To All: Here  are two attachments of a diorama built by Larry B of Jacksonville, FL. He did a fine job. He is new to model railroading, but you would not have guessed so! Photos by Larry, enhanced and cropped by me.

Yours: Elvin Howland/E. St. Louis Rail Group Layout

To All: Lenox Interlocking Tower was scratch built from a photo in a TRRA book. I use it on the layout to control traffic into and out of the west end of the Union Starch & Refinery industrial district.

Yours, Elvin Howland/E. St. Louis Rail Group Layout

To All: HN Cabin is an interlocking tower controlling traffic in the Union Starch & Refinery area, including a passing siding. I scratch built the tower from a photo in a TRRA book. Union Starch is a major source of traffic on the layout, having three sidings.

Yours, Elvin Howland/E. St. Louis Rail Group Layout

To All: WR Interlocking Tower controls traffic to and from TRRA's Madison Yard on the layout. It is based on the prototype tower of the same name. I scrachbuilt it for the layout.

Yours, Elvin Howland/E. St. Louis Rail Group Layout

To All: Here are  representative views of the two levels if the layout. Work to be done, of course. Display shelves and railroad signs on the wall.

Yours, Elvin Howland/E. St. Louis Rail Group Layout

To All; This C&EI F Unit is one I painted, lettered, weathered and dullcoated. It is one of several I exchange out on this chassis. That way I save on money and at the same time have many railroads available to run. The train run that day determines the F unit body used.

Yours, Elvin Howland/E. St. Louis Rail Group Layout

To All; I painted, lettered,detailed, weathered and dullcoated this 40 foot boxcar in tribute to my friend's Great Lakes Northern RR located in Suttons Bay, Michigan. It is a regular visitor on the E. St. Louis Rail Group Layout.

Yours, Elvin Howland/E. St. Louis Rail Group Layout

To All: Quote from the humorist Jonathan Winters--"I quit complaining because I found too many people who could top me." How true! I had a deceased friend who could always top any story or complaint I could come up with. The same quote can be used in model railroading. Sure some complaints are justified and get changes in the hobby but who likes to hear a chronic complainer. Suck it up and get the job done!

Yours, Elvin Howland/E. St. Louis Rail Group Layout

To All: One of the few industries not in the E. St. Louis area, but one I had to include is Jack Mall Potato Co. I measured this building in McBain, Michigan and scratch built it to scale. At one time Michigan was a major producer of potatoes and the Ann Arbor RR had a siding to this company. For a short time I sold it as a craftsman kit under my Layout Concepts  company name. Here are three views of Jack Mall Potato Co..

Yours, Elvin Howland/E. St. Louis Rail Group Layout

To All: I scratch built this spherical tank for placement at St. Louis Gas & Coke. I will add a coke gas tank and other structures in the future. The second pix is a scratch built covered hopper loadout that is placed at Monsanto Company.

Yours, Elvin Howland/E. St.Louis Rail Group Layout