Status Report - End of July 2019

Layout Video Update for July 2019 can be found HERE

Unfortunately a lot more went on UNDER the layout than on top, entirely necessary of course but hardly photogenic! But here's a quick rundown:

1. All the track on the outer "loop," including all sidings and spurs (with the exception of the bridge and swing bridge) are complete. That's track down, wired, tested, and debugged.

2. Started laying out the track "full size" on the paper mill peninsula (I'm considering calling this area "Stafford Mills" since there's one too many "Sheldon <fill in blank>" on the layout. Someone mentioned that might confuse operators. I think it might since it confuses me.
You'll find Stafford Mills was the location of the paper mill complex on the original Southern New England (see MRP 2000). Besides, I came up with the name Stafford Mills for my first "real" model railroad back when I was in high school. I liked it then and I liked it now. 

3. Continued with creating a realistic, and visually appealing, composition for the Enosburg Falls section. I sketched, and re-sketched some of the streets a half dozen times, but I think it's finally taking shape.

4. I didn't do a great of bench modeling this month, but I did finally finish this structure - Ben Thresher's Mill. You might remember it from the previous SNE layout in its unfinished state. I still don't quite know where (or if) it will find a home on this layout - at the very least I'm going to build a small diorama and install the mill pond and damn.

I'm on the docket to do a couple of clinics this fall. The first will be at the Mid-Atlantic Railroad Prototype Modelers Meet (MARPM) in September. The second will be at the Mid-East Region, NMRA Convention outside Philadelphia in October.