The MV&P's Tidewater Division

[Mileswestern]

Since I dismantled the Mission Valley & Pacific's "Highgrove Division" in mid 2009, I've recycled much of the modular layout to create a new layout with a different concept to model. The Theme of the last layout was an attempt to depict California's Citrus industry in all it's variety. The tidewater division is an outgrowth of seeing inspiring towns such as Alviso, Crockett, Salinas & Alameda, Calif. Other small backwater bay and delta towns in Northern California also provide inspiration to help make the appeal of this layout concept come to fruition.

Such regional features as mission revival architecture, victorian homes, salt ponds, packing houses, shipwrights, seasonal rivers and street running will provide scenic and operational interest.

As of March 20th the Mainline is complete, and both of the freight yards have been laid down and wired for DCC Operations.

This is an overall view of the layout as of March 20th 2010, I'll take an updated photo soon. This was taken minutes after I completed construction on the mainline after 4 days of track work.







These photos were taken two days earlier as I began track work on the part of the layout that will have a tidewater marsh and salt evaporation ponds with various other details including an abandoned narrow gauge ROW as a nod to the real South Pacific Coast Ry.





Of course, the obligatory "golden spike" shot when the mainline was completed had to be put in here.



Meanwhile on the other side of the layout, one of the modules saved from the Highgrove Division layout sees a modern ATSF freight roll across the steel truss span. The cars feature hand-painted graffiti that I did for a client.