Monday, August 8, 2011

A Move In Our Future

One of the reasons I have put off any progress with my "basement-size" HO-scale modern-day, Hawaiian-themed layout and have been tinkering with my On30 swamp logger modular layout is because of the recent "rumblings" of a possible move out of our rental house and into our very own home somewhere in town. With the thought of an impending move, I put the brakes on any desire to continue building when a move would mean the current layout will have to be dismanteled and reconfigured in it's new location.

Well, it looks like a move may well happen very soon. My wife Kim and I have put an offer in on a vintage home (and basement) in town and we're now waiting for the seller's response. In the meantime, work continues at the bench and out in the garage on On30 projects for the Blackwater & Mosquito Creek Lumber Co.

The first "mini-module" for the planned portable layout is coming along. This is the 'Enginehouse' module which will feature a detailed, scratch-built single stall wooden engine house with machine shop, locomotive bunker fuel tank with a 1950's-era tanker semi-truck making a delivery, and a hillside water tank for the steam locomotives. Beside these highlights, the 18-inch-wide by 3-foot-long module will include hand-laid ties and code 83 rail, a segment of the namesake Moquito Creek and a good amount of moss covered trees and swamp foliage. A low deck trestle will cross the Mosquito Creek between the enginehouse and the next module.

The landforms have been roughed in with my ceiling tile base and the roadbed is ready for track. The 1/8-inch hardboard backdrop has been painted a grey-sky blue and now in place and "experimental" facia/backdrop support framework is done.

Yes, I'm happy with the progress. Now, about that new basement....

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