I've posted a video update showing progress on the layout to date. You can find it on YouTube HERE ..read more

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As mentioned in my previous blog post I needed to fill the gap in the surface of the mill stream. Turns out a piece of Gatorboard that I had lying around was the right overall size - some quick work with a hobby knife trimmed it to fit the oddball shape of the opening. This was secured in place with a healthy bead of hot glue. One side of the building has a door and windows on the lower floor so I needed to have some open ground on that side of the structure. I cut more Gatorboard and added some Chooch cut stone material. The photo shows it being rough fit in place.  Next, I cu ..read more

Work continues on connecting the Charlton Branch from the Northern SNE* to the main layout. In previous chapters of this seemingly never-ending saga I mentioned how I planned to use several sections of the large mountain that had concealed a helix on Jason's layout - meaning these were large, heavy plaster mountains! I placed the large mountain chunk in a place I thought looked good and would work - and there it sat for at least a month or more. I've learned over the years that if I run into something that stops progress on a project it usually means I'm not taking the right approach. It bec ..read more

Bob VanGelder, also known as "South River Model Works" is one of the most creative model railroaders I've had the pleasure of meeting. It also helps that he's a genuinely nice guy! Bob has also been working steadily on his home layout, the HO scale South River & Millville, since he retired from making model railroad structure kits.  The fruit of his labors is simply one of the most visually stunning miniature New England landscapes I've seen.  To help share the layout, and his sometimes very philosophical - but always interesting - viewpoints on the hobby he's started a bl ..read more

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The Mid-Atlantic Railroad Prototype Modelers meet (MARPM) concluded just over a week ago. As an aside this meet is proving to be a wonderful time and I strongly suggest you consider joining us in 2025! (details for MARPM 2025 haven't been finalized, but it will most likely be in the same hotel as this year (located near BWI). Keep an eye on MARPM.org).  I once again hosted an open house at my layout and did a "Layout Progress" clinic. This was the unveiling of sorts of the newly incorporated "Northern SNE" section. A couple of months ago my friend Bill Schultheiss offered to build someth ..read more

  CV Shops St. Albans, CV Photo, CVRHS Collection ..read more

 After a couple of weeks of not wanting to do anything having to do with model railroading (see below) I forced myself down to the basement this weekend. After about 45 minutes of "puttering" - defined as wandering about the basement trying to figure out exactly what to do - I settled on trying to plant a structure I salvaged from my previous layout into the new river/mill scene. I have plans for another mill building alongside the upper mill pond but wanted another element between the two falls and this old BEST kit seemed to fit the bill.  Of course the first step was excavating t ..read more