This project is about the Master Creations Babe's Diner that I built 20 years ago.
The picture above is from the BTS Site the way they intended the kit to be built. My version came out very close to their specs. The Diner sat near the top of my mountain just off the highway into Susanville for ten years.
My son Doug died in 2002 so I changed the name of the diner from Babe's to Doug's. I removed Babe's from the sign but didn't put Doug's name on it right away. My intent was to remodel the diner and replace the sign.
I finished the remodel, I added a complete interior including lighting using 1½ volt micro bulbs.
The diner remained that way until December 2004 when I added Doug's new sign to draw in customers from the highway. The picture below shows the new sign in place.
The diner remained that way until 2012 when I decided to build another diner, the kit was a Classic Miniatures Queen Ester Mine House that I had bought about 15 years earlier and put on the shelf. I thought it would look real good as a diner and my intent was to put it across the road from my railroad station. That type of building was out of place there so it became the new Doug's Diner and the old Doug's Diner will be totally overhauled and become Susie's Cafe across the road from the Susanville Station.
The old Babe's/Doug's Diner is under remodel to become Susie's Cafe. The following pictures show the results of the remodel. I removed the 1½ volt bulbs and replaced them with 3mm grain of wheat bulbs. They more than doubled the interior light making it easier to see the interior.
I replaced all of the figures inside, added new tables and chairs. I repainted the entire interior and made a new sign over the door.
As you can see the interior is very viewable through the windows.
The wall signs can easily be seen also.
The picture below shows Susie waving to a customer.
The picture below shows the interior with the new tables, chairs and figures.
I also added two animated Cafe signs on the roof, one facing to the front and one facing the rear that can be seen from the highway.
This project turned out very good and it sits very close to the edge of my layout
so the interior is easily viewable.
