Traction fans: take a look at this railcar being moved on a transfer table inside a car barn. Hi def pic.

http://www.shorpy.com/node/10061?size=_original

Today, having the day off, I started working on my layout. I was so excited to have finaly started. I did not sit and make a track plan on paper, it's all stored in the head... We'll have to see by end of day what it looks like.

I've found that I enjoy building structures from scratch, starting with cutting my own scale wood. This cabin is an experiment to try out different techniques. Most of the wood I cut is either cedar, fir, or hemlock. I have been able to get sizes down to 6" using my bandsaw. For 2x4's and 2x6's I'm experimenting with strips of veneer which seems to be the right thickness. I'm also making shakes out of the veneer.

Hopefully this is a better design, given that your comments made a lot of sense. There are a few comments and concerns:

A step further to the base down for my new shed.. as the old base had rotted, i bought some nice 12mil board.. 4 struts, and drilled a big messy hole for the electricity pipe to get power to this end of the garden.... A movie !!!

Okay, last month I ordered a little "keychain" video camera from an outfit in Hong Kong. I figured for <$12 it was a reasonable gamble. It finally got here on Saturday (and I got it when I checked the mail on Sunday...). Charge it up, put it an Micro-SD (they call it TF) card that I had sitting around, and it's off to the railroad...

You can never have too much aisle space.  Joe Fugates tapes talks about this as rule number one.  The picture below is from the Mid South Model RR Club, Baton Rouge, La. 

 I'm planning to build a display shelf under my layout for my extra rail cars(since there isn't any room on the wall).  It will be about 6'x 3'.  I was thinking of using 1x3's and making a two piece plexi-glass front cover.  It will attach to the legs of the lay out.

Be sure to go to the model railroad show in Eugene, OR on April 9 & 10 at the fairgrounds; 10am.  I'll be there looking for some used(and cheap)HO track for my display shelf.

-railchef

Nearing completion is an area of my layout that has an impression of the Ballard locks in Seattle and the Bascule bridge that crosses the waterway. Of course as many of us come across, the prototype size of this area is too big to model to scale even in N.

I believe I have finally settled on a yard design off the main with an engine facility and caboose track. Your comments are appreciated. The layout is a single track, point-to-point with emphasis on switching (1940's - 1950's) with steam and early diesel.

Moderator note: pasted inline for easy access.