I just KNEW it had to be something like that ! 

Jon, you just keep hammering away and it keeps getting better.

I do have a question though, how does that coaling tower get filled ?

Thanks again for all the pictures.

Ken

Thanks everybody for your comments.

Len, I would dearly love to have a look into your toolbox ! ! !

Ken

Time for a little update.  Been working on buildings for my mining area.
First five pics show the tedious process of using bamboo skewers for logs/shakes/and stringers.











These next five photos show the building I'm working on.











...and one more picture showing one of the more popular establishments of my layout.



That's it for now, more to follow.

Ken

Those night shots are fantastic !  Kind of forget it's 1/87 scale.
I would've never thought of using tulle (asked my wife how to spell) for the chain link.
Do you go to your local dress shop to buy the stuff or what ?  I used regular 'screen'
material once, but it's a little out of scale for HO.

Thanks for all the pics.

Ken

Thanks Russ, those are Jordan vehicles and I sure wish I'd have bought more
when they were available.

Ken

Well, I finally figured out the initial configuration of my second level mining area.
Everything that shows 'cardboard' will eventually covered with scenery.  There
may even be more mining facilities.  The few elements that I've fit in now still
need more work and finishing.



This upper tunnel portal will (hopefully) be 'blended' into the mine facility, as if it's attached to the mountain.



This just another viewpoint of the same area from the opposite side.



An overall shot from the end of the second level.  Everything in the mining area is still removable.  I remove
everything, then work a little bit on the scenery, then replace a building, see how it fits, then remove it again
and make adjustments, reinstall, etc...



This last shot gives an idea of how big the 'mountain' will eventually be.  That long horizontal piece of
cardboard in the middle of the pics is the lower end of the tunnel.  I have no idea what's going to be in
that area yet.



More to follow

Ken

Amazing !  Lights make all the difference.  If you ever get a whole bunch of buildings, or and
apartment building, consider using Christmas tree lights. 

Thanks for the pics.

Ken

It's all coming together nicely Sheldon,  Now I guess I get to play "catch up".

Thanks for all the pics.

Ken

I really enjoy the way everything is coming along, Jon.  Keep up  the good work.
And remember: You can NEVER put up too many pictures.

Thanks.

Ken

Facing point is like exiting the interstate via an off-ramp without stopping.  Tailing point you have to pass
through the switch, then reverse and back into the stub.

HTH

Ken

Jon:  It's one continuous loop.  If you look at the third photo (topside) and count the tracks from the top of the
photo to the bottom, the train visible is on track #3 going uphill.  It will come out of the tunnel portal on track #2
and be going towards the right of the photo.  It then goes around the top layer of the layout and comes back
toward the tunnel portal and enters on track #1.  When it comes out of tunnel (behind the school) it will cross
Johnny's River and go around the poor side of town and reappear on track #4 going downhill now.  It will continue           
on to the bottom level and round the lower 'turn around' in a tunnel, emerge on the large trestle and head back up
to where it is now.

Hope this helps, maybe I need to sit down and draw a serious track plan and post it.

...more to follow...

Ken

Well, it's been a while and I've been falling behind of Jonathan and Sheldon (both looking better and better by the
way), so I started to change things up a bit.

You remember the 'cardboard' backdrop but that where it ends.  I didn't like the grade that increased behind the school.
I decided to put a tunnel entrance there and for it come to come out up behind the mining area.


Here's the lower end of the tunnel,  This entire corner will be 'under' a mountain.


Here's the 'topside'.


Here you can see 'both' ends.  I got a lot of work (drying time) to do.  I may put a quarry up against the mountain
alongside the mining area.  I'm still not sure what it'll be yet...


more to follow

Ken

I'm definitely going to miss his input.
Our loss.

S/F
Ken

Those sure are some nice looking crossings.

Thanks for the pics.

Ken