I'm nearly done with my drywall work. I am planning an On30  three layer layout with a Helix in an adjoining room. I really like the concept of the Mushroom design but I'm not sure that a room 16'x17' is big enough. Has anyone seen an HO or On30 mushroom layout that would fit this size? I have nearly 9' in ceiling height so that isnt an issue. All of the plans I have found are bigger, the smallest is 16'x20'.

Rob Teed

The club has a Walthers ore dock that will be used in the new layout expansion. It had a broken bracket that supports one of the ore chutes. I decided to replicate the plastic part with a brass etching. I used my new Nikon D5000 to shoot the video. It came out blurry in some shots due to low light but you can see the process I used.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnlpSDXFl-Y

Some of you have expressed an interest in Twindads development of the Virtual Sound Decoder in JMRI.

I'm posting a link,Download this version "JMRI Developer Release 2.13.2"  Take a look, try it out and post any thoughts here.

http://jmri.sourceforge.net/help/en/package/jmri/jmrit/vsdecoder/VSDecoderFrame.shtml

I like to photograph and video trains. I have 200 videos posted on Youtube. Most of them are about Trains. I started videotaping trains around 1982 and converted a lot of them to a digital format for Youtube. I also have been shooting video of trains more recently. Mostly 1:1 scale but sometimes I get video of model railroads as well.

I haven't reported on my progress because I have not had time to work on it! I did get a chance to video some of The Little River Railroad" event last weekend. I am going to "Train Festival 2011" Thursday! WOO HOO! Should be lots of fun. I will post videos on Youtube. Here is the link to one from last week:

Wonder what my wife will say when she sees this in the driveway?

http://lansing.craigslist.org/clt/2432505261.html

I am learning Xtrakcad. I have asked a few questions on MRH and got some great answers. It's a hard program to learn but maybe I can help others out. I have a small video that I posted on Youtube. So here it is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmXjgRz-m0A&feature=youtube_gdata

I am experimenting with Dick Bronsons DCC uncoupler that he describes on the website at rr-cirkits.com

Its a really good design and I will share my thoughts on it here. First off I made a video of my progress so far.

This is where I will post my progress of my On30 layout. It will be a logging railroad that ends at a seaside town. This will give me plenty of modeling options. I know I want a Wharf scene. The rest remains to decided. I have a 17'x17' area in the basement with a possible 4'x8' area for a helix.

I have framed the walls and installed lighting in the ceiling. I have high ceilings so a mushroom design is in order. The next step is to install wall outlets after which I will be hanging drywall.