Primavw

I haven't had too much time lately to work on my layout, but with a bit of time off coming up next week, I have been focusing on the brainstorming of what industries I would like my "empire" to serve. I have been scouring the interwebs for a few different kits. I have found myself very impressed by Walthers' kits. So far I am looking at a "Allied Rail Rebuilders" kit as well as a discontinued "Mills Bros Lumber". I also plan on scratchbuilding a proto of the Susquehanna Coal Power Plant located in Selinsgrove, Pa. I also have a Scenic Ridge builsing set squirrelled away and plan on building a town.

This is what my trackplan looks like after I played around with MS paint.


As you can see I found little spots for a few different industries. I am also toying with the idea of building a viaduct to connect to the tressle in the center of the layout. This would enable me to expand and place a yard under it. I'd also like to create a siding for fuel and sand service for my locos. I do have to acrue some more turnouts, (about 100 bucks worth) which I have been delaying since we just celebrated Christmas.

I have been waiting patiently for Internettrains to deliver a few items. I will be recieving the sand and fuel kit as well as some loco detailing items. I also have a Digitrax Zephyr kit in the mail which I purchased with some Christmas money. So I guess we can begin throwing cash into the "DCC decoder" money pit.

I will also need to pick up an auto-reverse module for the "dogbone" return loop on the far right of the layout. I decided to work this in since I needed a way to reverse my locos so I wasn't perpetually stuck in a "clockwise" travel spiral.

I purchased a few Woodland Scenics riser kits, but managed to run out of 1/2" risers, so I am out of options for the layout right now. And as soon as I get all of the turnouts and risers, I will be right back for roadbed. But thats in the future.

Well that concludes my little update for now. Hopefully in the upcoming weeks I will make some picture worthy progress but for now, I think the above trackplan is enough to show what the future holds for this layout. Thanks for looking...

*As a bonus... here's a NS Geep Highnose my grandfather gave me for Christmas: