Label: Getting work done

Last post I made an important announcement about a milestone on The Omega Scale Railway, the Murphysboro module. I put a picture at the top of the blog showing a good portion of the module and made an announcement on Facebook directing readers to the blog. I did this because I wanted to give blog readers a first look at what had been accomplished. So far so good. Also, blog readers may have noticed that the posting came out about six hours late. This was so I could coordinate everything I wanted to show. Plus there was a delay due to a personal problem that was not serious. What your omscaler is looking at now is....drum roll please, work cars. “What do you mean?”, you may be asking yourself. I am referring specifically to a least two flat cars. We need these to carry rails and ties to construct the main line to other destinations. Obviously, I have been doing this without any work cars so to speak, but I wanted to have them on the layout for authenticity. Still workin' on the railroad, omscaler

Label: A home of their own at last!

That's right. We got it. It is still basic I know, but we are there. This week's blog is accompanied by pictures of the Murphysboro Illinois module. Right now it looks like a snow storm or a massive white sand beach. Obviously the underlayment is primarily white. But as you can see, all track work is there. Grade crossings are complete as far as the parts adjacent to the rails. We still need some between the roadbeds themselves. This is evident in the photographs. I expect this to be done by the time this post is published. What we are looking at next is the grade crossing fill in mentioned above, streets and either dirt lots or lawns. And then buildings. Also, we are headed both north and south on the main line. All aboooard! See you later, omscaler

Label: More progress

Another update. Last time I related the trackwork progress. I did finish all the the straight trackage in the module. Then I began to work on the turnouts (switches). At first it seemed that I had hit a mental road block. I pondered, I meditated, I studied. No go. Then I decided to rest my brain for a day or so. That was it! I was able to mentally picture a completed turnout. Lesson learned. A common way to overcome brain lock. Put the thing down! The issue seemed to solve itself. Still working, omscaler

Label: Still trackin'     

Work in downtown Murphysboro, Illinois is still coming along. This has indeed been a busy process. It seems like you do a lot of work but don't get anywhere since everything is in the old M&O rail yard. Of course you're gonna' need a lot of track to hold numerous rail cars so it must be done. The flip side of this is even when you get done, you're going to run out of room. Ironic I know. But, as previously mentioned, bounds must be set. Still, I've been fabricating track after track. There is a man named GEORGE SELLIOS, who has built a very fine model railroad layout with a very high level of detail. I read in an article about the model railroad that he put a company name of a large downtown office building as I.M. Boren. He said he got very bored making all the windows for the building. I get it. I can relate. Nevertheless, persistence wins the day. By the way, if I have not already mentioned, on September 12^th, the annual Murphysboro, Illinois Apple Festival starts. The 12^th through the 15^th I believe. Mr. Apple will be there. Parades, competitions, demonstrations too. Oldest non-alcoholic festival in southern Illinois. Over 45,000 in attendance. Mark your calendars! Until next time, omscaler