News Flash! New motive power added to Richlawn Railroad!

The Mrs. & I were sitting around Saturday with not much to do, so we thought we'd go to a scrapbooking store in Kennesaw,GA she had visited and liked before. Knowing that there's a model train store there that I never visited I was quick to say "yes!". It just so happens that my Google(TM) map put us right at the door of that RR store, and they were having a 50% off sale on EVERYTHING in the store. What should be on display front and center - none other than an Atlas Gold (DCC & Sound!) MP-15DC loco in L&N! Now, I wasn't planning on getting another loco (who is?) BUT when you can get it for around $122 bucks what are you going to do? I didn't have any switcher locos with sound, so the Matthews Freight yard will never sound (or look) better. I've got to add the details to the loco, but I couldn't wait to try it out and it runs / sounds sweet!

Click on picture for a larger view.

Lake hatch work - click on pictures for a larger view

Here I'm working on the lake that will also serve as an access hatch. I used 1/2" plywood and attached it to the existing 1/2" plywood trestle base. I leveled the trim ring and mounted it using risers screwed & glued to the ring and screwed to the bench work.


Two pieces of 1/2" foamboard were glued together with the layers offset so that a lip hangs down even with the bottom of the 1/2" plywood. I contoured the foam using a rasp and sanding block - it's attached to the plywood with foam-safe caulking. The foam ring will serve two purposes: 1.) It will serve as a mounting point to glue the cardboard webbing, and 2.) It will "seal" against the lake surface. I'm using 1/8" hardboard for the lake which will be painted both sides. The hardboard will have plywood bracing underneath to make it strong. The top will be painted "lake color" and be covered with Enviro-Tech Lite(TM).

I've started the cardboard webbing work here and will continue it as far as I can. I say that as I can't complete it until the trestle is permanently affixed, and that can't happen until I rework the trestle (see previous post).

Haven't updated the Blog for awhile, so I just added this picture to show the overall progress with the trestle & mountains in the background. Click on picture for a larger view.

Trestle rework

I was looking closely at the picture of my trestle in my previous post and it became painfully obvious that the shortcuts I took on the cross bracing ruin the look. Instead of individual bracing between each bent, I spanned multiple bents resulting in intersections not landing on a bent. I will remove the cross bracing and rework it to make a better looking and more accurate model.

Sometimes the pictures can be a mixed blessing!

View of trestle & falls as it will appear

So this picture is "mocked up" with my image editing software to add the landscape for areas now bare. Why does it seem to take soooo long to get this stuff done? The waterfall will flow into a lake that will serve also as a removable access hatch. I need some way to change those light bulbs in the mountain area!

**** Click on picture for a larger view ****

Falls Area Landscaping Near Completion

The grass mats have been added to the right of the falls, along with a good coat of cheap hair spray and more landscape material. The area immediately to the right of the falls by the lower rock area is currently darker. I believe that is due to the hair spray being wet. If it is still darker when it dries I'll add more green color to correct the colors.

* Click on picture for a larger view *

To finish this area out I'll add some small trees / bushes and some fallen timber.