Starting From Scratch

I have decided to build an On30 model railroad after a 30 year gap since my last attempt at building a railroad.  I had been happily building HO scale structure dioramas when the lure of Bachmann's On30 engines convinced me that I should try again. I will be trying some of the new methods that have been developed so I am inviting you to join me as I struggle though the trials and tribulations of converting my former wood shop in the garage into what will hopefully be a fully scenicked and operational depiction of a logging railroad early in the 20th century.  I will be experimenting with poly foam and plaster cloth scenery base and trying my hand at DCC.  This is all new to me but should be a fun learning experience.

Our home has a three car tandem garage and I will be building the railroad in the rear stall.  I have removed everything from the wood shop except for some cabinets that will remain and be located under the bench work of the around-the-room railroad.

Here is a view from the rear of the garage showing the wall that I am installing to separate the train room from the rest of the garage.  The plastic boxes on the cabinets contain some of my model building kits and materials and will be stored under the bench work.









I have already started building the bench work and will post photos in a future post.  I might add that the temperatures in the San Joaquin Valley where I live often reach over 100 degrees in the summer so my model building will be somewhat limited during the summer months but I will be able to do some work early in the morning.  I hope to get the bench work finished and the road bed in before too long.  First I have to sheetrock the new wall and paint the room in some shade of blue that will represent the sky.  That's it for the first post.  I hope you will look in again.