Progress Report 11.24.12 - Ballasting

This afternoon, I worked on the layout while my daughters painted pictures on the floor.  I ballasted the section of track between LaSalle and Utica as well as about 60% of the Bureau Junction interlocking.

I'll have to wait for the glue to dry to see if I need to go back and touch-up.  Hopefully, it will turn out ok.  Ballasting hasn't been my greatest accomplishment, but generally looks ok.

Progress Report 11.21.12 - Scenery Progress

Worked on the layout for about thirty minutes tonight.  I sanded the highway between Peru and LaSalle, IL.  I trimmed up the sides of the road.  The road required some more plaster in places.  I added that and will hopefully finish sanding tomorrow so I can paint the roads and move on to ground cover.

I used an india ink wash to act some character to the rock cut between LaSalle and Utica, IL.

Progress Report 11.20.12 - Prep for Ballast

This morning, I had intentions to sand the roads in the new scenery between Peru and LaSalle, but the plaster was still a little soft.  I will work on that later.

Instead, I painted the ties/rails Railroad Tie Brown between LaSalle and Utica and at Bureau Junction.  I plan on ballasting over the long weekend.

Progress Report 11.19.12 - Back on Scenery

This morning I went back to work on scenery in the area between Peru and LaSalle, IL.  I added some styrofoam and lathered up some joint compound.  I completed the rough scenery on the other side of the track from the Peru Water & Power Plant.

Below are some pictures, but it's hard to see with everything being white currently.

The road from the aisle in front of the Westclox Plant toward the corner where it will go off behind some scenery.

An overall view of the area.

New hillside across the tracks from the Peru Water & Power Plant

New hillside across the tracks from the Peru Water & Power Plant

New driveway down to the plant from the highway shown in the first few pictures.

A view from the hillside across the tracks from the Peru Water & Power Plant looking back toward the Westclox plant.

This evening, I went back to work for a short period, but managed to get the styrofoam cut and installed between the two levels of Peru and West Ottawa/Utica.  

I was planning on lathering up the styrofoam with plaster in the morning.  I got a second wind after the girls went to bed.  So, all the areas between the two levels of the layout in photos 1 thru 3 is now filled with styrofoam and plastered.  Wow!  I think I'm back!