Reverse Progress

I've got more done on the layout in the last 3 days than in the last 3 months....amazing what happens when you have some direction.

The lower pic is from "2010" on the previous incarnation of the layout...usually buildings get razed and parking lots are put in their place. In this case the parking lot was buried, replaced by Eleanor's Diner. The scene needs more work; more details, but it's on its way.

Street Progress

Where the road sits was once a track siding, now shortened. It ends to the far right of the photo. I removed the rails at the grade crossing and filled it in with plaster. I added a sheet of masonite under the structures to cover some rough surfaces and start with a clean street. Eventually I'll paint the older pavement to match the new street once it's all glued in place. I have an empty lot between the Ludlow building and the liquor store - I'll have to come up with a new structure, most likely brick to break up the monotony of the clapboard buildings.

I may add a waterfront edge to the layout here, so I can add some buildings in pilings across the street. It would just be a matter of adding an L Girder made up of 1x4 wood...we'll see.

Turning Back the Clock

The area I'm ripping up in the photo will be a lengthy bit of street. In the layouts previous incarnation I hadn't concerned myself with town like streets, I was trying to build as few structures as possible ( I succeeded in that...). Anyhow, I'll either include the track in the foreground, for street running or get rid of it completely. To get a head start I ripped a few structures off some dioramas - Ludlow, Army & Navy, the pawn shop and Pressman Radio. They'll comprise a block.

i'm also considering raising the area towards the back; more streets.