Covering the helix, Part 2

Progress continues on covering the helix, and WE THINK we can get it completed in the next week or so. Most of the carving of the foam board is complete; obviously, the helix still has to be covered, and it all has to receive its foliage, ground cover, and rock facings.

When this is finished, most of both ends (helix/coal mine on one end, and Paducah on the opposite end) of the railroad will be complete, although detailing of all areas will continue for some time.

Covering the helix

We have started covering the helix, and there is obviously a lot of work to do. The helix is located at one end of the railroad, nearest the door into the railroad room. The coal tipple seen in previous photos is on the upper level and just to the left of this image.

The top of the helix can be seen in the background. Track seen here is visible between what will be two tunnel portals, and is headed down to the lower level. Material here is 1 1/2"pink insulation foam board. John Ellenbracht is doing the work.

In Review ...

A combination of me (about 70%), Blogger (15%) and Google (15%) served to make access to my former blog (Paducah and Lake Erie) unavailable for me to update, and the easy way to solve that problem is to create still another blog, so here it is. A quick review of recent posts includes the background and corner of the coal tipple.

The Paducah and Lake Erie was conceived as a coal-hauling short line set in southwestern Pennsylvania; this is the primary loading facility on the railroad. The forest is created with a combination of Scenic Express Super Trees, MicroMark poly fiber, and Timberline Scenery Co. ground foam/foliage, all mounted on pink insulation foam board. The rock wall in the scene is carved into the insulation board and painted with acrylics. Ground cover is a combination of Woodland Scenics fine ballast cinders, Scenic Express fine natural soil and dirt and the ground cover/foliage as used in the forest. Mounds are created by stacking and carving the insulation material. The track is painted with black semi-gloss Rustoleum.

One of the features of the railroad is "Friend's Corner", described in greater detail in the previous blog. Three of the structures, so far, named for and honoring friends are Nancy's Diner, Heyl Classic Cars, and Silverberg's Estate Jewelry.

Silverberg's Estate Jewelry specializes in antique cuff links. Note, that Nancy's Diner is seen in the background. Across the street, not in the photo, are Heyl's Classic Cars and an as-yet-unnamed business.

Nancy's Diner and Heyl's Classic Cars. This corner, "Friend's Corner", is closest to the door coming into the railroad room. Just behind Nancy's, across the mainline, is the Freytag Engine Shop, built by and named for the late iconic modeler, Dean Freytag, MMR.

The James Creek Railway is named for David James, whose family owns and operates Brecksville Road Transit in suburban Cleveland, Ohio. David is an outstanding modeler who did a lot of work on the second iteration of the P&LE in Ohio, and has come to St. Louis several times to assist with the current project. The James Creek was a branch line to the coal mines on P&LE v. 2; on the current project, the branch line is off line, and the power will work the coal tipple.