I haven't done a TRAIN TIME post or layout update in quite a while, but yesterday was the "Milwaukee North Western" train layout's 2nd anniversary. After the old Marxville and Plateau layout was dismantled in 2016, what remained of the boards were used for what I called the 'New Layout' Not really a planned layout per se, just whatever I felt like doing with that space: sometimes track was put down and I played with trains, other times all the train stuff was taken off and I played with my toy collection. In 2021 all that changed when I decided it was time to turn the space into a more-or-less permanent layout. While the track plan and theme is pretty much carved in stone for this layout, the layout of the streets and buildings has changed several times and this past week that all changed again. Let's see what's going on out in The Cave shall we? Enjoy! Opa Fritz
June 2021: Two months after I started the layout, most of the track is in place. There's an outer oval of O-42 Menard's tubular track with no switches allowing me to run anything rated for up to O-42 curves. The inner O-36 loop has two switches connecting each side of the oval which turns it into a reverse loop, and two more switches leading into a yard area towards the right.
Sep 2021: The reverse loop is in and there are two more switches/turnouts branching off to the right
Nov 2021: It's starting to get that 'big city in a small' space feel I was after. The station is an American Flyer S-gauge station but it works just fine for the layout.
Aug 2022: The layout lay dormant from Dec 2021 to Aug 2022 when I had some health issues.
By now, things have changed again a little bit and you'll notice there's a different train station now. The American Flyer station has been replaced by a Plasticville Union Station. That is by design. I have a lot of stations and like to swap them out from time to time.
Aug 2022: After not playing trains for eight months, by August 2022 I was ready to play. The Plasticville Union station has been replaced by one from NOMA.
Oct 2022: Started laying down roads and concrete
Oct 2022: Coming along! There is now a Menard's Milwaukee Road engine house in the yard area to the right
Nov 2022: So far I'm satisfied by the building arrangement in the yard area. The Menard's engine house and Sprecher Brewery with the Lionel ice dock works. The city area is still in flux
Feb 2023: I kinda like the building arrangement and I kinda don't. The station area is pretty much a keeper - the remainder? We shall see!
Mar 2023: Looks like we have different stations again. A Marx Passenger Platform next to a Sunset Toys and Trains tin-litho station
A nice overall view
31 Mar 2023: Scenery work has been slow going on this layout - I'm just having fun running trains!
The station area has had 'concrete' laid down - gray paint with expansion lines drawn in using a Sharpie pen.
The switch tower/signal tower area now has some ground cover. Just like the station area, this plot of land can accommodate a variety of towers like this Plasticville I just got a few weeks ago
12 Apr 2023: Yesterday. And yup, the cityscape has changed again.
I'm playing with the arrangement again. The buildings now face the viewer head on and afford that 'busy' look that big cities have. Unfortunately, they can't be moved further back because the Lionel switch motors stick out too far. For right now, roads are being visualized with black poster board. The station area will remain where it is.
The Sunset Trains and Toys station has been replaced with a Prewar Fandor tin-litho station.
A view of the switch motors prior to me rearranging the buildings. Those switch motors are designed to be taken off and mounted to the other side of the track, however there is no room to do that here.
Okay, that's it for today. Hopefully there will be more progress shortly.
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