#135 September Status Report

September 11, 2018

Time again to report new items that have been added to EnterTRAINment Junction’s (EJ’s) layout.  As usual, the order of the pictures and descriptions is in the order an EJ visitor would see them during progress along the layout aisle.

 

Figure 1 shows the housing area on the mezzanine across from the Middle Period’s Union Station.  The new addition is the second row of houses behind the original front row.  The figure shows the installation before the second row of houses was raised several inches to make them more visible.  They all have interior lighting.

 

Figure 1.  Housing Area Expansion

 

 

In the Middle City, along the active siding closest to the layout aisle, a Railway Express Agency building has been added to give the animated-via-push-button train a meaningful destination along that siding (Figure 2).  As with all close-to-the aisle buildings, this one includes interior detail, lighting, and people.

 

Figure 2.  New Railway Express Agency Building

 

 

In the Modern City, across the tracks from the dog park, some hotrod and motorcycle aficionados are having a meeting of sorts (Figure 3).  Did they have an accident, or are they just chewing the fat?

 

Figure 3.  Run In or Meeting of Friends?

 

 

In the Modern City’s residential area, one of the houses is having a new sod lawn installed (Figure 4).  Looks like they’re almost finished.

 

Figure 4.  New Sod

 

 

Farther along on that residential street, a separate garage, with gorgeous interior detail and interior lighting awaits occupation by a stunning 1956 Ford Thunderbird (Figure 5).   Even the dogs appear to be impressed by that classic car.

 

Figure 5.  T-Bird and Detailed Garage

 

 

 

 

The construction pit in the Industrial Area across from the Modern City, first shown in Report 127, now has a cement mixer in the scene and a mishap in the bottom of the pit (Figure 6).  The wheelbarrow must have been on soft ground, causing it to tip over under the weight of the added concrete.  (If the cause of the tip-over had been the momentum of the cement flowing down the chute, it would have tipped over on its other side, away from the chute.)  The worker in the pit better start shoveling the cement into the forms or back into the wheelbarrow, before the pile of concrete hardens, or he’ll have a bigger job trying to get rid of that hardened lump.

 

Figure 6.  “Don’t Just Stand There.  Start Shoveling!”

 

These are not earth-shattering changes, they’re just little improvements to add realism, to add small stories of interest, or to trigger the customers’ imaginations.  All, hopefully, will enhance the EJ customers’ enjoyment of the layout.

 

© 2018 Tom Bartsch

MVGRS Big Train Project Coordinator