Weekend Update 7/17/11

[mark dance]

The last two weeks has seen slow progress on scenery for the final section of the second deck.  The track has been ballasted and some scenic detailing done.  Still many many more trees and scenic details to add to this section.  I also need to paint details on the backdrop at the layout/backdrop interface...

Anyway, here is Extra 4052 East passing through the "in progress" area of the layout.  .















md

[wm3798]

For those of you playing along at home, you know I've been feverishly getting rolling stock in order, waybills written, and working on getting a full blown ops session staged.  I've prepared a schedule that includes no fewer than 25 trains, and I've got everything pretty well stacked up in the staging yards, all chomping at the bit to get started.  Reminiscent of the hours leading up to the Conrail Historical Society trip out of the bowels of 30th Street, I give you the calm before the storm:



East staging, with it's four long balloon tracks, holds a total of 10 trains, including two locals and a short dimensional train.  (It seems Westvaco ordered some big honkin' equipment from Germany, and it arrived at Port Covington ready to transport)


That's a look across the east staging yard, shot from the lift bridge at the entry to the room.  Them's is a lot of freight cars...


And looking west from a location that will be less visible once Cumberland is installed.  I'm seriously thinking I need to get some of those lipstick cameras.

Meanwhile, over in  West Staging, a more conservative four trains lie in wait, while the FA helper set stands at the ready to give a nudge to a dangerously long and heavy Alpha Jet there on Track One.


And due to the volume of traffic now coming up the Shenandoah Valley, we've added a couple of N&W U25B's to the fleet. 


Here they are lugging NW-11 out of the yard at Ridgeley, and speeding it back to Roanoke.

Let the games begin!
Lee

[Philip H]

@ Mark,
Your "in progress" stuff puts my finished stuff to shame . . .

@ Lee,
Where's my starters gun?

[Catt]

Freshest paint on the the Grande Valley Ry. roster.My Canadian cabbed Dash 9-44 CW.



Lousy pic,but a group shot is planned for later,hopefully it will be a better pic.

Still need to add window "glass" but have not decided what I want to use.

[conrail98]

I've been remodeling a bedroom the last 3 weekends so I haven't gotten anything done down in the basement. I did however simplify the design to make operations a little more reasonable. I'm hoping I can get back down to the basement this weekend,

Phil

[wm3798]

@ Lee,
Where's my starters gun?

Are you bringing it with you? ;D

Oh, and the final tally is 28 trains, plus three yard switchers and the mill job... I better get another 12 pack.

Lee

[SecretWeapon]

Looks like interest is high on the first bus so I started on the next one.  Got roughly 10 hours in, probably another 10 or so to go.

Mr.Bussey(nice name if your getting into buses ) I can tell you anything you want to know about this bus. I drove one for Saddle River years ago. That was of course before an employee burnt it down to a pile of ash. Yes the bathroom was on the 1st level by the steps that led upstairs. It was on the driver's side.

[sizemore]

Are you bringing it with you? ;D

Oh, and the final tally is 28 trains, plus three yard switchers and the mill job... I better get another 12 pack.

Lee

I can bring guns but none of them are wimpy like a starter pistol.

The S.

[Mark5]

Low nose non-dynamic U-boats on the Valley line?

Not much modeling for me. I re-assembled this loco this weekend:



I had all the wheels/drivers off of it with turning down the flanges in mind. But I recently decided that I need to unload it.

I still need to put the crank pins back on, I need a really small socket set!

Mark

[wm3798]

Any port in a storm, Mark.  Let me know when you get those High nose SD45's done, I'll be happy to arrange a long term lease arrangement!!

Lee

[Ian MacMillan]

Tinkering with the design for NZT's next Z Scale kit, among other things.
 

Um how about these in N!


Im moved into the new house, so now its time to start getting legs under the modules and the trackplan laid out so track can be put down.

[eric220]

Um how about these in N!

Um, second!