Hi Troops!

Yesterday I took a spin on The Beast again! As best as can be done, I rode the route of the Iron Mountain & Southern from Ft. Smith to Greenwood, AR.

From Greenwood it was down old 71 to Mansfield (Frisco/Rock Island territory)... then over to Hartford (Rock Island/Midland Valley), then up to Midland (Midland Valley). Dined on a late lunch consisting of a pickled sausage and Aquafina at one of my favorite isolated places. From my lightweight lunch it was over toward Arko and Burma (Frisco), then back to Midland. Next it was up to Hackett (Frisco and Midland Valley), then over to Rock Island (Maney Jct: Midland Valley/Frisco)... then home! Great day!

My little Harley sashe' fired me up to where after supper I went into RE and attacked Ft. Smith again. Had to relay the South Yard area two or three times to do the best I could with terrain faux paus. (Face it: You just can't get the subtle undulations when dealing with 10/30 meter samplings.) Anyhoo... the Downtown Tile now has all track and some place-holder roads in it: Total object count 344. That will adjust downward as the place-holder roads get replaced with terrtex paint. Not the greatest, but better than I thought it was going to be.

South Yard done, I went into RGE and extracted the tiles I need to get me to Greenwood. Once that was completed and the terrain created, it was off to USAPhotomaps to place markers all the way: Wham, bam, thank you m'am. I now have the survey stakes in place on the terrain awaiting the time I will strike off south out of Ft. Smith for Greenwood!

Oh, and I also laid the Iron Mountain track from West Ft. Smith (in OK) up to Cherokee Jct. Also got the wye w/pass installed at Cherokee Jct: The IM&S is now ready to head east (timetable south) along the Arkansas River to Van Buren where it will cross, as well as connect with, the Frisco as well as its yard and service areas!

Very profitable night. Made significant progress.

While I'm at it... here's a quick AE screen w/annotation. All for now... getting ready to load up my Biker Babe and head out on The Beast for the day!!

Check your personal messages.

Larry: You have mail.

All:

Just got back from a great day with my Biker Babe and The Beast. Saw some super neat stuff. Below you'll see a snap or two of some of our sights...

And another...

And lastly... here's the proud owner and The Beast....

Still mixin' n' matchin' track pieces in Ft. Smith Yard area to get something similar to the Sanborn maps I have.

Thus far, it's fairly close... but again... compromises. For example: I downsized the tracks in the Main Yard area. No need to have them taking resource when there's already more in place than can be practically used, right?

I will have to wing it on which tracks were the used for the Coach, Caboose, and RIP. No real data for that.

Also, for 1908, it's unclear how the tracks should lay and how much industry needs to be over where it's labeled "To Become Misc Industries". I have conflicting data for that area. Will give it my best shot.

Once I get the pictured area layed... it's continue north to the Arkansas River and across it to Van Buren.

Like I said in a previous thread: "Inch by inch it's a cinch!".

Lovely, Boss! Yer outta control ...

BTW, I'm almost wrapping up my first ON activity. Checking for bugs and glitches, then I'll post.

Steve:

Well... I had the "fever"... however, it cooled. Got frustrated trying to tie the north end of the Frisco yard together. SOooo... I shelved it for a couple of nights.

HOWEVER...

Tonight opened RE and completed the engine service area, tying it in with the ladder/main on the north end. Still to go in this area is the IMS and SLSF industry tracks... then off toward Van Buren.

Good news on the ON Activity!

Check your email for No. 1 Mixed.