Third Anniversary

This week marks the third anniversary of work on the USMRR Aquia Line model railroad project. It has come a long way from the scene below when I first tried testing out the concept. In fact, this is the furthest along I have ever progressed on a layout. On most of my previous layout projects at some point before this level of completion I would have gotten bored with the project or distracted so that I would have moved on to something else. This project is obviously more interesting to me and I still am very psyched to keep going. I estimate that it will take about 3 more years to "finish" this layout.

Lets look at some statistics. The USMRR Aquia Line currently has approximately:

All benchwork, fascia and lighting complete.

30 feet of benchwork curtain installed.

160 feet of track with about 100 linear feet of mainline run.

1,300 ties and 5,000 spikes are currently installed.

All backdrops are installed

100 linear feet of backdrop is fully painted.

The radio  Easy DCC system is fully installed with a separate programming track.

5 Locomotives - 1 with DCC sound, 1 with DCC, 1 waiting for a new sound decoder and 2 analog. The first Stanton Radio Cab is on hand but awaiting a backordered battery pack.

13 Freight cars, 7 with working brakes.

16 hand laid stub turnouts including one double slip. Seven are  controlled by Tam Valley Frog Juicers, the rest with home made mechanical linkages. All have scale switch stands to actuate the stubs.

1 scratchbuilt turntable with an autoreverse circuit from Tony's Train Exchange.

3 water crossings - 2 bridges comprising over 2,000 separate parts and a stone culvert.

50 square feet of scenery is fully complete including ballast and final ground cover. Another 150 square feet has basic gound cover.

11 feet of telegraph poles and wire.

1 entrenched artillery battery with 4 guns, two sets of cheaveux-de-frise and abatis.

4 1/48th scale scratchbuilt cannons .

8 structures reside on the layout including one burned station  

3 full size Sibley tents and about 12 smaller tents.

250 painted figures - about 25 are 1/43rd or 1/48th scale, while the rest are 1/64th scale.

1 painted mule (I need to get cracking on the painted animals and wagons).

100 painted barrels and several hundred boxes of hard tack.

1 ironclad ship  with detailed turret is nearly complete.

Notice I didn't list what remains to be done. Best not to know the full scope of tasks left to go lest I find it too daunting.