Don,

Nice work! Where did you get the skip loader?

Charlie

Thanks, It is a Hotwheels loader.

Donald

I'm not familier with CSX country, but in California we have places where roads are actually blasted through granite, there are always out croppings in the meadows and on hill sides.  Your rocks make really nice retaining walls along the right of way, but I think it would be more realistic if there were some out croppings sticking up out of the grass on the hill above the tracks.  The way it is, the rocks look almost manicured somewhat like a patio rock wall installed by a stone mason, or the stacked rock walls seen in parts of New England rather than a part of the naturally occuring geology. 

What an improvement in your rock work!  You sure took the advice you got to heart and did a great job!

I agree with Russ that it looks a bit too perfect but the natural disorder of nature takes some experimentation and trial and error before it can be modeled realistically.  I think you are absolutely on the right track though.

Where di you get the coal mine structure or did you freelance it?

The coal mine is the New Rivers Coal mine kit from Walthers. It has just been repainted and on 2 load bays are used. 

Donald 

Looking good Don. I am not sure which region you are modeling, so take this with a grain of salt. Russ has a good point about outcroppings and such. I live in the Cumberland Valley of PA (the old CVRR high line is less than half mile away) and the farms in the valley have a lot of outcroppings. If this is more mountainous area, the mountains from about here westward tend to be at a bit of an angle. Very visible along the turnpike. I am not so sure about alignment in the east.

I like the detail on the building.

Stogie