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Happy Easter and happy spring Everyone! I’ve uploaded my latest update where I sceniked the lift out section on the layout featuring a Depot that’s been converted to a restaurant. I powered the LED interior lights from AA batteries. This little TOMA experiment turned out to be a real fun adventure. Hope you enjoy it!

Tim

https://youtu.be/M1MkcV3eb0A

Here are a couple more photos of today's progress:

      After being out of the hobby for 20 plus years I found a home I could rent and place my WC Kimberly Sub 2.0 switching layout in. The last 3 years have been spent building the benchwork and getting trackage functional. With the coming of Easter which points to the resurrection of the body and spirit, I thought I would expand that theme to my need for motive power to run the layout. I have hoarded buying engines for the bucket list layout that has left me with a vast resource of parts to draw from.

So to start this blog I'll answer Jeff's three question he had in the "What's on your workbench" thread.

Jeff asked:

1. is the body tall enough you could stack a few more in there to get the power closer to 14-16v?

Mid-century modern architecture is rarely seen on transition-era layouts representing Western US railroads, even though it was widespread in places like Los Angeles, northern California, Arizona and New Mexico. Few kit structures are available, and almost none for industries. On my workbench this month is a kitbash of one of the few kits in mass production, Walthers' "Modern Brick Santa Fe Station," based on a Hutchinson, Kansas prototype; it's becoming a California aircraft parts factory.

My PC GP7 5628, an early Atlas model with Kato drive, is currently on the workbench. Some minor additional weathering being applied including rust texture on the vents. Decals in front of the locomotive are for “Buckeye” yard which will be applied under the cab number. I’m just awaiting arrival of spark arrestors for the roof. Almost forgot the mud splatter added to the pilots....

Photos of weathered equipment on the Hitop 

Now that I have gotten the fascia added around the layout I am working on getting the support structure for the upper level on the peninsula roughed in.  a 2x3 wall down the center of the peninsula will provide the support framework for the upper level.  As well this wall will let me add shelving under the layout to clean up some of the stuff under the layout – hopefully.