I realize it's early as it is 6:35 AM here in NYC on Monday Morning, 16 Feb. 2009, but I don't remember whether or not we will get another part of Joe's "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly About DCC." or not. I sure hope we do.

Well it's not really a big problem but one which isn't making me very happy. It has to do with a specific article in MRH and I find it is insurmountable at the moment. The article is great and the magazine is great too. Howver, the problem is that no matter what I do I find I can't get the article printed out on 8 1/2 x 11 paper. Now it might be that I simply don't know how to get the information to print out on that size paper and if that's the problem I will be grateful to anyone who can teach me how to do it.

Well here I am at a dead end for the moment. It seems these come up all the time lately but they won't get me down since I know when to ask a question of those who know than me and have more experience model railroading than me as well.

http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp299/Feldman718/bayridge2.jpg

If the above works, it shopuld be the basic layout of the Bay Ridge car float aprons (along the left side) and the yard areas that support them. You'll note that there is alot of other stuff in the plan including the Long Island Rail Road Lumber Docks which do not exist any more as fart as I know.

I've been slowly reading thru MRH premiere issue and it has definitely cut into my model raiload time. But its time well spent since I've learned from I have read and most probably from I haven't gotten to yet. I think Joe and his crew have done a great job and they are all to be commended for what is going to be one of the greatest things to come down the pike since DCC.

I have finally come up with a name that works for my layout. It's different yet it is descriptive and it works for me. My layout is now officially the Hudson and Hartford. Now all I need to do is design a logo and create some letterhead and railpasses.

Luckily, I have son who is into graphic art and I will ask him to come up with those for me. I figure he is going to owe me big time since I am paying for his bride's engagement ring.

I've been thinking about all the controversy about the name I chose for my layout. Some were of the that Bay Ridge and New Haven was to unknown for anyone from out side of Brooklyn or possibly even NYC to recognize. So what to do especially given the thought that in the real world railroad names would be important in raising the financining to build or keep operating the line. So here are some posibilities I came up with and some of th4e objections that came to mind against selecting that particular alternative.

New York and Atlantic

Alto has been happening lately so I could probably write a book. I know no one wants to read one so I'll try to keep this brief.

First, I've come up with a name for my railroad:

Bay Ridge and New Haven

I know its not very original but it does decribe the points it runs between which are Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, in New York City and New Haven in Connecticut. I have yet to select some other things like colors, logo and the operating scheme but there is plenty of time for that right now.

As you know I have been working on a benchwork plan for my under construction layout. I am going to move it over to 3rd Planit but I thought I'd show you the last hand drawn version of the plan and discuss it in a bit of detail. So here is version 3. As you can see, I've made the aisles wider on the right side of the peninsula and at the top of the peninsula. I've also written some appropriate dimension information on the diagram as well. You may not be able to read it but don't feel because sometimes I can't either.