The Summerland area and the sawmill behind it are the second oldest parts of the layout and as a result they badly needed upgrading in scenery, track alignment and operation possibilities. What’s more, the wiring under the layout was functioning but no one quite knew how. It was a mess.
This area is also the most visited part of the layout as it’s the first thing a visitors will see when they come up to the second floor of the Peachland Museum. It must make a good impression.
Photo 1-1 Before the project.
1-1
This is the old Summerland. A main line, a short station track and an even shorter siding that usually accommodates a well-detailed work train. The curved switch at the top of the hill, bottom left, was too short and hindered operation. The sawmill, just visible over the hill, was a scenic feature that had no operational access. The station itself, the object of the whole thing, was tucked in at the end of the siding and didn’t work well with the automatic system.
It all had to come down.
1-2
Paul, on the left, is removing the old single track that made it’s way up the hill, past the sawmill, and into Summerland on the right. Arnold is removing scenery materials from the old Summerland road. The sawmill has been removed to my garage for refurbishing, see the hole in a flat piece of plywood, and the crappy wiring is exposed.
Fortunately John Green had built the bench work very well and it will provide great support for the new layout.
1-3
All cleaned up and ready for real work to begin. The track in the foreground will be doubled up creating a siding and spur adjacent to the sawmill and a new canyon and wooden trestle will appear at Arnolds elbows. The public will operate the sawmill sounds that will, in turn, light up the beehive burner with fire and smoke. Operators will deliver loads of supplies to the mill and take away finished lumber and plywood.
Next week? Laying new track and wiring it into the DC/DCC display system. We can also start continuous running with a locomotive and a couple of track cleaning cars that to keep the other 700 feet of track in good shape.