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June 24,2000
Major layout construction began. Above photos depict how we constructed the "L" girder construction. Our major problem was incorporating an existing 4x8 layout into the full basement layout.




July 8, 2000
Here we are nearing completion of the track laying. Another week and all track should be laid.




November 27th, 2000
After Gary slacked off for almost 3 months, construction continues with the mountains.
Here, the mountains are now pretty well completed. Rock molds will now be added to enhance the mountains.





December 13, 2000
Mountain molds are in place, rock molds are stained, painted & weathered. All exposed white plaster is painted an earth brown latex paint. Real dirt is glued to all areas requiring dirt. Grasses, bushes, shrubs are then applied.




December 24, 2000
Looking a bit better. Gary is applying grass, bushes, weeds, etc. I put in a total of 26 hours building & installing the Central Valley Truss bridge.
(It still needs more weathering)




November 17, 2001
Gary has removed the 4'x8' layout out and we are currently expanding his layout with a 7' x 13' extension.




November 25, 2001
Gary almost lost 2 fingers due to a sharp knife. It was a close call - he took 26 stitches in the 2 fingers.
Cut them to the bone - Ouch!
Use caution when using sharp knives.



All of the Homosote & half of the cork roadbed is laid now. Walthers Coal Mine will be located on top of the big mountain, Walthers Grain Elevator along the right side, and O.L. Coal trestle and buildings will be in the hole at the table end as marked




March 2,2002
Adding finishing touches to 32" drop bridge & 24" lift out. Finished installing Tortoise slow switch machines in his mine area, preparing coal ramp & area, wired control panel for tortoise operation, installed track for Walthers grain elevator. We decided to make our own storage bins rather than use those in the kit. Another week, Gary should be running non-stop around the layout.





November 16,,2002
This was a little 7 week project
I built & installed a curved, 3 foot long, dual lane, 12.5" tall timber trestle in Gary's new addition
It contains 1834 individual wood pieces cut. We used 2 bottles of Goldberg Medium speed CA adhesive, over 100 3' wood dowels, and over 200 actual feet of scale 2x8 lumber. But, what a trestle!




November 16,,2002
Some update shots of various areas

Gary had a lot of wood dowels left over from the bridge project, so he built these retaining walls using the dowels

With the remaining extra bridge dowels he built this dilapidated log cabin and I built him a dilapidated roof for it




More construction pictures will follow as work progresses.

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