In no particular order...

In spite of the lack of blog updates, my layout is progressing.  The guys came over for a work session (or two or three) and completed almost all the benchwork (thanks guys).  All that's left is the section in front of the circuit box which still requires a decision:  Pull out (wheels)?  Drop down (hinge)?  Lift out (muscle)?

Track is being staged, a mock view block put up, even a little practice with cloud painting...

So, without further adieu, and in no particular order, some progress pix:

...Finishing up the back wall benchwork (between Bennington & Rutland)...

 





Upper Management "supervising".  Yeahhhh, supervising.

 

Plywood queued up, waiting for it's next life cycle as benchwork sub roadbed.

 

An unusual sight: union worker supervising management...

 

Back wall done.

 

View block between Bennington & Manchester mock up.

 

Possible location for SRMW newest kit; a Bennington prototype!

 

The Mountain has finally found its home, losing two feet of altitude in the process.

 

View towards what may be Rutland.

 

Fun with clouds.  Amazing what can be done with just a template and a can or two of spray paint.

 

Another long-shot view towards Rutland, pending bench work in front of circuit box on left.

 

Mock up track in Bennington looking south.

 

Southern section of Bennington yard, radii calculations underway.

 

Northward view of Bennington yard.

 

Construction chaos still reigns under the bench...

 

...and more chaos...

 

Possible location of Railroad Kits' Impervious Mill.

 

Roughing out HO radius, re-purposing O gage construction tool.

 

Harley the union worker and Middle Management Max, taking a rare break together.

 

 

This post shows the progress pre- Fine Scale Model Railroader EXPO 2013.  Now I'm all charged up with fresh ideas (and not just a few new kits), ready to dive back into completing the benchwork and finalizing the Bennington Yard trackage.  Stay tuned!



Normal life resumes...

...and the layout is back on the front-burner. 

My scribe and webmaster wife was sidelined for a while, recovering from a somewhat serious accident.  But all is well now.  She's back on her feet, ready to resume all things normal, happy (walking, blogging, emailing, picture-taking) and not so happy (punching the clock, paying bills, re-establishing some kind of exercise routine).  

Summer is turning into Autumn.  Vacations have been taken.  And it's time to get back TO it!!!

So where were we...

Work continues as the benchwork extends around the perimeter of the room. 

 

Measure twice, cut once, and form a committee to discuss.

Yup.  Looks good.

Transfer box has already been relocated (moved up) for the new HO layout...

...and all patched up.

 

 Plywood, going down!

 Slight variations in thickness... to be adjusted/filled in/feathered out.

Swapped out task lighting with lay-in drop-ceiling lights.

And the ever-patient mountain continues to wait for its final home.

 

 



And while Harley is helping me on the layout, a little drama unfolds upstairs...

 

 



Harley's precious marrow bone, left unguarded...

...The coast... 

 

...is clear... 

...oh boy, this is going to good...

 



Psh.  Dogs are so dumb.

 

 

The Anti-locusts

Another fantastic work session with the guys, henceforth to be known collectively as The Anti-Locusts.  They flew in, chowed on pizza, spent a frenzied couple hours with power tools chattering & buzzing, sawing and bolting, measuring and leveling... and then flew away again, leaving in their dust wake: Progress and complete orderliness!  My wife, expecting to see chaos, is still smiling.  The Anti-Locusts have struck!!!



Neat...



...And tidy. 

 

Progress!

Not to minimize the guys' work, I will explain that these are pre-fab'd sections I obtained from a friend.  He was relocating and his benchwork wasn't coming along for the ride.  Everything went up easy enough, but much modifying and finesse was needed to make it right.  As is true for all projects, the success lies in the prep work. 

 The first section went up very quickly and set the positive and fun tone for the rest of the evening.

 

...moving along nicely...

 

 



...Yes, I will level you! I thought you'd never ask.

 The mountain continues to wait patiently.

 Happy worker bees. 

 The three blind mi~ uhm... the three stooge~ er... the three amigos!!

 Support post in the middle of the works... not a problem!

 

Post?  What post?

 

 Actually, this corner took the most time and finesse to install.  All hands were involved with this one.  Well... almost all hands...

 

 

What?!  I'm working!

 Yup, our kind of work.

Doorways and duck-unders...

I will save the excuses ~er~ reasons for later, but for my loyal followers, please accept my apology for the long absence.  Let's just dive right in...

We last left off  with an acceptable tape job on the floor, plans to open up the wall with a "reach through" and a door, discussing radii, "givens" & "druthers", and awaiting track plans from Bob L.

Since then, the guys have been over and discussions continued (after pizza of course) regarding all the above, plus what it will take to incorporate some of the Sievers benchwork I have, converting over to DCC/NCE, use of PECO switches and Code 100 rail.  Plus we patched up the walls where my O gage benchwork was previously secured.  I'll need my electrician's help to move the circuit breaker box.  Its location was fine for the O gage but not so great now.

I moved forward cutting out the door and access window in the hallway wall.  Jobs like that are never as easy as you hope.  In this case, the hassles involved rerouting some wiring and replacing some inconveniently located junction boxes.  I'm very motivated at this point to finish up the work (replace drywall, tape and plaster, oh boy!) so that my next work session can focus on benchwork. 

 

 

 

Also being considered is the overhead lighting and the possible need to add some more.  No "possible" about it, really.  I'll be adding more light.  Not a difficult job, but enough of a challenge due to the ductwork throughout the train room.

I have received Bob L's track plan.  Overall I like it very much.  However it didn't have some of my "givens" such as continuous running and no duck-unders (does a lift-up gate count as a duck-under?)... it is also multi-level which I am a little hesitant to undertake.  But I do plan on at least incorporating the Bellows Falls and Bennington Yards per his proposed plans.  Nothing is written in stone of course, in fact I still have a lot more to consider before "closing the deal".  For example, The Rutland had some loooooong, albeit beautiful runs between industries.  For the sake, ease and fun of operations, I'll want to shorten those runs a little bit yet still represent them in a respectful manner.

Also, this past weekend I attended the Collinsville Prototype Meet and met up with a couple other Rutland "specialists" who offered to show me their layouts and hook me up with some more books/resources on the Rutland... basically just providing me with even more fodder to chew on.

Click here for Meet website

I am grateful for the guys who play a big part in keeping the momentum going.  I'm a firm believer in planning and prepping, and sometimes I need somebody to tell me it's okay to dive in and just do it... whatever "it" may be.  Put down the pen and paper and pick up a power tool already!  Thanks guys.