Freelance 2011

[faraway]

Thank you Sir

[bdw9535]

I thought it would be a good time to save some "check point" photos.

Reinhard,

With all you have done here are you considering starting all over again :? what's not to like ?

Bruce

[faraway]

... are you considering starting all over again :? what's not to like ?...

I think so I do enjoy the creation of a layout very much. Now, I have no plan at this time and I am to busy with the job during the winter but when I have my next six month off periode starting 1.April more time should be available for my three hobbies beautiful wife, model rail road and scuba diving.

Some of my draft ideas are
- the now deserted north yard should be a scenic area again. It is hard to reach and the uncouplers have not been totally successful but there should be something that does not require switching, store entire trains, looks good and matches the theme of the south yard (other side of the room)
- I like plain blue Conrail and CSX YN2 and YN3 engines. That permits anything in the (Conrail north only) east.
- I like Santa Fe zebra stripe GP7 and got six of them some time ago. They would be great to serve a small town with grain elevators somewhere north east of Texas in 1950.
- I like my Spectrum 2-8-0 engines. IC did serve also small towns with grain elevators all the way south of Chicago in 1930.
- I like my LifeLike 0-8-0 switchers. Switching 1930 between all brick buildings would be great
- I like my Genset and a layout with less but longer tracks with modern (slab) buildings is valid option. My slab buildings have never been as good as I would like to have them.
- I like the south of Louisiana and a layout with the colorful Louisiana Delta CF7 would be nice (only the ugly round cap LD CF7 is currently available )

And there is a pure technical question: should I rebuild the wooden base of the south yard two inch lower and put blue foam on top to have the option of small ditches, trenches etc.?

That short subset of my options will keep my model railroad layout planning brain busy all winter :o