I would like to wish everyone a Happy Memorial Day and offer my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all those who served and especially those who have sacrificed all for our freedom and country.

I have finished and started several things this past week. Pretty good considering the work load right now with my job.

First: I have the track in up to the helix transition. Yup, check that off the list.

While I was installing it and constantly bumping my head, I realized that a bunch of the “stuff” that I had put off till later should probably get done before I get much farther. First and foremost is the backdrop in this area. That way I can also install the base and track for the gravel company.

And then I figured that if I was going to cut the hardboard for the backdrop here, I might as well cut all the backdrops. Upper level included. Which means first I had to install all of the half inch base boards for the backdrops on the upper level.

So second: I did just that. all of the baseboards installed.

Then I remembered that before I could install the backdrops on the upper level I would have to get all of the upper level valance supports into place as the backdrops will be notched around these.

So… third: I started to install the valance supports.

I have all of these cut, the problem was that I only had enough pocket hole screws to get just this corner in place. Late on Memorial Day is not the time that you are going to be able to run out and buy more.

This whole episode is very much like the story – If you give a mouse a cookie.

A couple of other things that I have been working on. First is a background building for Jackson. It started out life as a Walther’s Water Street Freight Terminal. I am making it into a light manufacturing building. Because the space is only 4 1/4 inches deep here, I had to narrow the depth. I used the backside of the main building that I cut off to lengthen the building. Right now I’m working on the mortar lines in the brick. After that I’ll add the windows and such. To make it look more like a manufacturing plant than a warehouse, I’ll add venting ducts, piping and perhaps some tanks to the outside.

Here’s what I started with:

And here’s where I’m at so far:

One last thing, I installed a concrete retaining wall behind the buildings along the berm in New Brighton. I was out of the mix of paint that I use for old concrete and used Floquil “aged concrete” paint that I had on hand. The color looks nothing like old concrete. So I bought some paint and mixed my color and started to repaint it. Below is a picture of the wall and the two colors as well as a couple of what the scene will look like when finished.

That’s it for this week, till next time – Happy Railroading…