The ROCK 3.0: Weekend Progress Report thru 11.17.13

Saturday, I went up to the local hobby shop that had a "fire" sale with 50% off all N scale locomotives as well as Micro Trains cars.  I picked up an Atlas P&LE GP7.  I have long had a love for the P&LE and it's paint scheme (probably because it has nice contrasting colors for my colorblind self).  Anywho, the ROCK obtained some NW2s from the P&LE.  In my world, we also acquired a couple one P&LE GP7s.

Here's the model....

Here's the prototype...

Saturday afternoon, I started work on building the ramps down from the mainline to the industrial spurs at Peru Power and Philadelphia Quartz.  On 1.0,  I just let gravity do the work transitioning between the two with the intent of filling in will ballast underneath.  This time, I'm taking my time to build gradual ramps down.  I'm really happy with the trackwork on this layout.  Everything is nice and smooth.

After dinner, I painted all the fascia board black.  It's looking good!

Great Northern hopper on the scale....weight is good.

Later in the evening, I cut and shaped the track on main one from the end of the layout up to the first crossover in LaSalle.

Sunday, I glued down the track for Main one, Peru Power and down to the crossover.  

Looking East toward Ottawa Yard (around the corner on the back wall)

My mobile cart for storing ground throw screws.

Westclox - Looking west to the end of the layout.