With a Magnifying Glass, Google Map and Pen

Even though Bharani, my carpenter, and Jason could not make it this afternoon to survey the train room and discuss my layout, no time was wasted.

I took out my track plan and started looking at the overall feel of the layout. I started mapping the track arrangements from Tower 17 east and west all the way to Algoa.

In earlier plans, I only outlined the mainlines (BNSF Galveston and UP Glidden) and some sidings that shape Rosenberg Meet. While this is fine for a start and defines the boundary of my layout, I need to make sure I have interesting features captured in the layout. I can't have everything but something just evoke a feel of the place in 1:160 world. I hope to be able to capture that feeling and when someone sees it, he/she will say, oh yea ... that's so-and-so place.

I was working with XTrkCAD, Google Map and a few sheets of paper. I took a closer look at the track arrangements and sketched them on paper. I zoomed for a closer look and some of the amazing things I discovered (to find out what I discovered, you got to wait till the layout is completed and I point them to you then :D)

Okay, back to "track hunting" again. Stay tune.

Jimmy Low