The Scrappers have arrived!

I'm pretty excited about my new HO adventure, and very pleased that my O stuff will not go to that great train-yard in the sky.  My son is already looking forward to taking the reins and passing along the O gage tradition to his kids.  But no hurry, son... I'm not ready to be a grandfather quite yet.

Just as on the real Rutland, I've started tearing up the lines, although for a much happier reason than bankruptcy.

View: North... This is the stage of the O gage benchwork/track
 when I pledged allegiance to HO.

...Same work, southern view.

Scrappers hard at work.  Track (right) removed from
 road bed (left)...

...More track removal...

...and more still.

The forests once standing proudly on the mountain sides are now
 stashed away on a lowly clump of blue foam.  So sad.

Partial view of the benchwork from my wife's half of the
 basement.  A half that continues to shrink, step by step
 ... inch by inch...

One of my union scrappers on a well-deserved break.