MORRISTOWN & ERIE RAILROAD - WESTERN DIVISION

[Erieman]

John,

I took this pic the other morning. This is the other side of the center aisle. The upper town is Essex Fells. Besides the addition of the trees, I have added an older Campbell's kit - Shrock's Meat back behind the Martin Machine and foundry structures. I had another structure back there, but found that it got lost in the scene, so I replaced it.  Still quite a few structures need to be built for the town scene net to the station. Have not yet decided which buildings to add. The retaing wall around the foundry needs to be curved and then fitted into the scene. WHEW, And of course, more trees in the background.

Frank / Erieman

[S&S RR]

Love it!  The trees in the background are making the structures pop.  It is really coming together.  Tell the boss more trees please.

[Erieman]

Love it!  The trees in the background are making the structures pop.  It is really coming together.  Tell the boss more trees please.

Good Morning John,

Yes, a lot of trees a little bit a time.  I am trying to work from back to front, but buildings and switch machines get in the way. I have been cleaning up a couple of buildings that were on foam bases and placing them in Ironia and Essex Falls. I am also building FOS Green Dragon Chinese restaurant for Little Falls. Yard work and the gym are slowing me down. We need some more rain so I can concentrate on working in the train room. Trees really do make the difference. I also have dead and dying pine trees interspersed with the rest of the trees. I have a fallen tree with the stump uprooted that I need to find a good place for. I know that I will need more trees real soon.

Thanks for stopping by.\

Frank / Erieman

[Erieman]

While walking outside the train room earlier this evening, I got a better view of three towns on the layout. After dinner, I came in and took the following three pictures. Chester, Little Falls and Ironia are the towns in these pictures. Because of the angle that I shot them at, you do not see all the unfinished areas. The majority of the pine trees are planted. There is still an area on the west end of Chester that I am hoping that John Siekirk and his buddy Wayne will be out this spring and we build non dicidious trees and fill this area in. In the meantime, there are a couple of roads to pour and street lights in Chester. Buildings to be installed in Little Falls, Ironia and Essex Falls. I have had the buildings for some time, but they have been removed from their foam based and repairs made as needed. I just finished the FOS Green Dragon Chinese restaurant for the town of Little Falls. There are still many small details that will be added during the next couple of months. There are greater details in Essex Falls that are coming along as well. More about the M& E, Western Division soon.

Frank / Erieman

[ger deguelle]

looking nice .

[Janbouli]

Wow Frank that looks great , I especially like how your facia isn't the exact boarder of your layout with the rocks and vegetation hanging over it.

[Twist67]

Hi there,
Fantastic progress and a very fine looking layout. 

Kind Regards,Chris

[Erieman]

looking nice .

Ger,

Thank you for stopping by. Glad you enjoyed the pics.

Frank / Erieman

[GPdemayo]

Neat pics Frank.....the layout is looking good. 

[Erieman]

Wow Frank that looks great , I especially like how your facia isn't the exact boarder of your layout with the rocks and vegetation hanging over it.

Good Morning Jan,

Thank you for your kind words. I am glad you like the fascia. I like them also. The rocks are not plaster, but rubber rocks from Cripplebush Valley Models. Found this company at a national NMRA Convention several years ago and really like the product. They withstand a lot of abuse from my narrow aisles and the paint does not come off. Where I did use plaster, the edges are breaking from all the wear and tear. Fortunately, you don't see the damage. Some of the vegetation gets bumped off once in a while, but generally, it all works. Thanks for stopping by.

Frank / Erieman

[Erieman]

Hi there,
Fantastic progress and a very fine looking layout. 

Kind Regards,Chris

Chris,

Thank you for your kind words. Glad you are enjoying the pics. Trying to make progress every day.

Frank / Erieman

[Erieman]

Neat pics Frank.....the layout is looking good. 

Greg, Top of the Morning from sunny Arizona. We are seeing a general cooling trend, so our nice weather is getting closer. Glad you enjoyed the pics. Still many more months of work in these towns to really be complete, what ever that means. Good to hear from you.

Frank / Erieman

[sdrees]

Frank,

The tree are looking great.  Also, your photography of your layout is wonderful.

[cuse]

Looks great Frank. Love the rock work!


John

[Erieman]

Good Morning John,

Thank you for stopping by and your kind words. You may remember the rocks when you were here a couple of years ago. Now that much of the scenery is filled in, they look even more impressive. As I mentioned to Jan, we found these several years ago at a NMRA National Convention train show. Actually, my wife found the vendor. Cripplebush Models is run be a geologist ( not a train person ) that found a good way to share some of the wonderful rock patterns that he has made. Scissors and hot glue are all you need to create the forms. I use acrylic paint on them and they withstand all kinds of abuse. Instead of cracking like plaster, because they are rubber, they give. Now several of them are filled in the back with sculptamold, but many still have the flexibility. Painting is easy and you get to pick the colors of stone you desire. Now I will say that I got carried away with the rubber rocks, but the effect is something I like. glad you like it also.

Frank / Erieman