Beginnings

Lots of roadbed and track laying this weekend.

Wide view of the first section of the Lehigh Branch.  The Branch emerges from under the helix at the left. Much of this area may end up covered with paving.  The quarry location is still an open hole in the benchwork.
 

Looking back toward the helix.  Two tracks serve Dave Brewing: the front track for outgoing boxcars, the rear for incoming grain hoppers.
 

Lehigh Cement Lead looking into the mill.  A two track yard is yet to be laid to the left of the ladder.
 

The aisle end looking back into the cement mill.
 

Runaround Track

Got the runaround track laid today.  I'm planning a river next to the track and probably crossing under the aisle end of the track.  I also started installing the fascia along the middle deck, (obviously I still need to push a few of the wires up).

Running back and forth

Spent the weekend tweeking the trackwork and attaching feeders.  Time for some action.

Fun

It's cool when you get to that point!

Very true!

It is a great feeling!

Quarry and Scenery

Next up for the Lehigh Branch is the stone quarry, based around a Walthers Glacier Gravel kit.  Luckily, I already have an opening in the benchwork for the quarry.  I may add a low hill between the quarry and cement mill.
 

Also underway is scenery for the Branch.  Looking back toward Lehigh Cement, the hills and river bed are roughed in. 
 

Quarry!

Track and base for quarry in place:
 

More Scenery Roughed In

Most of the Lehigh Branch scenery is roughed in.  View from across the room:
 

Looking down into the quarry.  I still need to add a hill in the benchwork hole:
 

Lehigh Cement end of the Branch:
 

Backdrop

This weekend I painted the backdrop for the Lehigh Branch.  I used Liquitex Basics artist's acrylics for the hills.

Backdrop without structures:
 

Structures added back in:
 

Nice work

Nice work sir.....keep it up. 

They pop now!

Hey Nick,

  Nice work on the background painting. That little touch of added layers really made the foreground structures pop out.

 I also wanted to say thank you for showing me how to lay out the track work when I expand the layout next year.  I mentioned it to you before, that your industrial area track pattern is pretty close to what I have in mind.  You have made lots of progress in the last couple weeks keep up the good work.

Greg 

Thanks

Thanks guys!

Greg, let me know when you're ready to lay track.  I've had a good run this month.

Scenery Progress

Christmas scenery progress!

Mill race, with some rocks, concrete retaining wall.
 

Mill Race entering the Lehigh River:
 

no pictures

All I see are warnings from Photobucket after the first three pictures

disregard

now they are there. Sorry

New Building at Lehigh Cement

I recently constructed an office building for Lehigh Cement, from two Walthers Reliable Warehouse kits.   It still needs windows and brick paint.

Looking down the tracks:
 

From the Mill Race side:
 

From Bagging Building:
 

Quarry Walls

Using casting salvaged from a friends layout, I started crafting the walls for the Consalvi Stone Quarry:

There is still some patchwork to do, and they will get repainted.

Quarry Walls Part II

All the castings are in place and blended.  Next up is paint.
 

Rock Coloring

Progress on the Consalvi Stone Quarry continues, with coloring the rocks:
 

All the coloring was done using black, white, and burnt sienna artists acrylic in various ratios.  I left the rocks different colors to represent fresh cuts verses old cuts.

Quarry Continues

Work on the quarry continues:
 

I need to retouch the rocks some, and add some different color ballast, but this represents the first reasonably complete scene.

No Longer an Island

The Lehigh Branch is no longer an island.  I finally installed the connection, running under the Helix,  between LY Tower and the Lehigh Branch.

MNB Publishing Dedux

Making Walthers Geo Roberts Printing a little less cookie cutter.
 

Lehigh Cement Update

Altering the old mill/office building for Lehigh Cement.  Moving it to the right, because I thought it was too close to the bagging building.  As a result, I need to rework the foundation.
 

Work Continues on the "Old Mill" building

A bit more basswood, some spackle, and touch of new paint for Old Mill building and mill race: