My hope is to get back to writing on here more often. For that matter, I hope to get back to more modeling as my demanding (but rewarding) time as an instructor comes to and end and we’ve gotten the littlest child through her first year successfully.
For now, I have an update to the YouTube channel that shows what I’ve been working on this past year! Hope you enjoy the new bookshelf layout, which I’m calling “Somewhere Down South.”
Red Dirt and Rails 
Alex I just want you to know I found your FarmRail layout very inspirational. I have a roughly 10X10 “L” shaped space I am squeezing a HO switching layout into. I had originally planned on adapting David Barrows’ “South Plains District” to fit, but the more I looked at it the more cramped and busy it looked.
Then I stumbled on your layout and realized it was exactly what I was looking for. I am stealing most of your track plan and making the whole layout one area instead of two separate areas like the South Plains.
I have had a prototype in mind for about 15 years, and even made a couple of pilgrimages to Colorado to research it. Your trackplan will adapt perfectly to loosely model Center, the reason for existence of the San Luis Central. Hoppers, reefers, and tank cars. Lots of character. Main products are grain and potatoes outbound and fertilizer inbound. Motive power the real world is an SW8 and a GE 70 tonner.
Benchwork is done and I am currently arranging the trackplan to make up for the slightly shorter space. Also, I am one of those Rio Grande nuts so my power will provided by a D&RGW GP40-2. Gotta have a gyralight or I ain’t happy! 🙂 I am also working on some cars to represent the SLC’s secondhand reefers and hoppers.
Thanks for helping revive my desire to build trains. If you have time please update your blog! I need more content on what you are doing 🙂
Best of wishes to you and your family, including the dogs.
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