At 4:05 this afternoon, I watched my Mom - one of the greatest sources of encouragement in my life and my hobby - pass peacefully into eternity, a victim of Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) that was diagnosed just 10 months ago.  As much as I write here about far less important things, I felt it was only right to post a tribute to Mom.

In 1916, the Missabe was busy enough that it and the general public could no longer tolerate a grade crossing north of Proctor, the town of the Missabe’s main shops and yard.  The station name was Elwood, although it never was a depot, but rather became the site of the Proctor ore scales. 

I have not posted progress in a while and defiantly did not accomplish my goal for this year. I have had major health issues for going on 8+ months and can barely get to work little own do anything on the layout.  Still not in good shape but the Dr. wants me do do something more than sit & read or play games on the computer.

So.....

Thanks to Dave Bodnar and Geoff Bunza for the arduino decoder and relay control. I show how I redesign the yard using the 10 commandment of model railroad yard design.  Then show how I make a template for the custom curve crossing that needs to be hand laid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOR4euTbUhY

Happy railroading

Mike Deverell

I have been able to complete the scenery in the Trenton Yard on my layout.

Not the best picture of the yard but it does give an good overview of the scenery.  I have posted earlier blogs on the steps I have taken to this point.

To All: Anyone know if Wells Fargo had express boxcars? Is the Athearn car even slightly prototype? Where can I find pics?  Yours, Elvin Howlans/E.St.Louis Rail Group Layout

12 years after I started building Penn Lake 7, I finally figured out why the plan didn't quite work.  The long side of the benchwork was 6 inches shorter then the plan called for.  DOH!  In 12 years I never thought to remeasure the benchwork.

The lesson kids...measure three, four or more times.

Nick

The rough-in of the main and third levels has been completed.  The full size paper design has been glued down on plywood, cuts made for planned scenery features, and risers put in place to raise the levels to their appropriate height. The first video shows what the overall layout will look like to include some final old-school hand-drawn track center adjustments made to some planned bridges near the city of Paradigm (see layout diagram below).

One way that I try to deal with problems is to consider how they resemble other problems that have already been solved, then model or adapt those solutions.  To me, a huge portion of what we experience as creativity lies in how we are able to see those resemblances.