Lower level work has begun and so has the helix

Started packing my On30 items up yesterday and clearing them off of the lower level.  I had a On30 layout underneath Battlefield Yard and did an expansion past my work desk and under the VC yard.  Check out the older posts of the On30 layout:

http://virginiamidlandrr.blogspot.com/search/label/On30

The On30 track was all laid out and functioning.  It's nice because the track is the same as HO track and I can get a feel of what I have by running my HO trains down there.  I still have to take out the On30 track eventually.

VMID #281 giving me a feels of what lies ahead of the VM.  You can see BY directly above it. 

The other end.  There is a bridge crossing a canal between the 2 pictures.  The sand load spur will probably be where the hoppers are at the end.

Here's my helix in it's beginning stages.  Wanted to work in the garage but the near 0 degree temperatures made me stay inside.  the Helix kit is by Ashlin Designs out of Utah. 

85th post and a video update of the layout

This is my 85th post to this blog and hope to continue with many more since the layout will be expanding to a lower level.  All my progress can be found on the video:

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.

Want to wish everyone a happy holiday season!

Since we are smack dab in the middle of modeling season and the Christmas time is usually what gets us hooked, I wanted to share a picture from a recent complete scene on the layout.  Hope everyone has a great Christmas and a happy New Year.  I also hope you get some great model trains items from Santa for your layout! 

Expansion thoughts

So as I close in on completing my scenery on the Virginia Midland layout, I ponder what I can actually model on the lower level.

• more rural scenes with less industries.  Definitely a sand loading plant.
• the sand plant would not be modeled but a spur to the plant would be all I need.
• bench work is built for the most part.
• lighting is installed and working
• reconfigure the RF&P interchange from Battlefield Yard (BY) to exchanging in the main VM siding/run-  around track
• trains could run out of BY to the helix and to the lower level.
• Bench work would have to be built for the NS interchange
• A branch line to the sand plant?

VMID #274 on the On30 track on the lower level

This area is directly under the VC yard.  The helix would bring trains to this area. 

Snow days equal layout workdays

We had our first two snow days of the year.  Not for much but 2 back to back storms that really did not amount to any snow.  I used the time away from work to get some time in the layout room.  I finally got away from locomotive building (even though I have 2 of them ready for decals)and focused on the layout itself.  I decided I want to focus on the team track on the Midland.  This the last spur on the layout that has not received any attention.  Well it got some this week.  Take a look at what it started like:

This scene was dying for some attention!

 

Was not to happy with these grass mats up front in scenery but they look good in the back.

Used the mats on the other side also.  You can see the seam that I will put some larger bushes on.

Wanted to use a loading ramp but which type?

Looks like a field of grass.  The perfect buffer for the Patriot Industries, a chemical company it's beside.

Decided to use this configuration on the ramp.  This gives me the option of unloading boxcars or unloading say a covered hopper just to the left of the Railbox.

Added the ballast to cover the edge of the mats and the mix for the gravel loading area.

Notice how the gravel lot is slightly darker than the ballast.  Weathered up the ramp also.  Patriot is on the layout now in the background.

A few details brings the scene to life.

VMID #281's conductor talks back the loco to a couple.

The lot is still drying but weeds and and a few more details will complete the scene.

Operational Session at Mike Pulaski's layout

Yesterday I visited Mike Pulaski's layout for the first time.  He has awesome medium size layout in his basement that is about 30' by 20'.  He has staging in his garage and the overhead trains are about 20 cars.   It's doubled decked and has a single track helix.  Mike models the Mohawk & Hudson in the mid 1990's and his layout takes place in NY state.   I enjoyed the op session a lot and would love to have that kinda space.  I ran a local, a through manifest and one of his Finger Lakes trains.  Mike does proto free-lance like I do and we just about model the same time period.  Thanks again for letting me come by!

Lot's of different power on this railroad!  This is a Susie-Q trailer train #555

A grain facility on the upper deck.

Lot's of storage at this grain place.

Another Susie-Q train with a intermodal train.

Another grain facility that my local switched out.

The Finger Lakes train coming out of staging.

A corn processing plant on the lower level.

Last train of the afternoon is my Conrail manifest led by 2 SD50's!

Another view of the train.

A view of the blue SD50's in notch 8.