When reading about ballasting, I see a lot of

On prototype trackage, you will rarely see ballast on top of the ties.

My recent visit from my good modeler friend Michael Rose reminded me of issues concerning scale - and when sometime the correct scale doesn't look correct.  Michael had commented on my trees being too small in relationship to my loco.  He nailed it when he noted that I had my trees small at the back of the layout to help with the transition between the actual scenery and the backdrop picture.

I was going to make a removable diorama for my Marion shovel, but in the end I realized I could not build what I wanted without damaging my open pit too much. I did modify my open pit and lay some track and scenic a small area so the Marion has a home. I still plan on making a diorama in a small display case, but that will be another project.

In the end here is where the shovel will sit on my layout.

Well the Point of rocks Station Project is done. I have had been asked to give some detail about the project so here it is.I was commitioned to build the Point of Rocks Station but with some changes. the Station had to fit between two tracks that were 4 inches apart, so the back side of the station would be cut off flat with the building and the space for the length was much longer than the real Station so it was stretched out.