Background synopsis: I model the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway.  Most of the railroad is flat, crossing the swamps and lowlands of NE Minnesota.  However, at the geographical edge of the Lake Superior basin, the Missabe brings long strings of loaded ore cars down Proctor Hill to the docks in Duluth. 

At the dock, the Hill Ore Job drops off its loads, ties on to a string of empties already at the dock, then heads back up the 2.2 percent 7-mile grade of the coastal escarpment to Proctor (MN) yard. 

Mocking up some foam core buildings  to make sure everything fits.

This is the Green Bay & Westerns Norwood yard roundhouse and back shops,  This yard is the main focus on my layout everything starts out from here.

The MFTR is proud to announce the purchase of new motive power for our little railroad. Former Burlington Northern GP15-1 #1391 (soon to be patched to reflect new ownership) can now be seen making daily runs between the towns of Newp

I have started My new Great Western Railroad in a small bedroom. It will be along 3 walls . I have the track  for the GW Shops and the GW Sugar factory laid down and so I ran My first train today.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7x3xwxoFv8

At long last, Norman W and I were able to get together for an afternoon (it's been quite a few months!), an exciting development for me, as I wanted a "real" ops session over the replaced curved turnout sets of module 3.

Many of you have come to realize my uncle is a very eccentric. He has more money than he knows what to do with it yet he ends up buying junk for his railroad and then expects me to make it run perfect. Oh, and of course don't spend much money doing so! There are broken hinges, missing steps and screeching noises when any part is moved. Better get to work...

Gary

New backdrop

I am building a 4 X 8 layout that is located in a spare room in our house. One day I know I will have to give up this room to be used for another purpose. To make moving the layout possible, I knew I would have to build it to come apart. Here is what I have done to make things easier on myself.