Today I got my two sample pieces of Micro Engineering track and instantly had this “wow” moment.  This is some great looking track. I love the fact that it’s so shape-able too and not “springy” like Atlas flex track. You can bend this track into whatever curve you want and it stays.

I decided to try out a piece on the layout. I picked the small curve on the layout just before the tunnel as my test spot. Removing the existing track was a piece of cake thanks to the caulk adhesive.  I cut the ME track to size, formed the curve I needed and installed the track in place with some rail joiners.  Works perfectly without any adhesive holding the curve. I love it!

So I think I’m going to ahead with the plan to replace the existing mainline track with some ME weathered concrete track. I haven’t decided if I want to replace the siding with concrete ties as well or leave those as wood ties (and just leave the Atlas in place).

Also, since the ME ties are a little thicker than the Atlas’, I’ll have to sand the cork roadbed a little bit around the turnouts so the rails meet each other at the same height. I really want to avoid having to pull up any turnout.

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…but I picked up a new-in-box BLMA Brass Truss Bridge (black) off ebay today.

I’m planning on replacing the double span deck bridge over the Dixie River with the single span truss.

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But in a good way. 

It seems every time I go to start something new on the layout, I decide to tear up and change something else on it… but for the better of course.

This time I’m considering the track on the lower level. Way back in day I thought about using concrete tie track for my lower level, but was turned away due to the cost of the ME track compared to Atlas flextrack.

Lately, I’ve been following Jamie’s CSX Dixie Line blog, which has a lot of great information and a great look layout under construction, and see he’s also using concrete ties for his modern day layout. So it’s got me into thinking about using concrete tie track again, and  that if I really want to change track now would be the ideal time to do so before too much scenery gets put down.

I think may order a piece or two to examine it up close and see how it looks in person.

Decisions, decisions!

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In the midst of prepping to redo my terrain covering with plaster cloth, I decided I wanted to first redo some of the terrain base and fascia. This mainly included making the hill at the end of the lower level flush with the fascia (not just a hill that looks like a big bump), building up a hill at the first corner, and then making the fascia flow more with the terrain, especially at the river banks.

So first I yanked off the existing fascia.

Then I cut new pieces of masonite there were 7″ (short section) and 6″ tall (river section), and installed them in place.  I also added a piece to the edge of the layout to complete the fascia covering here.

I then rebuilt the hills as I wanted.

And then trimmed the fascia with a Dewalt Cut-out drill to “flow” with the terrain.

A huge improvement to what it looked like before.

Shaun Previous Layout