UP SD40-2's NEW Layout

[Steve]

Hi Charlie! I come in from time to time to check out what's going on.........and enjoy your pics 

[UP SD40-2]

Yeah Deano, I think we all understand that on and off thing. I had everything packed up for about three years while we tried to get settled. We only moved four time in that period. I'm please to be back doing things again to, and we are all glad to see you back.

Oh cripes Don, didnt know ya moved about four times in three years  , that really stinks. So glad it sounds like you have got it  all straightened out and are back on track

Deano!!!!
Great to see you back and posting. I have done nothing MRR related for a few years now and of course the whole photbucket "thing" kind of killed my threads anyway. I will be checking in to see your progress buddy:  

O_M_G!!, STEVE!! WOW, did not expect to see you  , WHAT IS UP! 
I know what your saying about photobucket, man I too lost so much on there  . I found Imgur, been using it but dont know much about it as far as amount of space you get or anything, we'll see how it works out.
That stinks so bad your not modeling now, your work is so meticulous, truly a Great modeler   . I hope you find your way back Steve  .

-Deano

[Steve]

I can model vicariously through you Deano

I am so looking forward to watching you work your magic my friend!!!!!!

[UP SD40-2]

WOW, i come back and this is the first week I havent had time to mess with the layout  . Lots of overtime this week since there is a chance that we will be locked out for 2-4 weeks because of this darn corona virus event  , cripes. 

Anyways, here are my plans for the last section of the layout that I havent started any scenery on yet. My plan is to make the end of the last block in a small town downtown area. A store of some sorts with a small "park" and a courthouse. Across the street from the courthouse is a residential house. On the side of the block with the store, across the street from the store will be the yard offices for UP's Southern WI yard. Also there will be a parking area for the stores/courthouse by the tracks. 
I have the sidewalks cut, not fitted to size, but cut. I set up the area to kinda give you folks an idea of how I am thinking it will be. 

Till next time...
-Deano

[Steve]

That looks like it will be a very interesting scene. I was looking through the thread and also remembering your earlier layout, and what I like most about the scenes you create is that they are "alive". You have vehicles and people interacting in natural ways and it looks fun and interesting. Looking forward to more!!

I remember that house on the right very fondly.....

[cn nutbar]

Deano---if there is anything good about the COVID crisis is that it may give you more time to finish this scene.In the meantime stay safe.

[UP SD40-2]

That looks like it will be a very interesting scene. I was looking through the thread and also remembering your earlier layout, and what I like most about the scenes you create is that they are "alive". You have vehicles and people interacting in natural ways and it looks fun and interesting. Looking forward to more!!

I remember that house on the right very fondly.....

Thanks so much Steve, you are to kind  . Yes, though I never considered myself a "great modeler", I always tried to incorporate scenes from memories past, or things I've seen into my layouts, frozen moments in time if you will, always hoped people would enjoy them just for what they were, as good as I could do them  As for the house, yes, it was the one Kurt made for me, sent to you, and you sent it my way

Deano---if there is anything good about the COVID crisis is that it may give you more time to finish this scene.In the meantime stay safe.

Ed, you are 100% correct, if I end up getting off work because of the COVID....god forbid, at least I'll get some layout time in  

.......................................................................
OK folks, NOT a great video, but I just put a NEW short vid up on YouTube. Its an aeiral shot, features a UP mixed consist heading to the town of Owen, and the BigBoy exec train on its way to pass through Chester, nice to have a double mainline. The other two vids I have up are taken on the same real estate, but as you can see from my NEW vid, the scenery has changed. 
the link is here:  https://youtu.be/UHuWFiDKuzQ
-Deano

[doctorwayne]

I enjoyed the video, Deano...nice running trains and great looking scenery, too.

Wayne

[Tyson Rayles]

Looking good!

[ezdays]

I agree, looking real good my friend.....

[UP SD40-2]

Thanks so much for the very kind words Wayne, Mike and Don, really means a lot coming from you guys

...........................................................................................................
LAYOUT AREA SPOTLIGHT= Rock Valley RR Museum 

I have been considering doing a layout area spotlight series, and I decided to start it out with my RR Museum. No, that area isnt even close to finished, nor is it the best modeling I have done in that area, nope, I am starting here to let you folks know how this area gives me piece of mind   .

Like many modelers i made the mistake of buying all the things I really liked instead of staying focused on a time and place, well, that and the fact I bought a bunch of stuff for some of my Dads many layouts, that didnt help either. Now I have amassed a ton of stuff that doesnt go together, nor does it fit my layouts time frame, UP's merger era 1982-96...and kinda spills into today   . So what do I do with all this stuff? Sure, its my RR and I can do what I want, but that kinda bugs me, its just I guess I'm a little weird about it, it just has to make sense in my mind, ya know. 

One of my favorite places, bar none, is the Illinois RR Museum, man I love that place(sadly I have only been there once since my Dad passed away). A RR Museum.... BINGO!! This solves everything!    Now it doesnt matter what I run, it all makes sense in my mind, PROBLEM SOLVED! But, but Deano, there are no Veranda turbines around, or running cab forwards, or...insert a list 78 pages long....OH? REALLY? well let me be the first to tell you sir, the Rock Valley RR Museum has restored those fine items of years gone by and they DO run today.


A couple other great things about having the RR Museum, you only need a small footprint of it to insinuate its there, and is huge...





Another great thing about the RR Museum is you can do "operations" with it. The track that runs alongside the Museum is dedicated to it and is 13' long, so I can string up anything I want on it and when I'm done running what ever it is i have on that track I can just leave it and it doesnt bother the other two main lines if I decide to run them. Its kinda like an Industry, only the load returns back to its self. UP gives the Museum trackage rights so the people run through three towns before coming back to the Museum, nice.


Located in the town of Chester WI (fictional, with prototypical aspirations, like everything on my layout )


The Museum was real fun to do too, I have a bunch of people taking pictures, walking around, and looking at stuff. it enabled me to put old RR vehicles there, and I'll put other things in it when I go back to working on that area. 

Anyways, It really worked out great for me in many ways. I hope you all enjoyed this, please let me know if the "Area spotlight" idea is worth doing. Till next time....
-Deano

[doctorwayne]

.....please let me know if the "Area spotlight" idea is worth doing.....


-Deano

I definitely think so, Deano, as I have very fond memories of visiting the IRM with you and your Dad.

Wayne

[Brakie]

Deano, Absolutely! I like the idea of a museum and I notice there is a saved station as well as a railfan fence.

What's not to like?

[ezdays]

Yeah, can't agree more, what's not to like....

[Tyson Rayles]

What Don and Larry said!