Monday, November 18, 2013

A 54 month sabbatical ... I have returned!

Good Heavens! It has been well over FOUR years, since I have posted to this blog. Needless to say - there has been a lot going on in my life since the Summer of 2009.

At any rate, I want to bring each and every one of you an update - as to what has been going on with my modelling endeavours. In both Autumn 2010 and 2012, I have participated with two NMRA OpSIG 'Northern Lights' home layout operating sessions. The 2010 session went reasonably well (especially for a first time honest to goodness operating session!) and the 2012 session showed some deficiencies with the layout, in general.

In the coming winter months, I will have to work on some layout renovation projects, which I shall chronicle on this blog ... Some photos for your viewing pleasure ...


This photo above shows the 'Tramp Job' at Winfield. The crew is grabbing a quick coffee in the transfer caboose - while waiting for the folks at 'Pasture Prime Meats' to finish loading the mechanical reefer. the vehicular traffic uses the ( incomplete) road crossing. The locomotive is an Intermountain SD40-2w ... Transfer caboose is made by Sylvan Models - kindly donated by Dave Hackett.



Here we have a 'visitor' to Kelowna Shops. Trevor Sokolan brought over his Intermountain ES44DC over to show to the 'FREDs' ... Behind the ES44DC, is an Atlas 'Gold Line' MP15DC ... perhaps my favorite loco on the layout.

Shown below is a series of photos, showing the original concept, for the "Kelsey Bay' industrial park. Two of the largest carload generators ('Industries', if you will) are located here. These are a lunbermill and a car barge operation. I had originally wanted to have a steel fabrication plant here, as well. I have since scrapped this - as I was not happy with the way it worked.


General look at the original Kelsey Bay, before the scenic detailing began.


Another view ... showing the yard office. This is before the barge apron was put back into place ...


The lake basin is painted, and some of the scenic detail is done ...


Looking at the end of the barge apron. One can see the concrete 'seawall' in place and painted ...


Another 'seawall' structure, for the yard office parking lot. This one is supposed to be wooden planks. If I had kept this - then I would have further detailed this, with wood pilings and cribbing ... Note the 'porta potty' outhouse for the yard clerk and yard crew! Idler gondola, is sitting adjacent to the yard office ...


So ... in future blog posts ... I will show what I have done with revisions to this 'Kelsey Bay' location. Plus, I will add more photos from my days (and nights!), working the 'high steel' as alocomotive engineer between Edmonton and Edson. Hope you all have enjoyed this installment!


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