Roughing in the Argo MIll

The Argo Mill (modeled here) is actually just outside of Denver CO.  This kit was part of my last layout.  It is an N Scale Architect craftsman kit (http://thenarch.com) long out of production.  An older style kit - basically a pile of wood sheets of scale siding, several piles of different size scale lumber, and many plastic windows and doors.  Great directions, but not a kit for first time builders.  For example, each wall and window had to be laid out on the siding sheet, then cut out.  The new kits are all laser cut and go together wonderfully,  much quicker, with fewer cut fingers.  But I liked this building and kit and am glad I built it - once.

I know I said I was going to paint rails in the staging area first, but I decided instead to do all of the land forms on the layout first so that I can get the styrofoam blue blizzard over first.  The Argo Mill was the last area to rough in.  Next step will be to glue all the layers together and start grinding away with my tools to make the final rough texture and grades.  The black lines on the surface are where I will dig out the styrofoam to create a gully.  The white board in the foreground is a building perimeter for a unbuilt kit - The Yule Marble factory.

The Argo Mill will be served by a small mining track that will exit from a mine tunnel to the left on the upper level of the hill, behind the mill, so that raw ore can be deposited into the top building.  Fortunately N Scale Architect also makes scale mine track, cross ties, and switches.  They do not operate but look great.  Even a mine tug and cars.  Yes I bought them all!

The bridge in front was also from the last railroad and I am trying it out in various places.  I think where it is on the blip is the final spot - on a branch line to Aspen which disappears off the edge of the layout.  I will use this to drop off cars that would be picked up by a train from Aspen, depositing cars to enter my railroad world.  Sort of a way to extend the railroad beyond my room.