Ninety-eight percent of the mainline is in and work has progressed on the various yards and sidings. More track is needed and power drops need to be made. Please excuse the focus quality on some of the shots, but you'll get the general idea from these. Code 70 rail joiners are the hardest damn thing I've ever worked with. . . .and most everything has to be cut to fit - thankfully I own a Dremel!

Last week I received my brand new Dapol Class 26 which is nicknamed MacRat by british Railfans.

Hello all.

Well the second level is started. I have the lift section completed as far as the wood work goes. I have completed the swing gate, and reversed the door to open outwards instead of inwards towards the train room.

Since I spent more time than I'd like to admit researching my universe, I thought I'd at least post my online sources of inspiration and (perhaps) save a few people some time in their own investigations. If nothing else, I can cause some other people to waste their time as well looking at all the nifty info. 

It's been just short of a year since I started in on the re-design and construction of the KLR.  In that time, the following has occurred and/or I have learned the following:

- the layout came down very easily (it's always easier to tear out than build up), with little destruction or loss to the modules. Yes some scenery was damaged but it's easily fixed. So far so good.

So, this is my first attempt at... Well everything... I've had a few aborted attempts at blogging as well as a few goes at model railroading. However, let's give'r a go and see if I can keep things rolling. I'll first give a bit of background (I started the layout last fall, so it's on it's way).

The "universe" in my basement (sounds very "Dr. Who"):

Style: Proto-Freelance (prob. more freelance than proto). DCC from the get go.

Setting: Canada in 1944(ish)

I know; I know; the're old, but I really really want to convert one of my 6 (count 'em) Rivarossi NKP Bershires to DCC with sound. I got most of them for less than $15 at a yard sale a few years ago.

Can anyone walk me through parts and "labor" to convert one of these pole-type motorized engines to DCC? New Berkshires at $400 plus are a bit out of my range and I hate to have to give up these engines for scrap or something.

I hadn't intended to do any work on the locomotive roster this week, but there's been a change of plans, inspired to some extent by the MRH "$35 challenge" discussion.  While searching for some unrelated boxes that turned up missing after the last move, I noticed a curiously out of place box labeled for a piggyback flatcar.  Upon opening it, it was like a chance encounter with an old friend - I had found WP GP7 number 708.

Well, when Buck & Loretta's old toilet busted Buck was going to throw it out when Loretta said "Honeybunch, ain't it a waste to throw away such a nice ole' toilet as it's got a lotta of good memories".  Buck put on his thinkin' cap (the camo one) and came up with a brilliant idea - a beautiful front yard planter!  He hauled the toilet out front of his trailer house and Loretta did the planting of some purretee pink roses!

One of the advantages to working on small(er) layout sections is you can play with various elements without feeling that guilty about other, necessary work getting done.

I've been planning this for a while, and finally I had the time to put it together.  It's not a big deal, but it was surprisingly more fun than you might think.

Instead of me boring you with my text, I think I'll let the pictures tell the tale, and save us all 10k words.