Awesome pics/video from yesterday and TBT: August 25th 2016

Yesterday, My two sons and I headed due north up to my favorite hobby shop:
Mainline Hobby

It's a long drive but always worth it.  As usual, we do some railfanning along the way.  The Maryland Midland interchanges in the area of the hobby shop which is located in Blue Ridge Summit, PA.  The name is where I got my name for my HO empire.  I've been coming up here for 15 years and one of the first time I did, I stumbled upon the Maryland Midland.  The paint has changed recently but they represented what I wanted in a railroad.  I railfanned them alot over the years and knew the line like the palm of my hand. We lucked out as we found them in Thurmont, MD as we were heading up.  The chase was on once I saw this lashup!:

FIVE Emds on the head end?  Must have a big train.  Turns out that it had 54 loaded cement cars and 2 boxcars for the run up the Catoctin Mountains.

2006 lashup

2016 lashup

Layout update: scenery is complete on the upper level

Finally finished the scenery on the upper level.  I redid the scenery in the corner the cat destroyed a few months back.  I also completed the last "bare plywood" in the VC area.  This area has been voided of scenery for a number of reasons.  Main reason: it was a repair/maintenance spot.  But it's done!  Now you are wondering what got me into high gear.  I had people coming by to look at the layout today.  Nothing like a deadline to get you going!

Land form for the replace corner near BY.  The foundation is blue foam and the tan is 2" foam.

Basic scenery on the foam.  It's nice to do this where you want then add it to the scene.

Scenery mound in place

Decided to add some rocks.  These were made with plaster and molds.

Rocks have been hot glued in place now time for bushes, trees and the like.

The cabin and the truck have been put back in the scene.  Most of the trees have been reused.

Close up of the cabin in the woods.  Definitely a rail fans dream!

Thought I had completed the final track for this layout and I look like I'm headed down a redo of the lower level.  Not a total redo but one that will make the layout flow.  It includes a lift-out crossing and staging near the helix.  A wye will be put in to have continuous running on the lower level.  I will also redo the town names mainly switching them around.

Rough sketch of the new track plan for the lower level.

TBT: August 11th 2016

 Bet you never thought I had a paper plant on the layout?  Well here's proof.  The industry turned out too large for the layout and eventually was removed.  Klotz and Patriot Industries are now in this spot.  As for the loco, definitely a odd ball with the Horst air filter on a GP38.

Video on sound installs tips and an update of the replaced scenery

Throwback Thursday: August 4th 2016

Old school meets new school, catfish vs. high hood or GE vs. EMD.  Exactly 10 years ago I find myself in Vardo Yard in Hagerstown, MD.  Then, high hoods were the norm, but are very rare these days.  My main appeal to NS is the high hoods.  Man do they standout versus the widecabs!