Before i start digging through my scrap bin and carrying a ruler around the hobby shop, I'm hoping maybe somebody can point me in the right direction.

I need some Andrews tender trucks with a 5' wheelbase.  Actually, all I need are the side frames, as they're going on a loco that already has wheels (tender drive).  Yes, I know it's short.  They should be 5'6, but I cannot easily change the mechanism so I want a compromise.

When I decided to put some scenery along a two track staging area along one side of my room things got a little out of hand, as usual. I added another track for a small stockyard left over from a previous module. And I needed a place for a recently retired (it’s 1959) coal and water stop. All of this required a simple backdrop. The scene I had in mind stretched across a narrow band of two slides taken from several miles away. Just zooming in and splicing would not have left any ‘photo-realism’. Besides this is a layout, it’s a representation, made by me.

I made a video showing how to program a Tsunami Diesel decoder in JMRI
Decoder Pro or Panel Pro. Goes through all the steps on how to do it and what
my sound setups are. I am not a Decoder Pro expert but have programmed a
number of Tsunamis this way. Demonstration of sound changes with Reverb and
Equalizer plus all the basic sound and control CVs. Take a look. Video is
long and thorough.

Bob Helm

Jack suggested I start a new thread on this topic.

Here is a quick run down of the techniques I used with real dirt to create the look in the bottom photo.