cklammer

For O Gauge use this:

Hello Stu,

 very impressive stream!

Best Regards,

Christian

 Somewhere in the US of A ... This could be a multi-location layout: England and New England.

 The pictures with the CSX switcher do not jump out at me as being incongruous ... maybe the (current) lack of signage on the layout is helping this.

 It would probably not withstand rivet-counting or rail profile inspection but the first impression is, at least to me, believable.

Best Regards,

Christian

Yup, that's very nice.

Christian

Hello Paul,

The backscene really does complete the layout!

 It looks very, very nice.

Best Regards,

Christian

This is on the left-hand side Rhine river mainline:

Jerry, last picture the lower left layout corner (the grass around the tree) needs some more detailing IMO: maybe some gopher holes, flowers and/or some chickens? The ground vegetation is looking a bit uniform there ....

Otherwise it is such nice and sweet little layout.

Best Regards,

Christian

Oh nice: the baggage variant.

4 Umbauwagen is quite sufficiently enough IMO - if you want more passenger stock then get some variation unless you are late German era III/early era IV.

Howard, have you thought about your goods traffic, yet?

Best Regards,

Christian

Hello Jerry,

 I'd lay in some stock of them .... can't be to hard to get about 5 of them: it'll save you time.

Best Regards,

Christian

You must have missed the special through trip announcement, Rod

Looking very nice.

Christian

Hello Howard,

 found some tunnel portal pictures for you: KBS 474 / KBS 248  3005 (KBS 478, 12478 / KBS 248m) 3002 (Stillgelegt, Radweg / KBS 248h) 3015 (Radweg / KBS 248q)

 "Radweg" => cycling path, in this context it means that the line in question has been built back.

 "Stillgelegt" => disused, out of service

 Pictures are mostly from this millennium so beware on the ballasting seen in the pictures ... and thus not much smoke stains either since the steamies weren't running there anymore since the late 1960ies/ early 1970ies ...

Best Regards,

Christian

Edit: KBS = "Kursbuchstrecke" and some (mostly branch) lines' KBS numbers have changed with time twice or thrice

Edit #2: the lines listed are all left of the Rhine river and north of the Moselle river, i.e. the Eifel mountains.

Always use the chance for an extra small diorama

Hello Steve,

 I am most likely stating the most obvious but in the sole interest of safety: microscope slides (thin, fragile slides) splinter and cut well and are not for use when small kids are around ... also for the same reason do not put your meals down right next to them when you working with them.

 No offense intended but if unintentionally given: my apologies in advance. I have seen ungood things happen.

Best Regards,

Christian

Jerry,

This is really nice .. and manageable to build.

Now you can go and build the FY segment and scenick it ... and then the next scenic FY segment with an industry and maybe .. and ... and ... and ... and ... and after you are finished you have a layout with a 30-feet-run   

Best Regards,

Christian

Howard,

 I am finding it amazing how seamless the transition from model to backscene is.

Best Regards,

Christian

Maybe even a grocery box module standard ?

This one looks very nice: visually appealing with a nice sense of proportion.

Very nice and amazing progress for two weeks!

The mouse-over text was labelled "45xx Wadebridge" ... I found that being a useful clue ...

Hello Steve,

 Either one of the last two images look fine to me but I for myself like the last one best.

Best Regards,

Christian

Hi Paul,

 this looks very appealing already - even at this stage one could leave as it as a "winter" layout.

 Also it conveys a nice impression of flow and spaciousness.

Best Regards,

Christian

Ahem: a prototypical explanation for all the grass at the end of the track: " .. the sidings are still used as a crew relief point ..." and it shows (and smells) about the crews relieving themselves!

But seriously: this is looking very nice - just right IMO.

Best Regards,

Christian

I like the embankment very much; it counters a possible auditorium effect quit nicely IMO.

From the pictures not so sure about two huts anymore; can we (I ) see pictures of the whole layout showing the different hut placement options?

Best Regards,

Christian

Man, am I glad that I was not sent to Bristol for my summer school holiday's English language school: they appear to speak Alien and not English

Christian

Moin Howard,

 found some station histories from the Hochsauerland for you online; the author is a former railroad civil servant which documented several stations in his close local vicinity and is also running a private archive of the Bundesbahn semi-annual and special train time table books (Kursbuch).

 The Hochsauerland and Bergisches Land is basically on the other side of the Rhine river from the Eifel and a bit more downstream.

 On three web pages: an exhaustive history "Chronik des Bahnhofs Wiedenest im oberen Dörspetal" from opening 1903 to closure in the 1980ies. Every time table for every year is online, accompanied by selected Bahnhofsfahrordnungen and rules for running the local shunters for several shunters. Plus tons of unique contemporary photographs - "treasure trove" does not even begin to describe it! The author started working for the Bundesbahn at Wiedenest as a teenager fresh out school.

 Some similar but not as exhaustive station pages on linked the above site: Bahnhof Kotthausen, Bahnhof Bergneustadt - 80 Years and Brügge (Westphalia) during the 1950ies and 1960ies.

 You can download time tables, station rules and similar stuff for developing the prototypical operations of Brückenheim there.

 I have only today found this site myself.

Best Regards,

Christian

Chris,

 I am sorry but just can not help myself knowing your military connections:which scale have you ordered in - 1:1 or 7mm?

Best Regards,

Christian