Modeling Season is Back!

 Modelers of various subjects joke about the months of the dead of winter as being 'modeling season' - a part of the calendar when it's cold outside, there are less commitments, and longer nights.  All of that combines to allow more time to focus on the hobby.  Even with a family and full-time work, it holds true that the Onondaga Cutoff makes some major progress in most winters!  

I finally was able to make time to open and explore the latest release of Rapido Trains B36-7's.  Given the two new paint jobs available, I added a final two of the model to the fleet, which will really help set the era.  Gorgeous models!  Also in the background is a gift from Joe Binish, who supplied the Onondaga Cutoff roster with one of his 'Central of Minnesota' all-door boxcars - a good fit for the layout.  All of these will be in service soon!

Extra time on nights and weekends after the holidays is also a great opportunity to pitch in on other's projects.  I was able to spend time with Tom Schmieder on his growing DL&W layout, where he is pictured hard at work installing feeders in the massive staging yards.  Once we finish the feeders here and wire everything up, it will be buried beneath a near-scale model of the Lackawanna's Port Morris Yard - lots to be excited about here!

Finally, it's always nice to have time for state-of-good-repair projects on the Onondaga Cutoff, like this scene.  The lights had not been working, and needed some troubleshooting.  Turns out after investigation that a cold solder joint was to blame.  I repaired the joint and once again, we have a scene that adds some depth to our operations and that at night really becomes a striking visual:

Little here, little there.  And plenty to come.  This hobby makes even the longest nights of the year feel short!