Re Do

I have pulled all the track up from the layout. Starting a new design based on Newport Junction. How ever while I am doing that I am takinga break to build a 1/48 scale Type IX U-boat. I used to build RC versions of submarines and bought this hull back in the 1980s. It has been collecting dust since then. This will be a static model for my office. A lot of scratch building is required for this. I have drilled and filed out the various limber holes in the hull and started to fabricate the conning tower. The hull is a bit over 5 feet long. 

Yard 8

I have been concentrating on working scenery for a year now. I do not think I have run a train, except for a few moments to show guests, on the layout since last summer. Yard is full and a departing train and arriving train are staged (far right tracks). I should run the layout one night soon just too see if there are any bugs from all of the scenery work.

Commercial Street work starting.

Asphalt is being laid in the east end of Commercial Street. The end of July we are heading to Maine, lots of panaramic photos to take of the Portland area for the back drops. Once these are up and all of the back ordered building kits come in this will start progressing along to the left towards the west end.

Tidbits

Continuing with the work on the bridge, first layer of water poured, not enough as it only went 3/4 of the way when I ran out of the resin. I have also been weathering the tracks, started painting the road center stripe.

Another view looking towards Commercial Street. All of the stuff in the corner is holding down the first sections of the street as the glue dries.

Moving on

The double track bridge heading towards Commercial Street has been built and installed. I still need to paint the water way and "pour" the water.

Shingle plant

The basic scenic detail is complete here. I am moving on towards Commercial street. After much thought on this plant I have determined that it is going to be an asphalt shingle plant. I have numerous photos of a plant in Lerdo California and realized as I was finishing it that the structures and look of this plant match it, almost as if I had intentionally built it that way.

Chemical plant work continues

Several shots of the chemical plant corner. Still need to make a backdrop to go behind all of the structures, there is a small gap to allow this behind them. Working on the various storage silos and piping to connect them all. Two are in the paint booth not on the layout yet. I hope to complete this area soon.

Plant Mock Up

The conveyor is complete and sitting in it's location, all other structures are in their final location. All need weathering, the conveyor needs all of the vertical supports scratch/kit bashed yet but the plant layout is where I like it. I have a lot of piping and details I want to complete on this complex. Several Radical Flats buildings will be used on the back drop, after I put the one I will create behind them.
What else have I been doing since the last post? Weathered a lot of cars and built a through truss bridge. The water crossing just behind the camera will be the next area I move to after completing this corner.

New back ground building and bridge construction

I purchased a Walthers back ground building and as usual I threw out the instructions and started making it fit. I have actually just about finished it but have not photographed the area. The overpass concrete guard rails have been assembled and set in place temporarily here. I have since added the deck and side walks to the overpass which will sit on top of the white plastic so that I can pull it off as necessary to clean the tracks underneath.
I have also finalized the structure layout for the "Chemical Plant". I really need to work on the photo back drop for this area. I will compose it in photoshop and then have it printed at Office Max.

Back ground buildings

I purchased the complete Radical Flats collection and added the buildings to the back drop behind the yard. Now it looks a little more like Portland, Maine.