Peter Reisiger has been building models since he was a young lad. He entered the
professional model making field in 1974, building steel mill models for the clients
of Hatch Engineering, as lead modeller for I.E.A. Models, division of Hatch.
In 1983, Peter went out on his own, operating as Grand Valley Models, fabricating
environmental design models for Bender Corporation, as well as display models
for Stelco, Dofasco and Algoma Steel, among many other clients. As a hobby, model railroading predominated, starting out with Marklin HO Trains. At first, Peter scratchbuilt structures for his table top layouts using toothpicks and cardboard, long before he had heard of such things as strip basswood. He also actively modeled cars in 1:25 styrene, never content to leave the kit alone as intended, but customizing and kitbashing to make unique models. The Marklin gave way to more North American prototypes modelled in HO scale, using a variety of Craftsman-type model kits and scratchbuilding techniques, hand laid track and real layout design instead of just running on the pingpong table top. Peter designed and built many scratch-built structures and dioramas in HO scale, as well as, built up several fine examples of the kits from Fine Scale Miniatures. More recently, Peter has began modelling in 1:48th scale (1/4"=1'0") featuring narrow gauge, shortline backwoods railroads with logging and mining themes. At first, there was little available in this scale and gauge, save a few kits and parts from Grandt Line and a few others. So once again, Peter applied his scratchbuilding techniques to come up with unique structures on a portable show layout, designed primarily to show the various techniques that could be used to model a small backwoods operation in a small space. Peter has also done some Garden Railroading. A Bachmann 1:20 Shay locomotive fitted with Sierra sound is the main motive power, seen here crossing a scratchbuilt truss bridge. Peter is a long-time member of the Oakville Model Railway Society and also hangs out with the Narrow Gauge Madness group of modelers see their Yahoo Group and also their Show website May to October you can find Peter out cruising in his 1952 Chevy Panel . |
Bachmann 1:20 Shay Locomotive battling the snow and ice as it hauls a long string
of log buggies up a grade and over a scratch-built wood trestle |
