Peter's Model Railroading

My layout is modular/sectional in nature, currently consisting of one module with many more planned. Click "The Layout" button on the left to read the full story, with lots of photos. The module is part of a set of modules that are centered around the Hazel coal mine in Canonsburg, PA. Its tipple is shown in the photo and the module is essentially finished. What you see in the photo took me just shy of three years to build (mostly due to lack of available hobby time). Everything was built from scratch, to scale, and with no compression. The entire structure, as shown, is made out of 1,800 individual pieces. And, yes, I counted each one of 'em as I added them to the building!

With my renewed commitment for 2025 to do something, anything, on the hobby each week, I am going back to reporting which recent changes I have made to this web site and what I have done with the hobby. Overall, my effort in the first quarter of 2025 has been to build a dedicated workbench, which then also now serves as the foundation for the layout. For the second quarter, it is my plan to build the second module's base.

• May 16, 2025:
  My recently-acquired William Flatt interurban kit is now positively identified.
• May 9, 2025:
  What happens when a Li-Po battery goes bad?
• May 9, 2025:
  Some more workbench improvements.
• April 18, 2025:
  Completed the modules' benchwork.
• Perpetually ongoing efforts include moving more tools into the workbench storage spaces, and doing some maintenance on my cars and engines due to damage done by taking them to local train shows and due to the recent moving things around, and, on the web site itself, upgrading older photos to a higher-resolution version.