Added some mine track behind the Argo Mill

Today I finished adding some Nn30 (N scale, 30" gauge track) behind the Argo Mill.  These tracks came out of the Argo Tunnel (to the left) through a concrete porthole.  They entered the mill at the rear to dump their ore.  Another track went below the last building and ended at the cliff for dumping waste.

The track is a neat model offered by the N Architect (http://thenarch.com/catalog/detail-parts-vehicles/n-scale?page=2) as a detail part.  The ties are on a thin wood sheet, nicely laser cut.  Stain them and cut off a section and glue it down. Then add very small wire (supplied) for rails.  No - nothing will run, just for show.  I did place some mine cars and a tug for the blip - but they need to be painted and weathered before final inclusion.

So I have not added any dry brushing as yet to the rocks.  I decided to get the track in place first because it would be ballasted with fine dire and rock - the same stuff from Arizona Rock and Mineral  (http://fiferhobby.com/html/arizona_rock_and_mineral.html) I will use throughout the layout.  By the way, their stuff is excellent - especially the ballast which they match to the prototype.  Now I can add some dirt and stone to the scene.

Looking at the prototype photos of the mill, I see that many tall pines have been able to make a foothold in the rock so I need to make some trees as well.  I have quite the system to do this, bought from the McKinzie Brothers (http://www.mckenziebrotherstimberco.com) several years ago.  It uses stout wire and hemp rope fibers to twist up what used to be called bottle brush trees.  These guys have the system down - especially when you need to make a bunch of trees.  A layout just seems to swallow up trees.