2026 Update:
Track is 85% complete. Remaining activities are electrical components for short detection, power boosters, etc.
Scenery: Ground cover is complete. Work continues on house/factory placement and prepping for scenery details. Lighting for the buildings is ongoing effort. This process also includes Arduino development to randomly light individual "Rooms" in residential houses. New buildings are being built to fill in open areas.
2025: Moved in early 2025 and the dimensions of the room required a that a new layout be designed and constructed.
Benchwork was started in June with the intent to have the mainlines up and running by the pilgrimage.
Design of the new layout is a double folded dogbone for the mainline with a yard off to one side. The inside of the dogbone's will be industrial spurs,
The Blue Valley Railroad will still be what might have been a rural town in Pennsylvania in the 60's.
Scale / Gauge
HO
Size of Layout
20X10
Prototype
Freelance Prototypical
Location Modeled
Blue Mountains of Pennsylvannia
Era
Late 60's
Style of Track Plan
Oval
Length of Main Line
30'
Layout Height
54"
Benchwork
Open Grid
Roadbed Material
Other
Track Manufacturer
Atlas
Turnouts
Atlas
Minimum Main Line Radius
22"
Scenery Techniques
Various: Plaster Gauze, Foamboard covered in scenery
% Scenery Complete
20 %
Backdrop
None at this time
Control System
DCC - Digitrax
Car Forwarding System
None
Direction Comment
Through garage. Come into the house and take the stairs up to the layout room.
