I've lit my layout using only LED strips for over a year now and, overall, I am very happy with the results. The Ruphe and Tumbelle has very low ceilings and shadows on the backdrop were a problem with the old lighting. The good thing with LEDs is no shadows. The bad thing with LEDs is NO SHADOWS. It gives the layout a bit of an overcast day feel.

The Ruphe and Tumbelle Railway has a complete hodge podge of couplers on it's fleet. There is the Bachmann EZ Mate HO couplers that come with their stuff (although I do raise them up to the proper height), Kadee On3 couplers and a few other various and sundry models. The reason I'm in this mess is that all of these fool couplers actually couple! Though sometimes getting dissimilar ones apart is a trial. Because they all "work" together I have just left whatever came with the model on.

Well, The sixth division NMRA meet is being held in Calgary this weekend, and I'm on the layout tour. Never been involved in an NMRA tour before, don't know what to expect. I've participated in some local CMRS (Calgary Model Rwy. Society) tours and had a great time.

We got the notification  a bit over 2 months ago, and I must say, We've gotten more things accomplished in the last 2 months that we have in the last year. There's nothing like a deadline to light a little fire under one's ass.

Here are some quick pics of the Owens Creek area of my layout. I used the title "Finished" as all the foam rockwork is done and most of the ground cover and trees. The stone abutments are still plywood and there is more work to be done on the waterfall and ground cover at the base of the trestle. Once that is done I can install the rest of the cross bracing on the bridge and ballast the track.

I now have most of the background rocks carved and coloured but I have to tidy up a bit as we've got an operating session this weekend. It would probably mess up our timetable if we had to get out the rotary plow and push through piles of pink "snow".

At any rate, I couldn't resist plugging in a few temporary trees to get a feel for what the scene will look like. I'll say this, planting trees in foam rock is EASY. Just jam em' in.

I had a go at shooting some video of me carving foam rocks.

Enjoy

There has been a bit of a discussion on carving foam rocks on the Forum at:

http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/9085

This gave me the impetus to start working on some mountainous areas of my layout that had been bare beadboard waiting for plaster rock moulds for a long time.

There has been a bit of a learning curve involved in the carving, but I'm at the point now that I might never use plaster again.

The rest of the steers needed to fill up my stockyard arrived on Friday. Funny thing is that they arrive looking an awful lot like they do when they leave. I'll have to add some extra stenciling on the side of my stock cars... "some assembly required"

Just a quick post to show the "undecorated" steers all painted up. I figured I'd show them grazing in the pasture to give them a few moments of happiness before their ultimate demise.

They turned out well, I think. I just wish I had ordered more than just the three of them. Oh well, I'll have to get in touch with the folks from Aspen  Models and have them send me over the rest of the herd.