Northern Utah

This month I thought it would be a good idea to focus on another of the opportunities that we have in this great division.  How many of you keep up with the Northern Utah Division Layout Tours very ably handled by our own Pete Harmon?  Each month Pete arranges for the layout of one of our member to be on display.  It's a great way to develop ideas and to see how others might be doing it.

Well, back in the winter, Pete asked me to show my Z Scale layout as it had been 5 years since the last time I had done a layout tour.  Of course, I said that I'd love to do it and gave it little thought (there was that mountain that I felt compelled to ski down!).  Then, suddenly there was a month to go and I really was not ready at all.  Steve Moore had given me a surplus backdrop that I was convinced, but I needed hardboard to support it, then I needed a bit more backdrop (Kinkos!). Then I had trouble getting my engines to run well.  After that I decided that much of my scenery looked worn and back.  Out came Rick Luther's static grass application device which corrected a lot of sins.  I then took a very healthy look at my train room--it was filthy and cluttered beyond belief!.  I secured permission from Carolyn to store all of my clutter in a spare bedroom--temporarily!  I then completed the requisite cleaning & vacuuming.  Saturday morning I was assembling trains to run and have huge problems--nothing ran properly!  Then with an hour to go, things fell into place and, overall, the tour was a success. Next time I'll start earlier!

I strongly encourage any of you--even those of you with an incomplete layout--to sign up for a layout your with Pete.  It is very rewarding at the end and you will accomplish an incredible amount in a relatively short time.  Go ahead try it!

Those are my thoughts.  What are yours?  I'd love to hear from you

Jack Chase

Superintendent, Northern Utah Division