Good Morning Everyone. It's clear and 63° on this fine Friday morning. Things are finally drying out. Mowed part of the east side of the yard yesterday, I'll finish that today and do the south side as well. Started to do some weedeating, but ran out of string immediately and didn't feel like refilling the spool. The spare was empty as well. The grass/weeds will still be there today.
The grocery/beer trek went as planned yesterday, just a bit more crowded. No shortages noted anywhere and there was a large display of hand sanitizer. Face masks were still about the same percentages in the Kroger store as in past weeks, 100% of employees and about 75% of customers. Same at the Vitamin Store and pool supply place. Not so good at the small town BBQ place, where I was the only one wearing one. Despite being allowed 50% dine in service, there were only take-out customers though. That most likely changed as I walked out and six local law enforcement officers walked in. They're located a block from the police station and next door to City Hall. I think that they get a discount.
I'll take my sunny-side-up eggs with a big handful of bacon this morning Flo. Skip the toast today since I gained an extra pound recently.
Thanks for all of the likes and comments regarding the completed Earl's Oil scene posted yesterday;
Jerome, Karl, Louis, Guy, Joe, Patrick, Garry, James, Chet, Bob, Chad, Curt, Ken, Rick, Alan. That scene was quick and fun.
While it wasn't a wasted day in the train shed yesterday, it wasn't a work day. I just ran trains and admired the job that I did on the last project. I pretty much decided that the large area that I posted yesterday will be the next project,
"The Charlottesville Urbanization Project". It will start with adding a short section of backdrop across the north window.
Downside is that it will block part of my view of my pond behind the train shed. I am height-challenged at 5'4" and I will not be able to readily see visiting wildlife there.
I also took a good inventory of the structures already built that could have a home there. Here's a few of them.
I have two ideas in mind about how to map things out. Some of them will be along the front of the layout with an imaginary street just off the layout in either case. The other side of the tracks can either have the rear side of additional structures along the track with a street between them and others (fronts only) against the backdrop. Or option #2 which is to have the street alongside the tracks with full sized structures against the backdrop. Got to think about this for a while. In the meantime I have about two weeks of work repairing the seams in the backdrop, ballasting the track and determining the front side plat.
Guy - Thanks. My first priority when building the layout was to get trains running ASAP. I did all of the benchwork and track laying first, with the intent to come back to the scenery later. That's where I am at right now. While I have many industries in place, in some places, I have switches already in the passing sidings, that lead nowhere for future industries. Besides those larger areas posted about yesterday, I do have some smaller gaps in the scenery here and there. This most recent area which included the confectionery, grain elevator, antiques store, salvage yard and oil distributor has been a very satisfying project. With the exception of that vacant lot posted earlier, I completed scenery from fascia to backdrop for about 7'.
Nice RR pictures that you have been posting. It must be neat to have the real thing so close by.
Joe - Some days I just like to run trains as well. Yesterday was one of them!
Keep up with the progress pictures.
Greg -
I visited San Antonio , Texas in early spring and I couldn't believe how many gardens were planted and we were still getting snow in Wisconsin.
San Antonio is further south of here and they start gardens there a bit earlier than I do. Despite being further south, they don't get quite as hot as it gets here so they last longer into the summer. By the end of June, I am done with everything but tomatoes and peppers, and those are "iffy" in some years. However I can come back in September and replant many things for a Fall harvest in November.
Bob - Everything is cheaper in the South than Illinois. We don't have to house so many ex-governors in prison.
Tom - Nice homestead that you have there.
Everybody have a great day.