Lehigh Cement is the primary reason for the continued existence of the Maryland Midland Railroad. In fact, the cement company owns a significant portion of the railroad and has always been the largest shipper along this line since the Western Maryland days.  It was always planned to be the centerpiece of my layout.  I wanted to have it as a switching area so I could go switch it without running the rest of the layout.

Until 2007, The Maryland Midland and before that, the Western Maryland ran directly down Farquhar street in Union Bridge to reach the Lehigh Cement plant.

Locomotives painted in the MMID paint scheme are few and far between and I'll need 3-4 for an operations session.  I've already got Atlas GP38 painted for 300 and 301 so this MMID 300 needed to be renumbered for something between 302 and 305.  I posted a question on the discussion forum about removing the number and got a number of useful responses.  I decided to use a Solvaset soaked piece of tissue paper over the right zero and then rubbing it with a softened toothpick.  It didn't work.

While I strive to prototype modeling, a functional model railroad of any significant size requires many compromises as it is impossible to fit everything in.  My model of Thurmont requires caricature as there is just not near enough room to fit everything in.  This vacant area in front was one of those that turned out different than planned.

Here is a photo of MMID 300 passing the Redland Brick Co. leading UBHF on it's way to Highfield and interchange with CSX.  

Summer is golf season for me.  I play a lot of golf from May until November and during that time don't get a lot of modeling done.  Earlier this year I got some structures completed for Rocky Ridge, Thurmont and Union Bridge, but this progress slowed down.  When I wasn't golfing, I got the ballasting completed.  Ballasting is my least favorite task in building a model railroad.  I did it about 3 feet at a time using mixed N and HO ARM CSX ballast.  Did I mention that I really dislike ballasting?

Because of my career, I've always had limited time for modeling.  I have tended to work very fast and try to get goals done in a few hours.  Ironically, now that I am retired, I still seem unable to slow down.  I decided to paint the backdrop and get it all done as soon as possible.  There is about 60 feet of 18 inch high backdrop to be painted so I got all my acrylic paints together and went at it with a vengeance.  I finished it in about 20 hours of work over about 4 days.

One of my chronic complaints are blogs and magazine layout articles that do not show the track plan for the railroad depicted, So I've updated the plan to reflect more of what I am actually building.  

Once a decision is made to model a specific short-line prototype, one has to face the problem of obtaining engines and rolling-stock for the short-line.  Painting and decals are also a possible solution, but it turns out that finding MMID decals is harder than finding painted models!  Fortunately there have been a few models lettered for the Maryland Midland over the years, and thanks to Ebay, one can find these over time.  Both Atlas and MTH have made GP-38's lettered for Maryland Midland.  This has led me to purchasing a few MTH engines despite the proble

It has been a while since I have posted anything, but there has been some progress.  Track is completely laid and wired, the backdrop is coming along and trains are running.  Some scenery is started and an operational scheme is being developed.