It's Friday, October 30, 2009, and it's time for some more info on my layout. I really haven't done anything but look at it since this past Sunday. I suppose it's hard to get into it right now and I don't really know why. I suupose I keep looking at it and realizing that I really haven't gotten as much done as I would like to have done. But then I think that this isn't really a job and it doesn't have to be. There is no timetable that says that I have to get this done by a certain date.

I know I had promised not to do another weather report, but today it is raining. Normally I wouldn't say a thing about but it is an opportunity to do some more work on the Hudson and Hartford. I don't know about you guys but such days lately have been good for getting work done on the layout.

Nor much has gotten done on the Hudson and Hartford other than laying plaster cloth of the center penninsula. But that is Ok because it made me realize that I have to clean off the stuff that has been stored on top of the portion that has been made ready for this part of the hardshell base need for laying roadbed and track.

I;ve been putting down plaster cloth in preparation for doing some roadbed work. It is going slowly as this is just the first application. I want to cover the finished portions of the benchwork and it takes a day between applications simply because I don't want to do too much at one time. Obviously I could do alot of this at any time but the plaster cloth needs to be cut and laid in 12" x 8" sections that overlap to some extent. When the first layer is done, a second layer will be installed.

I ran across some photos I tokk on my N-Trak clubs layout before it was dismantled and put into storage last February. Most of the photos are of my traisn but there are other trains here as well. Here are the photos:

I took some new photos that illustrate how I am completing the benchwork using Woodland Scenics' Mod-U-Rail system.

This photo shows the wing nut and bolt that are used to attach the different modules together. You'll also note that holes are cut in the bottom 1/2" sheet of extruded foam to allow access to the nut and bolt from underneath each section. You'll a;so note that these holes are walled off so that the nut and bolt do not get lost inside the tables.

Here some more photos of my under construction layout.

I am sure you guys are tired of periodic weather reports, so I'll dispense with them from here on in.

Here are the latest photos of my Hudson and Hartford layout progress. I will describe what each one represents.

Now that you've got the weather report, I have to report things are moving along nicely as I've got the final stand assembled and attached to the rest of the phase 1 layout. Now I have to put together the module that sits on top of it and makes up the phase one benchwork. I have never used this phraseology before so I need to explain but first let me insert a copy of the lower level benchwork plan,