Time for another one-shot photo story on the Thunder Mesa website.

Backdrop and smoke effects added in Photoshop, all else as modeled.

Today's post over on the Thunder Mesa Mining Co. website is all about modeling saguaro cactus. Hope you'll click on over and check it out.

Dave

Engine #1, the Marc F. Davis hauls a load of supplies to the mines as the last rays of the sun light up Big Thunder Falls. Backdrop and atmospheric effects added with Adobe Photoshop, all else as modeled.

There's a new post on the Thunder Mesa site today about putting the finishing touches on my Big Thunder Creek scene. This is part four in the series and covers sound effects, landscaping and other details. There's also a new video:

Happy Halloween all! The spooky, scratch-built Never Mine is now complete and installed on the layout.

I am very pleased to announce that Verne Niner's Gazzette Award winning San Lorenzo diorama will be incorporated into the Thunder Mesa Mining Co. layout when Verne dismantles his On30 layout at the first of next year.

A whole new track plan and all the news on the diorama on the TMMC site today.

Once I decided to expand my On30 Thunder Mesa layout, I was faced with the problem of what to do with the 30" x 60" N scale Pagosa & Southern that stood in the path of 1:48 scale progress. Moving it lock, stock and barrel to another location wasn't an option, so I concluded to redesign and rebuild the layout as a 12" x 72" switching operation on a shelf. This is one of the many times I've been glad that I used Kato Unitrack.

I use modified bamboo skewers to uncouple cars on my On30 layout but they're just too big for N scale couplers. I don't want to use magnets on my new N scale switching layout so here's the quick and easy uncoupling tool I made:

Here are some photos of my recent build: a Banta Modelworks Branch Line water tank. I modified the kit with a scratch-built roof and a few other details. SBS details on the Thunder Mesa website.

I've decided to take the plunge and expand my On30 TMMC into the remaining available space in my art studio/train room. I've been doodling some new plans and they all involve evicting my poor, dust-gathering N scale layout from its current spot in the corner. For those not familiar with the TMMC layout, it started out as a 3'x6' caboose chaser a little over three years ago and it just keeps growing.