Trees...

Trees. Lots of them. I'm up to 800 of them, and that is only one side of the layout (the mountain side, which granted, will have FAR MORE than on the city side of the layout). 100 more should do it. In general, I'm pleased with how things are shaping up...

Creek...

The work on the mountain scenery continues and the creek is starting to take shape. I'll be using Woodland Scenics water products to create the creek, along with the rock work. Here's a few pics of the progress so far:

The Scenery Begins...

Well, I couldn't resist. The carving of the foam base is almost finished, and I couldn't resist the temptation to begin some of the scenery on the mountain portion of the layout. I ordered some pre-fab trees from a vendor on eBay, along with a static grass applicator, and I've been itching to see what I can do with them since they arrived in the mail. This is my first ever attempt at using static grass, and I'm pretty impressed. It definitely gives a much more realistic 3-D effect than what is achievable with simple ground foam. I'm not entirely pleased with the color I'm using (more of a lighter, burnt grass kind of color) and will probably switch up to a darker green. I'll keep the burnt grass for selective use in certain areas (nearer the tracks, areas of heavy traffic, etc.). The trees are sharp. Pretty affordable (about $40.00 for 300 trees). They look good singly, but are best looking clumped together in a forest-like application.

Here's a few pictures:










I've also been at work completing the final large building kits for the city side of the layout. These have included a kit by Walthers Cornerstone, an Atlas brick warehouse kit, along with an old Life-Like Victorian mansion. I'm still refining my idea of where exactly each of the buildings will sit, but he final layout of the city side of the layout is largely formed in my head.

Here's a few pics of some recent work on the city side of the layout:

More Carving...

The carving on the mountain side of the layout is nearing completion, and he mine is roughed in. Track is laid too. Here's some pics of he progress so far:

More Layout Progress...

The mountains are beginning to take shape, and the carving has begun...

Layout Progress: City Taking Shape...

I've begun the work on the city portion of the layout: a hypothetical medium-sized city scene. It's taken about a month but I have constructed all the buildings (mostly DPM, but with a few others thrown in for variety). The city is in two portions: an upper level 2" above track level, and a lower section, 2" below track. The upper section holds a passenger station, with tracks and passenger platform below. The building I'm using as a passenger station is marketed as a bank by Kato. It's an impressively detailed structure that works very well as a smaller passenger station. Two tracks disappear beneath the upper level of the city, directly beneath the station, with one going through the backdrop and coming out through a tunnel in the mountain scene on the other side of the layout. I think this small subterranean scene under the upper level of the city will be one of the nicest scenes on the whole layout. I staged a shot of what it will look like, and you can see it below:

Layout Progress: Workin' on a Building...

I have pretty much settled in my mind what the layout is going to look like: rugged mountain, a stream, and mine on one side, city on the other. If you're gonna have a city then you've gotta have buildings. I turned to Design Preservation Models for the majority of the building kits I would need. This is my first time working with them, and I'm quite impressed with how they are turning out. I've taken my day off today and built five of the sixteen I ordered. I also have four row houses from Custom Model Railroads that I'm anxious to put together, along with a couple Walthers kits. Things are shaping up...

My makeshift workspace:


















Sidewalk view: