#68 Status Report

November 8, 2012

As in past, this article shows some of the things recently changed in the EnterTRAINment Junction layout.  As usual, the order in which they are presented is in the order in which you would come upon them as you followed the layout’s aisle.

 

The first change is the replacement of a building, across the street from the fire house in the Middle City, with a set of three new ones with interior detail and both interior and exterior lighting (Figure 1).

 

 
Figure 1.  New Middle City Buildings

 

 

The details are spectacular, and there are a lot to see and to appreciate.  Figure 2 shows just a few of them, like the Arthur Murray dance studio, Connors Corner Café, Fran’s Frocks boutique, and the beauty salon.  Other features to look for are a barber shop, optometrist, book store, and antique shop, as well a lot of small elements on the buildings and on the sidewalks that enhance the realism of the scene.

 

 
Figure 2.  New Building Details

 

 

Work to replace the turntable in the Middle Period engine servicing facility with one that can be automated has progressed to the installation of the new pit and bridge (Figure 3) along with the mechanism below the pit which will rotate the bridge.  What remains is to paint and weather the pit and then the more significant challenge of programming the controls to make the bridge turn and stop at the correct location and make a locomotive run onto and off of the bridge at appropriate times and locations.

 

 
Figure 3.  New Turntable Pit and Bridge

 

 

Most of the buildings on the hillside behind the Modern City were printed façade buildings modified from the original buildings which graced the city’s foreground early in the layout’s history.  These are slowly being modified to incorporate real windows and interior lighting which shows through them.  One of these is shown in Figure 4, which also shows that there are more still to do.

 

 
Figure 4.  Lighted Modern City Background Building

 

 

In the Modern Yard, a new diesel fueling station has been installed next to the locomotive maintenance building (Figure 5).  It includes lighting, filter canisters, equipment cabinets, shutoff valves, and,of course, the filler hoses and their nozzles.

 

 
Figure 5.  Modern Yard Fueling Station

 

 

Finally, as a teaser to get you thinking about things to come see, I’ve included a picture of some of the amusement rides (Figure 6), which will be installed in the amusement park planned for the elevated area behind the mezzanine, on the opposite side from the mezzanine’s windows.  In addition to what’s shown, the main feature will be a functioning roller coaster.  We’re all looking forward to seeing it set up and operating.  It’s going to be huge!

 

 
Figure 6.  Amusement Park in Work

 

 

The quality of the modeling continues to be outstanding, and the evolution of the layout through additions and replacements keeps making it ever better.  Come see it!

 

© 2012 Tom Bartsch

MVGRS Big Train Project Coordinator