Looking back at some photos I realized I've made some progress...sure there's still tons to do...but I made a little progress...and these shots aren't even the very first tracks laid. This was after the basic tracks were placed, ballasted, and weathered. The original layout was nothing more than a single mainline, with a yard at the western side, looping a town at the eastern side.














Where things are tonight after adding some much needed North Carolina greenery...

Hi Mark.
If you don't look at this and really feel good, then there can be no hope at all for you. What a great accomplishment, and the pictures are great and I know how hard N gauge pictures can be to take, I can't get decent HO pictures.
Pride in your work shows. It is coming together, and the city scenes are wonderful.



Charlie

Thanks! Sometimes it feels like a snails pace...just to get one thing done...with so many things left to do.

(Is there a "day job" where you get paid to work on your layout?)

Looks like great progress to me Mark! That's a nice layout you have, love the town.

That looks great. I like the mix of older classic and new structures.

Thanks again!

(Aaaahhh...after looking at those empty buildings, I realize how poor they look when photographed on "their" level. Gotta get something in those windows!)

Herc Driver Wrote:... Gotta get something in those windows!)

That is the reason why the winter evenings are so long

I like the main street with all the older buildings. That's a fine layout you have there!

Thanks!

Those DPM buildings are very close to the actual area I wanted to model...although in the real town, they don't have a single building over two stories. But the design is spot-on.

I really like your layout Mark,particularly all the different photograph possibilities.Even if you're not operating you have all kinds of great scenes to do some photo sessions (hint hint)

I sort of feel bad for posting all these photos as it is. I forgot the download speeds...and for some, this thread might take way too long to load. :oops:


A layout tour is a very interesting idea...Hmmmm...but I've got to figure out the lighting. I take most of my shots at night under nine 60 watt bulbs. That gives a decidedly yellow cast to all the pictures, as well as numerous unappreciated shadows. I'm going to try a mix of light bulb types (use some GE Reveal bulbs), some daytime shooting, and different camera as see what I can get. It try hard to pick my very best pictures to display here...that way the quality of the work (good or bad) and not the quality of the picture gets critiqued.

Incidentally, if anyone wants to see more pictures of the layout...you can view them on Photobucket. Search for: mlcedjm7 I have two albums to view.

The picture albums are not from "Day 1" of the layout...I haven't uploaded those yet...but they go back to 2009 just after the ballast went down. (The pictures from the first day this layout started are almost comical compared to where things are now.)

That's a great-looking layout, Mark, and as Charlie mentioned, an accomplishment of which you can be proud.

Wayne

The whole layout in two shots...

very nice Layout