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Konrad's World 1:87 Scale Amusement Park
This page has two purposes. First, it is intended as an advocacy page for the modelling of amusement parks. Second, it is intended as a running progress report on my HO scale model railroad. Check back every few months to see how Konrad's World is progressing!
Well, why not?
Just kidding. Actually, that question really should be "why make your whole layout an amusement park". I've heard of lots of modellers who have included a park as part of their pikes, even going to the extent of including a narrow-guage park train as I intend. But I haven't heard of too many modellers who have built an amusement park as their entire model railroad. It's pretty obvious why -- all a park train does is go round and round a loop of track.
Hmm, sounds like your basic beginner's 4x8, don't it?
My interest in model railroading is in the act of creating the layout. Operation can be fun, but actually building stuff is what I find most enjoyable. Therefore, running a train round and round doesn't bother me in the least. My Master Plan includes a narrow-guage train with some good hills on the line. Those hills are there strictly for operational interest. Okay, so I do like to operarte a little!
When I realized that I was only going to have room for a 4x8, the choice of prototype became obvious. And what better prototype for a relatively experienced modeller who likes narrow guage and amusement parks? Besides, I can't afford a real amusement park, so a model will have to do!
Amusement park modelling offers lots of opportunities for all sorts of modellers. If your thing is signals, main-line behemouths, and 150-car trains, this isn't for you. But if you like animation, fancy lighting effects, elaborate sound systems, and adding lots of detail, then you should definitely consider building a model amusement park!
The basic idea behind Konrad's World is that of a small, country amusement park that has managed to hold on to the present. Believe it or not, such parks are once more growing in popularity as more folks rediscover the simple pleasure of a Chair-O-Plane or Scrambler. Carousels are more popular than ever, with brand-new rides being installed in malls and recreational parks all over the country.
Konrad's World is definitely not a new park, however. It's typical of the small, semi-theme parks that sprung up in the 1950s and 1960s. These facilities foreshadowed the modern megaparks like those operated under the Paramount and Six Flags names. But they remained small, friendly, neigborhood-type parks, with none of the corporate mentality of the megapark chains. The atmosphere I want to create with Konrad's World is that of a country carnival that's settled down to do business in one spot only.
In the fantastic fantasy world of my model, that's excactly what happened. In 1962, a fellow by the name of Marcus Konrad inherited a travelling carnival from his grandfather, who'd been something of the black sheep of the family. Marcus wanted to continue operating the carnival, but wasn't crazy about the idea of travelling all over the region with it. So, he made use of an old family farm along Chocolate Creek as a permanent home for the carnival. A medieval city wall was built with an impressive gate. The carnival rides were set up in a permanent midway beyond this wall. As time went on, the park mantained its popularity with the local citizens, particularly the teens and twenty-somethings. It's not Six Flags, but it's a fun place to spend a summer's Saturday afternoon. The old-fashined pay-per-ride system means that it doesn't cost as much, either.
Before I get into this, a disclaimer. Don't hold me too closely to this plan! Things will almost certainly change as the layout evolves. It's been said that the best way to make God laugh is to tell him your plans -- theological issues aside, it's true! This plan is deliberately broad and flexible, and I may wind up changing it radically before the layout reaches the scenery stage.
Having said that, here's a graphic of the layout plan, drawn with Abracadata's Design Your Own Railroad for Macintosh:
I currently have the following rides on-hand:
The Chair-O-Plane, Swing Boats, and Bumper Cars are both offered by Faller and will be acquired shortly. The Swan Boat ride will have to be scratchbuilt. I've left room for a Faller Big Dipper roller coaster, but at $135 I can't afford one right away -- especially since the Chair-O-Plane and bumper cars are more important.
The Master Plan calls for several scenes inspired by some other parks I've visited. The big hill on Hershey Park's Dry Gulch Railroad is included -- it'll be between the Chair-O-Plane and the kiddie rides. The woods and creek that Dorney Park's Zephyr rolls through and along are also included. The swan boats and the parking lot they'll be visible from are right out of Dutch Wonderland. The main gate is inspired by several elements of Busch Gardens Williamsburg. And the swing boats are right out of old Lenape Park, a now-defunct facility near Philadelphia that I visited as a small child.
You'll note that everything fits on a 4x8 quite nicely without looking crowded. There's even room for a bit of parking lot. Yeah, the curves on the railroad are sharp -- but we are talking HOn30 here! And most parks do have a rather cluttered look to them. The point is, this is a layout with a lot of potential for aniumation and creative lighting effects. It's going to be fun putting it together. I highly reccomend that you join me as I build what may be the ideal 4x8 for the experienced modeller!
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