Just a quick post today to highlight a couple of fun things . . .
First of all, for those of you who don't know (and if you access this blog directly, you may not know), there's a Valley Local website, in addition to this blog. While I've been pretty good about keeping the blog up-to-date, I haven't been nearly as good with the website. It's just easier to update content on the blog - but I hope in the coming weeks/months that'll change.
And I've already started :^) If you go to http://www.thevalleylocal.net you'll see that I've updated my trackplan & construction details to reflect the expansion I've been working on - and to finally show the layout in its final form. It's certainly not pretty, but it's better than nothing for now...
Speaking of expansion, one of my first tasks will be to update the "Layout Tour" section to include all the changes/additions that have been made since Nov. 10, 2013(?! the last time it was updated).
My plan for the site's future is to really bump up the main reason I have a website in addition to a blog - that is, to have a repository of information on the Valley Line in all its aspects, all organized in one place for easy reference. The "Choosing an Era" section is a good example of what I mean. There'll be additional sections devoted to "Operations," "Motive Power," "Structures," etc. including how I've gone about modeling each of those aspects.
So be sure to check out the website - in fact, you should bookmark it and go there first from now on so you see the updates as they pop up, and you can access the blog directly from there as well (all the recent posts are at the center of the home page).
Why all this sudden interest in the 'site? Well, for starters, I've made a boatload of progress in the last 18 months both in construction and research. And while I've done a good job of posting about all that on the blog, access to all that content isn't very user friendly (you're limited to clicking on the Topics list on the right side of the page). So I want to get all that great information distilled, cleaned up, and easily accessible in one place.
Also, I'm working on a presentation for the New England/Northeast Railroad Prototype Modelers Meet (NERPM) which will be held in just a few weeks. As you may have guessed, the subject is (loosely) "Modeling the New Haven Railroad's Valley Line" and as I've been getting my info together it occurred to me that a lot of this information needs to get on the website at some point soon.
Speaking of the NERPM, it's moved from Collinsville to Enfield, CT and will be held Friday & Saturday, June 3-4. My presentation is currently scheduled for Friday afternoon at 2:30 and I hope also to have the layout open for tours on Sunday, June 5.
If you've been to to the Springfield show, but have never attended a protomeet, you really owe it to yourself to give it a try. If Springfield is the Club Med vacation, the NERPM is a cozy weekend at a B&B - shorter in duration, a lot less stress, and all about quality over quantity. Which isn't to say there won't be a lot to see and do. There are over 50 clinics/presentations over the two days, which go from 9 in the morning to about 10 each night(!), as well as a model display room and a wide variety of vendors. But at least as important, the more-laid-back atmosphere gives you more time and opportunity to visit with other like-minded modelers.
So check out the links and make plans now to join us - hope to see you there!
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