Layout Photos added 5/29/00
Construction Update

Bob and Sharlain Chapman recently completed a 2-week visit with us, during which we made Major League progress on the layout. I took the 2 weeks off from work and Bob & I treated the layout as our full-time job. Sharlain also did a ton of tree and foliage work. These "Before & After" photos will show what we accomplished. This first shot is the framework for Mount Chapman, with the site of a future wooden trestle in the foreground.
Here is Mount Chapman after the application of Geodesic Foam hardshell.
Trains enter and leave the layout via East (lower level) and West (upper level) staging yards. Here is the "Before" photo of this area, with holes in the wall to staging, control panels in front, and 3 levels of trackwork.
After hardshell, tunnel portals, wing walls, tunnel liner walls, and preliminary foliage, the area looks much different. This and all of the other foliage work you will see is credited to Sharlain Chapman. She also built a lot of trees for me, which will be included in an upcoming update.
Leaving East staging, the first town area encountered is East Valley (on the lower level). Here it is "Before". The train on the upper level is in the town of Summit.
The "After" shot of East Valley shows the team track to the left, then the helper engine station, with East Valley station to the right. The area has now been isolated by the scenery and has much more character. The white areas are unpainted rock castings, with a few more to be added.
On the other side of the peninsula is the town of West Valley, again without much character in this "Before" photo.
West Valley now forms another distinct scene, with the beginnings of some industry. Yet to be added is a 3-story warehouse to the left of the culvert unloader. The switch tower in the foreground is a postwar Lionel tower repained with 1920s-40s PRR colors.
Another area of major change is the East end of Lebanon. The upper level track here is the West approach to the town of Summit.
The "After" photo shows the new scenery, the area for a meat packing plant on the right (the yellow reefer is on the outbound track and the stock car on the far right is inbound), an area in the rear that will become the Leighsom Pipe Co., and one of the operating PRR position-light signals (reworked MTH).
Against the wall is an area just West of Annville that I didn't really know what I was going to do with. Not to worry, Bob had some great ideas!
The same area now is a town outskirts area heading up a gentle hill, with a small business district blending into residences. I hope to be able to work a trolley line into the street, beginning on top of the hill and running the full length of Annville (about a 50 foot run).
Bob also suggested a way to include a small business district into the town of Summit. The future residents certainly thank him!
Here is an area with rockwork made from broken ceiling tiles. There is still some more rock painting to do to finish them. You can also see another PRR position-light signal here.
A small stream will be at the bottom of a steep valley here, crossed by a plate girder bridge, a steel trestle, and an arched bridge (repainted Lionel).
This last photo shows the AE (Annville East) Tower area. The signals are MTH signal heads mounted on a Plasticville bridge. This area was completed (with the exception of the background foliage to the extreme left) prior to the Chapmans' visit. All of the rest of the progress you've seen on this page was made during a 2-week period. Amazing!