<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
color:windowtext;
font-weight:normal;
font-style:normal;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>That river scene is absolutely gorgeous. It's so believable.<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>Tell us more about the layout? Do you operate? Did you build it all by yourself, or do you have a group of friends who meet regularly?<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Mike Rector<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Mike and everyone,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks for all the nice comments. Very briefly to answer Mike’s inquiry, we built our current home in 2000. With the kids gone, we built a smaller home but with a larger train room (that’s what’s supposed to happen – right?!). So it’s been a slow process, but with work slowing done and finally reaching retirement 2 yrs ago, I’ve been able to get more done. The river is epoxy resin with some blue color added poured over a prepared river bed. Then Woodland Scenics “water effects” dabbed on for the rapids. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Build mostly myself. There is one modeler from Dallas who comes over and helps with repetitive tasks like applying static grass. We work a bit and then run some of his trains. No formal operating sessions – I’m more of a builder that operator. And it still runs on old fashioned DC<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>But y’all are invited to visit and we’ll have fun running some trains. And you’ll see where the epoxy leaked on the tile floor. I’m not going to replace the tiles – too much fun laughing at my own mistake. And I’ve had folks try to tell me the dog pee’d there, or bend over and try to dry up what they think is a spilled drink. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Michael<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>