A Taxing Work session

We had a work session on the Aquia Line today, April 15. If you are in the USA, this is normally the day that income tax is due, but since it was the weekend, we get a few days reprieve.  To escape tax preparation, Joel and John Salmons, Doug Gurin and Michael Spoor arrived to work on the Aquia Line. It was a very productive session.

Joel working on hay bales

Big pile of hay bales

First Joel got to work baling hay. He was eminently qualified for this as he spent his teenage years baling hay in New Mexico.  While he was wrapping bales with twine, Michael assembling the bales into a large pile. This pile will reside on the wharf at Aquia landing to designate the forage loading area. Way bills for empty cars will direct cars to the forage track at Aquia Landing.

John working on roof battens

Since he is an architect in training, John got the windows and roof assignment. He installed the last 16 windows on the wharf structures and then started detailing the roofs.

Doug got the  assignment to start the  Burnside Wharf. He cut away some of the foam and prepared the bottom surface for conversion to water.

Swamp scenery is drying

While they were working, I adding scenery and ballast to the narrow shelf where the Aquia Landing yard tracks are. This area depicts a narrow  spit of sand that is surrounded by grassy marsh. I used static grass and some paint to depict the swamp grass.  I am almost done with all the ballast for the railroad.

My mom and Alicia provided the snacks and then dinner of home made ravioli.

Painted schooner at Burnside's Wharf

After dinner, I continued to work on the Burnside Wharf area. I painted a schooner on the back drop. Since the majority of the schooner is hidden behind the wharf shed, I only need to paint the masts and some of the rigging.

Once the blue paint dries, I'll add pilings and beams to depict a wharf.