So much has happened in Maple Valley it’s difficult to know where to start. Here we are in the dog days of summer, and Maple Valley School is already preparing for the first day of the new year. Students can’t wait to get back in the class room. We are obviously well into the tourist …
Continue reading Scandal at Maple Valley – Episode 27: The Pancake-Off Fiasco
So much has happened in Maple Valley it’s difficult to know where to start. Here we are in the dog days of summer, and Maple Valley School is already preparing for the first day of the new year. Students can’t wait to get back in the class room. We are obviously well into the tourist …
Continue reading Scandal at Maple Valley – Episode 27: The Pancake Fiasco
There's good and weird news coming out of Maple Valley. Folks have been waiting for months to hear about the suit that was brought against Shorty Cloverton and several members of the town council including Sheriff Pete Terkinberry and Mayor Alvin Thrashborn. For those who may not know, which, not ever wandering very far from …
Continue reading Scandal at Maple Valley – Episode 26: Events Turn
One of the beautiful things about model railroading, and scenery in particular, is that beauty is in the eye of the creator. If you think it's incredible, then it is. We all like to be told our work is terrific, but the truth is you are the only one to please. I pondered backdrops for …
Continue reading Painting Beautiful Backdrops for Your Model Railroad
One of the beautiful things about model railroading, and scenery in particular, is that beauty is in the eye of the creator. If you think it's incredible, then it is. We all like to be told our work is terrific, but the truth is you are the only one to please. I pondered backdrops for …
Continue reading DIY Model Railroad Backdrops: A Beginner’s Guide
Everyone loves a parade, and the good folks in Maple Valley are no exception. When news quickly reached everyone that Sheriff Pete Terkinberry would soon patrol the three streets of town in a new squad car, excited anticipation of a parade swept like a wind-blown grass fire. From one end of town to the other, …
Continue reading Scandal at Maple Valley – Episode 25: Finding Sylvia Meisner
In a previous post, I wrote about scratch-building small cabins with balsa wood. By trial and error, sometimes resulting in more error than success, I filled in the window frames without actually making windows. I simply framed the space and added some trim. I decided to try my hand at building paned windows that I …
In a previous post, I wrote about scratch-building small cabins with balsa wood. By trial and error, I filled in the window frames without actually making windows. I simply framed the space and added some trim. I decided to make windows in advance and pop them in place as I'm building new structures. I first …
Continue reading Scratch Build HO Scale Windows for a Rustic Cabin
Sheriff Pete walked into the Ya'll Sit Cafe on Monday morning, just like he does every week. Something felt different. He didn't know what it was, but he had the eerie sense he should sit by the door instead of taking his usual seat at the counter. "Good morning, Hannah!" he said. Hannah Cloverton looked …
Continue reading Scandal at Maple Valley – Episode 23: Ya’ll Sit Breakfast
Blog and Photos by Dale Parsons Strong model railroad benchwork will guarantee stress-free HO scale, or your favorite scale, railroading for years to come. Linn Westcott's magazine-style book, "How to Build Model Railroad Benchwork" is a great resource for information about a solid structure for your trains and scenery. Whether you plan to use an …
Continue reading How to Build Strong Model Railroad Benchwork
A Coffee State of Mind 