Hello, my name is Justin Miller and I have been a Model Railroader for about 4 years, I have built a 13'X18" shelf layout in my bedroom, but I have been wanting to have a smaller layout with the ability for a continuous run.

 I have taken up the challenge to build a complete Layout for under $500, As a college student, this will be about all I could afford for a layout anyway. Here is the track-plan for the layout:

Back in the "old days", there were many articles in the mrr press describing different roadbed construction methods which would produce superior sound deadening qualities.  Now, with sound locos, many layouts have become very noisy and create a much more dynamic experience for the model railroader.  

It seems to me that going back to having noisy roadbed would be the way to go to complement sound locos and ad a sense of additional reality to our layouts.

What are all your thoughts?

I challenged myself to make some progress finishing a scene.  I now have quite a bit of scenery complete only to the point where the plaster is in and painted, but it will be nice to get someplace DONE or at least much closer to it.

I thought of finishing the area around two bridges on my mainline, which would also require completing a fairly sizable portion of the backdrop.  I decided instead to work on two trestles in the bottom of Cedar Creek canyon, which will require 3-D scenery only.

Here's the location: