A Coffee State of Mind will go through some structural changes at the end of this year. I have to admit, I've had some difficulty finding a consistent footing. I don't often write about personal things. Some writers focus primarily on personal stuff. I can't do it. That's the reason ninety percent of my content …
Tag: Model Railroading
Scandal at Maple Valley – Episode 46: Doctor Wackstuber
Everything in Maple Valley is moving back to whatever normal is. The snow storm that buried the village is forgotten. Huge piles of snow are nothing new. Shorty and Hannah Cloverton are thrilled to announce the reopening of Ya'll Sit Cafe. The kitchen fire did not do as much damage as feared. Everything looks awful …
Continue reading Scandal at Maple Valley – Episode 46: Doctor Wackstuber
Five Easy Steps to a 4×8 HO Gauge Railroad
You can build a great HO gauge model railroad in four by eight feet of space. Use these five easy steps and you're on your way. Start with a reasonable track plan. Purchase HO gauge track and accessories. Choose the best table-top materials. Assemble your track. Wire your layout and run your trains! Start With …
Scandal at Maple Valley – 45: Saying Goodbye to an Old Friend
Maple Valley is a dream. We who live here go about our daily business without ceremony or fanfare. The sun comes up and goes down. Sometimes clouds roll and rain falls, but sunshine always returns, except when it doesn't. Despite the quaintness of Maple Valley defined by the expectations of outsiders. we are just like …
Continue reading Scandal at Maple Valley – 45: Saying Goodbye to an Old Friend
Easy Wall Brackets for Strong Shelf-Style Benchwork
The first step in creating your dream HO scale model railroad is building strong benchwork. Solid wall brackets are the key to strength and safety for a shelf-style train layout. The Benefits of a Shelf-Style Train Layout You have easy access to the layout. Front legs are not required. Storage space is created under the …
Continue reading Easy Wall Brackets for Strong Shelf-Style Benchwork
Build Strong Shelf-Style Benchwork
Are you dreaming of building an amazing HO scale model railroad? If so, I can help you get started on a great shelf-style layout to make your dream a reality. In this post, you will learn important steps for building a strong foundation for your layout. There are several styles of benchwork used in model …
Scandal at Maple Valley – Episode 43: A Christmas Blizzard Miracle
No one expected this, not the farmers, the gossips, the know-it-alls, the young, the old, the grandmas or grandpas, the introverts, the extroverts, the fearful or bold, the meek or brash, the spouses or spinsters, the Almanac or the weatherman. The Maple Valley Christmas blizzard swept in like a phantom monster and buried the entire …
Continue reading Scandal at Maple Valley – Episode 43: A Christmas Blizzard Miracle
Scandal at Maple Valley – Episode 43: All Is Calm, All Is Wrong
Ever since Sylvia Meisner disappeared nearly three years ago, Maple Valley folks have been waiting for the other shoe to drop. Tourists arriving in Maple Valley do not feel the dread that lives in this delightful place. All the happy visitors believe the notions they have about this dreamland where there are no worries, unpaid …
Continue reading Scandal at Maple Valley – Episode 43: All Is Calm, All Is Wrong
Scenes from the Maple Valley Short Line Model Railroad, Home of “Scandal at Maple Valley”
I want every square inch of the Maple Valley Short Line Model Railroad to be a story in a scene. I am way beyond watching two trains travel on a continuous loop through trees, mountains, and buildings. I want to know what people are talking about as they stand outside the Ya'll Sit Cafe. Maybe …
Scandal at Maple Valley – Episode 42: The Wonders of Christmas and Other Stuff
Happy villagers in Maple Valley are preparing themselves for the wonders of Christmas. Music of the season is blaring loudly on the streets of town so visitors know Maple Valleyers are fully into the spirit of Christmas. Quintin O'Dillmotte has, at least for the moment, been strangely quiet. The O'Dillmotte Funeral Parlor is pleasantly adorned, …
Continue reading Scandal at Maple Valley – Episode 42: The Wonders of Christmas and Other Stuff
A Coffee State of Mind 