Operational Session on the VM with Mark Chase and scenery update

Had the pleasure of doing an operational session with Mark Chase on Monday afternoon.  I've owed him one since the summer months.   I was talking with him at the Greenburg Train Show in Richmond before Christmas and I gave him an invitation.  Mark is a talented On30 modeler (I was a promising On30 modeler once)  and has a sensational layout in the Piedmont and East Blue Ridge.  His layout is fully operational and he's working on the scenery in the mountains of Central Virginia.  His layout hauls mainly soapstone and complete info can be found on his website.  Warning, you can spend literally hours on it!   Mark is also active in the James River On30 modular group.  They had the best looking layout at the Greenburg Show by a long shot! 

I got a lot of work done before Mark came over. Op. sessions seem to do that!  I recently got a backdrop done from LARC products to put behind Battlefield Yard.  I wanted to have mainly trees there but they did not offer anything with just trees.  I compromised and went with something else that turned out well.

Mark's train: the V100W switches out Patriot Industries

Mark moves his cars into the proper position

The F&NN train comes into Battlefield Yard lead by Ex-BAR loco #46

RF&P D792 comes in to Midland trackage with a cut of cars.

A work train comes east from Orange into Battlefield Yard.

Mark's V100W is ready to come back to Battlefield Yard but has to wait in the clear for oncoming trains.

A shot of the new background

Another shot with the backdrop in place.  The glare is from the lights across the room.

Overview of Battlefield Yard

Mark gave me a great idea for the end of Battlefield Yard.  Instead of keeping the background buildings at level ground, he suggested that I add some elevation and put the background building on a bluff.  The locos are weighing down the glued foam.  I will shape it with my foam cutter today.