As 2008 draws to a close, I'm finally running trains after a 3 year layout-less period.  Like many of you, I'll be posting periodically to share my work, seek advice, and generally add to the fun of model railroading.

So we will start with a short set of photos.  The images that follow are of the first of three secions of my new N-scale layout.  I'm building a shelf style switching layout to recreate some of the Kansas City Southern (KCS) industrial switching that I used to rail fan while growing up in Baton Rouge, LA.  I'll share my track plan in a future post.

 This first photo is of the area where I'll be putting in Section 1.  It will feature an oil refinery, so there will be intra-plant switching while the turn works other industries off the other side of the main.

The benchwork is attached to the studs in the wall using heavy-weight anchors that screw into the wall, and then have screws go into the the anchors through holes in the framing.  While you can't see the bubble, I can assure you it is level.

Here's the 3/8 inch plywood sub-top attached.  There will be one inch foam on top of this (which I have actually installed already - along with all the track).

Since I hate to see any layout without trains, I set down some temporary tack and tried out the close-up feature on my digital camera.  The loco is an old Atlas GP-30 which I painted and detailed.  The KCS box car behind it is a Microtrains 60' box.  The track is a 3 foot piece of Bachman Easy Track I keep around for display purposes.  The installed track will be Atlas Code 80 flex-track for the main and Atlas and Microengineering code 55 flex track and switches.  All will be held down with No-VOC (Volitile Organic Compunds) exterior caulk.

So, I go back to finish track work and wiring in between college football bowls (Go SEC!).  It sure looks like 2009 will be a great year!