First Impressions

After a month-long push with some late nights, squeezing in progress when I can, we have arrived at that wonderful 'finished but not complete' state in one of the most important spots:  the first impression of a visit to the Onondaga Cutoff.

Here are few quick shots of the first scene viewers encounter on their way down the steps to the layout space.  This is milepost 265 on the old Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Syracuse Branch, up in the steeply-hilled country south of Syracuse NY.   On my layout, it's now run by the Minoa & Euclid on their daily trips serving customers along the route.

A tighter view shows one of the neat DL&W cast iron mile markers built by regular operator Al T., who you may remember years ago made me neat NYC mile markers and some other details including the Onondaga Yard Office.   Here's a tighter view of MP 265:

I am pleased with how the trackside bushes and weeds came out this time.  I believe it is because of a new and revolutionary way of installing the highlights - the best way I have found to avoid over-engineering the randomness of nature is to hand off the responsibility for it.....

Susie turns out to be PERFECT at randomly placing scenic highlights.  :-)

Finally the actual view down the steps, the real 'first impression' of the layout as of this weekend.  This is far more appealing than the random and scattered view that was here before the scenery was installed.  The next step this summer will be to mount and hang skirting below the fascia around the areas that are completed - and that will be a bigger change than any since the backdrop went in.

Lots of Onondaga Cutoff progress coming soon!

~RGDave