I'm fortunate enough to be back for a little while in my modeling local (leave for the hot desert this week), and I've been taking a few shots to help me out with modeling.  Currently I've been looking at and for colors and tones, so that's what I'm focusing on mostly. Now I'm kinda thinking my green grass isn't really too green after all....

The Green Mountain State.

I have had some questions about supporting Open Office in Easy Model Railroad Inventory. Most of them via email but I thought I would respond here too for those to timid to ask. To answer a question about Open Office I had to download it and install it on a relatively clean computer. I did so today and did some testing.

Been working (slowly) on a 23"x41" n-scale layout based on the cannery industry along the Columbia River (Oregon) in the early 1900s.

Thought I'd share some construction picts since its start at the beginning of the year.
[The full play-by-play can be found here]

I've been working with flower arrangement foam to create the hill/cliff for the rural side of the layout. The tunnel area and one end still needs foam glued together, sculptured and added on. Then the plan is to add rock castings, dirt and trees. I wonder if this foam can be painted, will try on test pice.

Part of my railroad's route involves crossing the doorway to the room, on two levels, no less.  Since I am now old enough that I don't bend anymore, a duck-under is out of the question.  So, a lift or swinging bridge is in order.

I decided on a lift bridge, so that I'm not obstructing room space.   After quite a bit of cogitation, and an "ah-ha" moment when I was holding some aluminum extrusion in my hand, I came up with what turned out to be a successful two-level bridge.  The endeavor follows:

Just messing around with some old 360 software and I created a 360 view of the train room.  Go to the link below and click on "Alcove 360".  It takes a few seconds to load.  Once loaded click & drag left or right to see the room-  you can also zoom in and out using the controls on the player.  Here's the link to my website with the 360 view

http://richlawnrailroad.com/?page_id=46

UPDATE - I just noticed the two story trestle!  A little "oops" with the software!

Rick

Suggestions, please.  I have a rubber mold for additional plaster rocks to add to my nearly completed mountain. Problem - the "wetter water" solution they suggest to spray before filling the mold and letting it dry doesn't work very well. A) the mold doesn't completely dry in 2 days [even with the extreme heat we're having] and B) the mold doesn't release cleanly [parts of the cast break or crumble making them non-usable]. 

Annually the Ottawa Valley Garden Railway Society (OVGRS) opens it's doors to large scale modelers to come and run this point to point operating large scale railroad for three days.

Version 4.0  is being worked with a release expected about the end of the summer. I have added an Owner field to the rolling stock and locomotive records. One of my beta testers has his stuff and his wife has hers. It occurred to me that clubs might be able to better use Easy Model Railroad Inventory.

While spending a couple of days with family at the beach in Maine, I was able to slip away one morning for some selfish personal time at the Maine Narrow Gauge Museum in Portland, Maine.

Photos, are up in my railroad photography gallery.

I can see why these are tempting modeling subjects! I Hope you enjoy!