Hi All!

Just a quick update:

The CM is doing fine, but progress has slowed significantly on account of the following:

* I don't have the structure textures I thought I had, so went out to remedy that the first acceptable Saturday we had. As I did my digital camera I use for textures coughed up the sponge.

* My wife lost a credit card resulting in having to kill the account and wait for new replacements to arrive. This means I couldn't go replace my camera this week.

* Mom fell again early this week, breaking her hip, underwent surgery, and remains in the hospital. Of course, aside from the real issues, this will further limit my freetime to shop for a camera, shoot textures, work on MSTS, etc.

* In view of all the above, when I have had time to sit and dumb out... I have done so with Call Of Duty 2. (I'm awesome with an M1 Garrand! )

Anyhoo... our new credit cards arrived today. (Too late to go camera shopping at Ft. Smith, of course.) Mom is doing better (will be looking at Rehab again)... and I have killed all the Axis in Call of Duty 2. Sooo... hopefully this week I can go camera shopping (first consideration is a Sony HX1)... renew efforts at snagging some good textures... and get back to TSM and start building the structures needed for the ol' Midland Route!

All for now!

Hope Mom is doing OK Andre, when it rains it poors. Sounds to me like a good time to get on that Fatboy and go for a ride....

Sorry for your mum, Andre

Antoine

Update of the update:

First off, thanks Antoine and Kevin for your kind words. It is appreciated. Now for some updates:


Mom:

In rehab. Doing okay. Long ways to go. I try to see her 2-3 times per week after work, as well as most of the afternoon on Sunday. I have a gut feeling she no longer needs to live by herself. Don't know how to go about opening dialogue with her concerning same. (My older sis is of the same opinion.) This phase of life (aging parent or parents) is tough.


Camera Mess:

I now have a Sony HX1. I have yet to shoot one picture. Wife and I will be out of town this weekend (to KC MO). I have some FANTASTIC places that I have nabbed textures from in KC before... was fully intending to do so again. UNFORTUNATELY... the weather forecast for the KC area is not cooperating. Rain and snow is forecast for Saturday. Supposed to be partly sunny and cold on Sunday. IF it snows enough on Saturday, there will be snow on the structures. Not good. (I'm not after winter textures!!!) Soooo... weatherwise, it's a great big spin of the wheels as to what exactly we'll face in KC.


MSTS:

Colorado Midland:

Not much has been done in regards to my pet project: Colorado Midland. Still hope to get textures this weekend and start producing a stream of city structures. It would be wonderful to have Colorado Springs and Colorado City "in the bag", structure wise. Long ways to go, and lots of work to get there. I know that once I can get the line out of the Colorado Springs, Colorado City, Manitou area (scenery wise)... it will be mountain railroading for many miles. THAT is my forte' and familiar route building territory! All in good time, I suppose.

Coal Belt:

Received another "goodie" from John Flemming: Another Frisco boxcar! I haven't taken the time yet to unzip/install/oogle... but I'm sure its up to his fine standards. Eventually John's Coal Belt cars will be shared freely with any interested.

Speaking of the Coal Belt: As I was eating my Cherrios while sitting at the computer this morning (checking email for VSC orders, VSC issues, etc,) I had a VERY interesting email arrive. It was from my fellow Coal Belt affecionado that I correspond with. Clicking on the email, it simply read:

"Andre, A map of the original Midland Valley yard at Excelsior just turned up. Thought you might like a copy."

Attached was a map (see below).

Milk dribbled down my opened mouth as I stared at this EXTREMEMLY obscure data. Again, this is the only KNOWN MAP of the Excelsior yards as they were originally built. No such map has ever been found before. One of the reasons early data has been so hard to come by is that very early on the entire Excelsior yard area was severely downsized, the shops moved, and the yard was all but gone by the mid-teens. To say this map is rare is an understatement of the highest magnitude!

Now, if you've been a follower of my VSC related blogging here... you may recall that I gave up and created a facimile of the Excelsior Yard/Shops as best I could. Well, now that I can see the real deal, I must say this is another case of the prototype is FAR more interesting than proto-lancing!

I have to admit... this data stirs an urge within me to correct my version of Excelsior into a much more accurate version based on this map. So many dreams... so little time!!!

Well... all for now!