2mm Ashuelot Branch 1939

[garethashenden]

I haven't updated this thread since March, and there's a very good reason for that. In March I got a pair of kittens and they are a bit too enthusiastic about the railroad. Luckily I have managed to make some progress recently, hopefully that will continue. In chronological order, this is what I've been up to.

I scratchbuilt the coal trestle for Ashuelot Paper according to the B&M's standard plans. Its all Evergreen styrene.




The back of the backscene was explored. I'm kinda impressed he made it up, and he had no trouble getting all the way up.


Trees were inspected


I wasn't happy with the rock cutting. I had painted them too heavily and they'd lost the detail. So I replaced them all with new castings.


Which had to be inspected:


And with a thin wash


The trestle has now been painted and installed. Its floating for most of the length so I'll need to bring the ground level up a bit in places. But at least the track is level!

 

[Lyndhurstman]

I’m getting a good feline about this build. Nice work; the trestle is wonderful.

Cheers

Jan

 

[Oban27]

I have trouble with one feline manager but two? Good luck!

Roja

 

[Simon H]

Fortunately, our cat is getting on in years and less likely to climb all over things like layouts! It took me a while to realise that your layout was N scale...I've dabbled in US N but never quite got as far as a layout, but although I sold all the stock I'd bought, I still have some track, turnouts, structure kits and other stuff so I could potentially return to it.
I really like the whole North Eastern genre for modelling, and having found this thread will be following your progress with interest.
Cheers,
Simon.

 

[garethashenden]

I have been slowly plodding along with this. Never enough at once to justify a post, but there has been progress here and there. Overall I'm pleased with what I've done, although I wish there was more of it. However, there is one aspect of the layout that needs to be changed. Its a major one, and luckily its not too late. I am not happy with my choice of season. It had chosen late October/early November, but having just lived through them I am reminded that it is a miserable time of year. Its cold and dark and depressing, and not what I want from my bit of escapism. So a change to late May/early June is in order. Luckily there are only half a dozen trees planted.




I have also started construction of one of the paper mills, Paper Services Inc. It is a complex building that was added onto many times over the years. I suspect that the concrete block section is later than my period, but I like the contrast in materials so I'm going to model it anyway.

 

[garethashenden]

I have gotten the yard complete enough that trains can originate there! So far its only one track and three switches, but it works! To celebrate I ran a train and switched an industry. The 4-4-0 was about at capacity with a fair bit of wheel slip pulling cars up out of Ashuelot Paper, but its not the correct power for the layout. I need to get back to the 2-8-0.