| Bob Miano does N Scale product reviews and photography for the NMRA Bulletin, and received a huge carton with Woodland Scenics' brand new Scenic Ridge layout-in-a-box. Of course, you can't review a layout kit without actually building the layout. Bob thought that since other hobby magazines had already built the layout accoring to Woodland Scenics' excellent instruction manual, and considering that the target audience of the NMRA Bulletin is experienced model railroaders, he thought he would change the track plan and have it built as an N-TRAK balloon module. Bob recruited the help of willing volunteer Glenn Koproske, and together they spent about four months building this beast in his basement. It was quite a learning experience, because it introduced new materials, tools, and techniques to the way we have become used to building an N-TRAK module, let alone a layout. Scenic Ridge is a 3x6 foot complete layout. Everything Woodland Scenics thinks you need to build it is included in the package. Atlas makes a sectional track pack for this product, and Woodland Scenics has just released a grouping of 13 building kits to go with it. The first thing we did was to build a framework out of 1x4 lumber with 2x2 legs to support the structure and allow it to be at regulation height and be clamped to the adjoining module. This layout is supplied with 100% beaded foam materials, so you have to have a table to put it on, or a module frame like we did here. More to come, as the photographs get scanned and sent to the Webmeister. Stay tuned! |
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All photos by Bob Miano.
