THE NEW SHOP BUILDING!

The new shop building is just about complete! Let's follow the progress...

A tall, high-cube boxcar tests the door height. As you can see, it just barely fits! This car represents the largest car that will fit in the shop.

The rooftop ventilators are in place, along with the heating vent over the end (upstairs) office. Notice the gap along the foundation -or lack thereof.                                                                                                        

Now, the foundation has been added, along with a a small ramp up to the rear loading door and an a/c unit for the office. Speaking of the office, looks like the carpeting has arrived! Those two electrical cabinets are relay boxes for signals and grade crossings. This is as good a place as any to store them!                          

Also stored outside the shop are a pair of freight trucks -for any car that needs a replacement- an excavator for construction work (like the exposed foam bank its sitting on!), and a PODS storage container. More storage -of the permanent kind- is probably on the way!

A look inside the new building shows the flooring -including between the tracks- and a forklift. Also visible are the interior I-beams, and a few parts baskets -the reason for the forklift. As time goes on, a few more details, such as a radio antenna by the office, will be added. And the lot will probably wind up being graveled; along with ballast being added to the adjacent mainline track!

20112 UPDATE PT2

As promised, this week features the lighting installed for today's NMRA meeting.

There are two new lights in the yard. I have been replacing the lights on Main Street with different ones, and placing the now surplus lights elsewhere. Hillsdale yard will be the primary beneficiary, as seen here.

The night shot. Now, crew changes can safely be made at night!

Another area of change is by Domino's Pizza. Two new lights have been added to the rear of the lot. In the foreground, one of the replacement lights on Main St. can be seen in front of the UPS truck.

A close-up of the new lights. These are actually n-scale! I used them because they have the right height for the scene.

The night shot. I'm not happy with the blueish light, but these are the closest thing I can find to being the right style -and size- lights.

2012 UPDATE

Recent changes/upgrades to the layout...

Last year, I added some ground cover to this area of Hillsdale Yard, but the blue foam still showed to the left.

The addition of more ground cover adds more life to the scene, as well as covering up more of the foam.

Another view of the grass and weeds. And a small tree!

To help me keep track of which trains should go where, I posted this list of the industries and cities the locals go to.

Lastly, the new car shop is ready! This is an early shot of the building being test-fitted in place. More pictures are on the way, as the building is nearing completion! And next week, photos of the newly installed lights for next week's local James River Division NMRA convention! The layout will be open to those who attend.

ANOTHER OVERSIZED MOVEMENT PT4

The crew of the train continue to make preparations for departure.
Again, the massive size of the car and its load are apparent, when compared to the pickup truck beside it.

The engineers prepare to climb aboard the locomotive, as Sam and Norman stand by, ready to assist. Other men -accompanying the train- are already out ahead, removing tall obstacles along the path out of Hillsdale. A grade crossing on the outskirts of town will not only require the removal of the crossing signals, but also the removal of some overhead power lines!

The operator for the forward cab stands by, while another worker sits and waits. With another long day ahead, that lunchbox will come in handy!

The rear cab operator is also ready for action. Due to the immense size of the car and the load, like with other Schnabel cars, the load can be raised and/or shifted sideways to help clear immovable obstacles. While other cars have the controls -and the operators- exposed to the elements, this car keeps everything protected inside the cabs -a welcome upgrade in bad weather!

Lastly, the crewmen for the caboose prepare to board. Both cabooses were re-stocked with food and supplies, and had their chemical toilet tanks emptied, overnight. It will continue to be a long, slow journey eastward; with the 15mph speed restriction -and even slower on curves- it will take another day and a half to finally get to the Port of Baltimore!