#42 -April Status Report

April 2, 2010

This month we’ll look at some of the recent additions to the layout.  I’ll describe them in the order in which you would see them as you walk the aisle in the layout.

On the hill above the army depot is a new tannery.  Details include a large tanning wheel, numerous workers, some of the hides being worked, and a number of animals, which hopefully will not contribute parts of themselves for the product (Figure 1).

 

 
Figure 1.  The Tannery

 

On the mountain across the aisle from the lake, the fire has grown.  It now has three hot spots instead of just one (Figures 2).

 

 
Figure 2.  The Wildfire

 

After entering the Middle Period you’ll see a new scene in the ravine next to the fire house.  It’s  a shanty town, complete with a junk vehicle, old tires, a lot of old rusty oil drums, and all kinds of other junk (Figure 3).

 

 
Figure 3.   Shanty Town

 

On the bridge spanning that ravine, there is a trolley stop (Figure 4).  It’s one of many that have been added throughout the Middle Period city.  They are all well lit and adorned with excellent period advertisements.  There are also passengers waiting, who have to be the most frustrated people on the layout, since the trolleys frequently come by but rarely, if ever, stop there.  Making them stop at the right place and time is something yet to be done by the controls crew some time  in the future.

 
Figure 4.  A Trolley Stop

 

A little farther along the frontage of the city, across the tracks from the trolley barn, is a newly added unloading ramp for piggyback trailers (Figure 5).

 
Figure 5.  Piggyback Unloader

 

Farther along the frontage, next to the jail and across the street from the movie theater is a recently added library building (Figure 7).  If you look carefully into the interior, you’ll see the librarian and the shelves of books.

 

 
Figure 6.  The Library

 

In the Middle Period engine servicing facility, next to the coaling tower, a pair of crew cars have been added (Figure 7).  One of them is an old but well-lit heavyweight passenger car where workers are “enjoying” a meal.  The other is a rusty, beat-up, and bent old gondola, holding ties, tools, parts, and other maintenance-related equipment.

 
Figure 7.  Crew Cars

 

In the Modern City, in the park across the street from the Carlson Hotel, there’s a new locomotive display, appropriately fenced in to protect it from vandals.  Or is the fence meant to keep kids off so they won’t hurt themselves and have their parents sue the city (Figure 8).

 

 
Figure 8.  The Locomotive Display

 

The changes continue.  Come join us at the MVGRS banquet, and see how the layout has evolved since the last time you saw it.

 

© 2010 Tom Bartsch

MVGRS Big Train Project Coordinator