Let’s start at the South Yard. There is an engine service area at the far end including a turntable and six stall roundhouse. There is an arrival and departure track and five yard tracks with the outer being a run-around. The yard lead is behind the camera. Obviously there is a lot to be finished here!
Coming around from the South Yard going northward we start up the 1-1/2% grade at Mistic. This is my way of connecting the upper and lower levels without losing your train in a helix for what seems hours. I also really like the opportunity it affords for some dramatic scenery.
Coming around the mountain to the back side. There is another level of track that is hidden, but there are windows cut into the facia for maintenance or mishaps. Behind the backdrop is an open area for access as well.
This is a shot coming off the grade and onto the upper level at the tunnel and into Spencer.
Below is the General Store and Spencer Feed and Seed. Spencer siding is one of the four passing sidings on the single track mainline.
Continuing northward we see the Campbell Supply store.
Just past Spencer Siding is one of my favorite scenes at Leeky Creek. The Creek got its mis-spelled name while I was pouring the Enviro-Tex Light and it sprung a leak.
Upper canyon Trestle is a scratch-built bridge spanning a deep canyon. Below this is the north -south connector track which allows me to run trains continuously if I wish. It also allows crews from the North Yard to use the engine facilities at South Yard.
This mine tipple and the miners’ houses are scratch built. In this yet to be completed scene, the coal mine is up over the hill and miners use the path and stair to get to and from work, passing by the company store. There is a hidden MP3 player with the tune “16 Tons” by Tennesse Earnie Ford playing in the background.
Passing by the mine, we see Coalton Siding, another passing siding.
At the end of the upper deck is a cannery as a temporary stand-in. The photo below shows the upper and lower decks and the rock transition between the two.
We come around to the north side of the center peninsula. The center of the peninsula is a Masonite backdrop which helps to make the layout seem larger. This side of the peninsula is rugged territory and an opportunity for some dramatic scenery. The lower track is hidden going around the end of the peninsula. You can see the window cut for access. The construction of the scenery in this area is described here. There is a log flume to get timber from the mountains into the mill pond. A spur track, to be added, will traverse a trestle to service the future scratch-built sawmill.
The sawmill is temporarily set in place. Soon the mill pond will finally have some water in it.
Coming around to the other side of the view block, we see the future town of Midelton. There is a siding and a couple of spur tracks here to be developed.
Coming off the lower track on the peninsula we level off again. The back track heads off into staging while the front track leads to the main and arrival/departure track at Northtown station. The Bridge abutments, walls, and streetlights are all 3D printed. The backdrop behind North Yard is printed and applied to the Masonite.
This is North Yard. The city scene here is under construction. There is an icing platform to the right with a dedicated track.
North Yard track is complete, save a spur siding. You can see the two staging tracks next to the backdrop, the yard lead is behind the camera. The round gray object under the yard lead track is a remote controlled uncoupler. The design is similar to the Rapido RailCrew uncoupler. I had several of these on order for at least a year, got tired of waiting and decided to design and build my own. Most of the components are 3D printed. I have placed them liberally in this yard as they are quite inexpensive to make this way. The two tracks against the backdrop are the staging tracks.
