “million” gum trees for the rest of my layout. Anyone got some suggestions. Spoke to Trackside Trees and I will order 300 mixed size gum trees for a start, soon.

Washington/Mexican/California Palm      Canary Island Date Palm                      Royal Palm

For Murrurundi Loco, I have chosen at Ray’s suggestion, 5 of the Washington/Mexican/California Palms and 2 Royal Palms

For Broadmeadow I have chosen 2 Canary Island Date Palms and 2 Royal Palms

Allan’ email.

Every now and then something special comes along in this hobby that needs to be shared with everyone. Such is the case of convincing, model palm trees that I've stumbled across.

At the Hobson's Bay Exhibition last weekend the layout "Mildura" had a couple of palm trees that really took my eye. Upon enquiring of the operators I was told that they were hand-made brass models made in Hong Kong for an American architectural company. I was given the name, and accessed the site on the computer later that night. I was suitably impressed. (Thanks fellas!)

When I got home, back in Sydney, on Easter Monday, I accessed the web site again and, this time, ordered a total of 7 of these trees. The advertised price for each one is around US$10 – 12.00 or so; very cheap for what one gets. I was amazed to find them on my doorstep 7 days later. The total price was US$66.00.

The company has quite a considerable range of not only palm trees, but many other types of trees as well. They also have various foams, flocking material and grass matting. Because they are an architectural modelling firm, the trees are available in various size ratios, e.g. 1:75, 1:100, etc. I chose the 1:75 ratio, which puts my palm trees at around 210mm high.

The trees contain a trunk of what appears to be polyurethane, and the fronds are finely etched brass. The fronds are already arranged in a cylindrical "ball", which has a metal pin for inserting into the top of the trunk. The trunk also has a pin for "planting" the tree.

Everything is pre-painted.

Without prattling on any further I would suggest checking out the company's URL at:

http://www.samtrees.com/Default.asp

Photos of the two types of trees I bought are in the Files folder under Allan's Stuff!

I can't praise these models high enough!

Cheers,

Allan B.