Just finished trackwork and wiring. Now this module is ready for operation. But there's more work with scenery.

Wolfgang

My current layout was begun in 1996 when we moved to South-Central PA. I bought a ranch house with a decent sized basement which has yielded a 29’ X 45’ S scale layout. I’ve made several improvements over the years. The track plan as it existed in 1999 is at:
http://www.trains.com/mrr/default.aspx?c=a&id=1343. There have been several changes since then, but the basic footprint is the same.

     I watched a show on The History channel this AM about the evolution of steam trains in the US.

Like I said previously, I have alot more space now than I ever had.  The shape possiblities for the benchwork are just a tad overwhelming, so I decided to give a couple a try in xtrackcad so I can press on.  I am just using shapes and town names right now and not wasting time with trying to arrange track yet.

Here are my goals:

Prototypical operation with the option to go round and round(at my wife's request)

We like to take our layouts to trainshows, so it must be able to move

Staging

Over the summer I spent some time on N scale locomotive detailing and painting projects.   There are no commercially available SD40-2s in the red, white and blue BC Rail scheme that I need to model the 2000-2004 period so I decided to try it myself.   The starting point was two undecorated Kato snoot nose SD40-2s.   I used detail parts from Miniatures by Eric for the following details: Canadian style steps, nose and ditch lights, over cab bell, lift rings and single rear light.

I like track work. For my new module Silver Creek I had to build stub switches too. Track is H0n3 code 55 for the narrow gauge and code 70 for standartd / dual gauge.

More at my Silver Creek site.

Wolfgang

It has been a busy summer.  We got are basement cemented, then my wife told me I can have it for trains, so the previous layout (see first blog) was taken down, and a new one will be going up.  This year I have approximately 18x12' to build my layout, then next year I will be able to add 5' on to make it 18x17.  I am very excited, and haven't even been able to figure out where to begin as far as planning goes.  Prior to this, the largest layout I have had was 3x5', so this is a pretty big task.

It was 58 at 6 AM as I got into my car this morning to make the trek to Staten Island. But it seems much  like that morning only 8 years ago when manyof us watched the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center being hit by two aircraft flown by terrrists, That event and the related tragedies in a Pennsylvanis field and at the Pentagon is much on my mind this morning as it seems the very skies are crying as part of the remembrance. I suppose for those who weren't there or even for those who haven't seen the videos of the tragedy, it isn't much of anything.

The stuff I ordered arrived last week.

I ordered 5 pieces 24" x 4" x 3/4" Basswood planks from MicroMark. They've been pretty good about filling ad sending orders to me and they kept up the good work with this order. These planks are used for two purposes: 1. the provides frames to hold extension peices that go between the Woodland Scenics stands that hold the Woodland Scenincs Mod-U-Rail modules that form the basis of my benchwork.

Sorry a lack of post on this blog. Since my Last post I went to Railex at Alysbury a town to the north west of london pictures of this very good show is below: