November update video

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and just think Christmas is less than a month away!  Started a project last weekend to widen an area on the lower level.  I also did a minor track change is the same area to length a siding.  The main reason I widen the area is to be able to put in trees to block the hole to the helix.  Look for a video later on today on this topic.

Added bench work wood extensions to hold the foam.  These are large so I can screw the fasia in.  

Here's the foam laying in position.

A track side pic.

The overall scene.

Magazine article on the Virginia Midland Railroad

About this time last year, I was approached by Stefan Nilsson from the Swedish magazine, Modell Jarnvags Magasinet.  This is the most popular model railroading magazine in Sweden.  He wanted me to write a decent size article on the Midland and even add some pictures.  He gave me plenty of time to do it as the magazine only comes out 4 times a year.  I felt it was a great honor a to be included in a magazine as I always wanted my layout to be able to be in Model Railroader here in the states one day.  It was a lot of fun and Stefan was easy to work with and it turned out very well.  The Magazine was published back in March.

It also shows in great detail how the Midland works and a history of why and how I built the layout.

Here is the front of the magazine.

Here's the first 2 pages of the 6 page article.  Anyone read Swedish?  I did get a English version of the article.  That's below.

New floor complete in the layout room

I finished the floor in the layout room last Thursday. Turned out better than thought it would.  Makes the room look more bright and hopefully less dust.  I have just about got everything organized back.

Adding the trim at the entrance

Before I added all my clutter.

Just about complete

Adding back the desk and shelves.

Slowly getting it back to normal.

Face lift for the layout room and some weathering too!

Well not a whole lot has been happening on the Midland lately.  The last 2 months have been quite busy but I hope to change that real soon.  I've mainly been finishing some custom work for a good friend in Texas and then it's face lift time.  Since yesterday afternoon, I have been putting in laminate flooring in the layout room.  I started yesterday with removal of the carpet and the padding.  I actually got to a few rows after a long dinner break.  I continued to work today when I got home from school. I hope to be done with the floor itself tomorrow if I work very diligently.   I will still have to do the trim and that will require a trip to the Home Depot.

Carpet removed.  This was a tiring job.  The padding was not so bad.  The legs were a fun part not to mention banging your head on the layout.

First few rows down.  This was my stopping part yesterday.

What I got accomplished today.

Only about 4 foot left for tomorrow.

My oldest son Cameron has helped me some the last two days.  We worked out a $5 an hour pay rate and he's been a great help and no complaints.  

Here's a good friend car I weathered up.  Thought it turned out very well.  The rust spots are decals from Weathering Solutions.  Always love the look of the cylindrical hoppers.

Here's one of my hoppers.  Tagged it up and added some rust decals.

The other side.

TBT: November 5th 2015

Its my favorite time of the year, fall.  Beautiful outside with the changing of the leaves and temperatures start to get comfortabel again.  Here are some shots from Mance, PA at a place I used to camp for a few days in the fall and enjoy the trains!

What a great place to camp!  Old Mance Training Camp was a delight.  The only thing was at about 4-5AM it sound like non-stop trains going over the mountains.  And it usually got to the lower 40's at night!

The overlook at Mance

A little Amtrak action

Great vantage point from the treehouse!