Sorry the photos didn't attach on the first go-round:

Here's a first look at my N scale Washington County Railroad line between St. Johnsbury, VT and Orleans, VT (each bullet corresponds to the photos attached, in order):

After some initial disappointment trying to use poster board for backdrop material - it warped badly even after being sealed with solvent-based paint, I tried styrene. It is wonderful for the coved corners, but couldn't support itself well along a straight section that is twelve feet long. So that section has now been replaced with one-eighth inch luan ply. Success!  The seams are now sealed with lightweight spackle and tomorrow will be painted to hide them once and for all.

I have started laying track on my new layout and encountered a problem I hope you can help me with. The bench work is open frame, L girder, topped in some sections with 2x4 modules built of 1x2 frames topped with luan and one inch blue foam board, and others are stair tread boards topped with the foam board.  The layout itself is "U" shaped, and accessible from all sides. 

I need to add backdrop. I thought I could use poster board (the backdrop needs to be double-sided and thin) but even after painting it with solvent-based primer, the board warps. 

Well, in my eagerness to get to laying track, I think I may have made a mistake.  I created an open frame module from one inch boards, and topped it with a one inch thick blue foam board to serve as the layout deck.  It's not a huge section (1 x 2.5 feet), and it's rigid enough to support the trains and scenery (a masonite fascia board will keep train crews from chipping the edges), but it drums loudly when a train passes over it.  Didn't think of that!

Now that the summer is coming to a close (it was 38ºF here yesterday morning!), I want to give you an update on my layout:

This will be the first of what I hope will be a series of posts about a new layout I am building.

The layout is in N scale, and inspired by the rails between St. Johnsbury, VT and Newport, VT.  It is a 14x9.5 foot “U,” accessible from all sides.  My operational “givens and druthers” as they fit into my layout look like:

I know you're out there . . .

I'm wondering if any N scalers in the Keene NH area would be interested in forming a club to help one another, share ideas and eventually share operations?

Here's what I'm thinking:

1). We would meet once a week at rotating layouts to help build or operate, depending on the needs and wants of that modeler. 

2). If anyone wants to, we can work on Ntrak or MaiNetrak modules to bring to railroad shows like Springfield Winterfest in conjunction with Northeast Ntrak.