The Los Pinos and Toltec Smelter

[dem34]

One of my soapbox speeches is how much more vegetated Colorado really is than most people choose to model.  The ground in the high country is textured with any number of varieties of scrub brush, alpine grasses, lichens, scrub oaks, with very little exposed dirt.  I'm spoiled because I get to see it continually.

You've captured that exceptionally well!  Bravo!

Always get a chuckle when I see layouts set out in California, Nevada, and Colorado that have scenery that seems to be trying to emulate the Sahara.

[Peter S]

Ive been away, but the layout is progressing. Just lacking the photos on the updates. I have finished the 7 foot of scenery, finally, moved to another part of the layout and spent a couple of weeks just servicing the layout with replacement of broken wires, switchblades, LED's, updated train cars. Now I am back to the turntable. I hate turntable work, they are such fincky beasts and even when I have a great AAA turntable and PTC train controller, wood being wood moves and the tracks leading to the turntable need attention.Butbhere is a happy photo of Porter, where I have succumbed to the ideas of "less is more".
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[Peter S]

Note to self. Must take some more photos. That will get me updating more often. The mountain scene is finished. I have been working on the scene behind the roundhouse and the Coal tower. Finally decided no buildings. Just Cottonwoods with an aim to try and get the colour and feel of those Cottonwood Trees (?) behind the yard at Chama. In my layout I have decided to model the colour "Green",  so unusual to the area where I live. Also the colour of the cinders/ballast is a work in progress, as is getting used to the wonderful colours and textures of the new scenery line out of Holland by Martin Wellberg. So its an older photo of another bridge leading around the big island curve through to Los Pinos. I would be taking it now. The track has moved slightly and the bridge builders are waiting patiently to shore up the old bridge!.
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[Peter S]

I have been busy tidying up the layout. Repairing burnt out LED's, fixed missing Industry ID's, running trains to see if my instructions are clear enough and repairing minor scenery jobs that takle more time to set up to do with materials, than doing. Here is a section of my new scenery. It is only 8 inches deep, but I think I managed to capture distance. It's over the duck-under that leads into the layout. And on the other side is a completely different scene. In the meantime I have been making Cottonwoods and working on my Goosebarn.
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[Santa Fe Guy]

Looks good in the image but even better when viewed in person.
Rod.

[Hawghead]

I have been busy tidying up the layout. Repairing burnt out LED's, fixed missing Industry ID's, running trains to see if my instructions are clear enough and repairing minor scenery jobs that takle more time to set up to do with materials, than doing. Here is a section of my new scenery. It is only 8 inches deep, but I think I managed to capture distance. It's over the duck-under that leads into the layout. And on the other side is a completely different scene. In the meantime I have been making Cottonwoods and working on my Goosebarn.
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That scene is astonishing!  It really looks much deeper than it is.  I didn't realize the train was as close to the back drop as it is until I noticed the tunnel portal, that's the only real give away to how shallow the scene really is.  BZ.

Scott

[Peter S]

This time around I have been running trains, fixing up card cards and instructions and minor electrical fault finding. No new scenery. This time around I am including a photo of my Division Point K36 in my new section above the duck-under into the layout room. Beautiful locomotive but I really needed to own it before I started my track work. While mainly fault free for the Blackstone locos, the track work needs a bit of attention for this guy and I doubt it will ever do the switching I like. It seems to stop on a spec of dust and many of the Fast track turnouts need opening up for it to run smoothly.
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[Santa Fe Guy]

Beautiful loco's. Nice shot Peter.
Rod.

[Peter S]

I have been working on another corner of the layout building the Goose Barn from Narrow Gauge Colorado and installing it. More of a major job that I thought especially since I had to remnove the doors of the barn so the Goose could fit! At present I scenicing around the barn and the roundhouse. Plaster cloth in and painted now rock castings and grass. Here is a pic of an oil train entering the fictional town of Porter, a transition point on the layout for out to Cortez or down south to Silverton.
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[boisecity]

Very realistic Peter, love your layout

[Hawghead]

Peter,

I always enjoy seeing pictures of your layout, really give me inspiration for my own.  I'd still like to see your track plan. 

Scott

[nthusiast]

What an awesome layout! I've been modeling vicariously through you guys until I have the time and budget to do something (anything, actually). In the meantime, I'm having fun putting Photoshop skills to work on some of your images. I trust this is OK since Photoshop and photography skills are usually discussed on these boards. I created this image using default Photoshop filters and two stock photos I happened to have on hand (vintage postcard stock and a wood background). There are lots of layers involved, sort of like the weathering process used on so many off the models here. Blurs, distortions, transparency, etc. I could spend more time on this image but duty calls elsewhere. Thanks to all for sharing your work. It's a lot of fun to follow.
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[dcarrell8]

Stunning!  definitely inspiring!

[Peter S]

Thank you for all the kind comments! Ive been slowly finishing off around the roundhouse and putting in the Goosebarn from Narrow Gauge Colorado. I find when you retrofit something there is more work.  Electrical work, bench work and then scenery. I think I used almost 50 types of scenic material, which means take out, use, clean up.
This photo look back towards the roundhouse and features a nice shot of two Blackstone locos and the roundhouse. I'll take some photos of the roundhouse and goose barn next. Just getting the layout ready again for operation.
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[Santa Fe Guy]

Wow bring on Friday cannot wait to see the new work, it looks stunning.
Rod.