Recently I found the time to start on a little project that has been going through my head for a while. I wanted to build a separate test track, in a manner of speaking, which could be easily connected to a digital central or other device, and let me program and check trains away from the main layout.
I don't usually write at length about new models that I acquire. However, every now and then one comes in that just wants to be talked about. And when I got my hands on this beautifully made and exquisitely printed NR Class from Australian maker SDS Models, I couldn't help but share a more in-depth look.
As usual, things aren't quite going as planned. While the new train room is ready to go by now, work on the new layout has been postponed for now. I would like to have all the track and materials required for the build ready to go, which will take a few more months.
Last year, we had a bit of a holiday haul. This year, while some new rolling material arrived over the holiday period, there have also been quite a few additions throughout the rest of the year. So it figures to do a year-in-review style post this time around.
It has been another few busy weekends, with increasing outside temperatures. The new train room has made considerable progress in this time. The inner wall cladding was finished, ceiling panels mounted, the outer cladding was added, and the front door was put in place.
Things aren't progressing quite as fast as I would like, but progress is being made nonetheless. The last two weekends were spent painting the ceiling panels and cross beams (as well as doing a few other, unrelated things around the house - cracked drain pipes don't wait). The intent was to put the ceiling in next, but while putting up the first panel, we realised that the wall panels were just a few millimetres longer than the height of the wall frames, and would therefore be difficult to mount with the ceiling in place.