Painting Has Started

Painting, at least the drywall primer, has started on the P&LE. It's going slow, but we (wife Sue and I) should have the primer and paint coats on by the end of the week, and then construction on the railroad can start. No need for a photo at this time; I'll attach one when the painting, complete with the sky, is done in few days.

Ike Washes Out Trip

The Amtrak trip from Chicago to LA, to Seattle, and back to Chicago was washed out. Thanks to "Ike", the Ohio guys could not get from Cleveland to Chicago, and I could not get from St. Louis to either Chicago or Kansas City to hook up with the SW Chief. Oh well, we'll plan to do it in the spring. More later.

No Connection to LVRR

When I selected Black Diamonds Route as the name of my blog, I did so because my model railroad is primarily a coal ("black diamonds") hauling railroad. Period!

Imagine my surprise this afternoon when looking up the Lehigh Valley RR, I found its slogan to be "Route of the Black Diamonds" (for the same reason), and with a crack passenger train "The Black Diamond". I in no way meant to infringe or encroach on that storied railroad's name.

For those logging on expecting to see something about the LVRR, my apologies and sincere hopes you will keep coming back to see the progress on the Paducah and Lake Erie.

Railroad room ready for paint!

Drywall is complete in the railroad room. Now the painting (starting with primer Monday) begins with yours truly wielding the brush and/or roller. Some decisions have been made. It will be a single level with a unscenicked, return loop/staging area on a slightly lower (~12") level. I finally gave in to a reality check about working underneath something only 36-40 inches off the floor, plus we really need some storage area to be available underneath the railroad (moving from a house to a condo you know). Nothing is on paper yet, but ideas are starting to crystallize about the design. There will be coal mines on Howard Mountain, a small steel mill reminiscent of the one in my hometown, a gravel pit (steel mills use a lot of sand and gravel), the engine facility built by Dean Freytag, a replica of the Station Inn B&B kit bashed by Ken Heyl, and a greatly condensed version of the Paducah flood wall. I'm looking forward to getting started.