Bill the Wonder Dog Says...

"Look into my eyes.. you are getting sleepy.. SLEEPY.. you will make more progress on the layout.. you will update your blog.. you will drop that pizza crust for me to eat.."

Bill, who normally lives just outside of Washington DC, is up for a visit this weekend, (he brought his human with him, my sister Salina) and he's always a welcome sight because he's a funny dog, and will always bring a smile to your face no matter how you're feeling at the time.

It's a good thing he's here this weekend, because I've been in a funk lately, and there has been good reason for it.  I almost lost my God Son Joe two weeks ago to a drunk driver who ran him down while he was stopped on his motorcycle waiting to make a turn at a stop light by where he lives in Ft. Myers, FL.  It was touch and go for awhile but he's now on the mends and he went home today from the hospital and is staying with his Mom (my sister) who is a nurse.  I felt helpless here in NJ while my sister had to deal with this all alone in Florida.  I'm thankful he's still with us, and this is a big relief for me knowing he's out of the hospital and getting better.

Needless to say modeling took a back seat while this all played out, and it's been hard for me to get back into it.  I have made it down to the basement a few times in the past week and worked on making more progress on the layout.  I had reattached the T-section that connects to the layout at B-Yard in York a couple of weeks ago, and I started to install roadbed and track this week.  I also needed two curved turnouts in this location so I built them with a hybrid method of Central Valley #6 turnout kits and components fabricated on a Fast Tracks #6 jig. I might make a clinic out of how I do this and if I do, I'll publish it here in the future.

Here is one of three hybrid curved turnouts I built using Central Valley Turnout out kits and Fast Tracks #6 turnout jig. 

Here is an overview of  T-section that takes the tracks out to where the York passenger station will be located on the portable station module.

The two Central Valley curved turnouts test fitted in York.

I'm trying hard to make a push to get the layout up and running within a few weeks and hopefully a few more of the cosmetics too (finish up installing fascia, get the backdrop installed) before the joint GSD/ NJ Div meet in May, so I might just call the guys and try and get a work session together.  I'll make sure to stock up on snacks and beer. ;)

 Bill says:

"Make sure you come back and visit again!  And bring me treats too!  Woof!"